“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise” (Heb. 10:23 NLT).

What’s Happening?

As I raced across the rolling hills and verdant green on the campus of North Carolina Central University to get to my 8:00 a.m. class one morning in the fall of 1972, I was greeted by passersby with, “What’s happening?” Fresh from the farm in Enfield, N. C., I confess I had no idea how to respond. Was it a question? A greeting? If it were a greeting, I was more accustomed to “Hello” or “How are you?” But “What’s happening?” was foreign to me.

Nonetheless, I decided to try it out on the next person I approached. “What’s happening!” I called out. He responded, “You got it, brother!” Stumped again! What did I have? I didn’t know, but at least I knew how to respond to “What’s happening!” But when I said, “You got it” to the next person who greeted me with, “What’s happening?” the guy responded, “Right on, blood!”  

Though those popular greetings like “What’s happening?” and the others eventually faded away along with bell-bottom pants, large afros, and the 1970s TV show which carried that name, the question, “What’s happening,” is still relevant and at times even more so.

In 2022, after being healed from spinal stenosis and a slipped disc in my back, I boldly proclaimed my healing and testified about it both in writing and before live audiences. But occasionally severe back and side pains have rattled me and forced me to ask, “What’s happening now?” (No reference to the sequel that followed the TV show, “What’s Happening). I know many may have never even heard of those shows.

Aches and pains can cause us to question what God has done for us.  Bumps in the road in pursuit of the vision or while carrying out the mission God has given us might cause us to question whether that good vision or that great mission was really given to us by God. Forceful opposition from Satan is designed to cause us to waver in our hope and faith in God and stagger, wondering, “What’s happening?”

But that’s only what the enemy wants us to do. Please don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it!  Hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm in the God who can be trusted to keep his promise! Aches and pains cannot cause me to doubt my healing! Bumps in the road cannot rob me of my God-given vision nor deter me from my mission! Satan’s tactics do not deceive me because I know very well what’s happening! And so do you? You got it, Blood! Right on!

Focus Quote: “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).

Please click the link below to see how to obtain copies of my book, Standing on the Promises: Defeating Fear and Breaking Barriers

Blessings, Peace, and Love,

Dr. Alton E. Sumner

(301) 921-6060

Listening to the Soul! Lightening the Heart! Lifting the Spirit!