This is a collection of stories and a conclusion you never saw coming!

Story 1:

I had a skin like no other; black and beautiful..
I had several siblings who were of different shades; Tan, Brown, etc..
From the day I was “born”, I was on a shelf to showcase that unique skin type and oh! how I strutted my stuff.. I knew I was destined to be seen by the world and had every intention to milk that attention.
The nature of my gift / calling meant that I would have no issues with partnerships and even though it still required a lot of due diligence, I came from good stock / household name and happened to have a solid base which enabled mine to be quite straightforward.
There I was; at conferences and all sorts of events — strutting my stuff and doing what I was born to do… until I found out that I was used and dumped, was not desired anymore and placed together with some others in a place of “no longer needed”. I found out that the person I was in a partnership with had a habit of wooing and dumping! It was not like I had lost any of my gravitas but all of a sudden, I moved from priority 1 to forgotten. When I woke up in my cell, I realized I was not the only 1 this had happened to and this person(s) had a habit of wooing and losing interest especially when he/she saw someone newer/ more shiny.

Story 2:

I was born to sing and oh! I could sing..
I also came from good stock / pedigree. I was told that my history could be traced directly to some famous names in the entire world! I had ancestors who had sang at royal courts and were paired with some of the greatest men & women who had walked this earth.

My partnerships were also critical and whenever I was paired with someone who knew music, I could make heads turn and hearts cry.. It was a gift handed down and was capable of healing.

I sang for both the young and the old; it did not matter who the audience was as I genuinely just wanted to sing.

I sang for this young family for a few years and life was great until they decided they did not need me again but they did not release me from the contract we signed. I was just there, showing up every day but not allowed to sing and there were other places where I had heard they needed healing.

I was sad, lonely, out of sight, forgotten and given it was a long contract, also resigned.

Until one day, I heard the king tell one of the family members to release me and specifically for that other family who needed me.

Conclusion you never saw coming:
Story 1 is about your shoe / bag / clothes and
Story 2 is about your instruments — e.g., keyboard

Some of you have so many shoes / bags and clothes you have not worn in months and they’re taking space in your closets. Those items will bring a smile to the faces of other people who actually “need” these items.

This is a call to join our outreach team at The Tribe of Marketplace Ministers; a call to men and to women.
We are asking you to give of your time and substance, to represent Jesus to young men, young women, widows, correction facilities, special learning centres and other places chosen by the leadership as part of the great commission.

Mathew 25: 34–37:
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Author:

Tosin Oluwatola