Gotta prevail Gotta excel Think I hit my peak? Nah, I just started climbin' the hill Kill or be killed Well if that's the way that you feel I hope you know you 'bout to get the raw end of the deal I need to meditate I ain't got no room to grow, I would never say Conversations with the Lord should be everyday Reconnectin' with my core get my head on straight Prayin' on my downfall, let 'em Pray - NF, Let Em Pray
In Paradise Lost, John Milton begs the question: “what does it mean to understand or to find God in a fallen world?”
It’s election season (in case you didn’t know).
Let ‘em pray.
Let ‘em pray for our downfall.
That’s what I see. What seems like a lot of people praying for our downfall. Honestly, I see pandemonium no matter the outcome.
I pray for what is important. Affordable food, water, electricity and gas so that the playing field of life is leveled and stress is lessoned for the working class and poor. I pray for the hungry, homeless, mentally ill, the walking dead among us. Animals and nature included. I pray that these last four years are never forgotten. I pray one of the worst times in history is torn apart and examined. Deeply. I pray systems are broken down and rearranged for the good of the people, from educational institutions, to healthcare institutions, to our entire government in Washington D.C. I pray for the dreamer, farmer and small business entrepreneur. I pray those who have dutifully followed the laws of the land and respected Lady Liberty, don’t lose hope in America.
No one should be in politics, holding the helm of power, for their entire working life.
If these leaders bring nothing to our lives, then why can’t we exit theirs?
I pray truth to light.
Lately, I have been listening to American Rapper/Songwriter, NF, which is a really odd turn for me, but hey, this week we drove over an hour to see a string trio playing Baroque music in a Bach meets Bluegrass concert. I’m different. Music is life. Lyrics just as much. 33 year old Nathan John Feuerstein, born in Gladwin, Michigan, grew up in a really hard environment. Hip-hop was his escape. After high school, NF started his career at the Fine Arts Festival, organized by Connection Church in Canton, Michigan.
A believer, NF chooses to be in the world with his music rather than exclusively on a Christian label. He wants his music to speak to everyone. After reading a bit about him, his diagnosis with OCD, and struggles with depression, I agree that life is messy, hard, real and often very raw. We can’t sugar coat it with our Bible verses and “God’s got its” all the time. I relate. But within all of that there are life lessons, beauty and hope that leave us both with no regrets. Life happened. It’s happening. Keep going. I’m old. He’s young. But life happens. We need to live it with the hope it can be good.
“Life is precious, life is treacherous, life is filled with
Dead-end roads, keep on pushin'
Keep on healin'"
America happened. It’s going to continue.
From entirely different planets, NF and I have this in common: We both fiercely create for the purpose we feel we have been given. I don’t care what anyone thinks. And I do it as an offering to God, a thank you for my life. I do it to live. The pandemic grew and sealed this deal inside of me.
In Let Em Pray, NF addresses his haters who pray for his downfall, stating that it doesn't matter if they keep praying: He is “confident that God has his back.”
Dear America,
I do not pray for your downfall anymore than I would pray that over another person.
I believe we are living in a paradise lost, with the potential to live in a paradise found. Of course, that will be heaven someday. Live for it.
If only there weren’t so many haters.
If only we worshipped God over rhetoric, idols and theater. Had “conversations with the Lord everyday.”
We are in times where you will suffer again and get worse before you heal.
Remember the fundamentals. Check the resume: The Declaration of Independence and The Bill of Rights.
I am confident God has your back no matter the outcome.
We should pray the best for you America and for each other.
We’re either with you or against you. We’re either with each other or against…
So
let ‘em pray.
ox
Awake, arise or be for ever fall'n -
- John Milton, Paradise Lost
Ugh. Sending you love in the pandemonium. I’m tempted to turn off all the things and live in quiet peace. But… ignorance can’t be bliss always. Thank you for this beautiful message today ❤️
It’s sad there is so much division, especially when for the most part, people want the same things, just have different ways of going about it. Thanks for sharing your passion for all you want for your country. Not long to go to the election now :)