It's true...I have issues.....

Today was the last day of classes for the spring semester. I had it pretty easy this semester. I only had to take a minimum of 12 credit hours, and since this was my fist time back in school in 20 years, and I had no idea what I was doing because I spent the majority of my first try at college in a drunken stupor, I took it a little easy on myself. I took my major of course, and field work, along with Early European history and Women's Issues.
Now you may be thinking why the hell do they have a class called Women's issues, we all know we have them, why teach a class on them? The class was designed to take a social view of issues women faced through out the years, and what we still face....yes...that dreaded word that all men LOVE to hate is about to rear it's ugly head....it's a FEMINISM class!!! (don don ddddoooonnnn!!)

The class had such a big turn out, that they over booked it and it ended up being the biggest class my professor ever taught, and the most controversial to say the least.
A lot of women in this class were like myself, adult students, with kids and a whole host of issues that held them back through the years. From addiction to gangs to abuse, it was there. There were 5 guys in the class too, with their own issues who contributed their point of views as well, which made for some pretty heated discussions I will say.
Most of the class ended up being sort of a therapy for some who related their own experiences to the topic of the week. Many times I left class stunned at what someone said. Many nights I would relive the class at the dinner table and my boyfriend and I would have great conversations about it.

Before leaving today, one of the girls gave us a little mini diploma that had an article a Bishop wrote that really spoke to me. It's long, but a great and inspiring read. I am not a religious person in any way, but I thought it was a great way to end a class that seemed to help a lot of women, including myself, learn a little more about dealing with their own issues.

Cut the cord
Ezra 10:11

So often I want to tell,women,“Go out and buy yourself a pair of scissor and write on the blades, ‘cut the cord! May be that would remain them to disassociate themselves from their past.

There are things you need to cut away from your life. There are relationships you need to serve. There are habits you need to amputate from your daily routine. Don’t allow a guilt trip from the past to strangle you or cling to you or trip you up. Go ahead cut the cord!

God wants to free you from bondage of someone who seeks to control your life. cut the cords that tie you to the old mud holes of your life. Let me explain it this way

If a little lamb and a pig fall into the same dirty, oozing mud hole, the pig will wallow in the mud, but the lamb will cry to get out.

If you are a child of God and fall into mud, you’ll start to cry, “I don’t like this. I want out of this. I’m not really like this. I hate this ! Help me!” it’s time to cut the cords that tie you to the old mud holes of your life.

Whether you fall into the mud or someone throws you into the mud is not the issue. What you do when you are in the mud is what matters.

Realize that there is something in your nature that defies your environment. There is something inside of you that is willing and able to cut the cord. Say good-bye to Joe’s Bar and Ruby’s Lounge.

Say good bye to the pimp and the pusher. Say good-bye to the drinking girls and the gambling friends. Put that addiction, that abortion, that sickness, that divorce, that failure, that loss behind you.

Pronounce your own benediction on your former life Administer your own last rites to your failure. Conduct your own funeral for the “old per son” you were before you were saved. Declare that the old you – the one who existed before God found you, lifted you of the mud and cleaned you up – is dead.

Declare that the old sinful patterns of your life and the old sin producing relationship are gone. Declare any dominating evil spirit evicted from your life. Declare that you are new creature in Christ Jesus. The old you have died and have been buried. The new you is being resurrected.

As you cut the, get ready for a new enthusiasm, a new out pouring of faith, a new freshness of anointing. God will release you to live in freedom.

Source: T.D. Jakes