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Celebrate The Lord Through Praise Worship & Word On Capitol Hill

I have a list of “confessions” that I have been saying for many years. One of the confessions that I say is “I thank you, Lord,  for many excellent speaking engagements in the Atlanta area and all over the world.” When I would  say that sentence, immediately I could see myself preaching in all types of churches, or in conventions halls or doing seminars. I never thought that I would be preaching in a political arena.

As most of you know, I am the member of 9to5 National Worship Women. This organization advocates for women’s rights in the workplace. Each year they have the Annual Leadership Conference (ALC). I attended the conference last year. This conference is held on a weekend. So on a Sunday my first priority is to be in church. Last year at the ALC, I attended an early (7:30AM) service at a church near the hotel. Some of the other people attending the conference wanted to attend church with me but they didn’t connect with me before I left. After I returned home I thought about the chapel services that I had preached at in prisons as well as in the sports arena. That was when the Lord dropped into my heart to have a chapel service at the conference. I presented the idea to the 9to5 leadership and after a time they gave me permission to have the chapel service. 9to5 stated to me that this would not be a 9to5 sponsored event. I told them that “Harriet Bradley Ministries” would be sponsoring this chapel service in conjunction with the ALC.

What I had in my heart concerning this chapel service was that I wanted the people attending to “experience” the Lord. In order words, I wanted them to be engulfed by the love of Jesus Christ. Even though I sing and can lead praise and worship, I have a friend, Min Rodney Russ, that lives in the Washington, D.C. area. He is a skilled and accomplished singer, musician, songwriter, producer and a praiser of Jesus Christ. He is highly anointed and when he sings and/or plays, you can easily tell that he has a deep relationship with Jesus Christ. I asked Min Rodney if he would do the praise and worship for the service. He immediately accepted. What I invisioned was Rodney coming with his bass guitar and standing before us leading us in praise and worship. But he went far beyond that. He brought some more anointed singers and musicians with him! The music was tremendous. You could feel the love of the Lord and people did “experience” Jesus Christ.

The Lord gave me the message entitled “Jesus Christ Our Advocate.” Jesus Christ not only took our place and took care of our sins but has given us the authority to use his Name!
There is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a village to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What made this chapel service a success, the Lord gave me some wonderful help. People like my pastors, church family and other friends praying for me. And not to forget, the people that joined 9to5 so I could qualify to go to the conference in the first place. All of you have a part in what the Lord did at the chapel service.

I have a greater appreciation for the instructions that the Jesus Christ gave in Mark 16:15 saying go into all the world and preach the Gospel. As we allow the Lord to get us out of our church box, Jesus Christ will use us and send you places that you never dreamed of.

I continue to confess and thank  the Lord to provide excellent speaking engagements. I continue to say “Lord send me.” I ask the Lord to make me even bolder to preach whereever He opens the door!
I am excited to see where He will send me next!

What about you? Do you want to join me?

Here is the video highlights from the conference. I pray that the anointing that was on the meeting will cause you to “experience” the love of Jesus Christ.

It Only Takes One Voice

I continue to be amazed at the political process in the United States. We as citizens of America, have a privilege and a right to use our voice. The price has been paid for us to use our voice. We just have to use it.

Mrs. Mildred Mallory, a precious 92 year old, has been using her voice to stop Paratransit riders like herself from being charged a double fare. Paratransit riders are people that have doctor verified disabilities that prevents them from using the regular public transit. This service gives them door to door but also shared riding to their destination.

 The free transfers for the Paratransit Rider stopped on October 2, 2011, when MARTA went up on their fares. They are the only public transportation riders that don’t have free transfers. As a result of no free transfers, Paratransit riders pay the most of anyone – $15.60 for a round trip!! That is incredibly unfair as well as a gross inequity!

Mrs. Mildred Malloy and myself spoke before the Regional Transportation Committee (RTC) to ask them to provide free transfers for the Paratransit Riders. This committee includes all the of the heads of every transportation provider in the Atlanta, GA area. Mayor Kasim Reed, mayor of Atlanta, GA, is the chairman of the RTC.

Mrs. Mallory had a prepared statement that she had dilgently worked on prior to the meeting. She was DEFINITELY prepared!! When Mrs. Mallory spoke before this committe, suddenly there came a “hush” over the crowd. Vanessa Farag, an organizer with 9to5, decribes it this way:

“Sister Mallory silenced the crowd, the board and Mayor Reed with her careful, poised, quiet testimony. She made it beautifully and painfully clear that the double fare of disabled transit riders is an issue that affects the most vulnerable in our society, the very people we should lift up with the strongest of hands.”

 
I venture to say if Mrs. Mallory and I wouldn’t have said anything about this double fare, I  believe the decision makers would have left the Paratransit Riders paying a double fare.

Now I continue to communicate with the decision makers and fully expect this double fare to go away. Mrs. Mallory was the “voice” for every rider for the board and a clear picture of how their decision to take away free transfers has affected “real people.”Mrs. Mallory gave a face to the Paratransit Rider that wanted to speak but didn’t think they could or that anyone would listen to them.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to use our God given voice to make a difference. I have often heard people say “they won’t do anything.” When you let your voice be silent, then, people in leadership won’t know what your voice is and will just think that you are fine with their decisions. Using your voice lets them know that the decisions leadership makes does affect a person’s life and it is important that they hear your voice!!

GO IN THE BOLDNESS OF JESUS CHRIST!!

Here is the link for the video clip of the story reported by Bill Liss with 11 Alive, WXIA, an NBC affiliate!

http://www.11alive.com/news/article/233288/40/91-year-old-woman-fights-double-fares-on-paratransit

Her Ways(wisdom) Are Highways Of Pleasantness, And All Her Paths Are Peace. Proverbs 3:17

I know that those of you have read my blog, you have discovered that I love Jesus Christ with all my heart. He is #1 in my life. But you also know that I love my Michigan State Spartans. Last Saturday, Michigan State played Wisconsin at home. It was Homecoming. Michigan State was the underdog because Wisconsin was undefeated and their previous game they beat Indiana 59-7. So this game was going to be a challenge for My Spartans!
During the week before the game, I felt a real peace about the game. It was like I was sensing that Michigan State was going to win against Wisconsin. I didn’t say anything to anyone but I just “sensed” in my spirit “peace” about this game.
Since the game was an 8:00PM game, I had to wait all day for the game to start. Wisconsin got the football first and within a few minutes Wisconsin scored two touchdowns. It was 14-0 in Wisconsin’s favor. I was beginning to think, that I misread the “peace” in my heart. Then my Spartans got the ball! They fumbled the ball. I just knew that my Spartans were facing defeat! I even turned away from the game for a few mintes. That is right! I was a coward. But I turned back! When I did the defense had caused a fumble. My confidence was coming back. I still felt the peace in my heart!
Michigan State scored 22 unanswered points. I was feeling good! Then Wisconsin came back and tied up the score 31-31. Oh my goodness!
So there are 4 seconds left in the game. Michigan State had the ball! Kirk Cousins threw a long pass into the end zone called a “a hail mary.” The receiver caught the ball. But then the referrees had to review the play to see if the reciever got the ball into the end zone! We had to wait! Then the referree ruled that the receiver did get the ball into the end zone! TOUCHDOWN! We won!
As I reflected on the game and the win, I couldn’t help but to think when we pray and believe the Lord is directing us. The Lord’s wisdom can be determined in our spirit by feeling a sense of “peace” or calm. You have heard people say when something isn’t right, they feel scratchy inside. That is God saying that isn’t His plan. But you have peace but then something happens that goes against what you feel like the Lord is doing. What do you do? You believe in the midst of what you are seeing but more in what the Lord is saying to you!
During that game, I did get discouraged a bit but I kept trusting the peace that I had on the inside of me. That is the key! Trust! You must trust the Lord.
What are you trusting the Lord to do for you? Do you want a love one to be saved and delivered? Are you facing a financial situation that looks hopeless but yet the Lord says to you that it is going to be all right. Has the Lord promised to heal you and you are feeling more pain then you have ever experienced? TRUST what the Lord has told you!

The Price Paid For Regulation

Whenever I am on a train, bus or on an airplane and I hear the phrase “Federal Regulation Requires” after advocating in Washington, D.C. I have found out that there have been many people to make a law come to pass! I never really thought much about the government of my precious America. A government “For the People and By the People” is run by the people of the United States of America.

I experienced more involvement in the process of being “the people” during my last trip to Washington, D.C. 9 to 5, National Working Women, invited me to go back to Washington for “National Summit on Paid Sick Days and Paid Family Leave.” We were advocating for a Federal Bill “Healthy Families Act (S. 984) which will provide paid sick days for people that work 30+ hours a week at a company with at least 15 employees. On my previous blog entry (see Special Kind of Giving) I shared how I met a small business woman that made the decision to provide for her employees paid sick days and the Lord rewarded her not only with happy employees but He increased her business.
This summit was held at the Hyatt Regency in Washington that is in the shadow of Capital Hill. There were experts speaking on the facts and figures about paid sick days as well as testimonies from people that didn’t have paid sick days. I never realized how much money and people intervention was involved to make a law a law. We came from 12 states. Some like myself flew into Washington. This summit paid for all of our expenses. Money invested. They even trained us in how to present ourselves to the legislative assistants to Members of Congress. This summit also gave me the opportunity to attend a Congressional Reception on Capital Hill. I had the opportunity to meet Shelia Jackson-Lee, a representative from Texas. She rushed in from the airport and took time to speak to us. I had an opportunity to give her an encouraging word from the Lord and she received it with gladness! I really appreciated her time because Congress was in the middle of solving the debt issue!

The second day in Washington I attended a “Care Congress” in the morning This was a congress centering on Domestic Workers. For so many years if you were a domestic worker then you were “less” and your job was labled “classless.” But at this congress it was declared that Domestic Workers are PROFESSIONALS! I always want to sit in the front so that I can see and hear everything as well as take pictures. So I was sitting in the front right by the head table. As the Care Congress began suddenly a door opened in front of me and in walked Valerie Jarrett. You say “Who is Valerie Jarrett?” She is the Senior Advisor for President Barack Obama. I was close enough to her (and the Secret Service) to get her eye and wave at her. She spoke to the crowd expressing President Obama’s support of Domestic Workers. Then after Valerie Jarrett in walked another lady. When Gustavo Torres introduced this lady it was the Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. I was so amazed at the level of speakers this Congress brought!

In the afternoon of the second day, I went to visit members of Congress on Capital Hill. Since the Lord let me know when I was returning from Washington in April that I would be returning, I really spent a lot of time praying after I found out that I was returning to Washington. I prayed that the anointing would be strong and that the Lord would fill my mouth with the words that I needed when I met with the members of Congress. The Lord did just that! He filled with my mouth with the words that He wanted me to express. I really felt that our words that we shared made a difference. One of the ladies that accompanied us to one the offices made the following statement in a follow-up email; And can I just add that it was a deep honor and a genuine delight to spend time and get to know all of you. It was wonderful to see Cindia and Nancy in Rep. Barrow’s office, calmly but doggedly making the case for Paid Sick Days. And what a treat and an education to witness Charmaine, Rev. Harriet and Ms. Claudia preaching it to Rep. Woodall’s aide. Wow!

It was an honor to be part of “The government for the people and by the people.” But most of all I was honored to be a witness for the Lord. It was amazing to pray in the hall of the Senators’ office building and then see God do what we asked! Our government in America isn’t perfect but I love being an American. My experience on Captial Hill has really taught me to appreciate the laws and regulations that we have. I have found out that much money, time and people power makes those laws become a reality.

I have provided links from my Facebook page of pictures from my last trip to Washington, D.C. One of the exciting extras was to ride the “Members Only” train system on Capital Hill that takes you from either the offices buildings to or from the Senate and House of Rep offices going through the Capital Building. We were given official “visitors’ badges that gave us permission to ride the train!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.234103473290014.65017.100000710901399&l=36bb61196c&type=1

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.229585407075154.64272.100000710901399&l=18565dab11&type=1

Special Kind of Giving

I am writing this blog entry from Washington, D.C. where I am attending The National Summit on Paid Sick Days and Paid Family Leave. People from over 12 states are here advocating for Paid Sick Days.
One of the first things that would make a business owner hesitant to give an employee paid sick days, is that they can’t afford to do that. I met a small business owner here at the Summit that has such a tremendous testimony. Makini Howell, from Seattle, Washington, a restaurant owner, shared this with us at the Summit:

“I’m a small business owner and I’ve grown up in a small business. My parents started our business in 1972 and they raised us as entrepreneurs. I run three restaurants in Seattle and a commercial kitchen on Capitol Hill and we employ 30 people. All of us get sick from time to time and when my employees are sick I don’t want them to be thinking, “Can I really afford to take a day off or should I just go to work. I am not going to be able to pay the rent?” For me, the cost I can’t afford is losing good employees.
Investing in employees is investing in the most valuable asset a business has. I , for one, don’t want to serve you up HINI with your fries. And I’m willing to spend pennies to do that.

This restaurant owner decided to “give” something to her employees. Makini put herself and her business to receive some blessings by giving. I asked her what has happened as a result of giving her employees paid sick days? She shared with me that her employees were happy and because they didn’t have to worry if they happened to get sick how they were going to pay their bills. But Makini shared this with me also. She had an increase in customers. Her giving not only provided a sense of security for her employees but the Lord also increased her business!

Luke 6:38 says “Give and it shall be given unto you…” Whenever you operate God’s principles’ in any area, the Lord will keep His Word. Makini didn’t allow fear to come upon her and see if she spent more she was going to lose out. She felt it was more important to give to her employees. Even though she was releasing more money, she didn’t lose but gain! Isn’t that just like the Lord!