power

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. 

Strength In Unity

by Danielle N. Hall

9/24/2016

When I walked out to leave for work yesterday, I observed that my rear driver’s side tire had gone flat. Mind you, I already have one plugged tire and had recently replaced the rear passenger tire with a used one. At any rate, I enlisted the help of a uniformed passerby who was kind enough to apply my spare tire and who refused to accept the money I tried to offer. He mentioned that I needed to replace all 4 tires and get an alignment to avoid future uneven wearing. I’d just recently received the same recommendation when I went to have an oil change. Not that I was trying to delay, but the way my bank account is set up…

Fast forward to the evening. I went to a tire business after work to inquire about the cost of 4 new tires. It was significantly less than what had been quoted to me at the place where I received the oil change. This was pretty much a no brainer. I decided to go ahead and get the issue resolved there. I went inside as the work was being done and in about 5 minutes, the manager said: “You’re ready.” I was perplexed. I said you mean you mean it’s finished and then he affirmed. CLEARLY, this was the result of teamwork. 

“Strength In Unity”


As with most of my daily experiences and observations, I get a lesson or encouragement. Yesterday’s experience was a reminder of the strength in, and power of, unity: we can achieve so much when we work together. I’m still in awe of how quick the work was completed and am encouraged to be an even better team player. 

Here’s a final thought for your consideration:
“Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in unselfish love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others.]” Colossians 3:14 (VOICE)