Every Breath

"Look here, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.' How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? your life is like the morning fog - it's here a little while, then it's gone." - James 4:13-14 (NLT). 
If we have learned anything from the year 2020, it's just how precious life is and the importance of cherishing every breath we are blessed to take. In the midst of navigating through a global pandemic, racial unrest, economic twists and turns, and the loss of loved ones there is a silver lining dimly peering out beneath the raw emotion of this season - life is precious. It will do us no good to be swallowed up by the moment but rather the preciousness of life should be our motivator to fight for the gumption to dream, build, hope, tear down, speak life, re-imagine, innovate, intercede, walk by faith, reconstruct, dust off old ideas, forgive, move forward, say good bye to anxiety and depression, welcome change, embrace our loved ones, let go of grudges, etc. The list, a very wide ranging one, is worth the movement of life. Every breath we take is an opportunity to live the life we have always dreamed of. 

A few hours ago I learned of the passing of Chadwick Boseman, an amazing actor who lost his battle with cancer at the young age of 43. Though I did not know him personally, his story inspires me tremendously. He gave voice to so many important figures in American History and brought to life the marvel superhero Black Panther. My son has the action figure nestled in his bed with him as I type.  He did what he loved until he literally could not physically do it anymore. His legacy leaves such a hallmark upon the world that echos very poignantly, "What are you waiting for?" Our fears must take a back seat to the call that has been playing shadow to our innermost dreams. Each breath requests our purpose to be brought to the forefront. 

Still reeling from the shooting of Jacob Blake, I found myself welling up with tears as I continued to read of Mr. Boseman's passing. I thought of Kobe Bryant, his beautiful daughter Gianna and the other beautiful lives lost as a result of that tragic accident this past January. I thought about the countless lives lost to COVID-19, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many, many others who have died at the hands of police brutality and racism. The list goes on and on. Among the barrage of thoughts, I found myself internally asking God, "What can I do? What do you want me to do?" I felt the Holy Spirit answer me very gingerly, 

"Paint. Write." As clear as day, He directed me toward my purpose. Our answer to all the unrest, the hurt, the pain, the confusion, misunderstandings, and misfortunes is rooted in our God given purpose. What we do with the breath God has given us is poised to positively revolutionize the world around us for generations to come if we use our time investing and walking in what God called us to do individually and collectively.

While it's important to look for leadership to help to guide us through these uncertain times, the greatest thing we can do is look within ourselves. True leadership is birthed from internal conversations that motivate us to be the change and not just call for someone else to step up to the plate. Just what if we are the change we so desperately seek? There's always hope. As long as we have breath in our bodies, there is hope for us and our world. Through tears and frustration, let's use  pain as a motivator toward purpose. In the midst of triumph and disappointment, let's refuse to give up and let's fight do what we love most until our last breath. 

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