Happy New Year My Friends

This year, this decade is a wrap! Wow, 09 went by sooo fast. I can't really remember a lot about it. The more I think about it though, more and more stuff comes to mind.
February brought the birth of our second son Miles. In June I flew to Cambodia and spent 13 days traveling the country, at times in some rather remote locations. In July I lost my Aunt Bea who was 99 years old. She was like my grandma and I miss her a lot. In August 1Way (past and present members) reunited for Edge's release party. September 18Th was my son Micah's 3rd birthday. He had a party and that was pretty cool. In October Pam and I celebrated 6 married years together. We are having a great life! November 30Th I turned another year older and in December Miles celebrated his first Christmas. I also took another step in toward the finish line on my next project. Although the year was kinda of a blur, it was still a good year!
I once remember reading the biography of Bobby Seals, one of the founding members of the Black Panther Party. In the book Monday always represented a new beginning for him. And so it is with this New Year.
Whether the year got away from us or we could not wait for it to be over. We get to write another chapter in our own personal history that will build upon our mistakes of last year. For some of us, it will allow us to build upon the successes we had.
The New Year is kinda like an adult "do over". How many of us need that? I stopped being a resolutionist (one who makes resolutions every New Year) a while ago. When it comes to the considering the year in front of me I wanna be a revolutionist, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, evolve & mature into the person that Christ wants me to become. For me, this year, 2010 is about the pursuit of holiness. I dare you to join me. C'mon it's Monday!!!!

"Proverb, I'm gonna need that pop tart". WHAT????

As I wind down my thoughts from my Summer musicianary trip to Cambodia, I have to tell this story. I was talking with my boy Aaron Monrok the other day and I forget what made me think of it but I had a flash back. We were in the van on our way to some remote village. We had stopped so some of us could revolutionize (ask me by email lol). A few of the teammates were walking around and engaging the natives. I took the time to go back to the van and have a snack. We were encouraged to bring stuff from home to help with being so far away from home, and nothing does that like...... a Pop Tart! So I got to the back seat of the van and was digging my pop tart out of my bag when team member Mike Kultun came to our van. He was saying how they just met and prayed with this woman. Meanwhile I was hearing but not really listening to Mike talking. I was all into how good my pop tart was gonna be. As Mike continued on, I found my Pop Tarts and got them out of my bag. No sooner than I had opened them and raised one to my waiting mouth when I hear the words " "Proverb, we're gonna need those pop tarts"! Surely Mike had no idea what he was saying. Surely he knew you don't try to separate a man and his pop tart, especially this man. Mike was buggin! My response was "What"!!?? He repeated his statement like was actually gonna give him my snack. Then it hit me. What a display of selfishness. How did I look to a van full of missionaries? It was just one pop tart, I had more. The sad part was I was encouraged by most teammates to hold on to it, as it was mine and I brought it from home for me. As conviction buckled me in the back seat of the van, I offered up my Pop Tart. I realized that was a small price to pay for being on such a great adventure with God. Then the greatest thing happened as I offered it up, some more food from another van was miraculously provided. I felt like Abraham when he saw the ram. My pop tart had been spared! Well, you get the picture. Anyways, the point is every day we will get tested. The question we have to ask our self is..... When asked to, will we give up our pop tart?

Proverb's Musicianary Trip: Banteay Chhmar, Day 11

This footage was from day 11 of my trip. The footage does not do the road justice, it was incredible bumpy! It was a long hot dusty rewarding day. Hopefully this clip will capture the feel of our days on the trip. Enjoy!

Proverb's Musicianary Trip: The Story of Preah Net Preah

John Clark of Musicianaries International tells the story of the Town and the Church of Preah Net Preah. Enjoy.

Proverb's Musicianary Trip: Jim McCandliss Talks About The Work Of Musicianaries International Inc.

I got a chance at one of our rice distro to talk with Jim McCandliss (president of Musicianaries International Inc.). We talked a bit about the purpose behind the Rice For Cambodia Tour 2009. Enjoy.

Proverb's Musicianary Trip: In The Van Day 2 Pt. 2 Phnom Penh, Cambodia

It took a while for me to get this one up but here is the follow up to Pt.1
We had just got back from the orphanage. Enjoy!

Proverb's Musicianary Trip: In The Van Day 2 Phnom Penh, Cambodia

From The Top Pt. 2

At the news of Bobby's graduation, I was stunned and confused. I knew God was calling me on this trip but what would happen to the trip now? Well, enter John Clark. My friend Aaron and I met with John to see what was goin’ on with the trip. Was it still happening? How would that look without Bobby? He assured us that although there was a lot of grief in and around the organization that the trip was going forward because they believed that is what Bobby and God would want. Whew! Cool, so we are still going to Cambodia! Then John told us what the trip would look like, what we would be doing. He talked about the feel and the vibe of the Kingdom of Cambodia. He talked of its people who seemed to be his friends. He spoke of them not as people he was going to help but as friends he was going to see again and hang out with. I was really intrigued by that. He spoke a lot of serving them and loving on them. He got me amped to go, not that I was not before but now I was all in! As with any mission trip I had to raise support to get me to Cambodia. Even in economically stable time this is a challenge, but in these present days even more so. People have so little to spare. When they give now a days, some of them are literally giving the widow's mite (Mark 12:41-43).

So with the support of my wife and family, I wrote this letter with God's guidance:

"I am writing to tell you about a unique mission’s opportunity I have in front of me. I have been invited by Musicianaries International, Inc. to go on a mission trip with them to Cambodia! This is unique because I will be using my Holy Hip-Hop music as a ministry tool as well as doing typical missionary field work. I went on a mission trip to the Middle East, which was life-changing, but to go and use my music…Wow! What an amazing thing!

I will be arriving in Cambodia on Wednesday, July 1st and departing on Monday, July 13th. The following is a description of what a “typical day” could look like according to Musicianaries International, Inc.

“Each day is quite unique but days are typically spent traveling, distributing rice at least once a day, sometimes up to 3 times a day and free medical care. The nights will have concerts with up to 30,000 in attendance, and a few evenings we will be doing television shows with live audiences and about a 1.5-3 million viewing audience.”

I want to invite you to be a part of the trip by helping me take the gospel to the nations. Here is how you can help:

Give: You can give to send me. The trip will cost around $3,200, with the first half due by April 4th and the remainder due by May 29th. I know that we are in tough economic times, but just pray about it. If the answer is yes, give! Give and know that God will supply for your needs beyond what you are sacrificially giving for this trip.

If you would like to give, please make the check out to:
Musicianaries International, Inc.
Place a sticky note or attach a note by paper clip to the check stating that the check is for Proverb Newsome’s Cambodia mission trip fund.

Send your check to:
Musicianaries International, Inc.
P.O. Box 31868
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420-1868

Your donation will be tax-deductible in the USA (Fed tax ID# 65-0885954). You will get a tax receipt at the end of the calendar quarter and at the end of the year.

Pray: You can pray for me and the entire team that is going. Pray for our safety, our effectiveness, our travels within the country, and good health for the entire trip.

Tell: Let your friends who may be willing and able to give know about the trip.

Whether you decide to help in one or all of the above ways, you have my deepest appreciation!

Pray, Listen, Obey.

Proverb Newsome"

I penned this and sent it to all my friends. I even sent it to my fans thru my website www.proverbnewsome.com. I put it out there with full faith that God would provide even in these times. Before we knew it my internal trip cost were covered. This was a testimony to my wife who was in but had serious doubts about actually raising the money, but was now seeing God's hand at work. The rest of the fund raising was a exercise in faith. As I went to trip trainings to get me acclimated for my time in a foreign country, we waited for the rest of the money to come. This wait was an extended period of time that pressed right up to the time I was to leave to go. We were beginning to doubt then 1 week before we got a call saying that my trip cost were covered! God came thru. What an awesome time of trusting and obeying. Oswald Chambers was right there is not accounting for the afterwards of obedience. Now it was just a matter of getting the stuff I needed to take. Some clothes, kicks, and personal items. I was going to Cambodia.

My Music!!!!!!!! Check out the Widget!

From The Top Pt. 1

Now that I have begun to process my trip, I thought that I would start at the very beginning. I have been asked "how did you come to go on a mission trip to Cambodia anyways?” Well, the trip found me actually. My friend Aaron Mondok was about to sign on as Musicianaries’ videographer and was told by the organizations founder, Bobby Michaels, to keep an eye out for musicians. So Aaron being a good friend, asked if he was looking for any Hip-Hop musicians too? Bobby laughed and said why do you know any? That was the beginning of a very long journey. Aaron then asked me if I was interested in going to Cambodia. Then he told me about his convo with Bobby. I gave Aaron a CD (A Common Man’s Opus) to give to Bobby. This led to some phone tag and eventually a 30 minute plus phone convo with Bobby. He was very excited at the prospect of having me on the trip. He told me he loved the CD and that the Cambodians would love the music as well. He also stated that I would probably be the first Hip-Hop artist to visit the country. Of course I was a little skeptical at that statement but ok I’ll roll with it for now. So I told I would love to go but need to talk with my wife and pray (in my heart though, I was in 100%, it’s not like the devil is going to invite me to go preach the Gospel in another country right?). So I did just that and let them know later that I was in. This was the first and last time I would ever talk to Bobby.

After our convo, Bobby was leaving for Asia and Australia for a month, but had been very sick with the flu. He was traveling in Cambodia when he suffered some very serious heart issues. A web update on Bobby's condition said: "This morning he woke up and said that he was 'feeling the best he had in 2 weeks.” Around noon (Cambodia time) Bobby passed out. They took him to the local health clinic as there is no hospital in the small town they were in. "After running a few IV's through him, it was evident that he needed to get to a hospital," said a family spokesperson. An ambulance brought Lee (Bobby’s wife), Bobby and a Doctor and his wife (who's a nurse) that were attending the conference to the main hospital in Phnom Penh which was a few hours’ drive. Jim and Cheryl McCandliss met up with my parents at the hospital in Phnom Penh. They soon found that Bobby's heart is only working at 30 percent, there is fluid around his heart and there is not much blood flow to his heart. He had an infection in his cardiac artery. But, he had the best cardiologists in Cambodia looking after him! Jim McCandliss, who was traveling with Bobby, was asked what he thought of the hospital and he said, "The conditions are very basic, but that he was confident in the Doctors' and nurses' abilities."

The spokesperson said the rest of the tour was on hold right now and it looks like they will be in Cambodia for a few more days than scheduled. In the morning the Doctors took Bobby out of the room to go run some tests. On their way down to the exam room, Bobby's heart stopped beating and they resuscitated him and took him immediately into surgery. They put 2 stents in his heart and removed a blood clot. After recovering from this surgery, he was then transferred back to his room where his wife was waiting for him. While they were setting him back up in his room, his heart failed again and once again they resuscitated him. The reason for this was that the muscles were too weak to do their job. His heart was accepting the stents though, and Bobby did really well for the next 6-8 hours. He had tubes down his throat and needed to rest and stillness. He had been quite restless though during all of this. Bobby was resting in Thailand, trying to regain enough strength so that he could undergo surgery. But because Bobby's organs were beginning to shut down, the doctors had no choice but to try to repair his heart. Shortly after going into the operating room, before the surgeons could start the operation, Bobby's heart stopped with an instant 'flat-line.' The medical team tried for 45 minutes to resuscitate him but his heart did not respond.

Then I got this email: "Our hearts are aching as we tell you that Bobby passed away this evening.”We are deeply saddened by our loss...but rejoice that Bobby did get totally healed...with a new heart, kidneys, and any other part that might have needed fixing. The Lord knew the plans He had for Bobby...and today was his graduation day as he went to the One he loved the most and served so faithfully. We know he was carried away in the arms of Jesus.

Wow, I didn’t know what to expect next. I knew I was called to go but what was going to happen to the trip now? The rest was a test of faith. How it turned out was amazing! Stay tuned for part 2.

Goodbye Kampuchea!!!!!!!!!!!!

What an amazing time I have had here in Cambodia! It is now day 12 of my trip. Hopefully you have been keeping up with me on Twitter(www.twitter.com/proverbialman) and facebook.
I have posted a few blogs while I have been here but once I get home and process the whole trip with the help of my journal ( thanks Sabrina & Cyndi) an many photos I will post more. You will probably here about my trip for some time to come!
I have had some amazing concerts, carried many bags of rice and just been amazed at how little the Cami people have yet how happy and content they seem with it. I want to personally thank you for your prayers while I am away. I have felt them. Keep them coming because I fly out tomorrow night to come back home to Bomb Beach, USA. thanks also if you gave to send me!
Look out for video footage on my youtube page too!

Souljournin'With God,

Proverb

Boom TV & Ensuing Madness

On Saturday the music team and myself got to be on TV. The channel was TV 3 and it has show called Boom TV. It is the most watched show in all of Cambodia. An estimated 4.5 million people watch this show. It's a very big deal. So we went for sound check it went well. We were the only Christian group on the show. All the other acts were native and secular at that. Prior to coming here our team leaders told us that the culture was modest and all that stuff but once we came back at show time I was not able to tell that at the station. It was like America. Dudes with saggin pants and chicks in tight fitting gear. It would appear that Hip-Hop has touched Cambodia at least in a fashion sense. In any event when it got to our time to perform we had a great time! We sang I Am A Friend of God, then I did a song from my CD (Get At It), then we did Lord I Give You My heart. After a short commercial break my new friends Melanie & Daud both did their solos and we ended with One Way. It was a great night of worship!
So today we got to walk around what is know as the Russian Market. We were done shopping and heading toward our vans and 10 yards away I saw a dude waving at me or at least I thought it was me. The vendors here are kind of aggressive here and then I thought maybe it's not me he is waving at. As I got closer he said to me, "Hey did I you on TV 3 last night! I politely said yea shook his hand and found my team (who spread the story around all day of how I had a fan).It was very surreal. I am blessed to be on a very talented team of musicians & singers and happy to be doing God's work here in Cambodia.

Stay tuned for video!

Horrific Story of Tuol Sleng & The Killing Fields

Thursday the team and I got to visit the genocide museum in Cambodia called Tuol Sleng. At one time it was the high school the best and brightest that Cambodia had to offer. Think of a really elite high school in your town that everyone wants to go to and then you'll have a good idea of what Tuol sleng was. Pol Pot who was the evil guy that brought Cambodia to it's knees in the mid to late seventies, once applied here but was rejected. This is a fact I found out while on the tour. When he came back to Cambodia in 1975 he turned this elite learning environment into a torture chamber.
Here Cambodian were forcefully interrogated to give up anyone in their family on any of their friend who were educated. They had the eyes gauged out, their finger nail pulled from the cuticle and tortured with water. As we walked through the room where this happened, I could still see the blood spatter on the ceiling. It was old and faded but very distinct. Dr. Setan Lee, who is a killing field survivor said that when he first visited Tuol Sleng after the reign of Pol Pot, that there was still the stench of human bodies, and when as the blood was even more visible. This was reminiscent of when I visited Dachau, which was a Nazi concentration camp in Germany.
It was a very heavy day. A lot of pain still lives there.

When we left Tuol Sleng, we then went to the Killing Fields. Here an estimated 20,000 people were slaughtered by the ruthless Khmer Rouge. The most unsettling thing for me was not seeing the mass burial sites, although that was hard. It was not seeing all the exposed human bones (and in some cases the pieces of clothing that were attached to them) everywhere. The unsettling part for me was seeing the tree were the Khmer Rouge used to kill infants. They would hold them by the ankles a swing & smash them against a tree that is still there. I saw it! Our guide that was taking us through the Killing fields ( not Dr. Lee at this point) was very descriptive. I could since the disdain in his voice as he said the names of Pol Pot and the other Khmer Rouge leaders. He was bitter and upset. He has every right to be because 30 years later the Tribunal is still going on. One of the leaders Duch has been back to visit the Killing fields. The guide is not a believer so his anger is eating him up and you can her it when he speaks. We were told by our team leaders that he drinks to forget his pain. This is what he told to them. We prayed with him after, he was visibly touch by it. This was a very heavy day.
I am glad I came to Cambodia because now I know why there are kids with bloated stomachs and no clean water. Khmer Rouge ruined this culture. They are trying to rebuild and move on but have such a long way to go. we are here to show them God cares about their struggle and that he want to show them, through Musicianaries how deep His love is for them.

It's the Life of a Musicianary

I made it Phemon Penh, Cambodia after almost 22hrs of flying time!Peep the pix in this blog. My friend Ryan took it as we were flying over Russia, hot right? Anyway, surprisingly I am adjusting well. No serious jet lag or crashes yet, well none more than usual.I am in a nice Hotel with the team just getting prepared for the rest of the trip. Yesterday was my first full day of rehearsal with the band. Yep I am in a band. No, 1Way is not here, but I am not in a worship band singing songs! Yeah, rewind and read it again. Funny right? God has a plan. No, I am not some dope singer who can hold it down like Fred Hammond or anything but I am having fun with it. It is 6:18 AM here now on July 2nd. Today I will visit a performing arts orphanage. I cannot wait to get outside of the hotel and see the country and get it in with the Cambodian people. Make sure to check my twitter wigets or the page for up to the minute up dates. Yep I'm out of the country but the Blackberry still connects! just don't call me, cause I ain't answering unless it's my wifey.

TTYL

Off To Cambodia

Wow! I cannot believe how long it has been since my last entry. I always plan to blog more consistently but I always fall off (get busy, procrastinate or whatever). So here it is the long awaited (not so much cause very few people actually follow my blog) blog entry.

Since my last entry I have been praying and hoping that the funds I need to go to Cambodia come in. Well last Thursday a day before the trip had to be paid for it was! God provided all the money I needed. Even in a rough economy, He came through!

I would like to thank you for giving, if you did indeed give. If not, then you can make up for it by praying for me while I am away. It just occurred to me that while I have a cause on my Facebook page and have told many people about it there and on www.proverbnewsome.com, I have not mentioned it at all here on my official blog site. So here is a summary of what I will be doing while I am away in Cambodia.

The team that I am rollin with from Musicanaries International Inc. will personally distribute 400 tons of rice, donated by hundreds of generous ministry partners, to villagers located all over the country. At these distributions, our team will hand out scriptures and literature, be conducting medical clinics, distributing school supplies and uniforms, and personal hygiene items. We will also have the opportunity to perform several outreach concerts (this is where I come in) where Cambodian Bible students, team members, and local pastors minister one-on-one with the people attending. Changed hearts and hopeful futures are usually seen in the people the Lord ministers to during these events.

I will be away from Spammy, Micah, & Miles for 15 days. The longest I have ever been away in our 5 years of marriage. It will be tough but I am excited to see what adventure God has for me in Cambodia. I will try during my time away to stay connected as much as I can. Probably primarily through Twitter. We will be in some pretty rural places as well as some cities but we will be constantly moving. I doubt there will be much time to send video or audio back while I am away but I will make that a definite priority upon returning to the states.

Well, I wish you could come with me but fortunately you praying for me and sending me makes you an official part of my trip! So even though you’re not going you will be there with me.

TTYL

Someday Is Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

January 20th, 2009. I cleared my morning schedule to be a part of history! I could not be there in person like 1.4 million of us were, so like most Americans, I watched the whole thing on television. Since on November 20th Charlie Gibson was the reporter that told me "Barak Obama has been declared the winner, and is the 44th President of The United States", ABC had the honor of bringing me The Inauguration!
I watched with disbelief. Is this really happening? Tears flowed. I watched as the motorcade pulled up to the White House. This was not just some Senator visiting; this was a transition of power. The next President! A black President Tears flowed.
If you have read any of my previous blog entries, you would know that I was really invested in this election.

As I sat in bed with my wife Pam to watch the swearing in ceremony, my mind shifted to the Civil Rights Movement and the anthem they sang We Shall Overcome.
It became particularly popular in the 1960s in America, after Pete Seeger picked it up, adapted it, and taught it to his audiences to sing. The melody dates back to before the Civil War, from a song called "No More Auction Block for me." Originally, the lyrics were "I'll overcome someday," which dates back to a turn-of-the-20th-century song by the Reverend Charles Tindley of Philadelphia. The song didn't appear on a large scale until 1946, during a labor strike at the American Tobacco Company. One of the women striking that day – Lucille Simmons – began singing slowly, "Deep in my heart I do believe we'll overcome some day." Here is how it goes:

We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome someday

CHORUS:
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome someday

We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand someday

CHORUS
We shall all be free
We shall all be free
We shall all be free someday

CHORUS

We are not afraid
We are not afraid
We are not afraid someday

CHORUS
We are not alone
We are not alone
We are not alone someday

CHORUS
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around someday

CHORUS
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome someday

Then it struck me as President Barak Obama was giving his speech that someday is today. Someday is now!
Only a day after celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, On the same mall that he shared his dream, the dream was being fulfilled. Wow, and I am alive to witness it! Many have stated that they thought this would never happen in their lifetime, well it has. All of the struggle, and the Americans that had to endure being treated as less than are now truly seen as American. Now, not only do we know we can dream, but that we can achieve the dream. The anthem on the 60's We Shall Overcome has echoed into a new century and become YES WE CAN. Now on January 20th, 2009, YES WE DID. We overcame. We overcame as a race, and as a country. The road is long but we have taken a definitive first step. No more do we sing "We shall overcome someday" because someday in today!

Bibles & Cellphones Can You Hear Me Now?

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several time a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
What if we used it to communicate with others?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill. Oh, and no worries about dropped calls! Makes you stop and think, where are our priorities?

For all of my smart phone heads out there (Blackberry rules), do your self a favor and get a Bible app for your phone that way the scriptures can be on your phone at you access. If we treated God's word like our cellys we would be communicating with Him a lot more than we are right now!

Another Year Is Ova...... Goodbye 2008

Wow, it is hard to believe that 2008 is coming to end in a few hours. This is a good time to reflect for us intellects about what went well, how many goals we achieved, did we do all with a year that we could have etc. For me this year has been a good year personally. My family (Pam, Micah and I) is stable, our family is expanding by one (another son), and I finally got to hook up my back yard (CT & Wes B. That was a good look guys. You really blessed a brother). I turned 40 this year and I am happy to be 40. Age is just a number right? You know what I learned about myself this year? That I am really content just being me, not some radio personality, or that guy from that rap group, just Pam's husband and Micah's dad!
Professionally, this year was ok. 1Way finally release Midnight Run! That was such a major accomplishment in my eyes at least. It took a lot to get it out. A Common man's opus received a nomination from Rhythm of Gospel Awards, and I recorded 2 new songs. One with a brother I met thru myspace named Advoc8. The song is called Past the Distractions. The other one was for my friends over at RapFest called Let's Ride feat Big Raj. I got to work with one of my best friends Roger Moss (thanks for making it do what it do kid.)
I also got to help my homie Edge work on his forthcoming project While I'm Still Breathin'. The disappointing thing professionally about 08 is that I did not get to perform as much as I would have liked to, but God willing that will change in 09.
Things that I am looking forward to in 09..... The birth of our second son, blogging more, writing more in general, working on another solo project and another project that I have wanted to do for a long time. Of course there are the numerous goals and the great ideas of eating better and getting in shape, becoming more disciplined, being a better Christian blah, blah, blah. You know how that can go. In the words of Dan Fogelberg "Same Old Lang Syne"! We will see though.
I wish for you want for me a healthy, happy, blissed out New Year where you push your own boundaries and amaze yourself, and that you walk humbly with the LORD.
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayer For Our President Elect

Dear God, I pray for optimum health, wisdom, mental clarity and political prosperity for Barack Obama. I also pray for protection for him and his family, as he seeks to become the President of the United States ! Give him the ability to pray the way You want him to pray; give him the ability to lead with Your heart; give him hearing ears to listen to You as You speak to him. Surround him with men and women who have his best interest and the best interest of this country at heart. Lord, please expose any plot or plan of darkness that would seek to sabotage Barack Obama or do him harm in any way. I join my prayers with the millions of people around the country who sincerely want a change in our government. We ask, Lord, that you surround him with angels that would war on his behalf against anything evil. Give him strength when he feels weak! In Jesus' name,  AMEN.

This is not from me but I thought it was most definately post worthy!
As Christians, we should be praying for our leaders. As Christians who did not vote for or support President-elect Obama, we should definately be praying not condeming the man that God through the voice of americans everywhere has put in charge of our country.
Pray up or shut up(harsh huh?)! 

ROCKTHEVOTE

November 4th, 2008. Election Day! Today when I went into the polls I carried with me my trusty sample ballot and a few other things that normally come to. For instance, the fact the 40 year ago Jim Crow laws were in effect and as a black man dad was not allowed to vote. It was not legal, even though they he was American citizen. This year I walked in with the knowledge that it wasn’t until 1967 that my marriage would have been legal.(the historic 1967 ruling in the case of "Loving vs. Virginia," the US Supreme Court ruled that the ban on mixed racial marriages was unconstitutional.). With all that said when I went in today to cast my vote and there was Senator Barak Obama's (a Black man) name was on the ballot, it was a defining moment in American history. Whether or not he wins, it is not only a great moment for African Americans but people all over America.
No longer can we as Blacks say there is a glass ceiling. No longer do we have to hear "The man will only let you get so far in this country". A Black man is on the verge of being the leader of the free world. Allow me this moment of pride. I am not a racist, I am not pro-black, I am a Christian and I believe that we are all created equal in the Eyes of God! Even though our Untied States Constitution states: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It has not been until this moment that I can say that a Black has really been considered to be equal with a white man in a presidential race! This is an amazing moment to be alive.
My mom, who was born in 1920, is amazed that Senator Obama is being allowed to run. She fears for his safety and is amazed that he has white supporters. When she was a child, blacks were seen as not equal. They could not enter the front entrance of a house. They had to go around back. My dad and his brothers were share croppers. Not only can Blacks come in the front of a house now they can go into the US Senate and maybe even the oval office. We have come a long way.
With all that said, as an American I have a vested interest in this election. As a Black man Senator Obama is an inspiration to me. Issues aside, what he has achieved should inspire all Americans.
Dr. King had a dream, but Senator Obama just may be one link in the chain of the progression of that dream. Go VOTE!!!!!!

I’m Proverb Newsome, and I approved this message.