Faithful Further

Its so interesting that this memory, today, is what comforts me. For so long, though, it was a memory I wanted to get as far from as possible.

Its me, waking and stumbling out from the Doll House my senior year of college, final semester. The Doll House is what we called our place, a four bedroom old English home, made up of members from two different fraternities and two different sororities. We were the weird, but cool kids—for sure, we were the most diverse college house out there, and we flaunted that fact.

As I began to make my way up the hill to Biology 101 lab—an old hymm came to me. It was the only song my spirit could find as comfort, a reminder to keep pressing further. We sang it often when I was a kid at Mt. Nebo Baptist Church, we would march into visiting churches singing it. I was usually the one suggesting we sing it; to me, the song held a magical quality that I couldn’t quite put into words back then. It gave me power and hope then, without having a reason to need it.

We’ve come, this far, by Faith.

Leaning on the Lord.

Trusting in His Holy word.

He’s never failed me yet

Oh’ can’t turn around

We’ve come this far by Faith.

Can’t turn around.

Old Faith.

Sometimes, we need old Faith. Sometimes, as life has brought us up and out from the place we used to be, and we find ourselves in a new season facing new challenges and issues—we need to reach back to that old place.

You see, Faith is something you build upon. As you put layers of Faith down from an old season of your life, you now have something tangible—you can work and build UP from here. You have wisdom, you have experience—you have the memory of what you didn’t think was possible or survivable, but actually was. You have bricks, you have a foundation.

Often, we sabotage ourselves by not remembering, by not looking back at the foundation we have. We revert to our old patterns, we regress in our personal and spiritual growth.

Look back. What did that old Faith teach you? What place did your old Faith bring you out of?

Remember and reconnect with this, as you seem to have forgotten something important here. . .

Breaking Faith’s Barrier.

That old Faith has its barrier, it has its limits. You see, what you know and believe today is out of respect to what you’ve seen and lived through in the past. Your Faith has this indivisible layer and, likely, to get to where you need to grow to next, you have to go to a different place (and ask from a different perspective). You have to create space for new possibilities, for a new reality to exist—for a new thing to be done in a different way.

Before growing there, though, admit the reality of where you are today. Are you scared? Are you doubting? Are you excited? Whatever the landscape of your situation, meet yourself there with honesty by bringing acceptance and compassion to your current situation.

Close Your Eyes.

Close your eyes. Go to that sacred space within you. What do you see? Is it a light? Is it beautiful? Are you at peace? Are you happy? Content? Are you aware? Are you full of knowing? Build up that space. Build up and empower that sacred space. See yourself moving past this plateau that you are in. See yourself breaking free of the problems that you’ve found yourself facing, know that your Faith will help you break free.

I believe in you. I believe in the source and place that inspired this message. I believe your Faith is taking you further than you’ve ever been before.

Dr. Darrien Jamar