life

Hidden Treasure

3/28/2021

by Danielle N. Hall

It’s been a while since I’ve chronicled any of my life experiences here, but this one was too good to ignore. I truly receive a message from just about any life experience I have and this post is a prime example. Many people don’t care about what are seemingly minor details, but it’s sometimes the small things that have major significance. We have the privilege of observing the beauty, the miracles, the signs, and the wonders in each waking day. Why not embrace the opportunity?

Earlier this year, I visited a nearby store to pick up a few items. I proceeded to the register after collecting my items of choice. While heading to the register to checkout, an unusual drink caught my attention: as is custom. I hadn’t seen it before and it seemed to a bit isolated in the cooler of beverages. There appeared to be around 4, but I decided to grab only two. After having read the ingredients, I was pretty sure the drink was gonna be at least $4 each.

It was finally my turn at the register and the cashier looked strangely at the drinks. She said she never saw them before…well that made two of us. Another cashier went to look on the shelf for the cost and discovered there was no label. They collectively decided to charge a whopping ONE DOLLAR per bottle! It would have been foolish of me to leave the rest in that beverage cooler so asked if they could wait just a moment so I could get the rest of the bottles. It turned out to be a total of 6 and not 4 as I had originally thought. I was certain that I had just received a blessing and gratitude was my response.

I could hardly wait to get in my car and check to see just how much these drinks cost.

$64.99 for a case of 12

I was amazed to find out the cost directly from the source was 12 for $64.99! I could hardly believe that I paid $6 total for what would’ve cost me 5 times as much for the 6 bottles I had. Understand that this was no simple blend of ingredients, they were carefully selected with purpose. The potential health benefits were worth far more than $1 per bottle.

Packed with wholesome goodness!

So here comes the message…

How many times have you undervalued or written off something and then later discovered that it was more valuable than the worth you ascribed to it? Have you ever met someone, but didn’t take the time to get to know just how “loaded” they were, so you wrote them off because you assumed they were shallow. I took the time to read the bottle and its ingredients. Though the cost wasn’t present, I was willing to make the investment because I believed in the benefits and the return on the investment.

Have you missed out on a prime season because you underestimated the value of the window of opportunity? Did something catch your attention, but you talked yourself out of it because you assumed the cost was too high and you weren’t willing to make the investment? If I had responded that way when those tasty Remedy Organics caught my attention, I would’ve missed a blessing.

I hope that this message will cause you to pause and think before you write someone or something off. You just may be denying yourself the experience of a hidden treasure!

Here is a final thought for your consideration:

“It is to our own detriment that we underestimate the might of small and simple things.” – Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes: Quotes, Thoughts, & a Little Poetry for Every Day of the Year

The Warning

8/4/2019

by Danielle N. Hall

This poem is one of several I wrote and featured in the appendix my sophomore solo book: Dirty Little Secrets and The Little White Lie. “Calm” sums up most of my days: noisy, yet I steal away and find a moment of peace and quiet. Sometimes the noise is from external sources and sometimes it’s the sound of many thoughts dancing around in my mind. Either way, it can truly be overwhelming at times and what I need to really hear I may miss.

I’m reminded of an exchange I had with my eldest son, who I affectionately call my Big Boy. He’s the one who has willingly taken over the majority of the chef duties in the house. I have the privilege of getting at least one day a week in (insert sarcastic face here lol). Sunday is my designated dinner day. I admittedly cheat sometimes, though, and resort to food that has been prepared by other hands. Anyway, I do try to stick to my schedule. So in this exchange I had with Big Boy, who had ALSO become both the food police and food bandit in the house, he informed me of a few items we were in need of. One of said items was oil. I heard what he said, but remember that noise I mentioned before? The noise interfered with me storing that warning into the proper category. I won’t say that I ignored it, but I didn’t totally give it the attention it needed.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks afterwards. It was a Sunday, which means it was my dinner day. I was so excited about preparing the fresh produce I had picked up from the nearby Amish market on the Thursday before. I got a few things, but was most excited about the fresh broccoli and Brussels sprouts I had purchased from the market. Don’t gag…I used to have trouble with the thought of consuming Brussels sprouts for many years, too. The last time I sautéed the two vegetables together it was SO tasty and I think Big Boy shared the same sentiment because he had quite a healthy portion. I put my music on to get me going and I proceeded to prepare the veggies. I washed the veggies and cut the sprouts in halves and then cut the broccoli. Afterwards, I washed them again. I got ready to get my pan heated and realized: I HAD NO OIL! Surely, I had already received this warning some time before, but it wasn’t until I needed it that I realized that I didn’t have it.

Have you ever experienced this? You had your mind set to do something and moved forward with the plan and you realized that you didn’t have what you needed to effectively complete the task? Have you ever, with good intentions, attempted to engage in a godly endeavor, but realized you weren’t equipped?

Some are eager to step in places or to do things that they weren’t properly prepared for. Are you out of oil? Remember the parable of the 10 virgins?

Matthew 25:1-9 (AMP)

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible]. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them]. 8 But the foolish virgins said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.’

One thing the foolish virgins and I had in common: we weren’t prepared for what we set out to do…we all were in need of oil. I was warned, but because I didn’t immediately heed the warning, I had to interrupt what I was doing to be properly equipped to finish what I started. I, too, had to go out and buy oil. Don’t let this be you. When you receive a warning or a heads up, make sure you shut out the noise so you can appropriately respond to the warning. Fortunately, I was able to get oil and finish preparing my veggie dish, but it could’ve been completed faster. It could’ve been a more efficient experience.

If you’re reading this, consider THIS as your warning to not forget the oil (or any other “ingredient” you need to be prepared for the mission you set out for. More importantly, make sure that you silence the noise so that you clearly hear the warning and then respond appropriately.

The Great Exchange (It’s Not What It Looks Like)

by Danielle N. Hall

7/21/2019

Picture it…Upper Marlboro, MD…2019. It wasn’t the hottest day of the year, but it sure wasn’t the coolest. Parched puts it lightly when describing how I was feeling, but I had just downed a bottle of water. I don’t know of many enemies I have, but I can say with confidence that Ms. Heat is definitely NOT my friend. I carry a personal fan in my bag just to try to get Ms. Heat to keep her distance…she truly is not welcome in my personal space. We have difficulty getting along and I’m not sure that we will ever find a common ground.

Back to that empty water bottle…

The setting was Sunday morning, in the chapel preparing for service. The issue wasn’t so much that it was warm inside, it was that Ms. Heat and I had a little battle as I was walking into the church. She has NO respect for my personal space. So she decided she would stick real close that morning. I tried to cool down and stay calm so I drank my water. It didn’t quite do the trick, but time was of the essence and I didn’t want to drink much more because I wanted to avoid the risk of making a mad dash to the restroom in mid-song. A kind lady noticed my empty water bottle and offered to dispose of it for me. I usually drop it in the bin on the way to the sanctuary and it seemed to me that giving her what was no longer useful to me would’ve been a bit unfair. I was very hesitant and I kindly declined. I said “Thank you so much for the offer, but you really don’t have to do that.” I continued to gather my things to head to the sanctuary for service. She again asks to take what was no longer serving me any purpose, but THIS time she said “I have something I want to give you in place of it.” I’m a bit of a crybaby when it comes to random acts of kindness. I saw this pink beverage, but the label was covered. I saw enough to know it was a Minute Maid bottle, but it looked like the bottle contained pink lemonade: something I would unfortunately not be able to consume due to my allergy to lemons. Nevertheless, I took a chance and I said thank you so much for your kindness. As a giver, I’ve learned that it is extremely important to give when you feel led and when others might not receive, it could block both you and them being blessed. I didn’t want to block her blessing so I agreed to give her my empty container in exchange for the bottle full of pink drink. Oh, I forgot to mention that the beverage was coooooold.

As I approached her, I saw the label and to my pleasant surprise, it was NOT lemonade at all: it was watermelon punch. Suddenly, the strange eyebrow position I had because I was nervous about receiving something I couldn’t use, changed to one expressing excitement. I’m sure when I smiled all 26 of my teeth were showing. I was so grateful and then so disappointed that I was hesitant.

I know God’s track record and He has not EVER sent someone to bless me with something I didn’t need or couldn’t use. Why would I doubt Him in this moment? I didn’t spend a lot of time beating up on myself, but I spent more time being grateful than guilty. It was a valuable lesson to me that I thought I would share to inspire you. Here’s the thing: we like to hold on to things that no longer serve us and God is trying to remove them from our lives to give us something better. What He is trying to bless us with may not look like what we are expecting, but God is a bullseye kinda guy: He’s ALWAYS on target. He knows what we need, when we need it, and how to get it to us. The next time God tried to take something away from you that you don’t need, LET HIM! Get rid of unnecessary weight in your life and allow Him to fill you with something of useful substance.

Special thanks to the angel who looked out for me last Sunday and blessed me with that wonderful pink drink.

P.S. – pink is my favorite color 💗

The Hangover

by Danielle N. Hall

7/3/2018

One of the most horrible experiences EVER is the hangover! Symptoms include fatigue, thirst, headache, dry mouth, nausea, light and sound sensitivity, muscle aches, dehydration, loss of appetite, diarrhea, heartburn, excessive sweating, irritability, bad breath, and vomiting. Sounds like a new medication ad, I know… I mean the body really goes through some changes!

This one time…not at band camp…I remember having a pretty rough night. Ok, ok…maybe I’ve had a few memorable occasions and not just one rough night. Anyway, I recall watching a regular Friday night comedy special. There was the usual case of Schlitz Blue Bull available and random snacks. I indulged. I got extra creative and decided that it’d be a great idea to get a bagel and pour chocolate syrup on it. My creativity didn’t cease there…oh nooooo…I had that Emeril spirit and decided to kick it up a notch. I grabbed a little bit of lime flavored Jell-O and topped it with whipped cream. You can just call me Chef Girl-Ar-D. Well, needless to say, I probably needed to go back to culinary school because that combo juuuuust didn’t quite get together. The result was a catastrophe. I hadn’t experienced spending so much time in the throne room getting that acquainted with the throne. We did share much quality time on a few other occasions as well. It was a hangover to remember.

Now that was a true story, but also true is another hangover account. Picture it, DC, 1999. I was excited, nervous, confused, and happy: simultaneously. On the morning of December 13, 1999, I started having these unusual pains and discomforts. They were an indicator that there was some activity going on beneath the service. I had arrived at work at the day care center where I was employed and I just couldn’t seem to get comfortable. Not long after arriving, I decided it may be best for me to go back home to assess and deal with these changes. Time progressed and a few hours later I made my way to the hospital. I called my parents and they beat me there! Time was ticking, Dad got tired, but mom hung around.

I was offered medication to help ease the discomfort, but I declined. Somewhere near the 10pm hour, I changed my mind and took them up on their offer. A few hours passed by and after being extremely exhausted and going through these changes, an observant baby girl made her debut at 2:05am on December 14th…weighing in at a whopping 5lbs. 13oz. What an experience!

I had only gained 12lbs. The entire pregnancy: though it appeared as if I was gonna give birth to twins. After having given birth, I lost 14lbs. This was awesome! I walked often during the pregnancy and was pretty active. I lost 14lbs., but managed to gain a new trophy: the mother’s pouch, which I am dubbing as “the hangover”.

Now this picture isn’t me, but I could’ve posed for it. I couldn’t understand why I had acquired this new gift, but I learned to embrace it. It is a reminder of one of the most rewarding experiences: becoming a mom. I’ve since become the mother of two more jewels and I’ve experienced tremendous weight gain and some weight loss…but that hangover is yet holding on. I proudly wear my badge of honor and I thought I’d encourage any mother who still has her pouch (in spite of efforts to reduce it), to wear your badge with pride. Don’t stop working at reducing it if it makes YOU happy, but don’t be discouraged if it hangs around for your lifetime. You are a mom and you rock!

P.S. – I haven’t had those other types of hangovers anymore…I’ve got a new appetite and I hunger and thirst after righteousness: not Schlitz or any other concoction I’ve made in the past. God made the difference!

The Other Silent Killer

by Danielle N. Hall

03/17/2018

I don’t watch much television and I’ve missed many movies, but I’m not all the way green…I have seen a few. One that comes to mind is Madea’s Big Happy Family. As with any other Tyler Perry movie, there were many things going on once. However, there’s a particular scene that I recall. “Mr. Brown loses a lot of blood during his surgery and the doctor asks Cora to donate some. When she does, she finds out that she doesn’t have the same blood type as him, implying that he may not be her real, biological father. At dinner later on that night, Tammy and Kimberly have a vicious argument that leads to Tammy revealing that Kimberly is Byron’s birth mother, having had him when she was 13 years old. Byron storms out of the house, angry that this secret was kept from him.”

They say that art imitates life. The truth is that Mr. Brown and Kimberly aren’t the only ones with family secrets: the other silent killer. More often than is acknowledged, families perpetuate lies and deception: choking the life out of the truth in order to spare the image of one. How many children grew up thinking that someone was their older sister only for the actual truth to be that said “sister” was actually their biological mother and who they had been thinking was their mother was actually their grandmother? How many Mr. Brown scenarios are there where people have assigned someone the title of “Daddy” that has no trace of the man’s DNA? The truth is this saving of an image has done more harm than good.

When I had barely entered adulthood, I gave birth to my first child. I was 21 years old and her biological father was 22. We weren’t fresh out of high school, but we were young. Things did not work out and we went our separate ways when our daughter was still an infant. Time progressed and I later married my husband. Now, my daughter’s father has always been active in her life, so she has been blessed with two dads. When she was about 4 years old I explained the difference between her biological father and her stepfather. Some may argue that she was too young, but you’d have to know my children to understand my decision to divulge when I did. She understood and I was never posed with any questions about it because I was straightforward with her. One time, our household had gone to the movies and we saw my daughter’s biological dad outside. When she saw him, she excitedly said: “My other daddy!”. I must admit that was a bit embarrassing, but it was her truth: she has two dads.

Sometimes our truths can be embarrassing or humiliating, but hiding it can be devastating. Suppose one begins dating someone and things get serious and marriage becomes a goal…and then a reality. Then, you through some very unusual way discover that you two are actually blood relatives…close ones at that. Do you see how problematic and destructive perpetuating a lie can be: all for the sake of keeping secrets and saving images?

Let’s not ignore the other proverbial elephant in the room. How about the sexual violation by a family member? This is certainly not foreign or unusual. It’s a sad truth that I am unfortunately very familiar with…more familiar than I want to be. It is common for survivors to not speak of what has happened because they are often muzzled by fear of other’s opinions. In some cases when the survivor does come forward, the common response is “What happens in this house stays in this house.” If you have a perverted individual who obviously lacks self control, why would you not make it known to spare others enduring the same offense? Is it because he’s the bread winner or because he’s everyone’s “favorite uncle”? The image of the perpetrator is salvaged, but there is a wreck in the internal environment of the survivor: her/his voice is suffocated and identity is often lost.

Maybe the family secret doesn’t involve any offense. Maybe a mom or dad didn’t graduate from high school and yet they keep it a secret for fear of others labeling her/him as a failure. Now let me be clear, experience is a great teacher and we can learn a lot in life from experience. High school graduation does not mean that you have arrived. The point I’m making is that in many areas in our lives we fall short and then we play the pretend game because we worry about other’s opinions. When I drafted my father’s obituary in December last year, I was adamant about telling his truth. He spent a lot of years of his life concerned about what others thought, though he often said he didn’t. My dad graduated high school at the age of 21 and even MY existence is a result of one of dad’s unfavorable choices. However, it was his truth and he suffered silently being concerned about his image. In his last couple of months, a family member visited him in the hospital and essentially cursed him. I was livid and it was obvious that it affected how he felt about himself. I discerned what he wasn’t speaking, but was yet communicating. In a rare type of discussion I had with him while I was heading to work one day, I told him that unforgiveness was a sin even when don’t forgive ourselves. He said he never thought of it that way and his voice became more lively.

People can be so brutal sometimes. What I have come to love most about my life, is that I discovered the liberty that Jesus avails to us to walk in. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed. So many are bound by the guilt and shame of life choices that they die a slow death inside. This is not the intent of God. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom].” 2 Corinthians 3:17 (AMP)

I implore you on today to be free and I pray that the spirit of liberty will reign in your family so that there will be no more death of the truth as lies are nurtured to save images!

A Hug From Heaven

by Danielle N. Hall

2/4/2018

I find myself having life experiences that often have me saying: “I can’t make this stuff up!”. I have not had a full week go by without me saying these words or having an experience that would provoke me to say those words. I’ve decided to share one of such experiences that I had about a month ago.

The Christmas season is pretty busy for us at work. There are a few different celebrations that take place. Usually kicking off the festivities is a brunch hosted by our admin department for the anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists. There always a variety of food and one of favorite things about this brunch is that I usually have smoothie duty…and I’m reeeeeal serious about my stuff. Each year I choose a different feature ingredient…last year’s was passion fruit. My “special ingredients” are under this table.

Anyhow, the other celebrations we have are an evening gathering at a hotel or a country club, another gathering at the department which is usually catered, and the last celebration is when our administrator takes the admin staff out for a time away from the office. On December 22,2017…two days after my dad transitioned…we had the lunch with our administrator. One of the activities planned was the White Elephant Gift Exchange. I signed up to participate, but in light of my father’s unexpected passing, I hadn’t yet secured a gift.

The morning of the lunch, I stopped at the CVS near my home to grab a gift card and some candy. I first went to look for a gift card holder and these small, plastic, gift bags caught my attention. I picked one up and placed it on my wrist so I wouldn’t forget. I gathered the other items I needed and, as I was shopping, I took note of the employee I observed that he was wearing a white shirt, American Flag print pants & a tie with the same print…during the Christmas season. I thought it to be a bit strange, but proceeded to complete the task at hand.

It is custom for me to view the name tag of the cashier when I approach a register, however, I hadn’t done so in this case. I placed my items and the counter and the gentleman scanned them and rung them up. He gave me my total and I paid for my items with my card. I realized after the fact that I hadn’t added the small, plastic gift bag to the items I was purchasing and I said: “Awww shoot! I forgot to put this on there. Oh well…it’s too late so never mind.” My receipt came out and the cashier said: “Wait! You’ve got something coming to you here. You’ve got $4. I don’t know how much this costs, but it’s a good thing you waited. You can actually now get it.” I told him that it was $1.99 and he excitedly told me I could go get another one. I really appreciated his spirit, but I was a bit hesitant because the line of people waiting was quite lengthy. He reassured me so I got another one.

The total of my items was $4.26. I didn’t have cash, so I took my card out again. He told me not to worry about it because he would take care of it. He got a quarter and a penny and added it to my $4. I told him he really made my day and he was going to make me cry. I shared with him that my father has just transitioned and that these little things really make my heart smile. He told me I was gonna make him cry and he asked sincerely about my mother and her well being. I thought it strange, yet comforting. I was overwhelmed by his compassion. He then told me he was going to come from behind the register to give me a hug. It was such a comforting embrace. I was nervous because the line of customers wasn’t growing any shorter. Nonetheless, it was as if time stood still for me in that moment. He told me to let my mom know he asked about her and he said he’d keep us in his thoughts and prayers. It was at this time that I asked him his name. I was blown away: He and my father shared the same name!!! His name was Robert! I was certain that this guy was an angel. I frequent that CVS and I never saw him before, neither have I seen him since. Just a few days ago as I was thinking about creating this blogpost, I thought again about the attire of the gentleman. The angel wasn’t confused about the holidays. I was SURE that “Robert” was my Dad paying me a visit checking on mom and looking out for me.

It was my Dad…still looking out for his family.

Thanks, Dad for sending me a hug from Heaven! Rest easy 🙂

“Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2 (AMP)

A Night to Remember

by Danielle N. Hall

1/17/2018

This morning I was trying to dress according to the weather. I was looking for my gray sweater and I remembered where I had it. I got it and remembered why I had placed it there. I still have the visitor’s stickers from the night before my dad Robert Brock-Smith, Sr transitioned.

On Monday 12/18/17, Mom and I had visited Dad after work. For some reason I felt uneasy about leaving that night. Mom was ready to go, but I told her I needed to know he was ok. A nurse came in to tend to him and she began to sing “I’m trading my sorrows. I’m trading my shame. I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord.” She also fervently prayed for him and asked God to have mercy on him. At this point, I was content with leaving. We had exceeded the visiting hours by 30 minutes. I took Mom to the store and then to her home. I remember being brought to tears as I watched my mom take gifts and boxes for gifts in her home. She was so excited about being a blessing, even while her husband’s health was failing. I watched in awe of this great woman and called my first grade teacher expressing to her how I endeavor to be at least half the woman that she is.

I snapped out of, pulled off, and headed home. I got home and laid across the bed just trying to rest my mind. Very shortly after, my cell phone rang. It was Mom and my heart started beating fast. She said: “Danielle, the hospital just called and they moved your dad to ICU. His heart has already stopped 3 times and they don’t think he’s gonna make it through the night.” I hopped up, put on the first shoes I could grab and heading back to pick Mom up to head to the hospital.

We arrived and were escorted to his room. Soon after we heard those dreadful words as we watched things unfold before our eyes: “Code Blue, ICU”. We were asked did we want them to revive Dad. Mom affirmed. We were initially asked to step out and then we were invited back in to observe the process. It was much labor, but they were successful. However, he depended on a ventilator 100% for breathing. We were joined by my sister and a couple of my nieces and we stayed overnight.

On the morning of 12/19, Mom and I went downstairs to the cafeteria and grabbed an omelette. It was highly recommended by one of the ICU nurses. After breakfast, we returned to the room. They checked Dad’s pupils and there was no reaction when they shined the light in his eyes. At this point, Mom was ready to go. I took her home and headed to my office…looking and smelling like the day before. Fortunately, I had some toiletries available at the office and could freshen up. I stayed a short while and decided to head back home to get more clean and change clothes.

On the way home, I received a call from my daughter telling me to call my husband because his van had broken down on the side of the road and then she informed me that my son had been jumped at school. By now, I’m a bit overwhelmed. I called my husband and he contacted my son and I asked him to wait at the school for me. I headed straight to the school and, unfortunately, the school day has ended and students had already been dismissed. I met with the head of security and filed a report.

We headed home to get my youngest son and then we stopped by to see my daughter at work so she could be reassured that all was well. Our next stop was the emergency room to be examined for head injuries. Fortunately, there is a Children’s Emergency Room connected to the hospital where Dad was. The boys and I went to visit Dad that evening and then headed to the ER for my eldest son to be examined. This is how the pictures sweater has two stickers from the same date with time stamps so close. Now one of the funny things about visiting Dad is that they almost always put the wrong name on my sticker and Mom’s. Clearly that was the case this night as well. Fortunately, my son had no serious head injuries…and fortunately we went to see Dad that evening…it was the last time the boys saw him alive. On the next morning, Dad peacefully transitioned. One thing I learned during the season of my father’s major health challenge was to maximize moments and make new memories. His legacy will forever live…memories of a life spent with him will be everlasting.

This post was written in loving memory of my father, Robert Henry Brock-Smith, Sr. 4/10/1937-12/20/2017

May He forever rest peacefully.

The Light Is On But Ain’t Nobody Here

By Danielle N. Hall

08/27/2017

(Title inspired by a conversation with a friend)


About a month ago, on July 23rd to be exact, I was conversing with a faithful friend who was making an early morning run to the grocery store to grab a few items. When she had finished selecting her items, she approached the register…as any other normal shopper would. However, what she said next arrested my attention. She said “Man, what’s going on?! The light is on, but ain’t nobody here?” I immediately said: “That’s a message…as a matter of fact, I’ll make it the title of a blog post!” So here we are…at the moment of arrival.

When I first heard the words I thought about how 35 years ago the O’Jays so harmoniously sang “You know your body’s here with me, but your mind is on the other side of town.” The thing about light, it represents presence. When many of us arrive at home, we are flipping light switches on. However, I’ve intentionally left a light on in our absence to give the impression that someone was home. I’m sure the person assigned to the register wasn’t trying to give a false signal, but the truth is, he/she sent mixed signals.

How many of us show up physically, but our minds are on the other side of town? How many of us give the impression that we are present, when we are as absent as Ferris Bueller was from school? Maybe I shouldn’t say “us” and “we”…let me just speak for myself. With being inundated with life’s pressures, especially as of late, I can certainly attest to being present and absent simultaneously. It’s become a bit of a coping mechanism.

How do we avoid this type of paradoxical existence? What I’m about to share is something I’ve experienced historically as being effective, but I have not recently employed as much as I should. Sometimes we have to:

1) Communicate the need to preserve energy.

Verbal communication is a great tool to help minimize misunderstandings and to help banish assumptions. Again, if one sees the light on he/she will assume you are present and available. Too often we assume people understand our needs, but expressing them verbally helps to take away frustration on both ends.

2) Turn the light switch off.

If we are giving the impression that we are present, but we know we aren’t truly available, it can make people question our reliability and/or trustworthiness. However, if the light switch is off, the expectation is different: it clearly communicates that we are not available. 

3) Even when you shut down, remember to stay connected.

When cell phones are being charged, the device tends to charge quicker when it is powered off. We can turn the light switch off, but we need to stay connected to the power source to get recharged more quickly. 

4) Light it up!

There is a need for the light, and the quicker we recharge, the sooner we are available to meet the needs of those who seek and await the light.

Matthew 5:16 (KJV) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 Ephesians 3:16-19 (AMP) May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply rooted and securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself]. 

From the Waters…

by Danielle N. Hall

7/29/2017

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Are you sick and tired of drowning in the seas of others’ opinions of what you should be doing or how you should be? I know I am, but I’ve got news…I’m coming from the waters:

Like Roger Waters: “The Tide is Turning”

Like Muddy Waters: “I Love the Life I Live”
Like Crystal Waters: “From the back to the middle and around again…”

Like Maxine Waters: I’m “Reclaiming my time!”


I’ve learned that allowing people to try to plot out your life’s course, worrying about people trying to determine your salvation, giving people free rent in your head space, doubting who you know you are, and hesitating in doing what God told you to do is a waste of time. It’s official: I’m #reclaimingmytime. I’ve wasted years swimming around in the troubled waters of doubt, fear, and limited thinking. What I’m not gonna do is dwell on how much further I could be if I hadn’t squandered time and opportunity, but what I am gonna do is resolve to move forward…and I’ll do so with great faith and perseverance. 

The tide is turning, I love the life I live…from the back to the middle and around again…I’m reclaiming my time! I’m coming from the “Waters”!!!

2 Samuel 22:17 (NASB) He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 

Up Against the Wall

by Danielle N. Hall

7/4/2017

Have you ever had one of those seasons where so much was coming at you and you either just got your throwing hand ready to hurl the towel or you simply said: “What’s next?!” Last summer was certainly one of those seasons for me! There was trouble with my health, in my home, and with my home…I must admit: I felt a bit defeated for a second…I felt like my back was against the wall and I didn’t have fight in me. Waving the white flag of surrender sounded like a really great idea, BUT I’ve got that true Brock-Smith blood in me…the kind that doesn’t know anything but determination.

As I am recounting this experience, a familiar inspirational song comes to mind: Made a Way by Travis Greene. 

You made a way

When our backs were against the wall

And it looked as if it was over

You made a way

And we’re standing here

Only because You made a way

You made a way

I must say that these lyrics echo the sentiments of my heart. As I mentioned before: I faced health challenges and home challenges. The combination of all things was somewhat overwhelming. Allow me to elaborate…

Last July, I endured one of the longest bouts of vertigo I’d ever had since my first attack over 20 years ago. Just before the 4th of July, I’d attended a family/church fellowship at Solomons Island. Ain’t nothing like good family, good food, and good fellowship! However, my enjoyable time was brief…that horrible party pooper, aka vertigo, showed up on the scene.

“They” say: “When it rains, it pours!”. Well, vertigo rained on my parade and I was pouring with sweat! Fortunately, it only lasted for a couple of days. However, it had soon returned. The timing was less than ideal. The tension measurement in the household had been thicker than a McDonalds milkshake. (Side Note: they need to serve those milkshakes with spoons and not straws, but I digress). Perhaps this truth perpetuated the longer than usual recovery time. Things were a bit bleak on the homefront and we were at the point of making a life altering decision. Though I thought I was prepared to handle the change, thoughts of the change were stressful. 

Anyhow, after having been essentially bed ridden for about a week, I peeled myself out of the bed and walked gingerly over to our leasing office. I was blindsided by the surprise news that I received. When the words parted the lips of the property manager, I pretty much was speechless, but in my mind I was like: “Nooooo, I wasn’t ready!!!”. “It couldn’t be that bad” you might say, but trust me…given the timing and the circumstances, it def was a BFD to me. So on July 15th, as I sat in the chair in the office of the property manager, Mrs. S, I heard these words: “Oh, you’re set for ABSOLUTE eviction on August 2nd.” I was informed that these were irreversible plans of the Sherriff. I inquired about our options and she informed me there was no amount of money or anything else that would change what we were facing…It was a decision set by the sheriff. The last thing I was trying to hear, while dealing with both vertigo and a strained home situation, was that in a very short time we were going to be without a home. The thought of having to share that info with my three little ones was heartbreaking.

I will say that was one of a very few times where I felt defeated. I was sick and tired, literally. You have to understand how debilitating vertigo is to fully appreciate these circumstances. Quitting is not in my makeup…I’m a Brock-Smith, we are too determined, but in the above described moment, I didn’t feel like fighting anymore and I was ok with letting the chips fall how they may. 

On the evening of Sunday, July 17th, I had a conversation with my longtime spiritual advisor: my first grade teacher. In said conversation, she reminded me of who I am in Christ and she fervently prayed. After a major ugly cry, I suddenly no longer felt defeated and I also felt an immediate turn around physically.  I’d done some research and had made some appointments to view a few rental homes. We checked the places out and hadn’t really found “the one” yet. 

Our backs were up against the wall. Time was running out and we had none to waste because the 2nd of August was approaching. While at my desk at work one afternoon, the Lord spoke to me and said: “Call and ask again”. This was in reference to the leasing office and our options. I heeded His voice and called. To my pleasant surprise, the property manager had a different response. She said if you bring $xxxx.xx before we close today it will cancel the eviction. By the grace of God, we were able to combine resources and I darted off from the office to make sure we did our part to get the requested amount turned in. CLEARLY THIS WAS THE LORD’S DOING! He made a way, when our backs were against the wall and it looked as if it was over.

What I want you to get most from this particular post is that it doesn’t matter how grim or impossible a situation may be, God is sovereign and He is able. HE has the final say. As a matter of fact, in the midst of that trying season, at church I had to lead the song “Sovereign God” by Maurette Brown Clark. In that moment, the message in the song was very personal to me. Before ministering in song, the Lord nudged me to share my testimony about the situation I was in at that moment. I was apprehensive because it was embarrassing, but I know better than to not heed His voice. I did as He said, and I was the recipient of a check for $1500 from an anonymous source who followed the voice of God! 

This type of experience is not happenstance and is the reason I have great faith. God is faithful and has proven Himself to be so…over and over and over. He is not a tyrant, but He IS a good, good Father. Who wouldn’t want to serve a God like that?! 

Below are the links to the two songs mentioned in this post. I hope they bless you…especially when you feel like you’re up against the wall!

“Made A Way” https://g.co/kgs/fgQuA9

“Sovereign God” https://g.co/kgs/NDHniv