Black History Month - Nelson Mandela - How Do You Embrace Freedom?

You've probably heard the term, 'embrace freedom'. But how do you truly embrace freedom?

First of all, in order for you to embrace freedom you must first believe that you are free. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years. How do you suppose he maintained his sanity for such a long time and rose to the top to become President of South Africa?

There had to be something greater than his natural surroundings, his circumstances. He was physically imprisoned, but no one can truly imprison one who's free in his soul, whose freedom is not dependent on external circumstances but who has freed his mind and has embraced freedom in his heart and mind and found his freedom within himself.

Freedom must first come from within, then, no one can limit you because you are coming from a place where no human hands can touch and keep you in bondage; the place where the Holy One dwells and where you are hidden in Christ in God - the place where you discover that you are one with the Master Freedom. What bars can hold such a person who is so connected. Who can enter into that realm to hold you hostage?

There is where you find your freedom. Therefore, no matter what your external conditions try to say to you, you shift your mental focus to the inward voice and become one with it. Then, you can truly say to your external circumstances that you are free. Free to live and be. Because he that dwells within, whom you have become one with and heed the voice, has given you the freedom to be you.

It took Mandela 27 years of preparation for what was to be a major change in modern history. Once you've acknowledged and embraced your freedom, let your freedom be your state of heart and mind regardless of what the external says. As Mandela did, use this time as the preparatory period for the manifestation of your freedom.

It is imperative that you hold on until the inner reality becomes physically visible so that you may be a demonstration and testimony to others that freedom truly exists.

Shake off the shackles from your mind. Let your mind line up with the voice, the creator that is one with your spirit. Then you would see your world from a different view point and live the life you were placed to live; a true ambassador of the kingdom of heaven.

What internal shackles do you need to break free from your mind?

Black History Month - Sidney Poitier - 1st Black Actor to Win Academy Award for Best Actor

Sidney Poitier, Bahamian-American actor, film director, author and diplomat, started out from humble beginnings.

He was born premature in Miami, Florida and was not expected to survive. His parents stayed in Miami until he got better. Sidney Poitier grew up with his family in the Bahamas and later on moved to Miami at the age of 15 to live with his older brother.

A couple years later, Sidney Poitier move to New York City where he got menial jobs but was later on arrested for vagrancy due to being homeless because he could not pay his rent. He later joined the army and worked as a dishwasher. Sidney Poitier later got a job with the American Negro Theater.

In those days, black actors sang and danced but Sidney Poitier was tone deaf and therefore did not get the approval of the audience. Due to his commitment to his dream, determination and persistence, Sidney Poitier turned his adversities into opportunities, working hard to improve his skills and got rid of his Bahamian accent.

Sidney Poitier became the 1st Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for Lilies of the Field in 1963. His continued rise to fame became evident in later films; Guess Who is Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night and my favourite, To Sir with Love.

He later on expanded his acting into directing films like Stir Crazy, Buck and the Preacher and Ghost Dad.

Sidney Poitier became ambassador of the Bahamas to Japan and also to UNESCO. He recently received the Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.

It does not matter how you start, it is how you finish that counts.

What is evident in his life is that despite the setbacks, despite the seeming odds stacked against him - the colour of his skin, his Bahamian accent, his humble beginnings - he did not let any of these stop him from realizing his dream. He knew what he wanted and once he had found a way to realize his dream, he stopped at nothing and did not allow anything to hinder him from reaching his goal.

I am sure during that time that he had faced many more obstacles than indicated here but his mindset and determination kept him pressing forward, shooting for the stars and going beyond. His achievements and successes have influenced the lives of many blacks, not only in America but all across the globe.

In spite of your current situation, if you make a determined decision about what you desire to achieve in life, and back that with persistent continuous action regardless of obstacles, you will reach your goal. And even more so, you will influence and inspire the lives of others around you.

Whose life could you influence if you lived your dream today?

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Poitier