"Adam, Where are you?"

At a recent book signing, actually one of my very first (for the ‘You Are Victorious’ book), I realized how Adam and Eve must've felt in the garden when they first realized that they were naked. "Adam where are you?" God called out to them. When Adam came to God, he was covered with a fig leaf and said that he was afraid because he was naked. God said "Who told you you were naked?" That is a really good question because there really was no one who told them. It was their own failings and sin that made it apparent. Writing a book has been a very vulnerable experience but one of the best of my life. Sharing your life story, especially a very difficult season in my life, was, as one of the youth so eloquently put it, like letting people read your mind. "It was like reading your diary." She said. "I felt like I was reading something I wasn't supposed to read."

I guess it was then first that it hit me that I'd share things in my book, personal things, that I really don't talk to a lot of people about, if any at all. My own mother said she feels like she now knows me like she had never before. Now, its one thing for your mother to read your intimate thoughts but to realize that complete strangers and even worse people who know you are going to be reading them was for just a moment very frightening. So now I'm at a book signing and people were actually buying the book and telling me they're going to read it...that is when realized I was naked.

"Where am I with that?" I could almost hear God ask me. "Where am I with the idea of people officially in writing knowing how imperfect I am?" Of course that is no surprise...none of us are perfect and all of us have sinned, erred and made mistakes. Not just "preachers of L.A."...But like so many of us, for most of my adult life, I have tried to cover how flawed a person and pastor I am. Actually in retrospect, the hiding was worse than any sin or error I ever made and feeling I needed to be perfect was a great bondage and hindrance to authentic high impact ministry.  So "Where am I?" ...I am free, I am empowered by no longer hiding behind the fig tree of the lie of perfection which was never required of me by God. I am so thankful God has called me to seek a holy, righteous and perfect God striving to be my best. But He alone is God- He alone flawless. I encourage you to be the best mother, father, preacher, man woman, husband or wife you can be but do not try to pretend that you are perfect. You aren't...You're Victorious which means you can overcome your imperfections and continue to win every day!

Stage Four at Forty!?!

"My Wake Up Call"

 Dr. Charles H. Jackson, Sr.  Author of You are Victorious!  (Winning in the "Sport" called Life)

Today as I reluctantly got out of bed after receiving a "wake up call" from one of my nurses in Kaisers Infusion/ Oncology Department, I decided to start a blog to encourage you and others (including myself) facing challenges on a daily basis. I want you to know that you are victorious. Sometimes little frustrations of the day can be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Mine came early. As soon as I saw Kaiser on the caller ID, I knew it was either a robocall reminding me of an upcoming appointment or more likely a live person telling me that either I had missed or I was running late for yet another doctors appointment. It was the latter. But instead of letting it frustrate me into singing the blues, I decided to just laugh and reschedule.

Since 2009, my life has been seemingly one endless stream of doctors appointments, follow up appointments, pre-appointment lab appointments,specialist appointments,bone treatments, chemo treatments, hormone shot appointments and oh yeah my regular doctor appointments! Whew!!! I get tired sometimes just trying to keep up with my medical appointments not to mention the symptoms from the actual disease. As those going through similar challenges know, it can get discouraging. But as anyone who knows me will tell you, I refuse to allow it or anything (especially not Stage Four Prostate Cancer nor the appointments and symptoms related to it) to stop me! I Corinthians 15:57-58 has settled for me that in all things, through all things and over all things, thanks be to Jesus Christ...I am Victorious!

When I got knocked down by the Joe Frazier like left hook that exploded on my jaw five years ago (September of 2009) when I first learned the news that I had Stage Four Prostate Cancer, I was down but not out. On the contrary, it was a wake up call! I had just turned 40 and as I detail in the book You are Victorious! Winning in the "Sport" called Life, I thought I was ahead of schedule getting screened at that age. But when you have a family history or symptoms ( like frequent urination) it's wise to get checked early. What I did not know at the time is that I not only had some symptoms but I had a family history that was hidden from me and the rest of my family by my father. I learned too late that he had prostate issues at the very least and cancer at the very worst, about 6 years before I learned of my diagnosis. The reasons I wrote my book and why I am doing this blog is two fold. One, that people can specifically overcome prostate and other cancers through early detection and sharing your medical history with your family. I write secondly that persons in general can realize that no matter what you or they face in life, we are victorious! The key, the wake up call, is realizing that we all have a date with mortality, an expiration date if you will, but the good news is we also have a divine purpose. Life is not how long you live but how well you live! When you find your purpose, your own mortality is no longer your primary concern. I want to encourage you today not to focus on your mortality but rather on your purpose from God. Wake up! Don't miss or be late for your divine appointment. Don't let straws pile up and break your back...focus on the positive. Focus on your purpose. Remember, it's never in dwelling on your past; your purpose is always in your present and your future. I hope you will believe with me every day that your best is coming. Be encouraged that it's ahead of you and not behind you.