Homeless.
Yes. That is what I found myself after surviving 17 years in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Miami. After completing high school with ODDS all saying otherwise. After completing a college education. After the first years of marriage were tight financially. After the succeeding years were fruitful. After publishing three books. After the loss of my Father and then Grandmother. After being called to the joyful and wild work of Pastoring. For the first time in my adult life, through a series of unfortunate events, I found myself with my husband, my faith, and two weeks worth of personal belongings on a two- week venture that turned into a nine month tour of duty into the underbelly of homelessness. You see, as a college-educated, married adult with no children, we did not "fit" the profile of someone who was without shelter.
How do you explain the depth and level of fraud we endured (Read Gen 37-50)? If it had not been for the Lord who was on our side, I really cannot even look back and see how we made it through. How do you explain being further taken advantage of by fellow Christians? How do you explain being treated as less than human, and walking through the underbelly of the 9th wealthiest county in the country? How do you explain or even come to grips with being in a new place, with no consistent family support, where everyone is suspicious of you, including Christians, and rather than help you come up for air to breathe, they simply push you underwater even further? How do you describe the feeling of having gifts to offer but someone taking one look at your skin color or your socioeconomic status and deciding you're not worth much? (I'll save it for my book I never intended to write).
So, what is this particular article about? It's about the power of Social Media to actually help you when everything around you has fallen apart. I don't doubt that some people use Social media for the wrong reasons or develop an addiction. I heard someone say, "If you are homeless, you shouldn't be on social media." Clearly they had never been homeless to make such a ridiculous and uninformed remark. So that's the premise of this article. Because I have the experience, I want to provide some insight:
Here's some ways Social Media helped me:
I came with a laptop: I had intended to do business, and when business fell through, I was able to find employment, look for a job, connect with Social Media business sites with people who already knew me. I was able to keep in touch with former employers and colleagues and ask for recommendations. I did not need to "buy" internet service. Many venues offer wireless for free so I was very thankful for that.
I employed my skills: Though I was in no position to continue to work on my own projects due to lack of funding, I was able to partner with and help other writers to accomplish their goals, editing for them. I never stopped working on my project, but I knew at the time, I needed to find stable employ. I also served the local church and continued to prepare for ministry launch,
It kept Me Sane: During the holidays that came and went, without family, without being able to leave, without anyone inviting us anywhere because we were strangers, it really did help to see other people celebrating, eating good, enjoying family, and let me know that I was in a season and that seasons do not always last. Since then, we spent one Christmas with an amazing set of people who we continue in fellowship with.
It allowed me to have Hope: At one point, I was pressed on every side. I got to the point where I would pray, "God, just take me today." I shared these thoughts with my husband, who prayed with me. We were facing these things together. I had been homeless in middle school and as an adult it was just absolutely unacceptable. As I communicated online, it helped me to not be depressed, to stay encouraged, and to continue to encourage others. There were a few people I eventually confided in as we began to transition, and most of them said, "Your posts were so positive, I would have never thought you were going through anything."
It allowed me to connect with People Across Distances
There are as many motives for using social media as there
are motives to communicate. There are some things that social media can do : connecting people across distances who might not otherwise
meet. I realized that everyone is in a battle. Maybe not the same type of battle or test, but we all have our fair share. It helped me not to be pitiful but to be purposeful.
Please understand: It was not that I was trying to hide. But I had enough people in that season trying to fail me, test me, kill me spiritually, that I did not need any other Intercessors Opposed, people praying against what God said to us, promised us, and even some people who told us to leave the State. I was however preaching to MYSELF, determined to keep my words positive and my spirit uplifted. I learned REALLY how to encourage MYSELF in the Lord.
So, people can say and think what they want, but I believe Social Media can help keep you connected, if you have the right friends. God has created us to be in community, and often times through crisis, that community can be short circuited. Our journey is not yet over, we are yet moving forward with God and with Jesus, the greatest friend and connector. But I want to say thank you to the friends and family near or far, who kept me connected. Your prayers, help, and encouragement have been the arms of Christ in my life. Yes, I do write down those who have helped and as God continues to manifest His promises, I pray that God will use us to be an encouragement back to you in a greater measure!
If you want to have Outrageous Church, I dare you to give an Outrageous Testimony! Remember, we overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of Our Testimony!
I just stopped by to let you know, "If you can accomplish it IN crisis, you can EXCEED it when the crisis is over!"
- SAC #Be Encouraged
Here is a song that ministered to me in that Season :
I just stopped by to let you know, "If you can accomplish it IN crisis, you can EXCEED it when the crisis is over!"
- SAC #Be Encouraged
Here is a song that ministered to me in that Season :
And here is a song that I wrote in that Season :
