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About jfmanuel3

Rev. Dr. Jessie Faye Manuel is a pastor, author, preacher, community leader, and prophetic voice committed to the transformation of the Black church and the strengthening of rural communities. A native of Louisiana, Rev. Dr. Manuel has devoted more than 28 years to pastoral ministry and more than four decades to missionary service. She currently serves as Senior Pastor of Young Chapel CME Church and New Birth CME Church in Bastrop, Louisiana. Her ministry is rooted in prayer, justice, community wellness, leadership development, and the belief that the church must be more than a place we attend—it must be a place where people are restored, equipped, empowered, and transformed. Rev. Dr. Manuel holds a Master of Divinity degree and an Honorary Doctorate in Community Leadership from Louisiana State University Shreveport. She is currently pursuing doctoral work in Social Justice and Community Wellness with Womanist Preaching, exploring the intersection of faith, Black rural communities, leadership, wellness, and the future of the church. She is the author of numerous books and the visionary behind several ministry and community initiatives, including Women of Purpose, Care Leadership Academy, and The Rural Church Revival. Her writing and preaching center the voices and experiences of Black women, rural congregations, clergy, caregivers, and communities often overlooked by traditional structures. Known for her prophetic preaching and practical theology, Rev. Dr. Manuel challenges the church to remember its assignment: to pray, to serve, to speak truth, to heal wounds, and to become a living witness of God's transforming power. Through her ministry, scholarship, writing, and community work, she continues to ask one important question: What happens when the church moves beyond Sunday and becomes a center for leadership, wellness, justice, and community transformation? Rev. Dr. Jessie Faye Manuel believes the answer is simple: the church can become the place where revival meets responsibility, faith meets action, and communities rise again.

God’s Little Creation

I had to fight all my life.” Doors closed in my face,,,Opportunities passed by because. I thought I couldn’t do it…..,Looking at my situation …..always being the giver and not much receiving….everyone was always first…
Married to the church….yes,,,,,worried about what people would think…

But a little bird landed again on my car this morning..the bird began to sing
…I looked at the little blue bird.,,I thought how the bird in the winter and cold and still sits on the limb of a tree and still able to get a sound out.,through  storms..holding on to the limb…
In the summer the bird is able to stretch his wings out and fly……wind and.heat.The bird stitch his breast out and flies away.

If God can take car of a liitle bird He surly can provide for me..

If the ant can cross a crack on the street by using a like stick to cross over surly He can take care of me.

If  a barren woman can have  children surely He can take care of me.

A family walks away from years of abuse with only the clothes on their back and not looking back surly He can take care of me.

A family that gets an eviction notice…,stuff out in the yard,…pictures thrown all over the place…..no where to go ..and a neighbor comes and gives a key to a vacant house …surely He can take care of me.

Thank you ,little blue bird,God little creation.
“I Am A Winner ”

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Don’t Leave Your Post

The Titanic

Remember when the Captainbtook a break….Every thing became out of control. Was it because his hands wasn’t at the wheel?
He left a young caption, Co -captain at the wheel. He got distracted by what was going on in the culprit. He left his job for only a few minutes and when he turned around to look the ship hit an iceberg.This beauty, large, unsinkable ship that carried over a thousands of passengers who was in the hands of one man ho was the captain.

I know this otherr captain that had steered me through a lot of dangerous seas. He have deterred the wheel around many icebergs, mountains,waterfalls and all dangerous things in k y path. This captain has sailed a many of waters. This captain walked  on water. This caption was asleep and stood on the ship and said “Peace. Be Stil”. Ouuuu! Y his captain is the captain of the “Old Ship of Zion”…..

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“Suspended”

When God does not do what we want God to do for us, maybe we should re-examine our wants, re-read the rules by which God calls us to live and check -out God overall game plan for our lives . when we do this I think we will find that God’s grace is sufficient.

Come and help a sista out Job. In Job 23:3-4, you said in your writings that “Oh that I  where I might fine Him, that I might come  even into his dwelling! I  would lay my case before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. If , I go forward he is not there, or backward, I cannot perceive him, on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him , so I turn to my right , but I cannot him.

There are times when, deep, down within us, we felt that God was not there .Just when  we needed him the most , God failed to do what we felt God ought to have done for us.

When a love one becomes deathly ill….out of due time. We began to earnestly pray for God’s healing. But it seems the more we pray the worst it gets.

Our child that we took to Sunday school and church every Sunday    wanders away from home , start running with the wrong crowd, pick up bad habits. We beg God to bring our wondering child back home. But the more we pray the further the child roams .

Monday morning you get to work with  out any notice the manager brings you  a pink slip. You have a mortgage to pay, food to buy and  clothe your family. You pray to God that you  find another job soon. But everywhere you go no one hring.

Don’t you see? That’s the answer God’s grace is sufficient and available for you. But every now and the God works a miracle in your life.. Thank you ,Holy Ghost. God can do whatever he wants to do. I believe ,I’m not a theologian, but God “suspends” the rule.He hadn’t broken it just set aside for a moment.Yes! A liitle child walks away from home in the middle of the night and a stranger comes lone and rescues them and takes the child home. Safe and sound .”Suspended”

A chold in a car in a frozen river for thirteen hours . All they herevus a oicevthatsays “Help Me” and finds the eighteen month old child alive. “Suspended.”

Doctors diagnose a mother of six children with cancer as she prepares to die. She turns her face to the wall and begs God to let her live long enough to raise her children. A few weeks later the doctors can’t find any trace of cancer. “Suspended.”

We call a miracle. Don’t you see! When trouble press you down don’t give up.

Sometimes We

Sometimes we need to do things we’d rather not do, in order to get the peace that we need; to look after our own well-being and to return to a healthy state. Decisions we may make may
hurt others at times. Sometimes it hurts us too. I have found myself in situations like this recently. It’s a hard choice. But truly, there are times that we have to take care of ourselves. Sometimes there are no good choiceust painful ones. Sometimes that’s just how real life is. — Jose Harris

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Love

God didn’t declare His love for us with a bouquet of red roses. He didn’t wrap up a box of fine chocolates or a flowery card. Instead, God wrapped His only Son in wrinkled flesh and proclaimed His undying love on Calvary’s cross.

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I’ve Learned

I’ve learned from life that sometimes, the darkest times can bring us to the brightest places. That our most painful struggles can grant us the most necessary growth; and that the most heartbreaking losses of friendship and love can make room for the most wonderful people. I’ve learned that what seems like a curse at the moment can actually be a blessing, and that what seems like the end of the road is actually just the discovery that we are meant to travel down a different path. I’ve learned that no matter how difficult things seem, there is always hope. And I’ve learned that no matter how powerless we feel or how horrible things seem, we can’t give up. We have to keep going. Even when it’s scary, even when all of our strength seems gone, we have to keep picking ourselves back up and moving forward, because whatever we’re battling in the moment, it will pass, and we will make it through. We’ve made it this far. We can make it through whatever comes next.
~Daniell Keopke

An Absolute Need

7 A woman of Samaria arrived to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me to drink.”8 For his disciples had gone into the city in order to buy food.9 And so, that Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, are requesting a drink from me, though I am a Samaritan woman?” For the Jews do not associate with the Samaritans.10 Jesus responded and said to her: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Give me to drink,’ perhaps you would have made a request of him, and he would have given you living water.”11 The woman said to him: “Lord, you do not have anything with which to draw water, and the well is deep. From where, then, do you have living water?12 Surely, you are not greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and who drank from it, with his sons and his cattle?”13 Jesus responded and said to her: “All who drink from this water will thirst again. But whoever shall drink from the water that I will give to him will not thirst for eternity.14 Instead, the water that I will give to him will become in him a fountain of water, springing up into eternal life.”15 The woman said to him, “Lord, give me this water, so that I may not thirst and may not come here to draw water.”

My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

From the first breath we take to the last breath is a few truly essential needs. To the rhythm  of our heartbeat daily is an essential need. Without oxygen and blood, we would perish in minutes. We must have food and water. Our bodies, when exhausted. require rest. And in  harsh weather , we must week shelter.  So, we are needy  creatures, our basic needs just to name a few.

When it comes to our wants, however, there seem to be no limit. Well. But what about the basic needs we overlook.? What about our Spiritual food we need ? What about our need for spiritual fellowship that gives us strength, hope, peace and comfort? So what you saying Lady J , we all need  relationships of being needed.

Some of us are walking around here being malnourished and with dissatisfaction with experiences that we are miserable.

Jesus told the women at the well about the  water that would become “a fountain” spring up into everlasting life. He had what she truly needed….what Peter later called “the Words of eternal life/”

Have you been ignoring the Word of Jesus lately? Have you been  failing to  nourish your souls while pursuing your wants?

Thought for today:

Seek ye first the  kingdom of God and His righteousness , and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33

My favorite song this morning:

I need thee every hour , most gracious Lord

No tender voice like Thine  can peace afford

I need thee , oh , I need thee

Every hour I need thee

Oh , bless ,me now , my Savior

I come ,,,to  … thee…..

Just as our body need daily food ,so does our spirit.

Let you In On A Few Secrets

Love is built upon a foundation called by one simple name honesty ,without it , there is no trust or respect. There is acceptance to be able to reach across the love bridge unto the path of love. You cannot be loyal to a person whose hide behind a mask of deception.

Honesty is trustfulness. Being able to being sincere and have Integrity within yourself. Being honesty, takes a lot of courage. Courage demands us to reveal our unvarnished selves. Honesty also allows us to show our true colors by opening ourselves up to love someone.

Be honest in your relationship if it’s with your parents, children , spouse, significant others or daily relationship with people. Don’t lie about important issues in your life and relationship. I think it’s a mistake to lie about little things , too. Why, glad you asked, agreeing and disagreeing is healthy for any relationship. We are not twins.

Please,please don’t use the truth as a weapon when you in need to prove something or be-little someone. I always told my children’s that the truth hurts sometime. It don’t necessarily have to. Don’t use being honesty to say hurtful words to someone. Always be respectful .

Share what’s in your heart about your hopes and dreams. Encourage others to do the same with you. Being honest with yourself about living a life that brings out the best in you. A life that makes you feel so fulfilling and on top of the world we say. Also try to be objective as possible. Let the small stuff go that possibly turn into bigger issues later if kept packed up in your mind. Give the big issues your close attention as they deserve so they won’t causes blockage. When your honest with yourself first then you can be honesty with others.

Being respectful holding your relationship in position of high regard and showing that you believe they are genuinely worthy. God gave us two ears to hear. So we maybe need to listen more and speak less. When someone is telling you something listen ,don’t interrupt. Then when they are done , ask them, question then. I have learned that deepens the respect for that person and then that person will be more open to you to share .

“Pride goes before a fall.” There is a thin line between pride and arrogance, the attitude that your are always right and others is always wrong.
Sure, you always can spot the flaws of others, but is it really necessary to point them out? They probably already know about their flaws and have chosen to overlook them in their own way. Love doesn’t have checks and balances.

There are no balance sheets to check so give love because you want to give.