My 6th out of 10 people I would like to thank during this Passover Season are my grandparents, the Harris and the Crawford's family which has been the root and foundation of my belief and the strong force that has inspired me from childhood. May my grandparents continue to rest in peace.
GODS REVELATION
My grandparents were placed on my heart from God. They are special to him for the purpose of his promises and blessings. God speaks to me through his word which commands me to write the vision like Habakkuk in 2:2. My writings are the rod and staff that God is using to encourage me and to lift up while exiting out of my wilderness. After fasting and praying yesterday with Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, today God showed me that my grandparents were the perfect example of Genesis 1:27-31. After reflecting on my life, the Holy Spirit revealed my Auntie Rosa when she gave me the New Living Translation Bible as a wedding gift for my first marriage on 10/10/04 and she said, “make sure you keep God first in your marriage and know Christ for yourselves”. Her words stayed with me. After reflecting on her words yesterday, I realized that I had left my foundation and roots grounded in God.
I had turned from God to serve another god when I left my parents’ home. I was disconnected from the root causing many sins to abound in my life. God showed me that I endured so many hardships such as financial debt, cancer and divorce because I was disobedient. I needed the teachings and instructions from Jesus to repent and turn back to God because I was lost like the prodigal or lost son in Luke 15:11-32. My heart was hardened against his commands. I didn’t know Jesus for myself. I couldn’t hear him until January 14, 2013, and when I heard him my life turned upset down. My marriage certificate was only an image of a union. My union elevated the world's system and not the image of God through obedience, faith, structure, order and his commandments. My divorce decree was not biblical, but it was my heart that was harden against the Almighty God that allowed the divorce by man’s system on 3/13/2015. I married into the system and God was secondary. God snatched me out of darkness, and the yoke was broken by Christ. My divorce was a spiritual elevation. God said that I was under the curse until January 14, 2013 and Christ saved me from self-destruction through salvation. If it wasn’t for Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, where would I be now. I had to walk through a deeper level of fire these past seven years because I turned away from sin to God. I did not want anyone else to experience the pain of cancer, injustice, divorce or other trials and tribulations that come out of disobedience.
God told me today at 7:00 am that the curse has been broken off the land and the bloodline because he is here visiting the iniquities of the 3rd and 4th generations (Exodus 34:7). He said that those that are called by my name have humbled themselves and, I am healing the land (2 Chronicles 7:14) because “I am” in this battle today that you see in the world. He said redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16). He said, a thousand may fall, but none will come near your dwelling (Psalms 91:7-16).
REDEEMING THE TIME
Remembering my Grandparents
My grandparents had 11 children birthed into this world, and 3 were girls and 8 boys. They had a farm and a beautiful white home that I loved when I was a child. There was a huge tree that towered over the home area. It created a nice area of shade to relax. Underneath the tree was a swing which Madea could see from her bed. Her bed was always near the window so she could look at her surroundings and get fresh air.
They had acres of land with a rooster that woke up early with his cock-a-doodle-doo at dawn. My grandparents had chickens, pigs, horses, cows and a bull. My 1st cousin Tasha and I use to get a red cloth to get the bulls attention for entertainment. Her and I were 2 of a kind with getting in trouble. I remember when we went to this pond in the pasture. We went too close to the edge and got stuck. We were able to force our way out, but when we got back to Madea's boy did we get in trouble when she saw us. We never went back to that pond ever again. We looked like we had played in some flour dough. We were lucky granddaddy wasn't there to see us or we would have received a double dose of correction.
My Granddaddy
I remember my granddaddy being a tall, strong, and vibrant man. He was a disciplinary and made sure we followed rules set for the house when visiting. He was a hard worker for the land, his children & grandchildren. He was stern, but there were times when he laughed and entertained us. He would let us get on the back of his pick up truck and we would ride some miles up the road to a fireworks place to get firecrackers. The pick up truck was fun because it felt free to let the wind just blow while we enjoyed the view and laughter and playing bingo for cars. Outside of entertaining his grandchildren when we were visiting, he also made sure the animals were cared for on the land. I remember when he gave me a horse apple to feed the horse, and he supervised as he rode me around on the horse. The horse apples tree grew on the land.
Their farm, pasture and land was filled with naturally growing fruit trees such as plums, apples, pears, figs, & berries. They had a vegetable garden. They were like a city on a hill and the family members such as my aunts, uncles, and cousins lived in close proximity on the same street that stretched about a 1/2 mile in Burkville, Alabama located about 20 miles from Montgomery and 30 miles from Selma. We could walk to their trailers when I was young, but since then all the homes have changed to brick even my grandparent's white house. May my auntie Rosa and Juanita continue to rest in peace. They were the teachers of the family. May my uncle Jap continue to rest in peace. He was the Pastor in the family who was also a business man.
My Grandmother “Madea”
My grandmother was the perfect example of the spirit of a Proverbs 31 woman. She woke up at 4 am like clockwork and prepared to feed and take care of the home and children. When she was up, you could hear her slippers moving around singing, whistling or making noise in the kitchen. I remember when I had to attend Calhoun for a school year. I didn't need an alarm clock. Madea's moving around the house and cooking would wake me up. When she woke up, the entire house was woke. We would get dressed and wait on the bus that picked us up at the bottom of the hill where Langston Hughes Rd intersects with Frederick Douglas Rd. During that time, the roads were dirt and we could see the bus kicking up dirt traveling down Frederick Douglass Rd. We had to be on time for the bus because it was a 2 hour road trip with a transfer in the city of Hayneville before traveling to Calhoun. I am so grateful to have spent this time with my grandmother because I didnt realize how much of my character and ways are similar to her's. Whatever Madea did was in preparation for her family because she was the true stay at home mom and grandmother. She also cared for our great grandmother. My grandmother had the patience of JOB, but the fire of God in her. You could not cross her the wrong way or she would chew you up and spit you out with or without her glasses. Many people would tell me I look like her, but I thought it was only because of the glasses. The genetics of her vision passed to me because I have glasses that are thick. My physical vision is a -8.0 in both eyes, but my spiritual vision is 2020. One memorable moment with Madea is when she would make T-cakes and homemade ice cream. That was the best! Auntie Jubilee also would stop by at times and bring us some goodies like candy apples.
These are the memories and wisdom we share during the Passover Season and how our history of our family has created a path for our God to be elevated through everything we do. It has also created a time for us to share the wisdom that has been passed down generationally. Madea was dependent on God and her faith was passed to her children and grandchildren. She operated by faith and not sight. She moved fast, talked fast because she had a purpose. She was in shape naturally. She had a mission and she fulfilled it before she passed away. I could never watch TV with Madea because she would talk through the entire show saying 'oh God', 'did u see that uman' referring to the drama on the show. Her laughs were priceless. She was funny and had a great sense of humor. I see where my dad gets his humor which also passed to my brothers and sister. I enjoyed helping her clean, taking the clothes off the line and even learning to cook. Her cooking was amazing. The best meal I loved was her chicken, collard greens and home made bread with hot-sauce. She would match her greens and cornbread together, and I found myself doing the same thing and added hot-sauce. She also taught me how to make a fried turkey sandwich with the pieces left over from the turkey after Thanksgiving. No food went to waste, and any leftovers went to the dogs or the chicken feed. I also enjoyed swinging on the swing with her when it was a cool breeze. She is the foundation of who I am today combined with my parents. She operated in the spirit of God. Her strength was needed for her time period, but the God she served is the same God that focused my attention on Christ so I could walk in her obedience by faith through salvation. My cross became my awakening to the truth which set me free from actions and behaviors that were not serving Christ. My grandparents were made in God's likeness. Their union was a platform for God's glory which can be seen today through their children and grandchildren. This is one of the main reason's why the Harris Family Reunion is ongoing.
The Family Reunion
My grandmother Madea was a believer in the Lord. She ensured that she was at church every Sunday. She was up early and dressed to impress with her outfit and hat along with peppermints in her purse. When I visited her for the summer, she made sure that my cousin and I were in church which is Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Burkville, Alabama. She made sure we were in Sunday school. She made sure we had money to put in the offering plate. Her and my granddaddy were the backbone to their 11 children whom one of them is my father Emery L. Crawford Sr. My grandparents also have many grandchildren that were birthed from their union which is why the Family reunion celebration is every two years since I was a child. I am 44, and it has been years of history that has grown from our family roots. The family reunions are celebrated every two years in the shape of a square, but I see it as a diamond because everyone had to dig deep into their lives to birth what God has placed in the root of the Harris and the Crawford's. Their is a diamond exchange that is to take place for the next generation to shine and thrive in this world. The celebrations rotate counterclockwise every two years. They began in (Montgomery, Alabama) to (Chicago, Illinois) to (Cleveland, Ohio) to (Atlanta, Georgia) then it starts back over with Alabama.
We have an upcoming reunion that will be held in Atlanta in 2021. I hope and pray that I am able to attend this one because I have had many hardships that have not allowed me to financially afford the costs in the past. I commend all the family members who work so hard to ensure these reunions are successful. I pray for continued success by the grace of God. These are the precious times when we have the opportunity to receive the torch and prepare the next generation for success. We have to redeem the times (Ephesians 5:16). This is the time that wisdom is exchanged before the foundation departs from the earth. God's blessings flows generationally. The blessings flowed the same way through the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1:1-16 & Luke 3:23-38. You can see each person that God's blessing touched and flowed. That is the same God today that my family served regardless of whether some have turned to a different faith outside of Christianity through baptism. Blessings flow through people. God's promises flow through people. My blessings along with my siblings flowed through my grandparents to my dad who formed a union through marriage with my mother Faye E. Nelms-Crawford. Although he remarried, the blessings have still flowed to Pat Crawford and Chelsea Crawford. We are blessed to be a blessing. I do not know the full geneology of my grandparents, but I know they were the key to the many blessings I see. Everyone's family has a root, and searching it allows us to see our truth today aligned with God's word.
People can connect to the fruit of the tree without believing, knowing or understanding the importance and significance of its roots which is family. We benefit today from their labor, and this is one of the divine purposes of family reunions. To reunite so we are able to pass the wisdom and knowledge of our people that paved the way for us to have a future. This is why seeking the Kingdom of God is so important. Through Jesus Christ, God will reveal the truth by his spirit when we believe concerning anything. I am grateful to Christianity because it was the fruit that led me to the root of who God is in my life and his presence.
My grandparents were a divine example of God, and how they were made in his likeness. Granddaddy represented the physical image of God, and Madea operated by the spirit of God. She flowed gracefully in the spirit of God. She operated in God's spirit as a mother, grandmother, friend to everyone which is why she was Madea. She was full of God's grace, mercy and love to pass it on to others. I realized that somewhere in life this type of spirit was blocked from my natural ability to operate in my divine purpose like Madea. All the hurt, pain and lessons learned turned me back to God because I bought into the wrong image in society. It was God who showed me my grandmother during this season of isolation. He showed me that my grandparents was the spiritual image of the Garden of Eden. They were being who God ordained for them to be in their natural ability for their family. Nothing was blocking them from God's flow of blessings which is why she didn't hesitate to get into the house of the Lord for worship at Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church. This led me to how the name of church's were signs.
Church's that have been a Sign and a Revelation
Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church (Burkville, Alabama)
God showed me that my faith had to elevate above my grandparents and parents because he moves faith to faith and glory to glory (Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18). I had a divine encounter with Christ in order to see the end from the beginning and to be liberated. The name "Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church was a sign for me. Everything surrounding us are signs that the Kingdom is near. I was blind until Christ opened my eyes. The name "mount of olivet" was were Jesus ascended to heaven according to Acts 1:9–12.
NewBirth Missionary Baptist Church (Stonecrest, Georgia)
I was a member at NewBirth Missionary Baptist Church from 2003 to 2017. I have never personally met the late Bishop Eddie L. Long, but I knew God sent me to NewBirth for a divine encounter. May he continue to rest in peace. God was showing me that NewBirth represented the new birth of the restored Kingdom of God that will flow from many people around the world. The building, the land and the structure of the temple, along with the flags surrounding the sanctuary and the doors to the sanctuary representing the words “Miracle”, “Wonder” & “Signs” are all according to God's vision and plan. Also, the different statues posted strategically in places surrounding the sanctuary and the words written on the floor hidden by the purple carpet. God blessed Bishop Eddie L. Long with this vision. I was born again by the spirit on 1/14/2013. According to the scripture, John 3:3, "Jesus answered and said to him,“Most assuredly, I say to you,unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (NKJV). I was filled with the spirit at NewBirth and over time God showed me my divine purpose for being a member at NewBirth Missionary Baptist Church.
Berean Christian Church (Stone Mountain, Georgia)
I attended Berean Christian Church in 2017. It was in walking distance to my father's home when my car was repossessed. Berean Christian Church was a blessing because they assisted me with how the word of God flowed externally in my life so God could position me with what I needed for his assignment. It was a word for the time that I experienced for three years.
Beulah Missionary Baptist Church (Decatur, Georgia)
Like the prodigal son, I returned to Beulah Missionary Baptist Church which is the church I received salvation in 1987. I rejoined on February 9, 2020. I was planning on rededicating my life to Christ on March 25th for the repentance of my sins after I have turned from idolatry, but church services were cancelled due to Covid-19 on March 15, 2020. Everything we see around us has a spiritual connection that can only be seen when Christ lifts the veil and remove the blinders so we can see. Jesus's mission in Luke 4:18, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recover of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed" (NKJV). We are free!
Thank you to all the church's listed for your faith and obedience in God.
Scripture for Grandparents
"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit" (Matthew 12:33, NIV).
“When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you” (Psalms 128:2, NKJV).
Songs for my Grandparents
"Come On In The Room" by The Georgia Mass Choir: https://youtu.be/DnXMSAa1qW4
"Since I Laid My Burdens Down" by Peaceful Zion Mass Choir: https://youtu.be/DTW6PZifneY
"Going Up Yonder" by Tramaine Hawkins: https://youtu.be/FtpcWMXHMDc
"Glory, Glory" by Miami Mass Choir: https://youtu.be/pKZsT4JCljA
"I Just Cant Stop Praising His Name" by Keith Pringle: https://youtu.be/bjqiIY8Fze4
"My Soul Is Anchored" by Douglas Miller: https://youtu.be/ENv7zIo_j9M
"Precious Lord Take My Hand" by Mahalia Jackson: https://youtu.be/as1rsZenwNc
Sources
Tree Image:
Auntie Picture Frame: https://www.festivalclaca.cat/pics/b/9/99677_transparent-photo-frames-png.png
Swing Example: https://www.pngfuel.com/free-png/gqqxt/download
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