Just Nod

The Holy Spirit gave me this word
I am sure it came from God
Never write when you can speak
Never speak when you can nod

If you must put pen to paper
Once the ink has left its stain
Consider the heart of who is reading
It is hard to erase the pain

If you must speak do so softly
Draws attention to each word
Makes everyone listen very closely
They are clear about what they heard

Be aware that your opinions
Don’t have the gravity of God
Hold your tongue put the pen down
Never speak when you can nod

Next Shiny Thing

I want to confess You are Lord
I want to confess you as King
But just when I am ready to speak
I discuss the next shiny thing

You are worthy of all honor and glory
More worthy than any gift I can bring
Your majesty and splendor obscured
As I admire the next shiny thing

I want to adore You and worship
With words that I speak and I sing
But just as I open my mouth
I speak only of the next shiny thing

Creator God, Sweet Savior, Sustainer
Holy Ghost sending angels on wing
Please protect me from even myself
So I don’t chase the next shiny thing

1 Corinthians 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

1 Timothy 6:18 “That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;”

Proverbs 23:4
Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

Matthew 13:22

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

What Jesus Wouldn’t Do

A collection of experience as the first African American family on this particular mission field in Kenya. It gives a description of the mishaps, misadventures, and mistakes we all make when we encounter new people and new places. Also, it is about cultural and racial imperialism in Christian American missionary work.

The 2008 revised edition of his very insightful and provocative book Making the Lame Man Blind can be purchased as an eBook.

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A Peculiar Couple

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

The Johnsons were made to be a peculiar couple, called by a marvelous God. Dr.’s Michael and Kay Johnson have been involved in overseas missionary work since 1984. They were accepted to full time work with World Gospel Mission in 1989. Their ministry has taken them to several sites in Africa, including The Sudan, The Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), Ethiopia, Uganda; Kenya where they worked for 20 years, and short term work in Haiti.

Their work in Kenya included working in mission hospitals (Tenwek, Kijabe and St. Mary’s), where Michael functioned as surgeon, and Kay’s responsibilities included administration and finance. God gave them the ministries of The Least of These, and A Prepared Place allowing them to work with a variety of indigenous Kenyan organizations. That work included providing food, clothing, and education and in-country adoption services for orphans. They were able to help build self-sustainable sources of food and water for rural populations. Their supporters helped fund the building of a full primary school and pay for secondary and college education for orphans. The Johnsons returned to the United States in 2010, and currently reside in Delaware. Their ministries now include healthcare for the ‘medically indigent’ in Philadelphia and counseling to the incarcerated. Michael serves as the medical director for the Hope Pregnancy Center in Philadelphia providing the resources to help women and girls make life affirming decisions.

Michael attended medical school at University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Kay is a graduate of Walden University MBA program in Minneapolis Minnesota. During their 36 years of marriage, God has blessed the Michael and Kay with four (now adult) children and four grandchildren. Their home church is the Tasker Street Missionary Baptist Church in Philadelphia.