Aborting the Dream

Have you ever had a dream? I mean, the vision, thought, and desire to do what it is you REALLY want to do? Like that thing you have such a passion for, there's no real price tag on it?

Yeah, I think we all do at some point.

So why don't we pursue it? Better yet, why don't we "give birth" to it?

Is it because we're concerned with complexities of life that include making money, taking care of one's family, the challenge of the financial market; friends, family, and other peers chalking up your dream to a "figment of your imagination"...?

So as a result of all of these pressures at different points, you throw up your hands and say, "you know what?! I can't deal with this! Forget about it! I was crazy for even thinking about it!" And so, that's what you do, you give up on it - you "abort it".

I remember I once asked my mom why did she name me what she did (my full name is Andre Wendell Mullen). She said, "I thought that you were such a wonder, so I took the 'A' and the 'W' and used those two initials." I just looked her and thought she was corny, but now I got something very powerful out of that.

Like a woman, we each have the right to choose whether we will give birth to the dream - the purpose that we believe we have been called to fulfill. He created each and every one of us to fulfill the mandate on our lives because someone NEEDS what's inside of you.  We give up -make the decision to abort - because we don't see how the dream addresses the complexities of life. We get scared because it isn't the stat quo - everyone isn't doing it to demonstrate that it works. When we make the decision to abort, the very thing that you was passionate about in your quiet times; the very thing that would make you smile as you would envision it; the very thing that you KNOW would and could change the way people think; the very thing that you truly believe would take and make your life feel like it has purpose...

...you abort because you don't see how you could make it happen...

...did you ever think that you weren't designed to "make it happen"? Did you ever think that that thing that you dream about - the thing that He put in you - is what He wants you to accomplish in the first place?

That is, if you let Him show you...

When you abort the dream, you rob the world of seeing the greatness, the goodness, the awesomeness of God. What He put in you was designed to drastically affect and change someone's life. Don't abort the dream because you don't see how YOU will bring it to pass. It's bigger than you and not designed for you to do that anyway.

The complexities of life are created to cause you to abort the destiny of The Father's greatness that is in you. 

...birthing His Purpose is your right to choose...

Unconditionally,

Andre

  

Categories: desire , dream , goodness , greatness , motivation , purpose , vision

The Post-Shift

Okay, so here goes everything...

This morning, I woke up thinking about the previous weekend in Miami, at our Shift Conference. Still reeling over how powerful it was and how many people were affected by it, I sat down for some quiet time with The Father and I heard Him say this:

"I didn't send you to Miami to see my presence but to experience what happens when you purpose in your heart to make a shift to embrace My Grace. All the limits and the constraints are off. Now is your time to move forward in your assignment."

It's been a strong morning for me, filled with crying and just accepting what He has told me and continues to show me in His Word.  I couldn't help but to write this post because, as with all my posts, I speak my heart. And this, yeah, this, is in my heart.

The Shift Conference was more than event. More than just a great get-together. More than just FNFLive.com showing that it can put together an awe inspiring event.  It was an event that I believe prompted the most important decision ever in my life...

...that is, to truly shift.

Unconditionally,

Andre

Categories: change , Christian , motivation , shift

In The Midst...

"Wow!" is all I can say...

I've NEVER written a blog in the midst of an event, but this is and will be the first.

It's all about a shift....

Several months ago, my partner, Jblaze (you can check out his blogs here) and I were talking and in the midst of our normal convo, a monumental statement came from his mouth that I'll never forget.

"Dre, I'm making a shift."

When he said it, I knew with all my heart, mind, and soul that my partner had experienced a sincere and powerful God moment that had changed his life completely and forever.  Never had I heard him make a statement in all of the three years that I've known him. Never had I heard him speak so few words and it be so pivotal and so life changing all at once.  Little did he know that I too, had made the shift as well.  But that's what happens when two people of like precious faith are joined together in business: they are of one spirit.

Here we are...several months later at our first Shift conference. A conference birthed out the heart of God in the spirit and manifested thru two guys from two different geographic locations, two different ethnicities, two different backgrounds, two different cultures, BUT from the same Father.

There has been a sweet sweet fragrance of worship here - an atmosphere that can only be described as "liberating". No big names artists or leaders. Just simply people who have a sincere heart for God, desiring His best to be expressed in their lives. With artists who aren't nationally known, but with a heart for Him (@ryanhortonmusic, @Dunamis305, @AshaalaShanae), the conference displays what happens when people who have a heart for Him - He meets us where we are.

I believe that this conference is just the beginning. Not only for my partner and I, but for everyone here. I just pray that everyone here embraces their shift as well.

Unconditionally,

Andre

Categories: change , Christian , motivation , shift

Why Am I a Hater?

Okay, so a previous conversation with a friend of mine a few months back came back to remembrance this morning. We were having this huge debate about music (FYI: For those of you that don't know me, the subject of music and the business of music is very controversial for me because of my years of experience) and my friend came out and said, "These artists are doing what they are paid to do and people are buying their records. So what? Dre, you're a hater!"

Now, once again, if you know me, I don't get offended easily so I just proceeded to maintain my stance.

That conversation came to remembrance today because I find that I am a hater who has graduated to being so across the board. Yep, I said it, I am now a bonafide OVERALL HATER. Let me list the very things that make me a hater:

1. I HATE anything that is "dummied down" and insults the intelligence level of a person.
2. I HATE anything that is deliberately set up to manipulate and ultimately abuse someone.
3. I HATE anything that is hypocritical in nature.
4. I HATE anything that is pro-division, pro-strife, and pro-rebellion.
5. I HATE anything that is designed to slowly or quickly bring about death.
6. I HATE anything that truly is against God.
7. I HATE anything that you know from the beginning is doomed to fail.
8. I HATE when people hurt because they CHOOSE to and ALLOW OTHERS to hurt them.
9. I HATE ignorance, guilt, condemnation, and sin.
10. I HATE that people reading what I hate would make them think that I'm self-righteous and arrogant.
11. I HATE that people think that the only way to get ahead and appreciate life is to suffer grief, anger, disappointments, failed relationships, heartache, pain, sickness, death, betrayal, abuse, and confusion.
12. I HATE that people are okay with being ignorant - even going so far as to say that it's blissful.
13. I HATE that people are so skeptical, they cannot ever see the good.
14. I HATE that people are unhappy based off of selfish desires instead of being unhappy based off of being complacent.
15. I HATE that people settle for the imitation and never know Christ who is the REAL thing.
16. I HATE that when I speak about Christ, the first thing people think of is the HORROR of religion, being in church EVERYDAY, and last but not least, BEING A HYPOCRITE!
17. I HATE that there aren't enough of the right people doing the right things and representing Christ THE RIGHT WAY!
18. I HATE that people think that because I consider myself Christian, that my mindset is "I've arrived!"
19. I HATE that people let their own dark past dim and extinguish a beautiful present and future they could have in God.
20. I HATE that those of us who serve God continue to give Him THE REST while everyone and everything else gets OUR BEST.
21. I HATE that we complicate "God is love" to the point where we have people saying "God, where is the love?"
22. DESPITE BEING FORGIVEN, I HATE that my past faults, falls, and flaws try to remind me of the people I've hurt.
23. I HATE that people only trust God ONCE, but will trust themselves and each other COUNTLESS times.
24. I HATE that people think that God made experience the best teacher.
25. I HATE that this list is too long already and I have MUCH more to add to it.

Yeah, I'm a hater...

Unconditionally,

Andre

Categories: change , Christian , hate , life , motivation

I AM Second

Wow. What a day...

This morning I woke up with a few things on my heart. I'm in a very interesting season of my life of believing for some great things and watching The Father move in my life. After a conversation with a dear friend about positioning, I thought about my place and where I am.

I got a tweet about this series, I Am Second. Now, I don't know if you're familiar with it, but the tweet I received featured Reach Records artist Lecrae (I suggest you check it out...in fact, check them all out if you have the time). I watched his and was literally compelled to watch ALL of them on the site. I watched and listened, crying, snotting, and some points even weeping, at how transparent and open each person was. Each of them sharing how they came to the end of themselves and the beginning of God.

One testimony in particular that moved me so much, was one by Pete Briscoe (check it out below).  Most of these people I had never heard of and I certainly hadn't heard of him. He is a pastor and as he shared his testimony, he said something that was so powerful and resonated with me: "Its exhausting having to succeed. What I didn't realize is that that was my drive for so long and I had just worn myself out."

This was me...

...as I listened, sitting in my chair in front of my computer, I simply wept...and wept....and wept...

I then wondered why God would have me to watch these videos. I asked why and He simply said, "I want you to see just how simple I am and how simple My Love is for you and everyone else that would accept it."

God desires for all of us to experience His Love through the person of His Son, Jesus. I know so many people that won't accept it because they've allowed religion to contaminate and distract them from who God really is.  Watching these videos, hearing these accounts, crying with these people as they cried, made me realize that He is indeed REAL and makes Himself REAL to those who truly desire to change.  Just because you haven't gone through hard times doesn't mean that He is any less real.

I made a decision again today.  He's first. And me...

...I am second...

Unconditionally,

Andre

Categories: Christian , decision , life , love , motivation

Walk...It's That Simple

This morning was very powerful for me. I have recently came in contact with an old childhood friend. We re-established contact after more than a decade a few years ago and lost contact again. This morning I was thinking about her and reached back out to her. Here is a portion of her email to me:

"...my family has grown with the addition of our identical twin boys. I had a very difficult pregnancy with multiple health issues and needed 3months of bedrest. Thank god our boys were born healthy. I had complications though and although our boys will be a yr on the 15th, i am still not myself. I do apologize for not keeping in touch, but things were and r still difficult..."

After reading the email, I got angry. Not at her, of course, but at the devil. I find it so interesting that people believe that the devil is real, but they don't realize that they empower him to do what he does in their life. However, that sentiment isn't what I'm focused on.

I prayed for her and I responded and I said, "Even as I write this email, I want you to know that your healing is around the corner. All you have to do is believe it." When I finished the email, I went to John 5:5-10 and read the account of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus asked him straight out if he wanted to be made whole. Instead, the man complains to Jesus that there isn't anyone to put him in the pool and that people are stepping over him. Jesus simply tells him to get up and walk (my rendition...read the account).

The man was SO use to his condition that he didn't see past it, nor addressed seeing past it. How many times have we looked at our situation and spoke more about the situation more than the solution or what we want to see happen for the situation to change? I know I'm guilty of it.

Jesus wanted this man to see past his situation because he knew the man didn't want to be there. Who wants to be stepped on, overlooked, and looked at as a sad, pitiful case? Let's take it a step further: Who wants to look like and feel like that on inside while outside you busy faking the funk?

You must BELIEVE that you can walk. It's that simple. You must BELIEVE that you can walk out of that situation you're in. You must BELIEVE that you're bigger than what they say you are. You must BELIEVE that you don't have to accept the abuse any longer because you're better than that. You must BELIEVE that being sick, afflicted, hurt, in poor health IS NOT His Best for you!

I know what abuse is like. I've been abused emotionally and mentally and all of it out of choice. No one held a gun to my head. However, I made a decision to "walk" - to believe that I'm bigger than the situation and that there is more for me.

If you're reading this blog, I want you to know that you don't have to deal with that. It is high time that you and I stop accepting things and made a decision...

...a decision to walk...it's that simple...


Unconditionally,


Andre

Categories: belief , encourage , health , motivation , walk

Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings

Feelings are the worse.

Yeah, I said it.

They take you all over the place and keep you wondering all kinds of questions: "Why?" "How?" "When?" "Who?" "What?"and so on and so on and so on.  They betray you constantly, changing as often as you change your underwear.  They MAKE you THINK things OTHER THAN what is actually the truth because they can be so insecure.  They are untamed, yet constrained; cold, yet warm; intense, yet calm; trusting, yet deceitful.

Let's face it, feelings move like a tree in the wind and all they do is either keep you excited at their spontaneity or frustrated because of their instability.

However, you can't deny them because they make up the very fabric of our being.  They are what give each and everyone of us character, personality, and a smile that is just as unique as our own DNA.  Feelings are what make us beautiful or ugly; moral or immoral; introverted or extroverted; passionate or indifferent.

These things are what makes feelings so complicated. 

However, I have made a decision not too long ago to put feelings in their proper place. Feelings are nothing more than feelings. Yeah, I know, I'm sounding real strange and ridiculous. However, I understand that while I have feelings and they are real, I also know that my feelings shouldn't direct the way I live my life.

Here's something to think about: You get in the car with someone who tells you where they're going, but as soon as they see a street name, they either get angry, sad, happy, confused, or depressed. With every different street name, a different emotion is triggered sending them a different way. As a result, you're not only lost, but you're not getting to your destination any time soon. How would you feel? Would you be frustrated? I know I would.

...but this is what changes our feelings take us through.

So what am I saying? No, you can't get RID of your feelings all together.  That's inhuman and you and I are truly human. I tell you what I've learned. I've learned that I can FEEL a certain way, but what's important is that I don't allow those feelings to direct my life. I've learned that in order to really understand the power of my feelings I have had to keep it real with myself that I really do feel that way THEN make the decision NOT to live my life according to that feeling if it is opposite of what I think.

Whew...now writing this blog made me feel a whole lot betta...

Unconditionally,

Andre

Categories: change , feelings , motivation

What's Going On?

While it's been a minute since I've written a blog, I think I was inspired by both my partner Jblaze305 (if you haven't already, check out his blog too. He's a funny guy) and the going ons of my life at the moment.  When I thought about writing this blog, the title "What's Going On?" came to mind and reminded me of the late Marvin Gaye.  Me being the researcher that I am, I decided to get some history behind the singer.

Marvin Gaye is considered one of the most greatest singers and artist of all time.  He was known moreso for going against the norm and addressing issues of the environment and politics in the 70s (before some of ya'll, including myself a lil bit, was even thought of).  While known vocally as a great singer, what I found most interesting about him was his desire to play the back and do music that NEEDED to be expressed.  He didn't allow himself to be contained. It limited what was in him and just imagine if he did?  The world would not have been exposed to the powerful music that he presented in songs such as What's Going On?, Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology), and Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holla).

I looked at my life and I saw some things that I was allowing to contain me; to stop me from moving forward.  I knew that in order to move forward, I needed to make a decision. I was asking myself, "What's going on?" I then realized that I needed to make a decision to allow The Father to have full control and operate in His Grace. Only then did it become evident that what's "on" is what He intended from the beginning: For me to win and for people to see His Goodness in my life.

It's been a tumultuous past year for you boy - all by choice. However, by the grace of God I am here and moving forward. I am encouraged that the best is only yet to come.

Be encouraged. What's happening in your life right now is only temporary if you allow yourself to really let go and let God. The first step is all on you...

Unconditionally,

Andre

Categories: life , marvin gaye , motivation

Edits..Who Needs 'Em?

Wow, it's been a lil bit since I've actually posted anything here, but today I felt like I wanted and needed to.  There's been a lot going on lately both professionally and personally, but needless to say, I've come to really admire my blog as my own "private" space even though it's open to the world...

...if that makes any sense...lol

Last night I was talking to a friend of mine who is a songwriter who brought me into his creative process for songwriting. While he wasn't writing a song, he was formulating a business idea.  He told me that he gets his whole idea down first and then edits it.  He made me realize that that's the way I write these blogs, except I don't edit these. I simply sit and type what's on my heart - straight, no chaser.

I have come to realize that when we edit, we can oftentimes slowly chip away the essence of what it is we're trying and believe we want to say. Perhaps the best creative work comes from unedited, unadulterated, genuine, and pure feelings and thoughts.  Maybe it's us again downgrading them to a point where they fit into a box that becomes exclusive and not inclusive.

Perhaps that's why Jesus was such a profound individual. He took what I call "pure information" (i.e inspired by what he saw God do) and delivered it. Again, straight no chaser.  He didn't try to figure it out, process it, analyze it, rehearse it, get together with a committee and vote - he just took the information and went. 

Wow, what would happen if we did that...?

Categories: inspiration , life , motivation

ABC...easy as 123

 

I woke up with this song in my head this morning.  I dunno if it was a combination on hearing it on DJ Hero (by the way, shout out to my nephew Adrian for beating my tail real good last night in 6 rounds of DJ Hero 2...don't matter, I'm still nice...lol) or because I normally wake up every morning with a song on my heart and in my head.

In any event, as I kept replaying the song in my head, I recited the lyrics. Now I know we've all heard the song before, but sometimes, we're so caught up in a song that we forget what makes it - the lyrics.  Check out the hook to the song:

ABC/It's easy as 123/As simple as "Do Re Mi"/ABC/123, baby you and me girl

"ABC" to me is like life: A pattern of events that at some point get us to a destination.  Like all patterns, they are not hard, but require organization, discipline, and most of all, obedience to the pattern.  Life gets real difficult when we don't follow the pattern.  The pattern is there for us to make our lives simpler.

These boys obviously knew what they were singing, but perhaps may not have known the depth of truth in which they were singing it.

ABC is easy as 123, as simple as "Do Re Mi", ABC, 123... 

Categories: change , inspiration , life , motivation

Transition

As of late, I've been hearing folks say that they're are in "transition".  However, I'm finding that to each person, the term transition has a different meaning based on specific situations and circumstances.  At the end of the day, transition is always about movement from one place to another.  The added piece to it though is that in that movement, one can't go back to where they were nor are they exactly where they want to be or see themselves getting to. 

So to most, transition is a very scary place.  It's a place of uncertainty if you take your eyes off your destination and a place of strong fear of being in that place since you can't return to the place you left. 

Yeah, I'm in this place currently and I have to tell you, the very thing that keeps me level headed, excited, focused, and determined is that I know what my destination looks like and knowing that it's reachable. 

The destination is reachable because it's the reason why you moved in the first place: To get to a place that is the result of growth and change.  When you make up your mind to move, be ready for the transition - that place in the water where you can no longer see the land that you came from.

Keep your head up and stay encouraged. The land you've set out to get to is only as far and takes as long as it takes to get there as you take to accept that all you need to get there is in you.

Categories: change , motivation , movement

I HATE YOU!

 

I remember stating in a previous blog that there are times when there are songs that I deem to be "the soundtrack of my life" at various moments in time.  Well, this morning I came across the actual live performance from a very talented artist by the name of Mali Music.  The song, entitled I Hate You, is a powerful song geared toward the devil and letting him know that for all that he's done to folks he's hated.

In watching the video and seeing the performance of both Mali Music and Richie Righteous (a very good friend of mine), I was reminded of two very real truths:

1. The devil wants to see me unproductive, stagnant, and most of all dead.

2. The devil wants to see YOU unproductive, stagnant, and most of all dead.

And this lead me to this very real thought...

Why allow someone who wants to see me unproductive, stagnant, and most of all dead access into my life?

I watched the video some more, and heard Mali Music's encouragement to believers and I was then reminded of two more very real truths:

1. Jesus came to give me life so that we can be productive, grow, and most of all live.

2. Jesus came to give YOU life so that we can be productive, grow, and most of all live.

And this also lead me to this very real thought...

Why don't we have a hard time allowing someone who wants to see us productive, grow, and most all living access into our lives?

...yeah...sit back and think about that one...

Categories: change , Christian , life , motivation