Joy of the Journey: Awakening

By Bernadict Quarles and Carol L.S. McKnight

Negro spirituals inspired this body of work. Negro spirituals served as a masked storyteller. These spirituals tell the stories of pain, hope, lost, and faith. This book is a part of a four-part series, Joy of the Journey. This volume is Winter: The Season of Awakening, featuring devotions that remind us to let go of the things that bring us pain. This includes relationships, habits, and choices that have hindered us from experiencing the full blessing of the Most High.

This is an interactive devotional, encouraging the reader to explore their true self.

Growing up, attending church with my grandmother, I remember the elders at the front of the church singing these old tunes. I can remember the orator calling to the audience and the congregational response. I remember feeling the spirit riding on the notes through the congregation as the orator moaned the words, "I love the Lord. He heard my cries." It felt like we were transformed into the throne room, crying at the feet of Christ. We were all connected on one accord. I can recall being filled with sorrow and joy.

This volume explores tapping into areas in our lives that we need to cleanse and reset. Life is a journey and finding joy in the most challenging seasons require us to search deeply into our own hearts.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9781638745976

Book preview

cover.jpg

Joy of the Journey

Awakening

Bernadict Quarles and Carol L.S. McKnight

ISBN 978-1-63874-596-9 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63874-597-6 (digital)

Copyright © 2021 by Bernadict Quarles and Carol L.S. McKnight

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

From the Authors

Thomas A. Dorsey

Children, Go Where I Sent Thee

Mirrors

Joy of the Journal

Reflection

Amen

Be Still

Reflection

Psalm 1

Choose Joy

Give Me That Old Time Religion

Psalm 2

Reflection

Come in the Room

Reflection

Psalm 3

All I Need

Reflection

Meditation 1

Put Not Your Trust in Man

Psalm 4

Reflection

I Need Thee

Psalm 5

This Is My Story

Tribute

Hold the Wind

Meditation 2

Tea Time

Reflection

Psalm 6

Joshua fit de battle ob Jerico, Jerico, Jerico

Sitting in Thanks

Reflection

Psalm 7

Psalm 8

How Excellent Is Your Name in All the Earth

Psalm 9

Sanctuary

Reflection

One Day at a Time

Psalm 9

Meditation 3

God Prepares a Big Fish

Reflection

Psalm 10

Prayer

Reflection

Psalm 11

Order My Steps

Reflection

Psalm 12

Grace and Mercy

Reflection

Psalm 13

Tribute

Reflection

Wade in the water

Psalm 14

I Surrender

Psalm 15

Lord, I Believe

Reflection

Psalm 16

Reflection

Consequence

Reflection

Psalm 17

All I Need

Reflection

Psalm 18

Reflection

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior

Come in the Room

Reflection

Looking for More

Reflection

Reflection

Pass Me Not

Reflection

Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing

About the Author

This body of work is to my husband, Bryant L. Quarles Sr., and my tribe, Brittany, Bryant Jr., Brea, Benjamin, Brayla, Bryson, Brayden, Bernadette-Olivia, and Batya. A special thanks to my sister friend Carol McKnight for joining me on this journey

—Bernadict Quarles

To my husband, Alfred McKnight, who has been my support in all of my endeavors. In memory of my mother, Annie Lee Fox Scott, who gave me my spiritual roots, love for service, community, and dedication to the youth. Also, to my sister (ride or die), Bernadict Quarles. Thank you for allowing me to share this journey with you.

—Carol L. S. McKnight

From the Authors

I pray that you are well. Negro spirituals inspired this body of work. These songs tell the stories of pain, hope, lost, and faith. This book is a part of a four-part series, Joy of the Journey. This volume is Winter: The Season of Awakening, featuring devotions that remind us to let go of the things that bring us pain. This includes relationships, habits, and choices that have hindered us from experiencing the full blessing of the Most High. There are blank pages included so that you can pause and reflect. The Book of Psalm is included because David was able to captivate the seasons of a lifespan. Also, throughout are questions to ponder and meditate on. My prayer is that this book will awaken something inside of you. Something that will make you shine your light to the world! Godspeed.

Bernie

Thomas A. Dorsey

Listening to the song Precious Lord, by composer Thomas A. Dorsey, you know that it has a special meaning. It's a song that comes from the heart because it's a song of a man who is grieving the loss of a wife and son. The composer, Thomas A. Dorsey, wrote this very emotional song with a heavy heart because this is a man who was away from his pregnant wife, earning a living at the time of his wife's death. He left Chicago at the insistence of his wife to sing at a revival in St. Louis. He was still on the platform when he was handed a telegram, telling him that his wife died in childbirth. A friend drove him back to Chicago, and when he arrived home, he was given news that the child had also died.

Turning to music to express himself is what he did but not only for this song, but throughout his life, he wrote songs that expressed his feelings. His first gospel blues, If You See My Savior, Tell Him That You Saw Me, was inspired because of the death of a friend. When you look at his life, he had two nervous breakdowns. He was torn between gospel music and secular music, such as jazz. He moved away from what he was raised often when you step into an arena that's not of your true conviction, it can turn you inside out and work on your conscience.

He returned to gospel music in the 1930s and wrote a dozen of songs during the Great Depression. He wrote approximately three hundred songs in his lifetime.

Mahalia Jackson was chosen as his demo singer, and she sang his song Peace in the Valley, which was a great success. The white market enjoyed his songs through Elvis Presley and Red Foley, and Ankeny, Jason (Ankeny, J.).

Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey (https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rev-

thomas-a-dorsey-mn0000926198/biography)

Children, Go Where I Sent Thee

Children, go where I send Thee

How will I send Thee,

I'm a-going to send Thee

One by one

As was the little baby born, born in Bethlehem

Two as Paul and Silas

Three as the Hebrew children

Four as the four, who stood at the door

Five as the five gospel preachers

Six as the six, who never got fixed

Seven as the seven, who went up in heaven

Eight as the eight, who stood at the gates

Nine as the nine, who never went behind

Ten as the Ten Commandments

Eleven as the eleven disciples

Twelve as the twelve apostles

(From negrosprituals.com)

Mirrors

Our personal relationships are mirrors to areas in life that we need to grow in. The relationships that are the most challenging require one or two things, either our attention or our understanding. To grow inside one of these