Kept

By Jenee’ Tyson

“…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

 – Philippians 1:6 NKJV

Familiar Cadence

The cold leather rolling back into my hands at the precise point was a familiar cadence. The sphere rested in my hands the way I’ve always remembered. I breathe... in through my nose, out through my mouth. By this time, I can see my warm breath like smoke in the atmosphere in front of me. I think to myself, “Elbow end.” I pull up and release the ball at the top of my shot and wave goodbye with the perfect gooseneck, then whisper to myself, “Nothing but net.”

At the moment I hear the ball slide through the threads of the net, a memory is triggered—

It was summer 1997—Richmond, VA. Just about every day that summer, I was at the court playing from morning until late afternoon. So much so, that the youth pastor from the church next door would come outside and witness to me and all the other kids. He would make sure we had snacks and drinks, then ask us about our relationship with the Lord. I was 16 then, and I was already saved, but my vigor for Christ was renewed that summer.

I came back home to Baltimore, MD and began teaching Vacation Bible School for the last couple of weeks before the end of summer vacation. That school year, I started carrying my Bible to school every day for the first couple of months. I was witnessing to everybody that would listen—my basketball coach, teammates, and my best friend. They all got it! LOL! In fact, my best friend started bringing her Bible to school as well! We were ON FIRE!

"I thought this was NORMAL!"

I loved the Lord, and witnessing was second nature! The fire in me was unquenchable, even in the midst of less-than-desirable living conditions. My sisters and I were constantly shifted from one family member to the next. We lived with my grandmother, then back with our mom, then to an aunt, then grandmother again, then back with mom. I went to three different elementary schools and three different middle schools. It was chaotic. I had a “nervous breakdown” (mental health crisis) in second grade. That’s for another blog.

This was my normalcy. But basketball was my peace. I felt like basketball was my mental escape, and I lived at the court—whether inside or outside. It didn’t matter. I would find one. I would find teams to join, anywhere and everywhere. Free training facilities and transportation. Financial limitations didn’t stop me. Living in “the hood,” you learn to be resourceful. Honestly, you don’t need “the hood” for that. You just need limited resources, and then creativity will emerge out of the most unlikely places. (“MESSAGE.”)

God used basketball to keep me out of trouble. Like most athletes born in urban environments, I had plenty of opportunities to get into mischief. My father was strung out on crack—which was popular during that time—so I spent most of my time with my maternal grandmother. Her side of the family had a strong female influence, and my grandmother was a teacher and matriarch type. So, my deficits were never an excuse for poor decision-making. Albeit, my grandmother and my mother were functional alcoholics. There were endless fights. I never knew I lived in a dysfunctional home.

God kept us—and He kept my mother close. She was (and still is) a praying woman of God. She kept us around church activities. We were in the children’s choir, performed recitations during Easter service (if you know, you know LOL), and went to Christian camps during the summer. But in the evenings, we’d go home to alcoholic spats and physical abuse. By whom, you ask? Whomever.

All I know is, my mom was often the victim. My sisters and I learned how to ignore the fussing and sleep through it. It was when the furniture started moving that we’d pop up and go out to see. Helpless. I wasn’t afraid. I just didn’t know what to do. I knew everyone loved each other. And again, I thought this was “NORMAL.”

But God.

Later, I could see how my sisters and I were like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
We have gone through the fire with the temperature turned up seven times hotter than usual, but God has delivered us through it all—with not even a smell of the fire on us. (Daniel 3:16–30)

“What else are they keeping from us?!”

All of us humans would classify our families as unique—maybe even crazy. My whole family is creative. We are a collection of singers, artists, musicians, dancers, designers, chefs, and intellectuals. We are also a family of evangelists, teachers, pastors, prophets, and apostles. All of the five-fold—and all unrealized.

One of the most frustrating things people in my family always say is, “I know.”  This was so annoying growing up—never able to surprise anybody because they already knew. They just didn’t always DO. They would go to church and then leave to go back to doing everything they had just preached against. When I turned 18, I realized so many in my family were preaching one thing and doing another. My eyes were opened—and it didn’t sit well with me.

To make matters worse, my sisters and I were living in a one-bedroom apartment with my aunt and her family. There was so much going through my mind. I was frustrated because I wasn’t garnering the attention of the colleges I wanted, and I was still home a year after graduating high school. So, I had the brilliant idea of visiting an Army recruiter. But the Air Force recruiter caught my attention instead. He told me I could play basketball for the Air Force and get paid to do it! I was sold! This was all in my plans. YEAH RIGHT! God orchestrated the biggest setup of my life. LOL!

See, I didn’t know this at the time, but when I went into the military, it was an opportunity for God to take me to the other side of the mountain—just as He did Moses—and develop me away from my family. (Exodus 2:15–3) In this scripture, Moses flees Pharaoh after killing an Egyptian who was abusing a Hebrew. Moses, a Hebrew himself, finally understood what was going on. Out of anger, he tried to make things right—but instead of helping, Moses kills the Egyptian. It was a mistake. But it doesn’t matter. His motives were fueled by anger over his past and the mistreatment of his people. He had knowledge but no understanding. Moses was a novice. OOOOOH this is why we have to be developed spiritually. AND that was me.

Let me tell you, when I found out that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (The Gospels) weren’t the only books of the Bible, I was like: “What else are they keeping from us?!” LOL! The church I grew up in—also the “family church”—would only preach from the Gospels. I didn’t know any different until we visited another church and I grabbed the Bible and saw the other books. I know that sounds crazy, but I am so serious! Before I could go and turn everything upside down in anger, God whisked me away so I could gain some understanding and wisdom.

HALLELU!

When I look back over that great escape—my Exodus, if you will—I see how God led me away, as the Great Shepherd does. He dropped nugget after nugget, setting me up for the rescue.

I think about E.T., the movie. The kids drew E.T. (the alien) to escape by dropping Reese’s Pieces. E.T. had no clue they were pulling him away from danger.

Listen, sistas... I’m going to have to end this blog before I get to preachin’ off this revelation. I’m excited!

See, God, who knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), knew what my story would be—BUT He kept me.

I could’ve been a drug addict, like my father.
I could’ve been a prostitute.
I could’ve been an alcoholic.
I could’ve been in a cycle of abusive relationships.
I could’ve been in the streets, unraveled by psychotic episodes—
BUT GOD KEPT ME.

Romans 8:18–19 (KJV) says:

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”

In other words, all of creation is waiting for us to realize who we are—both here and when Jesus Christ returns.

Let God awaken His true calling in you.

Stir up the gift. (2 Timothy 1:6–7) The NIV says it like this:

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

“Take the BAIT”

God has kept us all. Basketball was just the bait for me. I learned so much pursuing that sport. I developed a work ethic that has opened so many doors—Doors that led me right to Him. He knew exactly how to draw me.

So I’ll tell you:

TAKE THE BAIT! LOL! Stay tuned—because just like me, God is designing an amazing story with you. For we are all living epistles, to be read of men. (2 Corinthians 3:2–3 NKJV)

“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.”