Her Presence
Living in New Orleans we all have the luxury to experience a weekend full of and dedicated to “Black Excellence.” This experience is called “Essence Festival,” it’s full of FREE events consisting of pop up shops from black own businesses and others from all over the USA. Not only pop up shops, but there are FREE concerts, black celebrities walking around, and ppl from other states looking and feeling fabulous. Well on Sunday the last day of this amazing weekend, there’s a FREE (if you don’t know by now I love Free) event called the “Gospel Celebration.” The Gospel Celebration takes place at the New Orleans Convention Center and at this event it’s basically like a FREE Gospel Concert!
Wellllll, God Blessed me to be in the presence of some of my mother’s all time favorite Gospel Singers. Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary and her ultimate favorite YOLANDA ADAMS! Nah y’all did hear me say FREE right? I don’t know why I haven’t went to this event before, especially since it’s FREEEEEEE (every year)! Knowing the night before who was going to preform (thanks google) I was amped up, but I also knew hearing these women sing would bring on so many mixed emotions along with some tears! Yeah y’all I knew I was going to cry before I even stepped into the Convention Center.
Woke up Sunday Morning ready to experience the presence of God delivered through these amazing women of God. I read my morning devotional, got dressed, turned on a sermon series by Pastor Mike Todd and made my way to downtown New Orleans. Parked and walked on in to the convention center. As I made my way to the section of the convention center where the concert was being held I was doing just fine, no tears! I stood in line to get into the section, found a seat and waited for the concert to begin. When the concert first started I was doing great, still no tears. But then Tasha Cobb’s was introduced and babbbby when I tell you I started balling (tears were rolling in). That’s when the presence of God along with my mother really started to roll in.
Although I was coming for Yolanda Adams and Mary Mary, it was something about Tasha Cobb’s voice that heals somethings you didn’t even know were there. I also know that if my mother was still alive on Earth Tasha Cobb’s would definitely be on her playlist! Funny thing is when it comes to Gospel Music my playlist hasn’t increased! I still listen to the same songs my mother and I listened to when she was still physically here with me. I never went searching for new music or even listened to new Gospel artist. It’s like my Gospel playlist was stuck in the 90s/early 2000s lol. Well that changed this past Sunday.
Anywho, after Tasha Cobb’s came Yolanda Adams and baby the tears kept coming! In that moment I wished my mom was here with me to experience Yolanda Adams LIVE! It was such a refreshing and amazing experience! The presence of God was truly in the building. Not only did she Sanggggg, but she gave me more than words of encouragement but words of healing. No my mother was not there with me, but I felt her spirit and that was good enough for me. I know at times we all have something that reminds of the person we lost in the physical world, but having their spiritual presence with us is just as refreshing as them standing next to us.
Some of you may have not gotten to this moment, but it has taken me over 5 years to feel my mother’s presence as strong as I did this past Sunday. I didn’t know, that just her spiritually presence would make me feel so much comfort, but it did. I pray that you are able to reach this level in your process of grieving. I also pray that you find peace, healing and comfort in the process of grieving. Closing today’s entry out I just ask God to give all grieving children and grandchildren peace. I may not have all the answers but I can relate!
TO ALL MOURNING CHILDREN OR IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE MOURNING: LIKE, SHARE & COMMENT.