WSSN Stories

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

 Is Trump manipulating his way to declaring Martial Law? He has placed troops on the Southern Border in the name of a fictional invasion. He is  using the Alien Enemies Act to make his point by deporting  immigrants, documented or not. He is securing subtle support from closet racist by focusing his immigrant hate on people of color! If someone is not an anti-racist, one might fall into the category of racist.

He is deporting non-white people that he simply declares to be here illegally, while expressing the idea that there should be more people from places like Sweden and Denmark coming to America! See it live daily! He calls Immigrants  invaders in America, the country created by immigrants! He cites immigrants as invaders in order to say that America is in fact at war! If he can convinces us that he believes that America is at war, he can declare a State Of Emergency, which is what he did to place our military troops along the Southern Boarder. The resistance to that unconstitutional move was very slight, and thus a green light for his next assault on the Constitution!

The door has been opened to Martial Law and his apparent ultimate dream status of President for life. He has started so many fires of distraction that I fear we are ignoring his most dangerous plot.

The increasing chaos and confusion caused by his assault on the Economy, Social Security, Healthcare, Education and Foreign Relations is engineered chaos! This chaos will fan the flames of resistance. Protests will increase! Adding to the probability of a protest being used as the final excuse for him to declare Martial Law! No law prevents him from doing it and he certainly has the audacity and cult following to force the question!

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

On April 9, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GO-Serve) Director Josh Fryday announced that California is seeking 10,000 people to join the California Service Corps. Members gain meaningful work experience while helping their communities and earning money.

Over the coming year, the goal for the California Service Corps programs is to recruit over 10,000 volunteers who will serve nearly five million hours. Service members help communities by taking environmental actions; tutoring and mentoring students to help them succeed; supporting communities impacted by disasters; working to end hunger; and connecting vulnerable people to vital resources and services.

“As Californians, the spirit of service and giving back is in our DNA — it’s why we have the largest service corps in the nation, bigger than the Peace Corps and a model for other states,” said Newsom. “In the coming year, our service members will provide critical support — whether responding to disasters like the L.A. fires or tackling critical issues like loneliness — as we work to build a California for all.”

Combined, the California Service Corps is a force larger than the United States Peace Corps and will be mobilized at a time when California is addressing post-pandemic academic recovery, the L.A. fire recovery and the future of the state’s workforce.

“These are California’s future leaders, and we need their passion, energy and enthusiasm to address our greatest challenges,” said Fryday. “There is no better example of what they’re capable of than how they immediately mobilized to support the L.A. fire recovery efforts.”

California Service Corps members gain skills and experience?while connecting with others and making a difference. Additionally, service experiences aim to foster a positive sense of connection and belonging, an answer to the loneliness crisis — as defined by the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. 

Current partners and volunteers with the corps joined the digital press conference to share what they’ve experienced so far during their service.

Luckie Diwa, Program Director of Improve Your Tomorrow, was one of the speakers at the press conference. Her organization, which partners with the corps, aims to increase the number of young men of color who attend and graduate from colleges and universities.

“Our service members are absolutely pivotal to our mission we wouldn’t be able to achieve our mission really without our mentors,” said Diwa. “I have personally witnessed so much growth in brothers from just having this one-on-one guidance. A lot of school counselors are just outnumbered at a lot of our schools and can’t have that unique one-to-one connection that a lot of them would desire. So, our service members really come and help carry a huge torch.”

Service members at her organization meet with students once a week providing academic and socio-emotional support. Diwa shared stories of students starting with 1.0 GPAs and improving to 3.0 GPAs while working with the program. She also commented on the benefits she’s seen for the service members themselves.

Marybeth Carranza, an AmeriCorps California member working with Improve Your Tomorrow, spoke about how joining the corps has impacted her life.

“Serving with Improve Your Tomorrow as an AmeriCorps California member has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” said Carranza. “I’ve grown tremendously in a space dedicated to supporting young men of color on their path to higher education and leadership. Through this work, I’ve gained valuable skills, expanded my professional network and developed a lifelong commitment to contributing to this important cause.”

If you or someone you know are interested in joining the corps, you can learn more and register at  CAServiceCorps.com.

In February, when the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) announced its “Road to Repair 2025 Priority Bill Package,” which consists of 16 bills, Caucus Chair Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) said, “This bill package is about repairing centuries of economic damage and abuse that was inflicted on Black Californians.”

 “This legislative package,” she added, “is a chance to transform the promise of equality into a lived reality, so that everyone can achieve the American dream.”

CLBC Vice Chair Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) echoed Weber Pierson’s commitment.

“This year, as we do every year, we will fight repair the harms of the past and create new ladders of opportunity for Black Californians.” said Bryan.

Two months later, all the bills except for one, ACA 6 — a constitutional amendment aiming to ban slavery in all forms in California – have been assigned to various legislative committees for consideration.

Over the next four weeks, California Black Media (CBM) will cover the 16 bills in the package to detail what each proposes and learn more from the authors. We will also track the bills and give you an update as they make their way through the legislative process.

Here are the first four:

Assembly Bill (AB) 7

AB 7, introduced by Bryan, would allow admission priority to the descendants of slaves at the University of California and California State University. The two institutions are among the largest public university systems in the nation.

“For decades universities gave preferential admission treatment to donors, and their family members, while others tied to legacies of harm were ignored and at times outright excluded,” said Bryan. “We have a moral responsibility to do all we can to right those wrongs.”

This bill comes in the wake of actions from the Trump administration to dismantle affirmative action and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Black students made up about 4% of the California State University’s student population and about 4.7% at the University of California in 2023, according to the university systems’ latest reports.

AB 7 is currently under review in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 6

ACA 6, introduced by Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), would ‘prohibit slavery’ in all forms. The Assembly Constitutional Amendment would also clarify that its provisions do not prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from awarding credits to an incarcerated person who voluntarily accepts a work assignment.

The proposed amendment is a third attempt to amend the California Constitution to ban slavery and involuntary servitude in all forms. It shares the spirit of Proposition 6, which voters rejected in the 2024 voting cycle.

“We’re doing this again and going back because we felt like it was a moral obligation and a righteous thing to do,” said Wilson in a statement. “What we heard from the voters during that time was a lot of misunderstandings around the bill. But when we educated on Prop. 6, they were all behind it. I didn’t talk to any person that wasn’t behind the bill once they knew what the bill did, but that took a lot of time.”

ACA 7

ACA 7, introduced by Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) would amend Proposition 209, a California law passed in 1996 prohibiting the state from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, or contracting.

The proposed amendment would seek to address disparities in health, education and economic outcomes for communities of color in California.

“For too long, certain communities in California have faced significant barriers to success, with the state being extremely limited in their ability to provide the appropriate support,” said Jackson. “This ACA is a crucial step towards addressing the barriers that certain communities in California face in achieving their full potential. Our goal is to provide equal opportunities for all Californians to lead healthy and productive lives.”

ACA 7 also confirms that remedies for violations would align with existing California anti-discrimination laws and do not affect existing court orders or consent decrees.

The Assembly Judiciary Committee is currently reviewing ACA 7.

AB 801

AB 801, introduced by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), seeks to uncover and outlaw discriminatory mortgage and lending practices.

Existing law, the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act, generally provides for the licensure and regulation of people engaging in the business of making residential mortgage loans or servicing residential mortgage loans. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to residential mortgage loans.

“This legislation will help families struggling with rising bill costs,” said Bonta.

“All eyes will be on California to see how we continue to support bold, compassionate, and evidence-based policies in the face of federal chaos. I look forward to working with my colleagues to craft the best possible legislation and serve each and every Californian,” Bonta said.

AB 801 is under consideration in the Assembly Committee on Banking and Finance.

On Friday, April 11, 2025, The New York Stock Exchange welcomes Project H.O.O.D. Communities Development Corp to the podium. To honor the occasion, Pastor Corey Brooks, Founder & CEO, joined by Will Goodwin, Head of Corporate Affairs, NYSE, rings the Opening Bell®.

Single Turns the Preacher/Singer’s Recent Social Media Controversy Into a Melodic Message of Restoration

DALLAS, TC— Marvin Sapp was recently in the news over a misinterpretation of his words while he was taking up offering at the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World 2024 National Convocation.  Sapp was vilified on the internet and received threatening messages at his church from people who were angry over a video clip that showed him telling the ushers to “close the doors.”

After appearing on the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell, CBS News Texas and WFAA Fort Worth to add context and clarity to the video clip, Sapp is now turning that “momentary affliction” into an affirming message with a new single titled “Close the Door.”

In the song, written by Sapp and Kolten Perrine, and produced by Rodney East, Sapp recounts the harrowing last few weeks and sings:

Close the door on anxiety, on the pain and disdain that keeps chasing me, Close the door on the ridicule and on the noise that tries to make me lose my cool…God has a purpose, He will restore…Though I’m hurting, I’m still hoping, My victory is worth fighting for, So I close the door…

Sapp posted about the single on social media, saying “’Close the Door’ isn’t just a song, it’s a soundtrack for survival…I’m closing the door on the noise, the pain, and everything that tried to break me. This song will bless you. I believe with everything in me my assignment through this season through this song is to help you close the door too.”

“Close the Door” will be released Good Friday, April 18, 2025, and will be available to download and stream on all digital music outlets.

By Lou Coleman

For years now, there have been forewarnings of very specific end-time events that would come to pass which would lead to a third world war. Well, we are there, World War III has already begun.

“We already have battles on the ground being coordinated in multiple countries,” said Jamie Dimon the CEO of JP Morgan Chase at the annual event in Washington, DC, in October.

Dimon went on to say that “the United States needed to avoid being naive and allowing larger global events to play out without any intervention. What we should be thinking about is, we can’t take the chance this will resolve itself. We have to make sure that we are involved in doing the right things to get it resolved properly,” he added. “It’s just a matter of time before these things are going off in major cities around the world,” Dimon said. “I think we have to just have clarity and subordinate a lot of things to make sure this ends up right. Because they are very close to global catastrophe.”

Pigging back off of Jamie Dimon but in the spiritual realm.

Jamie Dimon is absolutely right. The first four Trumpets of the Seventh Seal are about the first major attack that is made upon the United States of America. She has been the greatest single nation in the end-time, and the events of these four Trumpets are structured to cripple her world dominance, influence, and power. She is the first of all nations to be humbled by God because she has been given the most by Him and has been given the greatest opportunity to listen but has not. This humbling process that will be poured out upon the United States will be very strong against her. [Revelation 8] shows in very prophetic language the events that will lead to the fall of the United States as the first nation to be brought down.

Not only will the U.S. experience horrific suffering due to the first five Trumpet events, it is revealed in the Book of Revelation that it will also experience plagues and devastation from events that are called Thunders. These too will escalate against her unless or until she begins to listen to God.

The more the United States holds to her pride, the more she will suffer until she is humbled. This is a matter of God’s judgment and what He has determined toward the U.S.

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be, and we are like sleeping virgins. We must awake from our slumber! [Matthew 24:21; Matthew 25; Daniel 5]. “We need to have clarity and subordinate a lot of things to make sure this ends up right.” Why? Because our eternity life depends on it and the handwriting on the wall is very clear: World War III is inevitable.

Bible Prophecy clearly states that at the end of the age, the world will experience a significant increase in geopolitical turmoil, including at least three named wars, rumors of war, international distress, and three major military conflicts as outlined in [Psalm 83, Ezekiel chapters 38-39, Revelation chapter 19; Daniel 11:35-43; Daniel 12:4-9]. Combined with the other “birth pangs” which are all seemingly converging within a single generation. According to Jesus, these signs of the times would signal the end of the current age, and according to [Matthew 24:21-22] “unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved…”

You know, John the Apostle was shown what the end times would be like, specifically the last seven years prior to Christ’s return. He saw a global war akin to World War III which continues to be a part of the unfolding events Jesus told His disciples that would presage the end of the world. [Matthew 24:3-3; Revelation chapter 2;4; and 5; Revelation 6:3-4; 7-9; Revelation chapters 12,13, 17 &18].

I admonish you, subordinate a lot of things to make sure this ends up right for you. Get under the Umbrella of the Almighty God NOW! Do not be naïve and let things play out without any intervention. God has set before you, life and death. Choose life! [Deuteronomy 30:19]. For as James Dimon said, “We can’t take the chance this will resolve itself. We have to make sure that we are involved in doing the right things to get it resolved properly.”

Besides Moses makes it clear that the commands of God are not too difficult ?they are not too difficult to understand nor too difficult to do, beyond our reach. These were the words of Moses to the people of Israel as he admonished them to choose life. But like some of the Israelites, some of you too will choose not to understand. [Romans 10:1-11].

Wars

1. Cold Wars [U.S./Soviet]
2. Civil Wars [Internal Division, Insurrections]
3. Invasion Wars [Ukraine/Soviet, Israel/Hamas]

Rumors of Wars

1. World Wars [World War III]
2. Trade Wars [Tariff Foreign Goods]
3. Nuclear Wars [Biological Threats]

I have given you full warning [Revelation chapter 19]. Seek the Lord while He may be found. [1 Kings 18:21]. Call upon Him while He is near. [Isaiah 55:6].

But the people said nothing. They seem unable, or unwilling, to make a choice. They want to hedge their bets, sit on the fence, and keep their options open. Then so be it, says the Lord!

Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. [Revelation 9:14-15, Revelation 16:14].

World War III Has Already Begun!

The “Hands Off” protests marked the biggest day of demonstrations yet against the policies of Pres. Donald Trump and his biggest campaign donor and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.

By Viji Sundaram

BERKELEY, CA— Thousands turned out Saturday in front of the North Berkeley Bart station in protest over what they decry as the Trump administration’s “hostile takeover” of their rights and freedoms.

“Our country and the world are at stake,” said Julia Bavar from her wheelchair with a sign leaning against it that said, “Death By a Thousand Cuts.”

Bavar was among the estimated 2,200 men, women, and children on hand for the April 5 protest, part of a series of similar protests across the country. “If we don’t speak up now, there may not be a later,” she said.

“I, as a disabled person, may not survive this administration because of their drastic cuts and their disregard for most human life,” said her friend, Peni Hall, 76, who was also in a wheelchair beside Bavar.

The “Hands Off” protests marked the biggest day of demonstrations yet against the policies of Pres. Donald Trump and his biggest campaign donor and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.

Signs denounced Trump’s actions threatening health care, Social Security and education, and accused the president of making it harder for the average American to live, while benefiting his richest friends.

The demonstrations were organized in more than 1,200 locations in all 50 states by more than 150 groups, including civil rights organizations such as the Invisibles, LGBTQ+ advocates, labor unions and election activists. The Berkeley protests stretched for blocks along Sacramento Street.

Through chants and raised fists, protestors expressed anger over Trump’s steps to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in the workplace and other institutions, steps experts warn will threaten a range of sectors, healthcare among them. Advocates of DEI programs say they have provided a framework for the fostering of a more just and equitable society.

Protestors also denounced Trump’s mass deportation of immigrants, including those in the country as legal permanent residents, and of students stripped of their visas and detained by ICE because of their First Amendment activities.

Some voiced anger over the Trump administration’s scaled back protections to transgender people. In his first days in office, Trump ordered the removal of any mention of transgender people on government websites and passports.

Musk, a Trump adviser who runs Tesla, Space X and the social media platform X, has played a significant role in the downsizing as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

With Trump cheering him on, the chainsaw wielding tech entrepreneur has made recommendations to those in charge of federal agencies as to who should be laid off and who should remain. Thousands of federal employees have been shown the door in the last several weeks.

Trump insists he is saving taxpayers billions of dollars, though reporting by the New York Times has found numerous accounting errors in DOGE’s public ledger.

“All of my outrage can’t fit on this sign,” said one protestor and a Hands-Off organizer, pointing to her emoji-filled sign of angry faces. “They are tearing down the pillars of our democracy.”

Some of the signs were funny. One said, “I’ve seen smarter cabinets at Ikea.” Another said, “Fight Tooth Decay.”

A number of Pro-Palestinian supporters who began their protest rally from the El Cerrito Plaza Bart station parking lot joined the Berkeley protestors. Some of them carried the Palestinian flag. Some wore the black-and-white Palestinian checkered scarf. “Today, we are in solidarity with the various struggles,” said El Cerrito resident Leslie Adams. She said she opposed the idea of her tax dollars being used to fund the war on the Palestinian people.

By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

Last week, President Donald Trump appointed Assemblymember Bilal Ali (Bill) Essayli (R-Corona) United States Attorney for the Central District of California.

The lawmaker, an outspoken critic of Gov. Newsom, accepted the appointment.

Essayli, who in February introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1315, a reparations bill in the State Legislature, took the oath of office for his new job on April 2.

“I am honored that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed their trust in me to serve as United States Attorney for the Central District of California,” Essayli said in a statement.Now, reparations advocates, who had been working along with Essayli, say they are looking for a sponsor for the bill in the Legislature.

Kamilah Moore, a Los Angeles-based attorney, who served as chair of the state’s reparations task force, says the effort has not stalled.

“This is a full job position for him. The U.S. Central District of California is the largest federal judiciary district in the country,” said Moore. “But I do appreciate his efforts and being helpful along the way, getting us certain names and contacts of legislators (who could carry the bill). I also appreciate that he kept the conversations (of reparations) going. He definitely played his part, and I cannot be mad at him at all.”

Essayli, who is Lebanese American and proponent of stricter immigration laws and enforcement, says he won major victories during his two-year-plus tenure as a lawmaker.

“When I joined the Assembly, parental rights, illegal immigration, and voter IDs were peripheral issues. We’ve made them centerpieces of our Party. This past election, we added true fighters, and I am confident they will continue the important work needed in the Legislature to make Republicans start winning in California,” Essayli said.

In February, Essayli introduced AB 1315, also known as the California American Freedmen Affair’s Agency (CAFAA) bill. If approved, this legislation would create a state agency responsible for verifying the identities of descendants of slavery using genealogy.

The agency would also contain the Office of Freedmen Legal Affairs and a registry of American Freedmen residents to support future direct services and resources, as recommended by the task force when the nine-member body completed its two-year study in June 2023.

Essayli, a former Riverside County prosecutor and the first Muslim American elected to the California Legislature, said he introduced the bill with the full support of members of the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC), the state’s leading reparations advocacy group.Essayli says he supports the creation of the agency even though he does not advocate for cash payments, stating on X last year, “I’m very much opposed to CA taxpayers paying reparations.”

Essayli has also said that he does not believe that California was involved in slavery, but he is totally behind programs that would acknowledge and address atrocities that descendants of Slavery suffered in the United States.

“For too long, the Democrat Party has lied to Black voters and delivered nothing decade after decade,” Essayli told CBM on Feb. 22.

Months later, reparations advocates declared they would work with any lawmakers who would adhere to their cause and made it clear that the “movement to recognize and support American Freedmen residents is a non-partisan effort” that ranks “policy over political affiliation,” CJEC shared in a February statement.

CJEC is a statewide organization made up of various associations, community groups, and individuals united by a commitment to fight for reparations.

Moore says she is working with CJEC, seeking clarity on the status of the bill and identifying another lawmaker –Republican or Democrat – to sponsor the legislation.

AB 1315 was first read in the Assembly chamber on Feb. 24.

Civil rights attorney and reparations advocate Chryce Cryer told Dominique di Prima on her KBLA Talk 1580 radio show that Essayli’s departure could be a blessing in disguise.

Cryer said Essayli’s position in the federal government “bodes well for the reparations movement.”

“It’s probably what he was aspiring to become,” Cryer said of Essayli on the Los Angeles-based radio show. “I would say for reparations in general, especially in California, it shines the spotlight on what we’re trying to do. Reparations is a non-partisan issue.”

Cryer continued, “The bureau, the agency, that’s also non-partisan. But now, as it stands, we have a friend and not a foe in the Trump Administration.”

By Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose

My grandparents, despite many barriers, worked, saved, and eventually bought a house. My grandfather was forced to drop out of school in the fifth grade to work and help care for his younger siblings. But their determination to own a home, a dream shared by many in their generation, was unwavering. Families worked, prayed, and, like my grandparents, many others managed to turn their dreams into reality and own a home.

Today, too many Black families and individuals have the means to purchase homes but are discouraged by the limited inventory and high interest rates. I understand their frustration: they defeat the odds and get approved for a loan, only to discover that there are few homes on the market and none that meet their specific needs. For too many Black consumers, that has been a signal to back off, and they get stuck at that point.

At the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), we refuse to stand idly by as our community faces challenges in homebuying. My grandparents, despite having only limited formal schooling, owned a home. This is the kind of inspiration NAREB aims to instill today, especially among Black millennials. We’re here for the 1.75 million of them who earn over $100,000 a year but haven’t yet bought a home.

Our community needs to understand the significance of homeownership in wealth building. It’s much more than just a place to live. It’s also the best way to save for retirement, the most effective savings plan you can set up, and the most efficient way to pay for your children’s college education. If you want to start a business, the equity in your home is a quick way to become an entrepreneur. These are the many financial benefits that homeownership can bring, and it’s crucial for our community to be aware of them.

Yes, buying a home is more complicated than it was four years ago. However, it remains just as vital as it was 60 years ago. That’s why NAREB isn’t a passive observer. We are on an active mission to increase homeownership in Black communities. We are here to support the Black community, and we believe that with the right resources and knowledge, homeownership is within reach for families and individuals in our community.

On April 12, 2025, NAREB will present its second annual National Building Black Wealth Day in 100 cities nationwide. Seminars, workshops, and one-on-one sessions will empower communities with steps towards homeownership, property investment, starting a business, and other wealth-building opportunities. Among the workshops are:

• What to do with Big Momma’s House?
• ABCs of Homebuying
• Real Estate Investing
• Down Payment Assistance
• Explore Careers in Real Estate
• Free Career Fair
• Free Health Screenings
• One-On-Ones with Real Estate Attorneys
• One-on-Ones with Housing Counselors

To register for the local events around the country, visit www.narebblackwealthtour.com. There will also be virtual sessions. To register for the virtual sessions on Zoom, click HERE.

The Wealth Tour is designed to provide guidance on how to start the journey towards homeownership for those who need assistance. But we are also there for those with the financial means to buy a home but haven’t taken the leap. We are also reaching out to these Black consumers. Our partners in the Wealth Tour, including organizations like the Divine Nine sororities and fraternities, help us connect with this demographic. It’s our biggest challenge.

We teach people how to improve their credit scores, explain how to obtain renovation loans, and help them assess their housing needs. But changing the mindset? Convincing them of the importance of homeownership is the real challenge.

However, our partners step up and lend a hand. We collaborate with the National Baptist Convention and the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities. Many of their members are millennials, the target audience we aim to reach. Our partners are providing platforms for us to connect with demographics that have the means to be homeowners.

Often, millennials don’t realize the pain and struggle that their parents or grandparents endured in their quest for homeownership. They remain unaware of issues like redlining or government programs that discriminated against Black individuals, such as the GI Bill and the Federal Housing Administration. Additionally, with owner-financed notes, there was the pressure that a missing or late payment could jeopardize the sale, risk your investment, or lead to eviction.

These struggles are often overlooked by younger generations. We want them to understand the past and open their eyes to the future. High-homeownership communities are locations where they and their families can thrive. That’s the reality NAREB strives to create.

Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose is a developer in Houston and President of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers.

By Lou Coleman

Standing at the edge of a vast ocean. The waves crash against the shore, each one unique, each one a testament to the power and majesty of the Creator. The ocean is vast, its depths unknown, its breadth immeasurable. It is both beautiful and terrifying, a source of life and a force of nature.

Well, our lives are like this ocean. Each day, we stand at the edge of the unknown, faced with choices that shape the course of our lives. Each choice is like a wave, unique and powerful, capable of carrying us closer to our destination or pulling us further away.

The question before you, then, is this: Will you choose to ride the waves of God’s will, allowing Him to guide you and direct you? Or will you choose to fight against the current, to go your own way and chart your own course?

Think long and hard. This is not a decision to be made lightly. It’s not a decision to be made once and then forgotten. It’s a decision that needs to be made daily, hourly, even moment by moment. It’s a decision that will shape your life, your relationship, your future. It is the most important decision you will ever make in your life because it will determine how you will live your life; how you will die; and where you will spend eternity.

You know French theologian and poet Alain de Lille said, “All roads lead to Rome.” Well, all roads may lead to Rome, but not to Heaven. Jesus tells us there are two roads, two ways. There is God’s way, the narrow road which has only one lane and leads to life, Heaven above, and then there is the broad road, which has many roads which leads to destruction, Hell below. Jesus makes it clear that you must choose which road you are going to travel.

God has given you the choice! Life or death, blessings or cursing’s. [Deuteronomy 30]. What’s it gonna be?

Adam and Eve Chose Death, [Genesis 30].

Annanias and Saphirra Chose Death, [Acts 5].

The Rich Man Chose Death, [Luke 16] … BUT

Lazarus Chose Life. Abraham Chose Life. Paul Chose Life, Peter Chose Life, Nathaniel Chose life! Which way will you chose?

Remember, there are two prospects: “Life” or “Death.” There are two paths: The “broad road” that leads to Hell, and the “narrow road” that leads to Heaven. Which will it be? Choose consciously and intentionally. Eternity has but two ways. Eternity with God in Heaven or eternity with the Devil in Hell. Today is a matter of decision making.

Consider your response in light of your life, which road will you choose? Where will you end up when you leave this world? Where’s your road taking you? Will it be Heaven or will it be Hell? Will it be the narrow road of walking with God or the broad road of anything goes?

Jesus says, “I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved.” [John 10:9]. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. [Proverbs 14:12; Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:24].

God in all ages has shown man the way of salvation, [John.3:16–17] but man has always chosen for himself his own choice of way. [Genesis 3:1-6].

Imagine If You Will!