Reader 1st Lady Aventer Gray, Pastor John Gray wife....had posted the following New Year's message and picture to Instagram Monday, which wasn't received with welcome arms at all. Some are accusing the Gray's of abandoning their blackness for white space. Check out the two messages below, and read some of the comments here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdb9ZigDr0h/?taken-by=grayceeme
HAPPY NEW YEAR.... 2018...It’s a New Year, and God has blessed. Let’s do our best to be stronger, forgive sooner, love harder, & live better than we did last year. I believe that the roll over from 2017 to 2018 was a defining moment in our lives, that the survival of our hearts, minds, & spirits were necessary and since we made it, that means the purpose we know we have is set to be fulfilled. I pray we all woke up this morning and decided that whatever the devil was holding us hostage too, he doesn’t have the authority to any longer. I hope the person(s) we couldn’t forgive, we intentionally seek to, so they can no longer have the power over our emotions. I challenge us to believe that God is for us no matter what our circumstances look or feel like. I encourage us to trust that we are more than enough for what our destiny in Him has aligned us for. Hearts have been broken, pain has multiplied, but the blessings of God waiting for us are yes and amen, we have to choose to view ourselves and our lives the way he has defined for us and from there, we will be better. Let’s lead with objectivity and not be so fixated on mindsets that have us married to views that God never intended for us to. Adjust and LIVE...be blessed, the best is yet to come~Aventer Monique Cotton Gray
2nd message in response to the backlash:
REGARDING MY FAMILY’S CHOICE OF SHIRTS IN PREVIOUS POST! It’s really sad that my words were missed by some and they chose to misconstrue a beautiful message. So, for all of the ones in the comments section of my previous post, that immediately, didn’t take my advice in the post and only read the shirt...LOL, I can’t help but laugh. Clearly we are black, proud to be black, aware of our blackness, aware of the times...PERIOD! The shirt is a motto...the shirt makes a statement that everyone is equal, every color, creed, ethnicity, preference, EVERYONE! HUMANITY IS THE GREAT UNIFIER AND SO IS THE COLOR RED...THE BLOOD OF JESUS! No one chose their color. GOD DID! We were born to families we didn’t choose, into cities we didn’t choose, and with predetermined thoughts projected onto us by whoever our parents are or were. Let’s NOT make this a, “We don’t identify as black” situation, because we are PROUD OF BLACK, we believe everyone should be treated the same and love the strong messaging of the @humancitizens movement. When labels are removed...It all boils down to the same. This wasn’t a denunciation of our Blackness, It’s a revelation of us all being the same, regardless, PERIOD. It helps people to see value differently. That’s what facilitates healing. Bless your heart for making a whole something out of nothing on today! Blessings!!! #Welcome2018 #Herewego #TheEnemyIsSoOffended #BeProudofYourRace
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdb9ZigDr0h/?taken-by=grayceeme
HAPPY NEW YEAR.... 2018...It’s a New Year, and God has blessed. Let’s do our best to be stronger, forgive sooner, love harder, & live better than we did last year. I believe that the roll over from 2017 to 2018 was a defining moment in our lives, that the survival of our hearts, minds, & spirits were necessary and since we made it, that means the purpose we know we have is set to be fulfilled. I pray we all woke up this morning and decided that whatever the devil was holding us hostage too, he doesn’t have the authority to any longer. I hope the person(s) we couldn’t forgive, we intentionally seek to, so they can no longer have the power over our emotions. I challenge us to believe that God is for us no matter what our circumstances look or feel like. I encourage us to trust that we are more than enough for what our destiny in Him has aligned us for. Hearts have been broken, pain has multiplied, but the blessings of God waiting for us are yes and amen, we have to choose to view ourselves and our lives the way he has defined for us and from there, we will be better. Let’s lead with objectivity and not be so fixated on mindsets that have us married to views that God never intended for us to. Adjust and LIVE...be blessed, the best is yet to come~Aventer Monique Cotton Gray
2nd message in response to the backlash:
REGARDING MY FAMILY’S CHOICE OF SHIRTS IN PREVIOUS POST! It’s really sad that my words were missed by some and they chose to misconstrue a beautiful message. So, for all of the ones in the comments section of my previous post, that immediately, didn’t take my advice in the post and only read the shirt...LOL, I can’t help but laugh. Clearly we are black, proud to be black, aware of our blackness, aware of the times...PERIOD! The shirt is a motto...the shirt makes a statement that everyone is equal, every color, creed, ethnicity, preference, EVERYONE! HUMANITY IS THE GREAT UNIFIER AND SO IS THE COLOR RED...THE BLOOD OF JESUS! No one chose their color. GOD DID! We were born to families we didn’t choose, into cities we didn’t choose, and with predetermined thoughts projected onto us by whoever our parents are or were. Let’s NOT make this a, “We don’t identify as black” situation, because we are PROUD OF BLACK, we believe everyone should be treated the same and love the strong messaging of the @humancitizens movement. When labels are removed...It all boils down to the same. This wasn’t a denunciation of our Blackness, It’s a revelation of us all being the same, regardless, PERIOD. It helps people to see value differently. That’s what facilitates healing. Bless your heart for making a whole something out of nothing on today! Blessings!!! #Welcome2018 #Herewego #TheEnemyIsSoOffended #BeProudofYourRace
