It is your job to help bring it back
Last night I called a dear friend on his 85th birthday.
He asked me how my West Coast lockdown land city is doing. He did not phrase it that way. I am phrasing it that way. We talked about the wonderful times he had there in the past, the neighborhoods, the sites, the weather, the townhouses, the architecture, and the city institutions.
He did not want to hear moaning of how awful things are. Not did I take our conversation there. Had I done so, he would have quickly shifted the conversation in a different direction. That was nonsense to be mentioned in the news, but not in our phone call.
What he did want to hear is that I would be part of the turnaround.
Not once, not twice, but three times he wanted to hear me say that I intended to be an influential part of this turnaround.
I pray over this land. I work for this land. I prophesy blessings over this land, and for as long as this is the place I am called to live in, I will be part of that solution.
Will I live here all my life?
I don’t know.
Will I see the finest days of this city?
I don’t know.
But in my time, I will speak blessings over this place, not curses. My home and I will flow blessings into this place. Not curses.
Wherever you have been called to, I ask you to do the same. Speak blessings into the world around you. Prophesy good over the world around you. Your words have such power. Your actions have such authority.
It is your job, it is my job, it is our job to bring this back.
No matter how bad it gets, it is up to you and me to lead the way.
No matter how unfit we may feel for the job ahead of us, it is up to you and me to lead the way.
No matter how we are told that it is impossible, that it is hopeless, that it is time to give up, it is up to you and me to lead the way.
My team and I will work every day to lead that way. To help fund that work, tap here to visit that donation page — no amount is too big or too small. And if you wish to earmark a gift for Project Accountability, just let me know.
We each have a battle to fight, and we each get to live on the spear tip of that fight if we so choose. As we walk through the day, let’s make today a day like we have never given of ourselves, like we have never fought, like we have never stuck our necks out there — taking risks, being daring, making this day matter.
And sometimes that can be as simple as lovingly and firmly taking responsibility for and taking authority over anything that is taking place in our presence.
On the occasion of my 85-year-old friend’s birthday, the first day of summer, I recommit myself to never speak curse over the land in which I live, but to speak blessings and to take authority over this land prospering.
He did not want to hear the sob story from me that he could have heard from any two-bit stenographer on the nightly news.
He wanted to hear words that could only have come from my mouth. He wanted to hear me commit that I was going to be an important part of turning things around.
Who’s with me, in making that same vow — in vowing to play an important part in turning things around — who is with me?
Allan Stevo