The other day I was recounting the seasons of my life and discovered that every 12 years my business life is reinvented.  With each season, I’ve learned some life lessons that have shaped my outlook and my attitude.  And, with each reinvention, I’ve understood that I’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord, trusting in His Holy Word.  He’s never failed me.  As I have graduated from season to season, I’ve walked in a lot of different shoes, stepped in many cracks of life, and broken some heels in life a few times trying to get where I was going.

I vaguely recall wearing little black patent leather, high-top shoes.  They took me from the servant quarters where my crippled, unwed, teenage mother worked, to the loving quarters of my great grandparents where I learned lessons in moral character and respect and where I received the greatest gift anyone can get − a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Yes, I was four years old when I made a commitment to Jesus and I have been depending on Him ever since.

I walked out of the high tops into red patent leather big-girl shoes where I was still learning lessons that shaped my life.  I got a taste of the emotions you feel when you have failed and when you’ve succeeded:

It was on a beautiful Easter morning when I stood on the pulpit of my church, St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas, and proceeded to sing a very difficult song.  I had learned it and practiced it and was told that “practice makes perfect.”  I expected nothing less, so I began to sing: “Last night I lay a-sleeping, there came a dream so fair.  I stood in old Jerusalem beside the temple there.”

As I proceeded to the chorus, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, sing for the night is ore,” I looked up in the balcony over the 1500 worshippers and saw a little boy that I liked.  I forgot what I was singing, what tune I was in, and everything about that song.  I was dumb founded − struggling to get back to the song.  I couldn’t.  I heard voices in the congregation saying, “It’s okay, you did a great job, that song is so hard to sing.”  Others were encouraging me with their handclaps and amen’s.  None of that helped to keep away the tears and the feelings of failure.  I was so embarrassed and humiliated.  That’s the first time I experienced the feeling of failure.  I grieved for days.

One day Mr. Oliver, a gentleman in our church, asked my Granny if he could make a recording of me singing and told her how beautiful my voice was.  She agreed to let me sing on a record and that was one proud day for me.  I successfully completed that song and Mr. Oliver played it for the church to hear.  What joy!  What success!  I got to feel the sweetness of success and my grieving went away.  I learned that regardless to how hard you try, no matter how hard you fall into failure, there is always an opportunity to grip success.  Things won’t always work out like you practiced but they can be turned into success if you allow it.  Remember, we walk by faith and not by sight!  You can graduate from failure to the sweetness of success.

When I stepped out of the big girl shoes into high heel shoes, I stepped into adulthood where life opened my eyes to many things including cracks in life that can break your step.  These experiences changed my life for the better, and I learned so much.  Being physically thrown out of a school in my hometown because of the color of my skin was horrifying and degrading.  But, being picked up and brushed off by a lady of a different color and hair texture than mine was one of life’s lessons I needed to show me that it’s not the color of your skin, the place you live, the education you have, your financial status, or anything like that that makes you noble and kind − it’s the quality of your character.  That’s why I cannot judge a person by anything except the condition of their heart. The Bible even indicates that God does not see a difference in anyone, Greek or Jew, male or female.  Jesus loves all the people of the world.

During this season, I learned another fact: that bling is my thing! I’ve worn rhinestone shoes, sequin shoes and even big fake diamond shoes.  I now wear black patent leather low-heel bling-bling shoes that have a bumblebee on them that helps me hold fast to Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”  You see, in addition to bling shoes, I wear a bumblebee pin everyday that reminds me, “Thelma, in Christ you can be the best!” It is my mission to take this simple message to the nations.  I’ve gained the title, “Mama T”, because I’m old enough and have experienced enough to know what I’m talking about.  It’s not my message, it’s HIS message.

So, these flat-heel shoes are walking me into another season of reinvention.  For 12 years, I’ve be humbled to speak for the largest women’s movement in the world, Women of Faith. I have spoken to more than 400,000 women each year. Now, it time for another season.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (New International Version) Solomon says:

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die,
A time to plant and a time to uproot…

… it’s time now for me to graduate from this assignment to seasons unknown and territories uncharted by me.  But God says, “Thelma, you’ve come this far by faith and I’ve never failed you.  Walk on by faith and I won’t fail you.  February 9, 2008, was my last conference as a core speaker with Women of Faith.

What will I do? Where He leads me, I will follow … I’ll go with Him all the way!

Just like any other graduation, we really don’t know what to expect, but I can sing this song with confidence…

I don’t know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day.  I don’t borrow from its sunshine, for the skies may turn to gray.  I don’t worry ore the future, but I know what Jesus said.  And today He walks beside me, for He knows what is ahead.  Many things, about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand.  But I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand.

If you’re experiencing a different season that might cause you fear, apprehension or stress, recite this simple truth everyday:  “I know who holds my hand!”

God bless you,

Thelma