30 Days in September: How to Master Life's Tests

Dedications

This book is dedicated to the underdogs of the world. From the struggling single parent to the student who wonders where the next pack of Top Ramen will come from. It is for young people who doubt that God can (or will) use them. For those whom the world has written off because of their age, race, status or gender. For folks who have made more comebacks than a boomerang.

It is for warriors who have left Egypt, but have yet to see the Promised Land. For those whose visions far exceed their resources. For anyone struggling over whether to take a job they don’t like, or risk the money to do what they love. For people who have been around the mountain again and again, and have finally said Enough!

I feel your pain. This is my gift to you—my personal journey on the road to trusting God, and all the lessons along the way. Read it, learn it, and grow in faith. May you take possession of everything God has for you this side of Heaven as you work out your salvation daily—and I do mean everything!

Acknowledgments

To the Father within me who does the work.

To my favorite pastors and teachers, Pastors Philip and Holly Wagner, Bill Winston, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Casey Treat, Joyce Meyer, Dr. Frederick K.C. Price, Andrew Wommack, Joseph Prince, Mark Chironna, Kim Clement, and Dr. Myles Munroe, You’ve made my walk with the Lord an exciting adventure. For this, I will always be grateful. Posthumous thanks for the inspirational teachings of Eric Butterworth and Dr. David Viscott.

To Maya and Brittany. I love you, love you, love, love, love you! Thanks for your honest feedback and many hours of proofreading. My mother Lonzetta Jones, Auntie Barbra, and sister Lisa Fuggins. Thanks for always having my back. To my sister-girls Estelle Roberts, Latania Smith, Danielle Kelly, Charmaine Carter, Candice Chambers and Ramonda Fisher. Thanks for helping me keep my head on straight.

Foreword

By Rev. Cecil L. Chip Murray

Veronica Mackey takes us to the highest level of understanding that there is no testimony without a test. And there is no graduation from testing unless we graduate from earth life to eternal life. Eternal life is a quality of existence which can influence the quantity of existence. That is, it is not how long you live, but how well.

Thus, 30 Days in September—How to Master Life’s Tests refers to more than quantity, but also quality. We see September as the ninth month of incubation for the birth mother. But seeing with spiritual eyes, we find an opportunity to symbolically give birth to ourselves. Our spiritual fathers and mothers of what we call the Old Testament observe the Jewish Day of Atonement in the ninth month. The New Testament places Jesus’ birth in December, though scholars and historians argue for September. The essential point lies in the question, "When is your beginning?"

A true follower is one who is awake, who sees the light of a new day. So choose whatever moment you wish, the month you wish, but choose the Lord! Let Him be the choice for your awakening, new beginning.

30 Days in September chronicles the author’s own awakenings, segmented into five parts: Lessons from Work, Lessons from the Ordinary, from Hard Times, Lessons on Stewardship, and Lessons from Others. Each lesson is broken down into further segments of reality, making the stories relevant for any experience.

Lessons from the Ordinary teach us that God’s love models our lives, in that love is as much in spite of as because of. Lessons from Hard Times teach us not to take hardships personally. All the water in the world, however hard it tried, could never ever sink a ship unless it got inside. Inside is the space marked, Reserved for God. Lessons on Stewardship are a road map for trimming the fat from your life and focusing life-energies on the essentials. Lessons for Others include 12 aha! chapters to assist us in setting the right priorities. We learn the difference between provision and paychecks, how to stop trying to earn God’s love, and resisting the temptation to worry.

So here is background for the hands-on experiences Veronica shares with us. The tales are fascinating and fixating, taking the for instances of small things that could be irritating, and showing how God has already provided for us before the incident collided with us. The King of Kings has more than enough provision for us minor kings and queens. But we must know our DNA comes from the ruach (the breath) of God. So how about taking 30 Days in September? Read a chapter a day. Give the Lord some time and learn what He is saying. You’ll never be the same again.

Rev. Cecil L. Chip Murray is the John R. Tansey Chair of Christian Ethics, the University of Southern California and retired Senior Pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles.

Introduction

Why September?

30 Days in September—How to Master Life’s Tests is a series of spiritual lessons designed to advance your awareness and mastery over life’s many tests. Each chapter trains readers to recognize when and how they’re being tested and how to come out a winner. It’s about paying attention to God’s often-missed clues, and looking for opportunities which come disguised as problems. It’s about focusing on the little things that can really trip us up.

What does September have to teach us? It is the ninth month on the Gentile calendar. The number 9 is symbolic of manifestation. It is the time required to give birth.

September begins the traditional school year—the time when lighthearted summer makes way for more serious focus. Thus, 30 Days in September is a metaphor for intense spiritual knowledge and discovery—the month we return to school.

Historically, September has brought some pretty painful lessons. World War II began and ended in September. It is also the month of the Holocaust, U.S. Terrorist Attacks, and Hurricane Katrina. Still, it is one of God’s favorite months. I’ve always felt a strong presence of the Lord during this month, and now I know why.

Jewish culture confirms how special this month is to God. The Jewish calendar begins with Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year), which usually falls in September (Dates rotate each year according to the moon). The holiest holidays are observed between Rosh Hashana and the 10th day (Yom Kippur) of the new year. Yom Kippur is the Jewish Day of Atonement—the most important and sacred Jewish holy day. It is a day of forgiveness and new beginnings. to be the actual date of conception. Many books have been written about the accuracy of Jesus’ birth date, so it’s not hard to find material on the subject. My point is to reveal the spiritual significance of September—not to debate over when Jesus was born. The bottom line is, is he born in you?

Spiritual lessons are not always enshrined in drama. Flashes of insight can come through humor, silliness, nature, and songs. Listen for the messages that resonate in your heart. These are the lessons that unlock your understanding. And, they’re not always that deep.

Aha! moments can be as simple as turning on the light. Light shines brightest in the darkness. My prayer is that 30 Days in September—will awaken those aspects of your soul that need refining, much like a light illuminates a dark room. Pay attention to what life shows you, make notes of what you learn, and allow the Lord to correct your mistakes.

Do this and you’ll excel in life’s tests. Happy Graduation!

"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, ‘This is the way, walk ye in it,’ when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:21).

PART I - Lessons from Work

1. Be a Light

Be not Conformed to This World

Sweat rolled down my back as I set up my table, hoping to attract some curious customers. It had already been a hectic day, and it was barely 11:00. I’d hardly slept the night before, and was moving at a snail’s pace—gathering supplies for my cooking demo, unpacking, setting up, cooking, packing again, and moving to the next venue.

It’s worth it, I told myself. I can sleep later.

I was a woman on a mission, determined to pull myself out of years of lack and debt. In 2000, I started my own business, though I hadn’t planned it. I never will forget the day that launched me into unexpected entrepreneurship. For several weeks, I’d heard rumors that I would be let go. I believed them. My boss had cut my hours and I was given a negative performance evaluation. I thought it was interesting that out of at least a half dozen reporters at the Wave, I was the only one to have my performance evaluated. I’m no Synthia Saint James, but I could certainly connect the dots.

Losing my job was such a liberating experience. Nothing in the world, except the Lord, could have given me the peace I had when I left that day. I went to the personnel office to collect my final check and announced to the HR manager I was going to spend some of the money right away. I needed to affirm I trusted God for my provision.

I’m going to spend $100 today, I said.

No, she said. Spend $200.

A group of police officers had a table set up outside the credit union. They were selling barbecue dinners, raising money for a youth group. I bought dinner and made small talk.

How are you doing? one of the officers asked, smiling.

I’m doing great! I just lost my job! I said, smiling back.

You sure are happy for someone who just lost her job.

I know, huh? But it’s all good. I’m going to file for unemployment after I leave here. Then, I’m going to do a little shopping. I’m not worried. I’ll find something else.

That’s right, he said, nodding.

We’ve all heard of folks who say when they lost their job (or whatever); it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. But sometimes God lets us see the blessing without a disguise. I knew immediately when I was fired that it was for my best. I was able to bypass the emotional pain normally attached to loss. Confidence in the Lord is what helped me see the loss as a gain. I never regretted leaving the Wave for a single moment. Life does not always happen this way, but when it does, things sure are sweet.

I had wanted to start a public relations business of my own for the past 7 years. Now was my time. Within a month, I had two clients. One month later, another. I took whatever I could find—grant writing, developing media packages, freelancing for newspapers and magazines. I worked from home so I was always available for my girls. I loved the mornings. I’d drop them off at school, come home, spend time in prayer, fix breakfast and begin my day.

I learned a great deal about sales and marketing, time management, and the World Wide Web. In a short time, I learned to do business the digital way. I attended online meetings and teleconferences. It was so exciting being able to secure national media opportunities for clients, and have my articles published all over the country, from the comfort of my home.

As time moved on, my once-thriving business began to slow down. It was time to supplement my income. The Lord led me to try something new. I took a temporary job with the California African American 5 a Day Campaign, educating South Central L.A. residents about nutrition. My job was to make healthy food samples and offer them to people at grocery stores. Once I got their attention, I talked to them about their eating habits. It’s kind of like witnessing. First, get the attention of the unsaved; then tell them about the Lord. Getting black folks in South Los Angeles to change their eating habits is a hard sell. Many neighborhood grocers have disappeared over the years. Fresh produce costs more, so meat and potatoes are usually preferred over fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s just easier to keep on eating the same old way.

I felt teaching black folks how to eat healthy was more than a job. It was a calling. I was there to provide spiritual as well as physical nourishment, to plant seeds of inspiration.

My mission field included diabetics, folks with hypertension, and those who wanted to lose weight. As I prepared to serve food that hot, Sunday afternoon at Inner City Market, sights and sounds in the neighborhood were all too familiar: Young African American men riding down the street—radios blaring out obscene rap lyrics—greeting each other with the