We all know the tumultuous history the black family has faced in this country and as a result of this country. Black families were separated in Africa due to the slave trade. If the family found themselves all captured they then had to endure the middle passage and hope that the family could avoid rape, murder, or death from deplorable conditions.
Once in America, if still together, the black family had to hope that they were bought/sold as a unit. Otherwise husband was ripped from wife. Mother was ripped from child. Brothers and sisters were separated and children were left to raise themselves.
For generations blacks were denied the opportunity to raise our own children. We were denied the opportunity to love our spouses until death. We were not allowed to be a black family. That did not change with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Black families were still torn apart due to murder and acts of terrorism. We all know about Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers; family men, patriarchs, husbands, fathers. These killings were not isolated events.
Vernon Dahmer was involved in helping register blacks to vote. A business man with a successful store, saw mill, a cotton farm and other business ventures; he offered to pay the poll tax for blacks who could not because in his words, "If you don't vote you don't count." One night his house was set ablaze with his family inside. He stayed inside returning fire while his family snuck out of the back entrance. He later died of smoke inhalation and his burns. That day one wife lost a husband. Eight children lost a father.
For centuries the black family has had more adversaries than advocates. Presently, however I think we are in a position where we have the opportunity to do what our ancestors could not. We have the opportunity to love our spouses till death. We have the opportunity to rear our children. With those opportunities we continue to face challenges. What I envision for this community; our community, is a place where we can discuss our challenges, celebrate our successes and share best practices.
I believe that our best practices are a marriage and family structure centered around Jesus. We need to pray. We need to love. We need to forgive our spouses. We need to forgive ourselves. We need what God is anxious to pour out in us. We need His Holy Spirit.
For many people, their Christianity is their church. Their Christian walk is how they fit into someone else's vision. Many of us are not plugged into Christ, but we are plugged into someone who we hope is plugged into Christ.
For us to be who we were designed to be we need to be plugged in to Christ. Our salvation is based on Him. Our lives should be based around Him. Our marriages should be based around Him. We are to raise our children in his nurture and admonition (Ephesians 6:4).
That is my hope for this community. My hope is that we can sharpen each others iron. My hope is that we can encourage each other because narrow is the path and hard is the way that leads to life. My hope is that we can promote spiritual growth, familial love, and we can lay a STRONG foundation for the black Christian families that will come after us.
God bless you all.
