One of the most rewarding things I’ve experienced in my lifetime is being a father. Like most parents, I have been challenged and rewarded by my three children more than I can ever imagine. And I’m also aware that some of the best lessons I’ve learned came through my children’s eyes when they were young.

I don’t know about you, but when my kids were toddlers, they had no problem trusting in their daddy’s strength. When we traveled to different places, if they were tired of walking, they would reach out to me to pick them up and carry them the rest of the way. If we were at a park, and they wanted to get on the swing, they would look to me to push them so that they could go higher and higher. 

If there was something scary, like a bug or spider, inside the house, they wouldn’t hesitate to call out to me to defend them from that scary thing. And while they knew that my wife, Gianna, would kiss their wounds, nurse them back to health, or nurture them with love only a mother could, it was their daddy who they trusted to do the heavy lifting.

There were times when, during our play, they would find themselves on top of slides, climbing walls or platforms, having ventured out on their own volition, and I would hear the famous phrase that every child utters at least once in their life:

“Daddy, catch me!” 

And with little to no heads up for me, my children would launch themselves into the air with no worry or care because they were absolutely certain that I would keep them from hitting the ground.

And while I never missed, I was secretly more grateful than they were that they were safely in my arms. In fact, the biggest thing that struck me was that in their mind, there was no hesitation, no question about whether I would be able to do it. They knew that if they jumped, Daddy would catch them. That kind of unbiased trust and faith should be something we all strive for.  

In Matthew 18, after the disciples inquired about who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus answered  and said:

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4, NKJV).

My challenge to you is to have faith like children. We should unapologetically leap into the things that God has for us to do, knowing that our Father will catch us. So, whether you are wavering on the decision to go back to school, to write the book, change careers, or invest in your relationship, don’t stand on the edge hoping that He will catch you; have faith that He will. 

Our Savior never disappoints us. He always catches us, and with our hand fully in His, He will take us higher and higher.

This article is part of our 2026 July/August Issue
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On  both contemporary and ancient warfare there are supposed to be rules to war. Most nations covenant not to target children, civilians, or hospitals. These are agreed upon values. These vulnerable populations are to be treated as sacred, and they are not supposed to be targeted.

Some nations distort this value. They will embed their military headquarters inside hospitals, schools or in centers of civilian populations. This strategy is not to protect the vulnerable. The intent is to use the vulnerable as a shield.  They lace their compounds with children. They decorate their headquarters with civilians.  They use the sacredness of life as a shield so their enemies don’t attack their plans, or strategic centers.

That military strategy has been adopted as a political strategy.  In the United States we are  governed by a “Make America Great Again,” (MAGA) strategy. To be clear, MAGA is a political ideology. It supports the idea of small government, state’s rights, high immigration standards, and “America first” policies. At the same time these are political ideologies that marginalize the poor, endanger the immigrant, cap female progress, and insult minority communities. It is a dangerous political ideology that fuels fear, division and feeds upon the fragility of many in the majority culture. 

Yet the genius of MAGA is not the strength of its ideological focus. It is the shield it uses as a barrier from critique. The leader of the MAGA movement professes no personal belief in God or personal conviction about the faith of Jesus Christ. Yet he touts himself as the one who is “bringing religion back to America” or “Making Christianity hot again.” MAGA claims the Bible as the reference for its principles, making social issues like gender identity and abortion, their target. They have sought to create an unholy trinity composed of Republican policy, patriotism, and Christian faith.   

They look to create an image of an American Jesus, draped in the Stars and Stripes, who speaks English and who is partial to our way of living. The stealth of the strategy is that they have so aligned these distinct and separate values as one, that if you critique the one, you are then accused of attacking the other.

Christ and MAGA are separate beings yet they have sought to make them Siamese twins. Far from caring for church, sacraments, God or prayer, many have subtly used them as a shield. They house political schemes under the banner of the church so that in order to critique unethical policy, you have to attack the church. 

And those aligned with them have been so deceived that they treat criticism of MAGA policies as an attack on God, religion or the church. And some don’t look to proselytize people into the way of Jesus, but they are MAGA evangelists acting as if embracing one is embracing the other. 

The power and purity of the Christ movement is diluted daily through this unholy political association. Jesus maintained a healthy autonomy from earthly political association.

“My kingdom is not of this world . . . If it were I would fight for it.” Jesus is neither Republican nor Democrat. He is neither American nor conservative. His kingdom operates according to a separate set of values. Values that precede the American experiment and that will outlive time. You have the right to embrace whichever political worldview you choose. But you should never conflate it with the gospel of Jesus Christ and it should never be exalted above the gospel or the commandments.

We must divorce MAGA from Christianity. There needs to be a separation of assets and property. We should fight for theological alimony and push for full custody. The Christian movement will suffer irreparable harm and lose its moral power and  prophetic voice if it stays in this unequally yoked merger.

This article is part of our 2026 May/June Issue
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Recently, I became the assistant coach of my youngest son’s basketball team. I must admit, it’s been a learning experience. One of the things that I’m trying to instill in the young players is that it takes more than just shooting like Steph or dunking like LeBron. The truth is that basketball games are not won by shooting alone. Basketball is a full-body sport, and they’re learning that if a player solely focuses on shooting without conditioning, they’re bound to lose. Single-focused thinking doesn’t win games. 

This reminds me of how many of us are determined to live. Some of us think that if we focus solely on the spiritual without incorporating the physical, we’ll be fine. I’ve come to learn throughout my pastoral career that it’s more connected than most people think. 

This past January, I announced to our congregation at the Oakwood University Church that we would start the New Year under the theme “New Normals.” Like previous years, we were committed to 21 consecutive days of prayer, devotion, and spiritual renewal. But when I announced a “Daniel Fast” and a secular media fast, the sanctuary was engulfed in “pin drop” silence. 

This kind of reaction isn’t foreign to me. Often, when we talk about renewal in our church spaces, we focus on spiritual health; there’s less emphasis on the rest. We’ll commit to reading the Bible in a year but ignore moderation when it comes to our favorite donut shop. We’ll plan to have a more consistent prayer life, but we may become stagnant in our physical movement or daily exercise. We’ll make pledges to study or to do faith-based journaling, but we’ll stay up into the wee hours of the morning doomscrolling on our mobile devices. 

There is a misconception that even if we abandon our physical and mental health, we’ll be fine as long as we attempt to perfect our spiritual health. Oftentimes, when we are physically or mentally unwell due to our own choices, it’s difficult to sustain the necessary focus to maintain our spiritual health. In the same vein, we can’t spend hours in the gym, eat only healthy foods, run various marathons, and spend little to no time with God throughout the day. 

Friends, our total health is important. Daniel 1 teaches us that the right choices in diet can help one physically thrive, while Daniel 3 and Daniel 6 teach us that our determination to serve God can lead to life-saving outcomes. 

As we enter the second quarter of 2026, let’s continue our commitment to our whole health; in body, in mind, and in spirit. 

Debleaire Snell is the Speaker/Director of Breath of Life, a media ministry, and the senior pastor of the Oakwood University Seventh-day Adventist Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

This article is part of our 2026 March/April Issue
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If I’m being honest, watching the news over the past few weeks has been unsettling. As a temporary resident of Earth, I recognize that I can’t keep my head in the sand regarding updates on wars, politics, and diseases. But I more so recognize that as a Christian, I have a duty to be informed about the justice, or lack thereof, that plagues our neighboring communities. 

As a black man in America, I have a unique perspective on justice. While I’d like to believe that it is fair and blind, it was very clear to me from a young age that justice has astigmatism. I’ve known of people who have been unfairly treated, handled, or even arrested and jailed by a system that was never built to accommodate those who look like me. In fact, I’ve unfortunately had to teach my children that the hammer of justice may not give them the benefit of the doubt or a second chance, even when they’ve done nothing wrong. And there was always a part of me that knew that a time would come when problems I faced as an African-American would slowly become everyone’s problems. 

Recently, I have become increasingly more disturbed at the injustices that have impacted our black and brown brothers and sisters at the hands of rogue ICE agents. As if answering a nefarious call, these agents have ripped people out of school car lines, classrooms, and even appointments to maintain their residency or further the path to citizenship without due process. Because of these aggressive tactics, other innocent American citizens have been harmed, detained, or even killed.  

But where I would expect other Christians, church-goers, and pastors to rally against harsh treatment, I’ve been grieved by the realization that the church community ignores, is apathetic, or even, in worse cases, champions the injustice. Many have abandoned the Bible’s clear directive regarding immigrants. 

Deuteronomy 27:19 tells us, “Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.” And I want us to know that “withholding” justice can mean ignoring what’s going on around us or being complacent about the reports we read every day. 

We cannot take on the idea that Jesus is coming soon, so that we don’t have to do anything. While awaiting his return, it is our Christian duty to stand up for the weak, love and clothe the foreigner, and show hospitality to the stranger.

Debleaire Snell is the Speaker/Director of Breath of Life, a media ministry, and the senior pastor of the Oakwood University Seventh-day Adventist Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

This article is part of our 2026 November/December Issue
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My team often makes fun of me because they have been “victims” of 5:30 a.m. group texts outlining a pending initiative. Early mornings have frequently brought me sermon series themes, community outreach projects, and devotionals. Even when I’m traveling, I’ll awaken just before sunrise and take long walks around hotel properties or attached convention centers, knowing that by the time I finish, God will bring answers to my problems, innovation to my ministry, or reveal a vision. 

To be honest, there’s nothing about dawn that’s more spiritually sacred than any other time of day. In fact, I have creative friends who boast that midnight to 3 a.m. is the best time to interact with Him. I have other pastoral colleagues who find peace in midday. It truly depends on the person. 

One thing I notice about these varying times is that they all share a commonality. In the mornings, before the world seems to wake up, I’m less likely to get interrupted by phone calls and notifications. My midnight friends appreciate a time after their surroundings have wound down, that they can talk to God about their day. Even my midday colleagues appreciate the afternoon pause that takes place before the second half of the day begins. All of these moments happen in the absence of distractions. 

As I write this, Breath of Life is diligently preparing for our 2nd annual Vision and Dreamers’ Conference. This three-day event is designed to pour into and encourage individuals to bring their God-inspired visions to fruition. Breakout sessions provide attendees with the tools needed to cultivate the ideas that God has placed within them. But last year, during many of the workshops and main sessions, a common question kept arising:

When is the best time to hear from God? 

The answer is very simple: when you’re the least distracted. 

Distractions are part of our everyday life. They can come from our phones, our loved ones, our jobs, and even our thoughts. And while the source of it may not be innately evil, when they begin to interrupt the time to talk with our Father, we may start to lack the necessary clarity needed to execute what God wants for us. It’s up to us to find when that time is. 

I don’t know when your time is. Perhaps God wants to speak with you in the middle of the night, like Samuel (1 Samuel 1:3), but He can’t do that if you’re doomscrolling on your phone until 3 a.m. Perhaps he wants to talk to you on your commute, like Paul (Acts 9), but He can’t because you insist on occupying your car with unnecessary noise, afraid of silence. Or maybe He wants to speak to you in dreams like Jacob (Genesis 31:11) or Joseph (Genesis 37 – 44), but your subconscious is interrupted by the TV you left on. 

You will be so surprised by the way God can pour out visions and dreams to you directly when you rid yourself of distractions.

Friends, I challenge you to make time for our Heavenly Father, so that you may move forward on the path He has for you.

Debleaire Snell is the Speaker/Director of Breath of Life, a media ministry, and the senior pastor of the Oakwood University Seventh-day Adventist Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

This article is part of our 2025 November/December Issue
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We’ve witnessed an increase in Bible use and engagement in 2025, according to the American Bible Society. Some say the popularity of the biblical drama sensation, “The Chosen,” sparked curiosity. Others attribute the interest to a course correction after the COVID slump. This latest report from the American Bible Society confirms that as an ethnic group, African Americans lead the way in using the Bible and working to apply the Scriptures to their personal, social, and civic lives.  Certainly now, headlines, policy shifts, and threats to human rights worldwide challenge our understanding of the word and prophecy, in particular.

At the very time we require an understanding and commitment to biblical prophecy and its interpretation, its impact and power eludes many of us. I believe there are several major “design flaws” in our approach to prophecy.

First, few people have been actively framing their prophetic knowledge in ways that connect and speak powerfully to our present cultural, political, and spiritual moments. In the process they consider prophecy more about beasts and timelines than about Jesus Himself. 

Second, framing prophecy as something separate from Jesus, or suggesting that the best way to honor Jesus is by stepping away from prophetic detail, misses something critical. In fact, it may be one of the very reasons so many missed Him when He came the first time.

Third, how we present prophecy tends to showcase Jesus as a Savior who is present there, where “they” are in Bible times and places. Much less often is Jesus presented through a framework that reveals Him as a Savior who is present here, where I am.  

• This matters. And it can make all the difference in the world.
• Four fatal flaws in prophetic thinking:
• Decrying the alleged inaccuracy of its details. 
• Bemoaning its perceived irrelevance. 
• Failing to exegete prophecy in the context of the original hearers and readers.
• Lending more weight to the the literary and historical parts with all the word studies, variant translations, names, dates, and events that populate our charts and timelines, while minimizing the story of the people it was given to. 

This is where, and sometimes why, the meaning and relevance of prophetic detail can unintentionally get lost and become little more than the monstrous melodrama of men, maps, and monotony.

Rightly Framed

When we detach the timeline from the trauma, we turn prophecy into noise. But when we read it through the lens of those who are hurting, marginalized, or living in exile, just like Daniel, we realize that prophecy was never just about information. It was always about intervention.

Once we set the framework right, we begin to see precisely why the details — yes, the dates, the timelines, the prophetic math — matters. Because they show us that God is not just present in suffering, He’s punctual in His deliverance. 

He sets appointments for justice. He schedules liberation. He marks time with mercy. 

When we understand that the framework of prophecy is liberation, the timelines stop feeling like charts and start looking like receipts; divine proof that oppression has an expiration date. The 2300 days, the seventy weeks, the judgment hour, they aren’t just doctrinal concepts. They’re promises with time stamps. They tell us not only that God will act, but they tell us when He has acted and why we can trust Him to act again.

The Longest, Most Complicated Prophecy Satisfied Daniel’s Hurting Heart

Let’s look at Daniel 9 and apply these principles to the overlay of Daniel’s prophetic writings. 

Daniel is no theologian sitting in a quiet study. He is a forced immigrant. A political exile. A marginalized minority trying to maintain faith in the capital of a regime of colonizers committed to oppression. He lives under a foreign empire with an alien religion, hostile policies, and systemic injustice. He is bound to an empire that has moved to enact policies directly intended to divest a conquered and subjugated people of their history and their culture. When he prays, he isn’t just confessing personal sin, he is crying out over generational trauma, institutional sin, and the long shadow of oppression that still haunts his people.

In response, God doesn’t just send comfort. He sends a prophecy. A divine schedule that says, “I have heard your cry, I am not indifferent, and there is a time coming when injustice will be judged, and righteousness will be restored.”

That is not abstract. That is not theological trivia. That is liberation theology. The kind rooted in time, place, people, and pain. That is a message for immigrants who feel invisible. For women who are underestimated and disrespected. For the disabled who are overlooked. For veterans discarded after their usefulness has been exploited. For people of color who navigate systems not built for them. For anyone who’s been pushed to the margins, treated as an afterthought, or made to feel like they don’t belong.

“A divine schedule that says, ‘I have heard your cry, I am not indifferent, and there is a time coming when injustice will be judged, and righteousness will be restored.’”

Conclusion

Rightly preached, prophecy reminds us that Jesus knows what injustice feels like. He knows empire. He knows exile. He knows the pressure of existing as a marginalized minority in the middle of an oppressive system. And even more, He knows the debilitating weight of sin, He Himself having become sin for us. He knows, and He acts.

And that 2300-day prophecy? It is all about Jesus. And because it’s all about Jesus, it’s about judgment. Not in the fearful, punitive sense, but in the hopeful sense. A divine assurance that one day lies will be silenced, truth will stand, oppression will end, and liberation will win. That righteousness will no longer be punished. That vindication is coming. That judgment is not about fear, it’s about justice.

This is the Jesus of prophecy. The Jesus who is not just in the past, but present in every struggle. The Jesus who walked with Daniel in Babylon. 

C. ANSLEM PAUL is a pastor, author and radio host who writes from West Palm Beach, Florida.

This article is part of our 2025 September/October Issue
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I’m old enough to remember the birth of “social media.” In its infancy, there seemed to be a certain genuineness as people engaged with each other, but little did we know what we had gotten ourselves into; more specifically, the comment sections. 

While I rarely engage with social media, I am no stranger to how out of control the comment section can become. Years ago, while pastoring a church, we launched an evangelistic series with Sunday morning services. With only the flyer to spur them, the comment section flooded with individuals who disagreed with what we were doing. 

Through posts that rivaled dissertations, a small group of people accused me and the church of misconstruing beliefs. These weren’t constructive criticisms or challenges based on biblical facts; instead, they were mainly outlandish claims and unfounded accusations. Although I would reply to some to correct genuine misinformation, I refused to engage in any back-and-forth with others who refused to believe the facts, as I saw it as a waste of time. My church members, however, did not share the same sentiment.  

For several days, social media spaces erupted into vicious arguments and name-calling. What started as a few disagreeable posts morphed into negative attention that moved through social media with pyroclastic cloud-like intensity. Soon, the purpose of the evangelistic series became lost among the debris of posts and comment sections. 

I don’t often give directives from pulpits. As a pastor, I recognize that my colleagues and I must be very careful about what we instruct our congregants to do. But this problem had become far too great for me to ignore. Before my sermon on the following Sabbath, I gave the church a simple instruction:

Stay out of the comment sections.

Proverbs 29:9 says, “If a wise man contends with a foolish man, whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.” (NKJV). The disruption of comment sections often steals peace and envelops us in numerous unnecessary interactions, distracting us from our original purpose. 

Sometimes, I wonder what the Israelites’ Twitter would have looked like as they made their way out of Egypt. I contemplate what that family group chat looked like as the ark floated on day 25. I imagine the tags on David’s Facebook page moments before he faced the Goliath. In all of these moments, if these individuals had chosen to engage in arguments, accusations, and misunderstandings, they would have missed their overall calling from God. 

What comment section are you continuously engaging in that’s holding you back from your calling? Friends, God is calling us out of life’s comment sections. Lay aside the distractions and answer the call.

This article is part of our 2025 September/October Issue
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One of the most intriguing things I’ve come across is the concept behind the plot of the movie “Minority Report.” 

The movie, set in 2054, takes place in a world where crime has been almost eradicated due to reliance on clairvoyant humans who can see when a crime is about to occur. With a precrime-type SWAT team, this police unit has perfected stopping crimes before they happen. While all premeditated crime has been abolished by imprisoning individuals who plan to commit unlawful acts, a special team is responsible for responding to sudden crimes, having only a few minutes to prevent them from happening. 

Without giving too much away, when the chief of the Precrime Unit is accused of a crime he hasn’t committed yet, a question comes up that stumps the main character of the film: If you knew your destiny before it happened, would you still have the ability to change the outcome? The movie’s main character wrestles with that question until the movie’s conclusion. 

The answer is yes. And it doesn’t take years of research, elaborate dissertations, or many degrees in theology. It requires, however, simply a belief in Jesus Christ. 

In Genesis 3, we learn that Adam and Eve recognized God’s presence in the Garden of Eden and hid themselves after disobeying. This passage lets us know that before their fall, being in God’s presence was so familiar to them that they recognized the sound of His arrival — a recognition that comes from encountering something repeatedly. That means that our initial destiny was to live in paradise and harmony.

But once sin entered the chat, once their bad choices were made, our destiny shifted. It wasn’t until the crucifixion that our destiny was reestablished, according to God’s will for us. Acts 16:31 simply tells us, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” 

However, it’s important to recognize that while heaven is the destination, it’s still our choice. We can disrupt God’s plans for us simply by insisting on making poor decisions. Even God himself doesn’t trespass the boundaries of human choices, conscience, or will. The spirit will woo or guide, but it will never override our choices.

My friends, let us choose to live the kind of life that will allow us to fulfill our destiny. Philippians 3:20, NIV says, “But our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

This article is part of our 2025 July/August Issue
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I’ll admit, at first, I wasn’t going to address it. Gospel recording artist and pastor Marvin Sapp recently found himself in a social media firestorm over his call for an offering. However, I sensed a larger narrative regarding the overall idea behind God, the church, and money. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the viral clip, it depicts Sapp directing ushers to close the doors as he calls for a specific offering. While this act is not uncommon in some churches and faiths, especially during large events, some unfamiliar with this practice, mixed with the out-of-context clip, were outraged. 

The narrative changed from him asking for the doors to be closed to locking the congregation in the room and forcing them to give offerings. Soon, commenters were accusing the singer of collecting funds for himself. And some grouped all pastors into the nefarious act of lining their pockets with money from financially struggling congregants. Even when Sapp and the pastor of the event released public statements addressing the misunderstanding, the indictment of pastors and church offerings stood at the forefront of social media frustration. 

After pastoring for over 20 years in the age of social media, I’ve learned not to get caught up in the fervor of internet outrage. However, I do find it interesting that this incident revealed the fears, frustration, or incorrect assumptions about the “church’s” money. 

The phrase “God doesn’t need my money” is one of the most common refrains that pastors hear. It’s also true. The Almighty, who created the universe, the Alpha and Omega, the One who loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us, doesn’t need a single penny to do the magnificent. 

However, sharing the Gospel throughout the world requires funding. Even the disciples had a treasurer who managed donations. No, that doesn’t mean giving toward luxury cars or private jets. But our giving does help the women’s ministry throw community baby showers. It allows the youth ministry to purchase food for the annual lock-in; the college ministry to gas up vehicles to retrieve students who don’t have cars; and the community relations ministry to support area residents in need. 

Giving should not be the result of a hostage situation. It shouldn’t come from the hope that God will bless us or the fear that if we don’t, He will curse us. And contrary to popular belief, giving your money doesn’t prove you have a great relationship with Him. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that human beings can make a mess of things. Some individuals mismanage funds, take advantage of their congregants, or allow greed to drive their offering demands. But these behaviors shouldn’t make us label giving to all churches or events as bad or pointless. We are allowed to use discretion, pray, and let the Lord guide us in our personal decisions.

The simplest answer is found in 2 Corinthians 9:7, which says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (NIV).

Let’s not get caught up in the chaos of social media’s arguments of a year-old clip. The best way to approach giving is through our hearts.

This article is part of our 2025 May/June Issue
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Recently, I was stung by the optics of a particular hospital visit. I was going to check on two family members that were having kidney challenges at the same time. I went to the dialysis wing. 

Once I arrived, I saw a 77-year-old grandmother who was in good spirits but physically drained by the rigors of dialysis. What stirred me was that in the dialysis station next to her was her 54-year-old daughter. We exchanged pleasantries, and she was in good spirits as well. But what brought some sense of sadness was that two stations down the 28 -year old granddaughter was receiving dialysis as well. 

“Can you believe it?” one nurse asked me as I was leaving. “Three generations from the same family, suffering from the same disease and getting dialysis at the same time.” In frustration she declared, “The devil is busy. He has this entire family under a generational curse.”

When I was leaving the floor, I saw the sister of the 28-year-old granddaughter in the waiting room. She introduced me to the son of the 28-year-old. He was a slightly chubby young man that was eating a honey bun, a bag of skittles in his jacket pocket and a large soda pop on the arm of the seat.

Giving the Enemy Too Much Power

As I left, I thought about what the nurse said. She said that the family was under a generational curse. I understand the sentiment, and I comprehend what she was trying to communicate. However, suggesting that the family was under the curse of a disease absolved them of accountability and suggests that they were destined to be saddled with these infirmities. 

The idea suggests that Satan, almost 70 years earlier, unleashed a weapon against the grandmother, with ricocheting effects, that landed this curse upon her daughter and granddaughter as well. He mangled them with a diabetic curse that ripped through their family. 

I am fully convinced that the devil targets families, especially ones that show great potential to harm the kingdom of darkness. However, I believe less in generational curses, and I believe a little bit more in generational cycles. The idea of a generational curse gives the devil too much power. It suggests that he can wield an authority over families that divine aid cannot suture.

Reading from the Script

I do believe when it comes to health, many families, specifically African American families are not subject to generational curses but generational cycles. Cycles don’t just reflect the aims of the enemy; many times cycles reflect the habits and traditions that have been passed down from one generation to the next. 

Most of us receive, through our upbringing, a script of some sort from our parents. We receive an emotional script from our parents on how to deal with conflict or offense, and it shows up in how generations relate to one another. Some are given a professional script, so that some adopt a tremendous work ethic, or a sagging work ethic, based upon what parents have modeled before them each day.

Cyclical Behaviors

The same is true for health. For some, the disease of high blood pressure reflects habits that were passed down from the way we deal with food to the way that we deal with stress. For some, lifestyle diseases like Type 2 diabetes are adopted through the script of sugar-filled Kool-Aid to the excessive use of alcohol and dessert consumption. For some, challenges with weight or obesity did not start in your 40s or early 50s; it has been a lifelong journey simply because of the script that was handed to you.

The replication of a cycle, not a curse, determines most of these outcomes. And even when we are genetically predisposed to certain illnesses, our genetics shape our outcomes, but our choices determine them. As Dr. Neil Nedley once said, “Through genetics the gun is loaded, but through decisions and choices we pull the trigger.”

Now to be clear, because we are all mortal, infirmity touches us. You can live an active and healthy life and scary things still happen. However, a life of activity, healthy choices, and trust in God lowers the likelihood significantly.

Today God’s goal is not to lift a curse, but His desire is to free you from a cycle. There are three ways I believe that you and I can break the cycles that have held our families hostage.

Knowledge 

The first way we break the cycle is through knowledge. It behooves us all to understand how God created our bodies, and to consult the manufacturer of this fine body temple to know how to manage it. Knowledge is critical to this process. 

Ignorance is very painful. There are things that we need to make it a point to know. You should know what your blood pressure is. You should know your blood sugar levels. You should know how many calories, sodium and grams of fat are in the food that you eat. Knowledge empowers you; truth liberates you, and the devil’s shadow loses its hold when you shed your ignorance about how to live a prosperous life.

Evaluation 

“Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; ‘Consider your ways’” (Haggai 1:5, NKJV). As we evaluate our practices, and amend them, it puts us in a position to experience abundant life. 

When I first moved to Huntsville I fell in love with, and frequented a restaurant called Red Robin. I didn’t realize, until I began considering my ways, how one meal would create an imbalance and harm my stated health objectives. We are told that the normal caloric range is about 2,000 calories per day just to maintain one’s weight. 

However, when I would go to Red Robin, I would order a burger that was about 1,100 calories. Each order of fries was about 500 calories. But because the fries were bottomless, on average, I would get about three servings. That is another 1,500 calories. And then I would wash it down with an Oreo milkshake which was about 1,000 calories by itself. The normal range for one day is 2,000 calories, but I was eating 3,500 calories in one meal, two or three times a week.

It didn’t matter how much basketball I played, how much I worked out, or how many times I walked around the block. My eating habits were canceling out my efforts. It wasn’t until I began the process of tracking and monitoring my food that I was able to make any progress and develop some meaningful life patterns. I had to consider my ways.

Get Help

Lastly, partner with those who are invested in your well-being. It could be a brother or sister that enjoys exercising. You may loathe them at times but welcome the accountability they may bring. Connect with the health ministry of your church; don’t let it intimidate you. The only thing worse than not having help is having access to help and not availing yourself of it. 

And most importantly, partner with your physician. You need to at least find out where the grenades lie, and whether there is potential for danger, so you can be addressing it in a proactive way and not a reactive way. 

I believe that you are a cycle breaker. You can break the cycle of addiction. You can break the cycle of obesity. You can break the cycle of volatile speech, and you can break the cycle of lifestyle issues that have plagued your generations. God has not called you to break a spiritual curse, He’s empowering you to break a family cycle

This article is part of our 2025 March/April Issue
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