Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
July 5, 2021
This Week's Anchor
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road
in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Isaiah 43: 18-19 (NKJV)
Welcome to the halfway mark of this year and to the Grounded Black Women (GBW) devotional community! What an exciting time to lean into calling and start this journey with you. As I reflected on how God wanted me to kick off this ministry and first devotion, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the incredible power of beginnings.
As I share in the story of how GBW began, for years I have felt called to do more in the community of Christ. I saw the need for this kind of space for Black women, and I felt the tug of God to create it, but I didn’t feel like I had what it took to make it happen. I didn’t have the time, the space, the biblical knowledge, or the straight-and-narrow lifestyle. I had many questions and what felt like no answers: What will I say? Will people listen? Will they care? What if I mess up? What if I interpret the Bible incorrectly or say the wrong thing and misrepresent God? The more I thought about why and how I couldn’t do this, the further I was stalled by fear and placed this ministry on the back burner. But the great thing about God is He doesn’t give up on calling us in and He somehow finds a way to get our attention. Even when we are the ones in our own way, he clears a path for us to begin and get back into purpose. Isaiah 43 is a great reminder of this.
The chapter begins with the proclamation: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine” (v. 1). The answer to my questions as I started this ministry, and to the countless questions of worry and anxiety that many of us carry throughout our lives is simple: fear not. It seems basic, and believe me, I understand that fear is a natural part of the human condition. Life gives us every reason to worry, but God gives us all the reason and ability to wade through every ounce of fear. He reminds us that He has called us and that we have been redeemed.
As a psychologist, I am a scholar by training, so oftentimes when I read scriptures, certain words stay with me, and I go to my good ole dictionary to let them marinate more. The word redemption is defined as: to pay off, buy back; to recover, restore, deliver.
Let those words sink in:
To pay off (every debt is taken care of)
To buy back (what you have lost will be reclaimed)
To recover (He’ll make it up to you)
To restore (He’ll make you better)
To deliver (He’ll get you through it and set you free)
Not only have we been redeemed, but we are redeemed, and we will be redeemed. When I finally made my way through fear and accepted God’s call to this ministry, my worry quickly shifted to shame and regret (“I should have done this a long time ago” “Why did it take me so long?” “God you must be so disappointed in me” “Is it too late?”). If no one has ever told you this, let me say it loud and clear, it, you and God are never too late. Isaiah 43:18 tells us “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth.” God’s redemption covers any regret of the past and all worry for the future, and He gives us the power to ignite that redemption at any given moment. With God, we have the ability to start anew right now and again and again and again.
So, whatever new thing God is calling you into, enter it boldly and make today the start of your new season and new year! Acknowledge the shame, guilt, fear, and uncertainty, and willfully place it in the hands of God. He chose you. He has called and authorized you. And He will give you the tools and the restored head and heart space you need to live out His purpose for you. It’s a new day, a new month, a new beginning. Begin again—start today!
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What, where and how is God calling you? What do you need from Him to help you answer this call?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
2 Corinthians 5: 17
Jeremiah 29:11
Acts 3:19-20
Lamentations 3: 22-23
Zephaniah 3:5
Romans 8:26
Philippians 3: 11-14
Hebrews 12:1-2
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
Writer's Voice
Dericka Canada Cunningham, Founder of GBW
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“Lift up your hearts. Each new hour holds new chances for new beginnings.”
Maya Angelou
To God be the glory for your obedience to His calling! This is AMAZING!