You Can't Take It All With You: Rest in Piece...

Well, it seems as if I am getting more and more revelations as I sleep. Honestly, I think its my dad working in cohorts with God. Those two are NOT letting me sleep... lol. Guess that's a good thing, I have an insider's tip on life now more than ever.

As I was laying partially awake, I kept hearing "rest in peace". I was like, yeah, rest in peace daddy. Then I heard, "no, not PEACE, but PIECE". Rest in PIECE. -pause- Piece. Let me reveal what God has told me....

Our lives rest upon the legacy that we choose to leave in the earth. Whether we are allotted the seventy plus seven years God promised, or if God decides to call us home a little earlier. We have to maximize the time we've been given. When God began to reveal to me "rest in piece", he told me that we are only to leave a "piece" of ourselves to be placed in the ground, the rest should be left throughout the world, the people we meet, the projects we complete, and the works we've done.

In 1 Timothy 4:14 it says, "Do not neglect your gift which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid hands on you." Now that gift (or gifts) that has been placed in you is for all of those around you. God has given a portion that is to bless others. What's the use of possessing an angelic voice if all you do is sing in the shower. Should you not sing in a choir? Visit nursing homes & hospitals to sing? To write music to change lives? You see, when you have a specific gift, there is a specific need for the Kingdom that only YOU can meet.

I look back on my father's life and marvel at all he was able to accomplish, all the people he was able to meet, and all the dreams he was able to live out. It's amazing. He was able to reach the drug addict on the corner, all the way to the rich man's widow. There wasn't a soul he didn't feel he couldn't reach. He was able to write over 500 songs, create jerseys the world has never seen, and see things in the spirit that only God could reveal. It was because he chose to not bury his talents in the ground. He chose to surrender. Totally. He knew that when the March 12, 2010 (his death) of his life would come, he would hear job well done my son.

Dad did not use the excuses of having a non-existent father, being the product of a single mother struggling, being mistreated or misunderstood, or even feeling lonely. He knew that all his brain possessed, the world needed. He knew that when his trumpet was sounded to come back home, God would have done a complete work in him.

Two weeks before my dad suffered his massive stroke, he pulled me to the side and said he wanted to pray for me. I was like, "Dad, I'm headed to a photoshoot, what's up." He kept saying, "we don't have a lot of time baby girl, I need to impart some things to you." As we sat at the breakfast table, I saw something behind his eyes, the earthly life he lived was coming to an end. At that moment, I didn't know what I was beginning to witness, but God was increasing his spiritual man, while decreasing his earthly man. Dad did something strange, he said, "I want to anoint you before you leave. I want to decree and declare a double portion of my anointing. All that God has given me spiritually, I want you to have double that." I was at a loss for words. I didn't understand it, but now I do. Dad knew. In that very moment, he knew that his clock was ticking and it was only a matter of time before he would go home to be with his heavenly Father. He knew he couldn't take that anointing to the ground with him, it would be of no use. He knew more souls needed to be saved. He knew more music needed to be made. He knew more jerseys needed to be designed. He knew more speeches needed to be given. He knew.

You see, when we all close our eyes and rest in "piece" we don't need to take anything with us. None of our ideas, our innovations, our songs, our business plans, our anointing, and our giftings. There are things that God has placed in us that are meant for earth. These things are meant to bless people and bring them to the kingdom. It is not a coincidence that Dad was able to impart his anointing on me in his final days. It is no coincidence that you are reading this right now. God is a God of RIGHT NOW! He wants us to make a change right now and he wants us to begin to live right now. No longer is it ok to sit on our talents, ideas, and giftings anymore. We must make use of them right now.

When you lay down each night and ask for forgiveness of your sins, ask Him what you are to leave in the earth. Ask God to show you what He saw you doing. Begin to envision yourself changing lives one person at a time. Make it your business to be a blessing to someone, from a baby in the nursery, to a mega millionaire, to a difficult client, to a loved one that you have been estranged from, or even your boss that you know doesn't care for you much. You will be amazed at what power love possesses. Leave pieces of you all along the way, so when you rest in peace, you are merely resting in "piece", because your spirit will resonate all throughout the world.

I leave you with this quote:

"Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sun-dial in the shade?"

- Benjamin Franklin

Living in peace by leaving pieces all along the way...

-Mel

Rest in Peace Big Poppa: Daddy Died So That I May Live

Well, I guess everyone has been wondering where I have been and what's been up. Well, long story short, my father passed on March 12, 2010 at 3:42 pm. My life has been changed forever. I lost my best friend, my teacher, my pastor, my prayer partner, and my daddy. Forever. Words cannot express the amount of emotions that I have experienced during this time. From sadness to despair to depression to frustration and even anger. I've asked God 1,000 times why. I even asked dad why. No answer came. All I can do is keep living.





So, dad's death has taught me 3 things.....

- Reflect

- Move Forward

- To live....



Journey with me for a moment.



In reflecting, Ive realized so many things: What I once had and what I know how to do. What Ive learned. What Ive remembered. What I now possess. What I must perfect.

I now look back on all my dad has taught me and realize that Ive somehow captured it all. I can vividly remember the talks we've had, the late night drives we've taken and the lessons he has taught me. In remembering who my dad was, I know who I must become. Attending his memorial services, hearing what people had to say about him, and reading all that was written, I was in the presence of greatness for 27 years. For that, I praise the most High. I am eternally grateful.



As I look back over my own life, I have reevaluated what I spend time on and with who. As we race against this clock called life, we cannot spend precious moments on trivial people and things. We must make conscious decisions to be who God has called us to be. No longer is it ok to waste time on things that don't bring us closer to our destiny and to God. When your number is called, what do you want to be caught doing? Reflect on that.



Funny how it takes death for us to live......



Secondly, I've learned that you must move on... From people, things, hurts, pains, places of confusion, all of that. Time is not given to be wasted. I look back on what is considered to be Daddy's last days and all I can remember him saying is, "Baby girl, don't let those people rent space in your head, you're too valuable to the kingdom for that." That makes so much sense. Many times our breakthroughs come from letting go. How can God fill our hands with anything new when we are still holding on to the old stuff?

Death hasn't served as an epihpany for me, but merely as a reminder.........

We can't keep expecting a breakthrough when we refuse to let things go. Since about January, my dad would pick up the phone and call random people in his phone book. He would call them to encourage them, speak into their lives, pray with them, and get things right. The moment he did that, his speaking calendar began to fill up, people began to sow into his life, he began to feel better than he had in years. All because he chose to surrender to God's will and bless others. Letting things go gave him freedom. Gave him life. I'm trying to do the same. Trying.

Just because I want to transform, doesn't mean it will happen over night. Change is a process that I must actively pursue and participate in.

I look at the people that did daddy wrong. (I've even confronted a few... so what... lol). Lied to him. Mistreated him. Gave him broken promises. You name it. And I have to manage to let it all go. The funeral was my true test. I think I probably got a B-. I'm still a work in progress. I have to let it go. I know, I know. For daddy's sake and for my own breakthrough. I have to be honest, this is tough. Somewhere along the way, I have to leave it right there along the way. Just not worth carrying. The weight of carrying on a legacy is far more than enough on its own. So I must keep moving. You only add value to a negative person/situation/memory by holding on to it. It's almost like they won if you do. But if you release it, guess what? You WIN!

Lastly, daddy died so that we, his girls, could live. He showed us that within the years you've been given, you have to end each day on zero. Which means you've given 1000% to the day. No matter what was thrown dad's way, he always gave God the glory. He knew that at the end of the day, God would have the final say. Dad found a way to make every experience a teaching point. He believed what you didn't have in money/influence, God would double in favor. And he lived his life that way every day. He didn't just talk about being saved, he WAS saved. He did it. He didn't just teach us how to make a marriage work, he showed us. He didn't just teach us how to live out our dreams, he showed us by doing it himself. You see, dad lived to the point where each day had its own story. He showed us what living was. So even in his death, he's forcing us to live. When you get a glimpse of that invisible clock on the wall and you begin to hear the faint "tick-tock", you know that this thing called life is no longer game. At least not a game that you should plan on losing.

I think, all in all, I will never, ever forget my very best friend. My daddy. All that's he's taught me, all that he's shown me, all the prayers he's prayed over me, the dreams he had for me, his encouraging smile, and his legacy that I must press forward to carry. Most of all, I will cherish all that he has taught me just by living. Even the last day I talked to him he asked me if I had enough faith to believe God for a massive miracle. I said yes, and he told me that it's already been done, God was just waiting on me. That was the last time we would ever speak. On February 26, 2010 at 2:38 pm, my dad suffered a major stroke, and was never the Michael Anthony Mitchell I knew. He came back for a moment at the hospital, looked in my eyes, and I saw his spirit go back towards the heavens. Right then I knew that was it. My daddy had handed over his mantle and it was time to be a big girl. I will never be the same. Man **pause** I am still living as if I will wake up and my life would be different. That daddy would still be here. Im in total disbelief that I won't hear my name being hollered across the house. Or that I will never get an encouraging text from him. Or that I will never get a huge bear hug. Or that I won't have my best friend to walk me down the aisle. Wheeew, I just can't believe it.

But, reality is what it is and daddy would want me to rise up like a Spartan and continue carrying on the legacy he's already made. my mantle feels heavy, but he knew I would be able to carry it. Now I have two fathers looking down on me.

Lights! Camera! Action! Time to truly live, because daddy died. Time to do the things he has instructed and the things he desired to do. All I can do is live.....

-Mel

Time is of the essence.....

Well, I have definitely been a little ghost lately, I know... but so much going on. Last Friday, my life changed forever. My father had a MAJOR stroke. Like, major. We were at the house drinking smoothies and 30 minutes later, I got a call from him, breathing heavy and my heart dropped. I had to call 911 remotely and get them to the house. They had to break in through the basement to rush him to the hospital. According to doctors, he shouldn't have survived from the house, but he did. I found the pajamas he had on and the pressure reading from the paramedics. It said his pressure was 192/136! Lord, that was beyond the level of survival. But he did.

The miracles that we have seen are far beyond our belief and understanding. The doctors thought he would have little to no movement and let me tell you about MY DADDY, he was moving upon command and trying to focus with his eyes. On Saturday, it just did not look good. We stayed at the hospital through the night believing God, praying, crying, and holding things together. One of the local pastors came and prayed over him. His frat brothers came from all over. Some of the church members that had relocated to Atlanta came too. I mean, we felt like we were in the final hours. As the doctors were delivering bad news after bad news, I began to cry. Then I left the room and went to the chapel with my little sisters to pray. I prayed like I was certified world travelling evangelist. I prayed so hard that people were peeking through the chapel windows to see what was going on. When I left out of there, I was so strengthened. I heard God's voice just as clear, "Go sing to your father, he will come back to you".

Let me tell you, my sisters and I went in that room and began to sing "breakthrough" to him over and over and felt the presence of the Holy Ghost fill the room. It was to the point where all of dad's close friends were in tears. They were so touched by that moment that they had to leave the room to compose themselves. We knew we had to go before the throne with a boldness and a confidence like never before, and we did. On Sunday morning, we got an early morning call that daddy had opened his eyes and was responding to command. Lord, we rushed to the hospital immediately. Dad was coming back. All because we weren't giving up on him.

When I asked if he missed us he began to cry. When I played Kanye West, he tried to tap his left foot. So, we know that God is more than able. Monday night, all the visitors had begun to go home and it was just mom and the girls (me and my lil sisters & god mom). So, I said, "Mom, I think we need to corporately pray for dad." She agreed. I went to a corner in the hospital and began to go before the Lord in fervent prayer. When I came out from beyond the veil, I immediately when in the room with daddy and began to pray for him. His eyes began to flutter. I ran out and got the rest of the crew and we began to pray like never before. My mom anointed each one of our hands with oil and then we all laid hands on a different part of his body and prayed silently. My mom (who is also a dynamic woman of God and pastor) began to pray and command the angels to lift him up. As she was commanding him to rise, my father's ENTIRE body began to lift up. The force of his body bucking knocked each one of us against the walls around us. It was something out of a movie. The nurses came running in to see what actually was going on. They said what was going on with him was simply beyond medicine.

I am sitting in the hospital waiting room now, still holding on to what God showed me and promised. I will be keeping you all updated periodically if I am up to writing. Just been so exhausted from this whole experience, but trusting God for the strength.

-Mel