Who Am I & Where Am I Going From Here?
By James Lewis
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About this ebook
James Lewis
JAMES W. LEWIS is a novelist and freelance writer published in several books that include Zane’s Caramel Flava, Chicken Soup for the Soul (two series), Gumbo for the Soul, Truth Be Told: Tales of Life, Love and Drama and Don’t Forget your Pepper Spray. Magazine credits include 3AM Magazine, Eyeshot, Dare Magazine, Naptural Roots Magazine, Lucrezia Magazine, Circle Magazine, Rundu Bedtime Stories and an upcoming article in the fitness magazine AFAA. His debut novel SELLOUT will launch in July 2010. After spending twenty years in the Navy, James retired from active duty and now moonlights as a personal trainer while completing his studies in Kinesiology. In addition to writing, he loves to DJ and has a collection of over 300 vinyl records. He also does extensive volunteer work at a local veterans assistance center. James hopes to resume his role as a Big Brother in the Big Brothers & Big Sisters program soon.
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Who Am I & Where Am I Going From Here? - James Lewis
story.
INTRODUCTION: WHO AM I AND WHERE AM I GOING FROM HERE?
In our socio-economic structure, the family is the backbone of our churches, communities, schools and businesses. Everyone that contributes to the strength of these entities were brought (conceived by sex) into this world by a man and a woman, entering them into a family. The structure may be solid, cracked, crumbled or on the verge of demolition, but each child is still identified as a part of a family, whether their parents are known or unknown. Unfortunately, some children are growing up without knowledge of their beginnings or security for their future; they do not know who they are or where they are going. Parents many times, do not know of their heritage, and that is not only speaking of a godly heritage.
Two women and a child (or children) do not constitute a family, nor does two men and children. Although they may be entitled to marry one another one day, since God never ordained or instituted it, neither of these types of relationships are able to properly be acknowledged as a family. They are illegal in the eyes of God. They cannot reproduce another human being because they have the same plumbing
or sexual organs. These types of relationships are not nuclear nor are they to be considered a blended family, even if it is because of demanded rights, gender problems, illegitimate births or the promotion of alternative lifestyles.
Homosexual or lesbian bonding will never legitimize them to God’s purpose of procreation and family.
Also, a man and a woman living together without the marriage contract do not constitute a nuclear or blended family. These positions have weakened the family unit because of the attempt to exclude God’s Word of creating one man and one woman to cleave unto each other, becoming one flesh. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave (commitment unto death) unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh
(Genesis 2:24). There is a blessing in obeying God’s Word - just do it His way.
The commitment to one another, the joy of service and the consummation of intimacy (after marriage), activates the eternal genealogy of the covenant-maker. I believe God established the family first so that we could identify our relationship with Him and His relationship with us. Love, commitment, submission, obedience, faithfulness, trustworthiness and loyalty are some of the principled foundations that we need to experience in order to gain characteristics that exemplify His traits. These character traits help the fruit to grow as we branch off into other human relationships, providing strength to the family. God helps us to identify with a beginning and a future.
We are experiencing character flaws in our leaders because we are not connected to the power source, which is God. Therefore, the symptoms of low morality, divorce, illegitimate births, and abortions are a direct result of a broken relationship with God. We want substance (possessions) over integrity. Before there were governing bodies in the world, church or community, God first gave roles to the man and woman to be fruitful and multiply, imparting hope to the next generation of the will of God. The family is supposed to be protected by the governing bodies that God ordained. Instead, the state government, federal government, and sometimes even the church have worked against the family.
In Matthew 19, the leaders of Israel went to Jesus with questions about divorce and marriage. They wanted to know if it was lawful for a man to put away his wife for anything. It was clear they had no regard for God’s future plans for the family. Jesus, Himself said that this was not the way God intended it, even though divorce was allowed. And it was only allowed because of the hardness of their hearts. Does this sound familiar to present day marriages? We want to pass laws that will allow us to do what our hard hearts want. So, when our hearts are hardened to the truth then our families suffer, marriages fail, we remarry, and our children become confused and have to adjust to new relationships and new surroundings. Children can even become puzzled about who they are. With the many people that can come in and out of their lives, it can become difficult to know how they fit into the equation of the family body.
You are probably still asking, What makes up a blended family?
Good question, and I think a brief history of my, or should I say our family, should give you a good idea. I’ll start with my wife, Rae. As my deceased father-in-law would say, she is Rae Haynes-Redick-Pink-Lewis. She was born to Swinton and Maggie Haynes, the fifth of ten children, seven brothers and two sisters, one of which has passed. She grew up in a Christian home. She has multiple names because I am her third husband. From her first husband a son, Quan, was born. From her second husband a daughter, Rachel, was born. She was at a tender age of 19 when she was first married, then at a riper age of 24 with her second marriage and I received her, in the prime of the harvest season, at 33. However, before her father could put Lewis on the end of her many last names, he passed away in June of 1988, six months before our union on December 31st. I am sad that I never had the opportunity to call him Dad, but I did know him to be a spiritual leader and a father in Christ Jesus; for he was a deacon and a trustee on the board at our local church in Topeka, KS. - Capital City Community Church of God.
I am the ninth child conceived by Loran and Lois Lewis, Sr. Seven sisters and six brothers are a result of their time together. However, both of my parents, two brothers and two sisters have passed away. I am also from a Christian home.
Now, I want to explain what I mean by a Christian home. Our parents—both Rae’s and mine— taught us to be like Christ; they prayed with us and for us. They took us to church services
and showed us an example of how to live godly lives. They did not just teach us values, but they lived it. Our fathers were promise keepers
before the movement came forth. I have been married once before, adopting two of my first wife’s children, Shanita and Joey. (My mother felt Joey needed a real name instead of a nickname, so we called him Joseph so that God could take away his reproach and my mother would be pleased. But he is still accustomed to being called Joey and still goes by that name.) Two more children were born to my first union, Krystal and Jamie. So Quan and Rachel are half-brother and sister, Shanita and Joseph are full brother and sister, and Krystal and Jamie are full sisters. However, with my first marriage, two of the former and two of the latter were half brother and half sisters all having the same mother but different fathers. And since God is a God of many chances, He put Rae and I together, giving us another chance after making us complete in Him.
So now Rae is a step-mother to four children and a biological mother to two children. I am a step-adopted father to two children, and biological father to two children. I also adopted Rachel in 1999, so now I am a step-adopted father to her as well. So, to sum it up, there are step-brothers and sisters, half brothers and sisters and full brothers and sisters. God’s touch of grace has blended us together. Do you get the picture now?
This, I hope helps you to see