Is Patience A Virtue?

Man, it’s been a tough one for me these last few weeks! As most of you know, I had a medical issue happen — and boy, what a wake-up call that was. March 16th — there I was, up on stage rehearsing some songs for my Lord, who I also call my Hero. Then down I went! Made it through one song, and I not only lost my breath — but my consciousness. It was scary. I thought this was it — He was calling me home.

Folks, I’ve been smoking since the age of 15 — until that day. 38 years it took before my lungs said, “You’ve had enough.” And now I’m paying for it, because I can’t sing for a couple of months — and it’s killing me! No pun intended with that one — but you know what I mean.

God has given me the gift of singing, and I almost wasted it for my own selfishness and pride. As I pray every day to Him for strength, I only hope I don’t veer off the new path I’ve chosen — a path of cleanliness and a new sound He has given me... given back to me. A voice I haven’t heard come out of me in over 30 years! I’m hitting high notes without a struggle, the wasted phlegm in my throat is slowly disappearing, and oh my — I think I have my falsetto back! If only Michael Jackson had some worship songs! Lol. Hehe!

Fast-forward to my release from the hospital. The doctor said I am a ticking time bomb — and in order to get back on my feet again, I cannot sing lead for at least 3 months! Boom! Yup — I sure messed this one up. I not only let my God down, but my church, my wife, and especially my children. But I know I am forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15 & Ephesians 4:32). I will overcome this and win! But I will have to be patient. Oh wow — a new struggle.

Psalm 37:7 says, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” I slept on this one, and I thought to myself — that’s me. I need to be patient. But the wicked scheme thing?

I need to change that — because it’s about my wonderful praise band. They’ve been killing it on stage these last few weeks, and I have to do everything I can not to force myself to get up there and praise with them. I so want to be a part of that every second — but I’m not healed yet, and it’s tough.

I feel like the farmer who waits patiently for the fruits of the earth (James 5:7-8) — but the fruit is right there in front of me, ready to pick, and I can’t pick it! My band is, and I want to help! We love each other so much.

So, as the farmer heals, the rest of the family carries the weight — sharing the fruits of praise with our beautiful congregation while I heal. And when He says it’s time, my congregation, my band, and I will celebrate together in joyful praise — the reward for patience.

So yes — patience is a virtue!

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me and prayed for my family and me. Thank you to my church staff and congregation for their patience as I heal. The doctor may have said I’m a ticking time bomb — but I believe I’m a bomb about to explode with praise and worship as our church continues to grow every day!

Thanks be to God — and thanks be to N.U.M.C!

Jamel Boast
Your Restored Worship Director

It’s Up To You

Well, I could get some heat from this. I could have easily said, “but I don’t care.” I do care. I care for my Lord, family, friends, the people of the world and my life. I especially care about people’s feelings. Sometimes so much that I forget about mine.

We have started a new chapter in our country and some folks are not liking it. Division is so huge today that I ask myself, will it ever be fixed? Uhhh, noooo! You know what makes this country so great? Free Will! The bible presents free will as a gift from God that allows people to choose their own destiny and future. Some say that God gave people free will to determine whether they will trust him or go their own way. I have 100% trust in him! Do you? Let’s say you say no. You know what? I still love you. I hope that one day you do and when you do, I will love you just as much. I am not your enemy, nor will I ever be. Because I trust in God! Everything that I have accomplished in my life is because of him and myself. To be able to make choices in my life. Say what I want to say, do what I want to do. To see family and close friend part ways because one won’t follow the others believe or presidential candidate is so ridiculous! The day I graduated high school and the world was given to me, I’ve gone through 6 presidents and not one has stopped me from doing what I have accomplished in my life, without breaking the law. Oh yeah, I have stumbled off the right path a few times, but that was my doing. I take 100% responsibility for it. I didn’t blame my parents for not raising me right (because they did! Thanks Ma and Pa) or the lord for what I have done. All me baby! I am responsible for my actions. You are responsible for your actions.

Whether it was Trump or Harris that won the election, don’t let them stop what you are pursuing in life. Don’t let them be the decision to your life outcome. Don’t hate because someone don’t believe in the same thing you do. Please do not use the scriptures as a weapon towards one another. Use it towards the devil! He is causing this and we need to come together and put him in his place!

So when you sit down and get ready to right something on social media about how the next 4 years are going to be so bad and horrific, do this for me, look around you, look at your stuff, peak out your window and look at your ride outside. If you’re a family man, look at your wife and children… All this was you man! Not one political leader got that stuff for you. You did it all! You made your own choice and followed your heart. “Oh, but the grass is greener on the other side!” you say. Stop it! Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses! Keep up with your own life. The harder you work, the more things you can reward yourself with. FYI, all that stuff stays here you know.

Bottom line, keep working hard and loving our lord. If you have no trust in our lord, I will still love you! I will believe that one day you will and when you do, you’ll feel better. I know, I was a non believer. I made my choice. Now it’s up to you. Love you!

My Wife

The Lord has given me so many blessings and gifts throughout my life: health, happiness, and the ability to play praise songs to share with His beautiful children every Sunday. I can keep going on! One of the greatest gifts He's ever given me is my wife. Waking up next to her every day is like my personal heaven. I believe that God has a way of protecting and speaking to us through life by channeling through our spouses. She loves me so much that He knows He can go through her to reach me when there are times that I am not listening. Yes, at times I don’t listen. Not that I am challenging our Lord, but I get so caught up in things that are just materialistic stuff and forget to just breathe. Most, if not all, can relate. So, when the door in my so-called brain is shut, she always has the key to get in and pull me out of whatever struggle I am going through.

In return, it's not a job but an honor to give back. All my love, trust, and protection I give to her. I will treat her with understanding. She is my equal partner in God’s gift of new life. I will treat her as I should, so my prayers are not hindered (1 Peter 3:7). I did leave one sentence out of that scripture, “She may be weaker than I am.” I find that very hard to believe. Now, if we are talking about strength, NO WAY!!! Gentlemen, have you pushed out a baby lately? That’s the closest thing a woman can come to death—giving birth. Of the mind, my wife stops and thinks before she springs into action. She has about a 98% success rate too (me, 75%). Yeah, I’m bragging about my wife! You men should too. She is the greatest gift that God can give us men! Why? Because she is a gift who can bear more gifts that God blesses us with. Children.

So, behind every man is a great woman. Not to do as we say, but to catch us if we ever fall back. She is my comfort blanket, my treasure, the one I wouldn’t even hesitate to die for. She is my blessing that I get showered with every day! So, men, let your wife be a fountain of blessings for you. She is one of the greatest gifts God can give you! Thank you so much, God, for this gift! Thank you so much, Christina Boast, for your gift. God is GREAT!

Honoring God

So, for years I’ve been working with wood. Just like music, I’ll never stop doing it. It’s a talent that God has given me too. Thanks Lord! Now I’ve turned it up a couple levels. Now I have a Lathe and I’ve been doing some resin art to incorporate with my projects. Putting these three together and looking at your final project is such a satisfaction and accomplishment. When you create something beautiful from a simple block of wood, you also learn valuable lessons about faith and discipleship. So now you ask, “where is the connection between woodworking and Jesus?”. Let’s find out!

Woodworking can teach us about creativity. When I make something, I’m bringing something new into this world. With the talent he has blessed me with, I can turn raw material into something beautiful! Sometimes lol. In the same way, God has given each of us unique gifts and talents, and he tells us to use them to glorify him and serve others. We can honor God through our creativity, whether it’s woodworking, painting music or any other art form.

I struggle with this one every now and then. Patience. What I do requires lots of patience and attention to detail. You can’t rush, or you may end up with a lot of flaws, rough spots, or an incomplete project when you think it’s finished. In the same way, following Christ requires patience and perseverance. We must be patient with ourselves and others in order to grow in our faith. We must trust in God’s timing and plan for our lives, even when things don’t go as we expect it.

Woodworking can also teach us about stewardship. When we work with wood, we are using a precious resource that has been entrusted to us by God. We must be good stewards of this resource, using it wisely and responsibly. In the same way, we are called to be good stewards of the other resources God has given us, including our time, talents, and relationships. We must use these resources in a way that honors God and serves others.

Finally, woodworking can teach us about the value of hard work. When we work with wood, we must be willing to put in the time and to create something beautiful and functional. In the same way, following Christ requires hard work and dedication. We must be willing to put in the time and effort to grow in our faith and serve others.

So for that being said, woodworking is a hobby that can teach about faith and discipleship. By being creative, patient, responsible, and hardworking, we can honor God through our woodworking projects and our lives. As we work with wood, we can be reminded of the ultimate woodworker, Jesus Christ, who gave his life to create something beautiful and valuable: it’s called salvation. God bless friends!

God in the Movies

As a child, I was into movies that featured mystical creatures and titanic monsters. I still love them! "Clash of the Titans," "The Mummy," "Percy Jackson," and many more. Not that I'm about to bash these movies, but since I have given myself to God, I now have a whole different perspective when I watch them today. I don’t think differently about these movies. I still consider them some of my all-time favorites. Although, I do sometimes laugh at the old-school acting compared to today's standards.

So, does God exist in these movies? Well, of course. There's Zeus, Ra, Mercury, and many more. But my question is, does the real God exist in these movies? As in the Creator, the Father of the Great I Am.

It reminds me, in a way, of the Colossians. As Paul sat in prison constantly writing letters about the word of God and who He is, there were people worshiping a God who is in human form. So, for that, wouldn't God have created them too? As human beings, we are tested every day on our faith, trust, hopes, and beliefs. It's easy to trust and believe in something that is physically there, in your face, breathing. God's power is beyond anything we could come up with in human form. His test with us is the faith we have in Him. Would it be an easy test? I would say no. But faith and trust in Him can overcome anything. Paul loved and believed so much in our Lord that he was punished for it. His faith was so strong that nothing would stop him from spreading the gospel. God is so big; He is all around us. Look at the mountains, the skies, the oceans. Yet some still didn't believe. So, He sent us His Son. A beautiful version of Him in human flesh, and still, people denied Him. The only power He had was His heart and His Father backing Him up. He could see and feel the resentment, denial, hate, and all the sin. But He still loved us. He loved us so much that He died for us. He took all our sins and washed them away. God did not send His Son down here to punish anyone who doesn't believe in Him. Beheadings, spiritual sacrifices. Really?! Why would our God bring us pain? He sent us love in the form of a human to let us know He does exist, and He does love us.

Movies these days are great! I love them! They keep my imagination going, which leads to great fuel for songwriting. So, if your faith is in God and Jesus Christ, and you watch one of these movies featuring gods wielding lightning bolts and using the sun as a power source, wouldn't you say they should give our Lord gratitude? He created those too.