DO NOT LET ANYONE STEAL YOUR JOY

On occasion, I share my life-inspiring recollection of Mrs. Rosa Parks. Our serendipitous meeting and prayer time together were indescribable. I am sharing it again to remind ME never to let ANYONE steal my joy. Rosa Parks taught me from her vast resource of wisdom during a private dinner and prayer time together. I shared the details of that miraculous day somewhere on my Facebook and Linked In posts. I promise to find and repost it. This morning, I felt her spirit and her love wrapped around me. The memory of her hands folded around mine in prayer is as vivid as it was the day we met. During a period when zealots were threatening her life—(can you believe anyone threatening --Mrs. Parks?)

God intended for us to meet to give her a gift, the lapel pin I was wearing that very day. She said, "Sweetheart, I have been waiting to hear from the Lord for months, and now I know he is with me." Can you fathom what an honor it was for me to be able to share an answer to her prayer and provide a blessing for Mrs. Parks? I am just a simple woman. Why me? Why not me? We should all be open to being courageous and humble enough to recognize those who blazed trails before us

. I have been contemplative for several weeks because of all of the vicious attacks against our Asian Communities in Beaverton (near Portland), the longstanding attacks against our African American, LatinX, Spanish-speaking, and Indigenous communities, and our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. The most inspiring part is the determination of these communities in the face of such unequivocably adversity. I think the most challenging part is hearing words of bigotry from those who self-proclaim that they know better. Racist perspectives only fuel the ignorance of those who could care less about truth or the beauty and strength of diversity.

Perhaps I am a bit naive, but I truly believed our nation, our society --our world was progressing. I fought hard in the '70s, '80s, '90s, and 2000s. Still, it feels like the progress we achieved inch by inch over decades was engulfed by a muddy, filthy, caustic, and suffocating landslide of bigotry, racism, and xenophobia created by a man self-engorging and regurgitating his irrational followers all for the sake of what? Many of us were cleaning up the harsh repercussions of that disaster, yet once again, the Judo match for truth commences. You must be very balanced And focused to overcome your opponent. While enjoying coffee this morning, I thought about Mrs. Parks and her determined caution. If Mrs. Parks could be courageous during a time of darkness--why can't I? We did not have iPhones then, but we had our hearts and spirits to recollect this rare life-changing event, which I will never forget.

There were no selfies out of respect for her, but Mrs. Park's words remain relevant today. DO NOT LET ANYONE STEAL YOUR JOY. Do not let any circumstance cause you to be fearful, paralyzed, insecure, or hopeless. This is precisely what the enemy of your soul wants; this is what the zealots are hellbent on to wreak havoc--to rob us of our joy and extinguish our love for one another. Beloved, there were giants before us who fought and died for our civil and human rights--feel their courage -- heed their words of hope. Absorb Mrs. Park's love and courage and share with others. Genuinely encourage as many people as you can. We will not be silenced. We will not be discounted. We will not be defeated. But most significantly, DO NOT LET ANYONE STEAL YOUR JOY. Fill your cup first, then share healthy encouragement with others.

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?#risetoexcellence Elizabeth Asahi Rising Sun Sati