“It always seems impossible until it
is done.”


~Nelson Mandela
A NEW ATTITUDE
 
We’ve all heard it before: “A bad attitude is like a flat tire. You can’t go anywhere until you change it.”  We’ve also heard: “Your attitude determines your altitude.”  I have come to realize that the world reflects back to us the very attitude and persona that we project.  Study after study has proven that those persons with a good positive attitude are usually a lot happier in life, more successful, more fulfilled, and they accomplish a lot more than those who don’t have a good positive attitude.
Once per year, we are encouraged to go to the doctor to get an annual check-up and or a physical—to make sure our bodies are healthy.  Twice per year we are encouraged to go to the dentist to get a cleaning and an inspection—to make sure our teeth are in good health and to prevent any cavities from creeping in.  Even mental health professionals are now encouraging people all across the country to get regular mental health check-ups—to ensure they are mentally and emotionally healthy.  I think there is one more item that we need to add to the list and that is our attitudes.  Except your attitude is something that you need to do a daily (sometimes more) check-up on.
As your pastor, let me encourage you to begin to inspect your own attitude, daily. So many times, we are quick to judge those around us. And so many times, it is so easy to pick out the flaws that dwell in that attitudes of those around us.  But we also need to be able to look in the mirror and do some self-reflection and self-introspection.
Church—It is imperative that you and I as Christ-followers display to the world a good positive attitude.  When you and I walk into a room, the people present should be able to feel our positive aura and our Christ-like glow.  When you and I walk into a room, the people around us should feel a cool breeze blowing upon their hearts—easing their anxiousness.   
So, with all of that said, let us begin to get to work by first cleaning up our own attitude and then displaying a good positive attitude towards those around us.  We display a good positive attitude towards those around us by smiling instead of frowning.  We display a good positive attitude towards those around us by thinking positive thoughts about them and ourselves instead of negative ones.  And we display a good positive attitude towards those around us by honestly and sincerely wishing that best for them, just as we wish the best for ourselves.  So let me encourage you to get to work, immediately, on displaying this good positive attitude towards yourself and others.  You never know, with this new positive attitude, you may just change the entire trajectory of your life and the lives of those around you.    
I’ll leave you with the lyrics from a song by Patti LaBelle entitled A New Attitude (Feel free to sing along in your head):



I'm feelin' good from my head to my shoes
Know where I'm goin' and I know what to do
I tidied up my point of view
I got a new attitude


I'm in control, my worries are few
'Cause I've got love like I never knew
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
I got a new attitude.


I'm wearing a new dress (New), new hair (New)
Brand new ideas, as a matter of fact I've changed for good
It must have been the cool night, new moon, new slight change
More than to figure, but I feel like I should, yes
Somehow the wires uncrossed, the tables were turned
Never knew I had such a lesson to learn
I'm feelin' good from my head to my shoes
Know where I'm goin' and I know what to do
I tidied up my point of view
I got a new attitude.
Pastor Michael L. Sloan
        

May Newsletter 2021
Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.
~Joshua 1:6 (NLT)
Several years ago, late in the wee hours of the morning, I was sitting in my bed reading a book entitled If Life Is A Game, These Are the Rules written by, Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott.  As I sat there, listening to the silence that hovered over the two-bedroom apartment in Illinois that Michelle and I shared; I read these words:
Courage is finding the inner strength and bravery required when confronting danger, difficulty, and opposition. Courage is the energy current behind all great actions and the spark that ignites the initial baby step of growth. It resides deep within each of us, ready to be accessed in those moments when you need to forge ahead or break through seemingly insurmountable barriers. It is the intangible force that propels you forward on your journey (104).
Courage! Most of you have lived long enough by now to know that courage is the one thing that you need to survive in this life.  Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, peaks and valleys, highs and lows; and, life in the 21st century seems to be full of mass shootings, protests, national confrontations, global pandemics, swiftly produced vaccines, social isolation, and uncertainty about the future.  And the things mentioned in the preceding sentence are just the things seen on the surface.  Beneath the surface there is so much more—family disputes, angry, bitterness, depression, spiritual doubt, loss or change of employment (because of the pandemic), mistrust among our elected officials, and so much more.
Let us pause and be honest for a moment; Besides God, there is only one other thing to help us deal with the things that we are facing as a nation and as a church.  That one thing is courage.  It takes courage to continue to get up every morning, not being able to see the end from the beginning or middle—concerning this pandemic.  It takes courage, to take your mask off when you see a friend out in public who hasn’t seen your face in the past thirteen months.  It takes courage to walk into the grocery store (even with a mask on), when you don’t even know if the person standing next to you has COVID or if they have been vaccinated.  It takes courage to believe in a good God when there seems to be no good in sight.  It takes courage to stand true to your convictions when you are surrounded by people who don’t agree with you.  It takes courage to confront and attempt to conquer your own inner demons that you have been battled with for years. 
Nevertheless, in the midst of it all, God calls us and urges us to be courageous.  What barrier are you facing in your life right now that calls for you to put on the shield of courage and face it head on?  Whatever it is; be strong and courageous knowing that your courage is that intrinsic energy current propelling your forward.  Sometimes, you can even hear that still small voice of courage telling you to “Keep going!”, or “Try again!”, or “Don’t give up!”  When you hear that still small voice, just listen to it and at least attempt to be courageous.  After all, what do you have to lose?  And you may just be surprised by the end result. 
 
Pastor Michael L. Sloan

April 2021
“Things that at times appear to have no workable solution are often surprisingly resolved in ways we would never imagine.”
~Curtis C. Thomas
I remember when I was pastoring North Bridge Baptist Church in Illinois.  I was halfway through my doctoral program when the financial aid office called me and said, “Michael? I am sorry to tell you this; but you do not have any more financial aid available. If you don’t find another way to pay for your tuition, you won’t be able to return next semester.” 
I have to be honest; I was distraught.  I didn’t know what to do. 
But I remember kneeling down at my bedside one night, praying, “Lord: If it be your will for me to finish my doctoral program, please make a way.” 
A few months later, after wrestling within myself over the matter, I had decided that I would just dropout of the doctoral program.  One Sunday morning, after I finished preaching, I walked into my office and took a seat behind my desk to finish up some paperwork.  My mother walked into my office and sat down in the chair in front of my desk. 
She said, “You did good today, son!” 
Then she looked around my office at my books and blurted out, “How’s the doctoral program going?”
I responded, “Well, mom! I have run out of money so I won’t be able to finish. I am going to have to dropout.”
She went on to say, “No. Don’t dropout. I’ll write the check for your tuition every month, until it is paid in full.”
And let me inform you that my mother kept her word.  Every month she wrote a check to Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School until my tuition was paid in full.  For some, they would call this a coincidence; but as for me, I call this an act of God and an act of faith.  My mother had never asked me before how the doctoral program was going; but for some reason God placed it on her heart to do so that day. 
I few months ago, I was riding in the car, listening to the radio.  A song entitled Have A Little Faith in Me by John Hiatt came on.  The lyrics were as followings:
When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Let my love throw a spark
Have a little faith in me
And when the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Give these loving arms a try [child]
Have a little faith in me.
It’s almost like I could hear God speaking to me while listening to this song, saying, Just have a little faith in me. 
Let’s be honest for a moment; life can be challenging at times.  It has its fair share of ups and down; peaks and valleys; and highs and lows.  As we are traveling this road of life, it can feel as if we are driving down a dark road with low hanging fog blocking our vision.  When you find yourself in this situation, let me encourage you to just have a little faith.  Have a little faith that all things will work together for the good.  Have a little faith that what’s meant to be will be.  Have a little faith that what doesn’t kill you just simply makes your stronger.  And have a little faith knowing that God will never leave you nor forsake you on this journey called life. 
Just Have A Little Faith;
 
 
Pastor Michael L. Sloan