three D's by firstfruits creative. shot 12.28.09.

**FIF Editor's note** Daunte called to let me know he was emailing his poem over so I could post it on FAITH is FRESH. He wanted an intro about himself, and I said "Okay, you should write it". I could tell he really didn't wanna do it... but he didn't have a choice. ;)  The next day (today) I get his email, check the intro and honestly... I hate it.  It's so bland, ultra-professional and formal... So not HIM (I should've known better...).  So let ME tell you about Daunte Henderson.

He's the same guy I met in a local art program, here in St. Louis, almost nine years ago--wise, confident and sophisticated, inside and out. He's not complicated... he has simple ideas about life and love. Yet talk to him for one minute, and it's obvious there's a certain rarity about him.

Yet nine years later, Daunte's so different. He's matured into a man, a Chicagoan, an awesome best friend, a risk-taker, and an even better writer. All of this growth and his walk to God is explored in his first book of poems, Things I Learned While Walking.  The book, soon-to-be-released, will tackle everyday struggles and triumphs with life, love and spirituality. It begins with the poem below-- "October 17th"--the day he met Jesus Christ.

To keep up with Daunte Henderson and learn more about the book, join his Facebook group, "Daunte Henderson Is A WRITER" (click HERE to be redirected).

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October 17th.

The 9 a.m. service was packed. My friends and I sat stage left to get a good view of the sign language ministry.  My years of not going to church/lack of clean dress clothes are the reasons why I sported a black hoody, black dress slacks and matching Nike tennis shoes to church this particular Sunday morning. Dramatic changes and inner callings were the sole reason why I was in church that morning. I didn’t go to church growing up, but I ALWAYS knew God was the reason why I was alive. Life had told me “No” for the last time and I was finally ready to submit to God. Towards the end of service, Reverend Charlie made an announcement to encourage all who hadn’t accepted Jesus Christ to walk towards the pulpit and make that first step towards a new life in Christ. A few years ago I couldn’t have walked to the pulpit because I was stuck in my ways of doing things but I was FINALLY ready that Sunday. Out of the hundreds of people in the room I was the only ONE who walked up to the pulpit. I felt like the world was watching me. It was God’s special way of telling me “I have been waiting on you my son, Welcome”. The congregation applauded and a million hugs followed soon after. In minutes, my soul opened up. I was NEW. FRESH, RENEWED, LIVING, READY. I was born again. Running in the past got me to a lot of places but I never felt firmly positioned where I was because I was essentially running from the Lord. I was now ready to walk.  

Temporary pleasures stated
In “Baby I love you” forevers
Are now replaced by
“Never will I leave you or forsake you”
I can’t replace you like a BFF
Or digest what you’ll do for me next
You’re responsible for me getting by
When I was in between checks
The upliftment that you gave me when
I was going through great depressions
Thank you for the listening ear
That you lent when I gave you
Heartfelt confessions
Thank you for the blessings
Thank you for addressing my self esteem
And removing the things that kept
Me from feeling the cream of your healing touch
Thank you much for allowing me to experience
Pain so that I can now laugh at the rain
When it tries to stain my armor
Thanks for turning a boy into a man
Who could understand your plans for my life
And the people around
Thanks for making me sound in spirit
Hopefully I can get others to hear it
I now look for Jesus in the left chest of a woman
And not the ample size of the breast on a woman
I’m a changed man and I hope
They can see it
The life described in John 3:16
I wanna live it
Breathe it
Receive it
Pass it on
God please continue to work
On me and my ways
Forgive me for my strays
And not to mention my nocturnal days
That left me lazy and hazy
In your mission
Forgive me for bended knees that never
Get accomplished
Along with the poor decisions of which I’m accomplice
My trust alone wouldn’t get me this far
It’s because of YOU I can now dance with the stars
I’ve devoured many TV dinners, snacks, and 1-minute recipes
Just to let it be and fast on your love
I could say we fit like a glove
But really we fit like up above
You’re my addition when life subtracts
And detracts me from peace
You’re the soul food minus the “itis” and the heart burn
Because of you my heart learned
And it’s allowed my soul to see
So I could carry out your mission which
Has made me a better me
Amen

Presenting The City...

In the six months that Firstfruits Creative has been on Twitter, I have been blessed to develop some awesome relationships with people from all over the world, just like me -- young, ambitious and ready to put in work for the Creator.  But connecting with this group of students from the University of Houston... they are SO passionate about spreading the Gospel in whatever ways possible--on the street, on campus or on the Web.  Driven by the Great Commission, through their church's youth ministry, they are taking their "City" to the world, and I'm so happy that FFC can expose them to our audience.  Also, it was even more of a blessing to design their site's header and as God expands them (which I'm sure He will), FFC hopes to collab with The City @ Good Hope even more!

Wanna check out The City? Visit them at www.thecitygoodhope.wordpress.com or @thecitygoodhope on Twitter.

It's not Monday anymore... but you get the point.  :)  COMMENT!

Music by Foreign Exchange: "If She Breaks Your Heart"

"And they brought to Him (Jesus) a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged Him to lay His hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, He put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.  And looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."  And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more He charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it..." Mark 7:32-35

FIF-approved Monday listening: a Cross Movement classic.

On a blog where sight & vision is mentioned more often than anything else, it's important to remember it's usually WHAT we hear that affects HOW we see. How we see the world, ourselves and ultimately who God is.  And when Jesus, the Word of the living God, commanded that the deaf/mute man's ears "be opened", I can only imagine that at that moment, this man heard EVERYTHING in a new way.  What would we hear if we let Jesus open our ears all over again??

More reflections:
-- To make this man whole, Jesus took him away from the crowd. It was not that He needed to. Not only did Jesus want no glory, but it was in this private time with that the Lord intended to foster relationship with him.  In summary: intimate time with Jesus = Relationship with Him = Healing = Wholeness.  Let's stop walking or running away from being alone with Jesus.
--The noise of the crowd can push us closer to losing our focus.  Having Jesus stick his fingers inside our ears is better than walking around Times Square, rockin' a $100 pair of Bose earbuds with the volume all the way up. He drowns out the sound. But when we let other things into our spirit/our ears...when we let the noise of the crowd--the temptations distract us from Him drawing us closer, this is when we become deaf, once again.  We gotta keep our earbuds in, and always be ready and willing for God to open us up.

All in all, it's a miracle. The brand new mercies of Christ and His Father's love that draw us back to Him once again-- for Him to sigh (to breathe), and to speak. EPHPHATHA.

Don't forget-- COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE!!