Press On!!

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24 NIV

Happy New year my friends on this first Friday of January 2025.  I hope you have found time to reflect and pressing on in this new year. Today I want to share my thoughts on some shows I saw during the Christmas holidays.

I am not certain if you got the opportunity to see A Motown Christmas Special, it was hosted by Smokey Robinson along with Halle Bailey. It was a great look back at Motown’s contribution to “music.” With guest like Glady’s knight, The Temptations, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. It did not disappoint.

However, there was one of the guests that held my attention, Jamie Foxx. There was something different about him. A calmness if you will that I saw in his eyes and heard in his voice as he sang. Several days later there was a new Netflix special, called Jamie Foxx, what had happened was….I was curious to learn more about what happened to him earlier this year when he was hospitalized. But I got so much more.

The special started with and introduction of him by his oldest daughter. He walked on the stage giving the audience a love sign. Everyone stood to their feet, clapping in celebration of his return. He started the conversation by saying he was happy to be alive and gave a big shoutout to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta Georgia. This was the city where the show was filmed.  Then he began to tell his story. We all have a story.

It is still a mystery as to what happened to him. On April 11^th he had a headache, he asked for an aspirin and before he could get it, he went out, he did not remember 20 days of his life. His sister took him to Piedmont Hospital believing there were angels there. Because she knew that’s what they were gonna need.

The doctor explained to her, that had a brain bleed, which lead to a stroke. But God is in the blessing business and on May 4^th, his family’s prayers were answered. He woke up dizzy, and unable to walk. Full of disbelief by what he was told had happened. It was a nightmare right out of a movie script.  But this was no movie, it was real. Still not grasping the severity of what happened, He said, “I am Jamie Foxx, I don’t have strokes, that’s for old men!”

He was sent to Chicago to begin his rehab. Full of Arrogance and fear he said he didn’t want or need it! He didn’t want a second chance, “what was wrong with my first chance?!” He laid in that bed every day; he was given up before he got started. His therapist gave him a reality check, by taking him to see other patients who had no more chances and would not be leaving the facility. He cried, asking for God to bless them. His psychologist expressed the importance of talking it out, but he was angry, asking why this happened to him. But he knew it was God.

Eric Marlon Bishop, AKA Jamie Foxx, 57 years old was born in Terrell, Texas. Questioned God asking him why he was going through this, there are plenty of bad people in the world, he heard God say to him, they don’t belong to me, you do. God had blessed him with talent, fame, and money, but he had forgot about Him, and in his words, “he was blessed with a stroke.”

But he never lost his sense of humor. If he could stay funny, he could stay alive. He went on showing his talents by doing several impersonations making the whole audience and I laugh. Then he had his 14-year-old daughter come out to perform with him. She had also played her guitar to him while he was in the hospital. She came on stage and hugged her daddy with a sigh of relief, as she began to play, he sang, he cried, and I did too. She had always dreamed of them preforming together, the song was don’t take me now. I felt the song down in my soul.

The internet had put out all kinds of things about him, including he was a clone. Right there before my eyes and everyone watching he performed his talents going from one role to the next that he played. My favorite role was Ray Charles. I can see why he won the Academy Award. Then he ended things by singing and playing the piano, saying, isn’t it amazing God gave me a second chance. Thanking him every day, God is Good all the time and all the time God is good.

It is a remind to us all, that wealth is not found in the money, fortune or fame, but in good health. It’s easy to take it for granted. In the past I was guilty of just that. Imagine the doctor having to remind me, about keeping the salt intake down. Yes I was sitting in the movie theater with both popcorn and a pickle, but I learned and am very proud of myself. Taking care of ourselves must be a priority.  My health is my responsibility. We have this one life to live in this one body. Let’s do our best to take care of it, this includes our mind and soul.

We may stumble many times over, but God will never take his eyes off us. When it gets hard and we can’t seem to see our way, hold on to God’s unchanging hand. Press on!

Remember friends, we are each other’s keeper and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.