An Audacious Mind

An audacious mind... by t. semakula

Audacity fuels the mind with energy and develops its potential. Those who lack audacity become mediocre, functional, average, cowardly and retarded in their thinking. Jesus is a perfect example of an audacious thinker. Jesus had the audacity to claim that he was the Son of God. He had the audacity to walk the earth twelve deep, determined to deliver a message that was defined by hope and salvation. He had the audacity to be homeless, yet, all the while, knowing that in his father’s house there are many mansions.

Jesus was also an early proponent, as it relates to developing critical thinking skills. He thought it barbaric to answer a question with an open ended answer. He welcomed critical thinking with his numerous parables and made it clear that he had no tolerance for lazy minds. He approached simple folk with metaphors and challenged them to develop more strategic ways of applying the practicality of God’s word. The challenge that Jesus put forth to the people was one that required an audacity that was built around stretching the mind and strengthening its capacity.

Today, a less audacious population,waters down the word, and simplifies the message, in order to engage lazy minded people. Today our so-called leaders are afraid to challenge others, or if God forbid, for folk to have to the audacity to utilize their minds. World leaders, corporations, community organizations, and ministries are always on the lookout for folk who are excellent critical thinkers. These folk are key to solving complex issues and they are good at establishing effective networks and processes. These are the folk that have the audacity to use their minds.

I have always been a fan of the Prophet Elijah. I was always fascinated by his mind. I believe that God respects one who utilizes the true potential of his or her mind. Elijah’s audacity allowed his mind to be open to the word of God, this was integral to the progress of Israel and its leaders. 1 Kings 17-1-2 goes on to state…Now Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe in Gilead said to Ahab (The King of Isreal),“As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word. Elijah had the audacity to speak truth to power. God had commanded him to stand up to a leader who eventually fell, due to his own stupidity.

How audacious is your mind? Has God trusted you with the audacity to hear his word and to follow through on what he told you to do? Did you draw back in fear? It is important for our minds to be strong, because in strength, lies power.

In Dr. Gwen Washington’s upcoming book titled Inner Healing: Wounds Superficially Cured, she goes on to state… The Greek word for power is “exousia,” {which means} delegated authority and liberty to exercise the full power of attorney in all God’s interests. Complete authority to act in God’s stead as if God Himself were here doing the work; power to act as freely of his own will as one has power to eat and drink. Be yet not double minded and stay focused on what God has told you to do. You are where you are because of what your mind has conjured.

Be mindful of the thoughts that roam about in your head. The Word of God specifies in Jeremiah 31:33-34…This is the convent I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother saying, Know the Lord, because they will all know me from the least of them to the greatest….declares the Lord.

The Food Stamp Bandit

The Food Stamp Bandit
By T. Semakula

There are a record number of folk on food stamps these days and would it surprise you to know that there is also a record number of millionaires on the rise? So, which group are you in? The United States has seen a record number of citizens living on food stamps while the number of millionaires has also reached a record high. The two records have shown that the United States is further polarized in the possession of wealth[i]. I wrote this post in response to a debate I was having with a friend about the subject of food stamps. I don’t feel that I am too good for foodstamps; however I do feel that I am too good for poverty.


The tools of wealth



Be mindful when folk tell you that you ought to get on foodstamps. Sure, they are a tool as it relates to feeding your family, due to a lack of income to stock needed resources in your refrigerator. When it comes to hanging with the big boys, the tools you need have nothing to do with selecting a pin number for your EBT card. Try creating a pin number for a business visa, an American Express card, or memorizing the details of your stock option and your latest real estate deal. Food stamps are not considered an asset for the wealthy and you can’t utilize them as leverage for a bank loan.

Food stamps are a tool of poverty. Most vendors who accept foodstamps establish their stores in poor neighborhoods. Imagine if the community started to improve, most of these folk would be put out of business. These vendors depend on your poverty, in order to thrive. Most folk can’t even utilize their EBT cards outside of their neighborhoods. Try taking your EBT card to an upscale market and see how far you get. You can’t shop wherever you want with a foodstamp card, but you can with cash. If you utilize the tools of wealth, you can bet that you will be able to shop wherever your heart desires. When the powers that be tally up the number of folk who live in poverty, they include the folk who are receiving food stamps. Food stamp recipients are considered poor, not rich, and they are documented, accordingly. Food stamps are the symbol of poverty in the US. In the era of the credit crunch, a record 28 million Americans are now relying on them to survive – a sure sign the world's richest country faces economic crisis[ii]. Food stamp offices are stretching the requirements to include higher income guidelines so that people can eat. I would say that requirements are being stretched so that more folk can belong to the community of the poor.

So, how much can you eat?


When I hear folk talk about needing or wanting a food stamp card, I often wonder how well do they deal with limitation. You are only allowed a certain amount of foodstamps a month, and I am shocked that folk seem to be satisfied with it. So, do you need someone else to tell you how much food you are allowed to eat each month? That’s right. I said allowed. Now, the argument is that food stamps are making it possible for folk to eat, who otherwise may not be able to buy food at all. So, is the food stamp program really dealing with the issue of hunger? If this was the case, folk would get enough food to feed their families, and they would not run out of food before the end of the month. However, this is the case for many families who depend on food stamps. The SNAP (Food Stamp Program) computerized system reveals that most benefits are used up by the third week of the month, leaving many families to scramble for other sources of food[iii].

A life without foodstamps

Before,I go any further, there is something that I have to get straight. I have nothing against the foodstamp program. Hunger is a serious issue and should be addressed. It’s not that we don’t have enough food, it’s just that folk lack the resources to buy it. So, how can we get folk to increase their resources, so that they don’t have to depend on a food stamp card to inadequately feed their families?

The solution is all in the mind. A life without food stamps, gives one the opportunity to think about how they can increase their resources, in order to satisfy their hunger. Folk can tap into their strengths, as well as their gifts and find substantive ways to survive. There is the argument that poverty and hunger leads to a life of crime and I would say that if we teach folk how to tap into their gifts and show them how to utilize them, positively; them and the community, would be all the better. Talents and gifts bring way more rewards than a food stamp card and they won’t leave you hungry at the end of the month.

I believe that millionaires are on the rise because they choose to have a life, void of foodstamps. I translate that to living a life, void of limitations, and filled with opportunities and possibilities. A millionaire has access to resources that provide better housing, better school and community options, and yes, more food for their families.

Millionaire’s can be defined as the new upstart entrepreneurs, business folk, and socialprenuers. They are known as problem solvers, critical thinkers, and community builders. They have found ways to feed themselves, their families, and in some cases, whole communities. Rachel Zedeck is a socialprenuer that has changed the lives of many families who reside in sub-saharan Africa. Hundreds of Sub-Saharan Africans won’t go hungry this year because of a backpack and one woman. The backpack, eco-friendly and filled with sustainable farming inputs, is a result of years of Change Agent Rachel Zedeck’s sweat and tears, literally[iv].

If you had the chance to catch President Obama’s latest State of The Union Address, he talked about how, we (Americans) need to work on reinventing ourselves. This starts with a mindset bent on progress, and may I add, a mindset that will satisfy our hunger.

So, again, what group do you choose to associate yourself with? For me, I choose to be a millionaire; therefore, I know that there will always be enough food on my plate.


Article Sources

i] Record Americans live on food stamps amid record millionaires. Bao, George. (2010) 8 August 2010.http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-08/08/c_13434718.htm
[ii] USA 2008/ The Great Depression. Usborne, David. (2008) 1 April 2008. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/usa-2008-the-great-depression-803095.html
[iii] Food Crisis: When the cupboard is bare. Do Something.org.(2011)http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/food-crisis-when-cupboard-bare
[iv] Socialpreneur with a backpack feeds an African community. Jennifer. Social Earth. (2010). 5 January 2010. http://www.socialearth.org/social-entrepreneur-with-a-backpack-feeds-an-african-community