Wisdom Nuggets: Sermons, Essays, Inspirational Thoughts, and Affirmations

By Virginia Whitmore-Price

Who told you that you were naked? This volume is my response to Gods equipping. I never thought I would write a book filled with so many intimate details about myself because this journey is one I never imagined myself taking. As you read Wisdom Nuggets: Sermons, Essays, Inspirational Thoughts, and Affirmations, you will find my transparency very revealing in what is intended to be a call to action.

You will want to keep this volume at your finger tips because the collective materials are essential reading and can be used on any occasion. You will come back to this resource over and over for the treasures you will find between each page. Wisdom Nuggets is more than a compilation of sermons, essays, inspirational thoughts, and affirmations; it is a working tool that provides awe-inspiring challenges and is a thought-provoking, practical guide for daily use for every situation.

Learn how to plumb deeper depths in relationships with God and Gods creations as you apply these wisdom nuggets. Create your own opportunity for change by embracing strategic models for self-awareness and positive motivation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781512721720

Virginia Whitmore-Price

Virginia Whitmore-Price is an ordained minister, board-certified staff chaplain, and founder and CEO of No Other Way Outreach Ministries (NOW). NOW endeavors to provide an environment for serious dialogue about social consciousness juxtapose relationships and self-awareness. In her role as a minister, chaplain, and life coach consultant, she brings a dynamic approach to traditional ministry with a fresh perspective as a workshop and seminar facilitator and conference speaker. Virginia has appeared on WATC Channel 57’s Atlanta Alive television program and has been interviewed on live radio broadcasts of WYZE studio in Atlanta, Georgia. Virginia is a native of Greenville, Texas, now residing in Atlanta, Georgia, with her three married children and is affectionately called “Dear” by her nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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Copyright © 2015 Virginia Whitmore-Price.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

All Scripture quotations in this publications are from The Message. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-2171-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-2172-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015919510

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/7/2015

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Introduction

I.   Sermons

A Devine Rebuke

Are We There Yet?

By Changing Your Focus You Change Your Future

Today You Will Be With Me In Paradise

Today Is A Good Day For A Swim

Pondering

Nehemiah’s Leadership Strategy

Singleness In Ministry: Your Sacred Jewels Are In You D.N. A.

Who Is That Masked Woman; Who Is That Masked Man?

The Providence Of God

II.   Essays

Theolgy Of Pastoral Care

Toward A Theology Of Preaching

The Creative Encounter

This Is What The Bible Means To Me

The Air I Breathe: Worship As A Way Of Life

III.   Inspirational Thoughts

Coals Of Fire

God’s Promises

Bathed His Feet With Tears

Four Men In The Firey Furnace

IV.   Affirmations

Bibliography

Endnotes

In the loving memory and legacy of my parents Bonnie and Rosie Lee Whitmore, who encouraged, supported and instilled the importance of integrity and moral values of the highest standard in all of your six children. To my sister Rose Marie Johnson, the true essence of a Big Sister and for my brother and best friend Gaylor ‘Quick’ Whitmore, I dedicate this book to you.

They are no longer present with me but alive in my heart forever.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I acknowledge and give the highest worship and praise to my God who had me in mind when He formed me fearfully and wonderfully. It is through His divine Will that Wisdom Nuggets is written.

To all my family, extended family and friends, thank you for encouraging me with love and support of this project.

I also want to acknowledge and thank everyone who had a hand in writing, editing, reading, giving needed suggestions, valuable feedback and explicit direction in the developing of Wisdom Nuggets. And you know who you are that kept my feet to the fire and made me press on. Please accept my sincere gratitude.

FOREWORD

REVEREND JAMIL EL SHAIR

At times you may find it difficult to connect the dots of this text. In many ways that is the beauty of Ms. Whitmore-Price’s work. In so many ways it mirrors life’s journey. We move through life doing what we think best; we even consult God from time to time for guidance in making choices. More often than not we struggle with reconciling what we want, what others think we should have or be, and what God has called us to do and be at the various points in our life journey.

Ms. Whitmore-Price takes the risk of being transparent about her journey in sharing the various sermons, essays, nuggets that I will call gems. As a family of brothers and sisters in Christ we should take the lessons in this book as a call to be open and honest with each other and ourselves. To do so will not make the journey easier; it will, however, make the process of being in relationship with one another more fulfilling. We must remember as Ms. Whitmore-Price says, Christian is more about a lifestyle than a name. It is about your actions, how you treat people.

Though she does not say this overtly in these pages, the reader should be forewarned; this text is also about how you treat yourself. What are the expectations and desires you have for you? Are those desires getting in the way of your relationship with God? Are they keeping you from answering and fulfilling God’s call on your life? Succinctly, are you getting in the way of loving you the way God would have you be loved? If you wish to love you, others and God as God would have you, keep this book handy. Read it to gauge where you are in your journey. Read it to remind yourself of why it is we are here. Most of all read it to remember how, as children of the most high God, we are supposed to be with God, one another, and our selves.

Reverend Jamil el Shair

Church of the Master, PCUSA

Atlanta, GA 2015

INTRODUCTION

I never thought I would write a book filled with so many intimate details about myself because this journey is one I never imagined myself taking. The genesis of this book grew out of a journey of wonderful discovery over time of God lovingly wooing me despite my arrogance and ignorance.

As a lifelong learner, books have always held a special affinity in my life. Other peoples books have introduced me to wonder, dream, learn, travel and sometimes just be silly. Now comes Virginia, me, embracing another path of this journey with my offering of words which I call Wisdom Nuggets. This just goes to prove that there is