kdgospel magazine jan-mar 2013 issue

Happy New YearKDgospel Family

Join KDgospel in making all things possible this year!Don’t be silent, let your voice be heard because “lessonslearned well are lessons worth passing on.” -DRW

http://www.kdgospel.com


*WINTER 2013*

ontentsA farm boy’s lessonslearned will prove tobe lessons worthpassing on.

21 COVERSTORY

To Subcribe go to www.kdgospel.com.To share your story go to www.kdgospel.com

Winter 2013 / Kdgospel 1



FEATURES

21 | Stephen B. Steward Planting, Harvesting & Raw- Redemption

Pastor Deanne Williams

HEALTH

36 | Change Your Salty Ways in Only 21 Days. Toiya Honore

FITNESS

15 | 2013’s A New Year, For A Fitter You. Dawn Strozier

FASHION,HAIR & BEAUTY

10 | Fashion Forward, Or Not!. Gregori Lindsey

12 | Winterizing Your Hair. R. O’Brien Lynch

13 | Awwh, The Magic of Moisturizing. Travis Siling

MONEY

30 | Starting Over Is Simply A New Beginning

Cecilia Bailey

30 | Investing is a Marathon-Not a Sprint.

Brad S. Hill

31 | Dreaming at a Second Chance of Home Ownership?

Carla Jordan

ENTERTAINMENTSOUNDING OFF

26 | The 12-12-12 Worship Experience.

KDgospel

INSPIRE

25 | “I Was Determined” Shevonne Lockhart’s Story

40 | Redeemed For 2013 Apostle Jennifer London

REAL STORIES

24 | You’re Stronger Than You Know. Pastor Tresti Cunningham

41 | Women Who Are Victims of Abuse.

CHOICE READS

28 | The Forgotten God.Jan Priece

DEPARTMENTS

8 | PUBLISHER/EDITOR LETTERS

38 | Marriage: If at First You Don’t Succeed…

Patricia Walden

Pg…28 2 Winter 2013 / KDgospel

I’m bouncing back thanks to Cecilia’s financial encouragement (I call it), article in theDecember issue. I have decided to stop being fearful and see my financial situation as anopportunity. I hope to see more financial articles from her.C. WilsonBoston, MA

The magazine is ABSOLUTELYFABULOUS! Well spoken, well puttogether! To GOD be the Glory forthe gift HE has given you! Love YouGinaFlorida

I could not wait to get my December issueafter reading gospel artist Terrell Hunt’sRe-Birthing article I wanted to see whosehead KDgospel was going to get into next.Getting gospel artist to open up, really openup isn’t easy but you managed to do justthat with Euclid Gray. God Bless Terrell forbeing obedient.Texas

It is nice to see that KDgospel has addeda fashion section to the magazine. As aChristian I’m always looking for ways tobe current with hair and clothing trendsbut not over done with the wild lookinghair and tight clothing. Thanks a lot.JasminTolland

I have been following KDgospel from it’s begin-ning and I must say that I love the growth that I’vebeen able to witness in your publication. I want toencourage you to continue to allow God to use youbecause truly this is your gift.R. HallE. Hartford, CT

A Place for Your Voice

Page…24 I Believed that God would meet me at my faith level. Winter 2013 / Kdgospel 3

Pastor Deanne I love this December issue there's alot of articles with great health information. I lovedthe awesome testimony given by the couple pray-ing to have a baby on how God taught them to be-lieve and stand on His promises. Also the articleabout the children and families of Sandy BrookElementary . The revelation that God gave you forthe New Year..-- everything is more than okay.P. M. CManchester, CT

I love the fitness articles, eating right is just asimportant as working out. I’ve been focusingmore on what I eat so that I can get abs like Dawn.P.L.DPhoenix, AZ

President & Editor in ChiefDeanne WilliamsGregori LindseyPatricia Walden

Creative MediaDeanne WilliamsKarl M. Williams

Beauty&Fashion ContributorsCleo Adom Cleo’s Picks

Travis SiplingGregori Lindsey

R.O’Brien Lynch-Owner & Operator of The OExperience Salon NYC & Atlanta

[email protected]

Your StoryWhat’s your story? KDgospel wants to hear from you.

Help us to encourage, motivate, and educate through yourexperiences and skills. [email protected]

ContributorsCarla Jordan Keller Williams Realty Peachtree Battle

Cecilia BaileyCR Consulting GroupBrad Hill Edward Jones Rep

Toiya Honore American Heart AssociationDawn Strozier The Fitness Queen

Jan PrieceApostle Jennifer London Anointed For Christ Outreach Ministries

Patricia WaldenApostle B. Dwayne HardinPastor Tresti Cunningham

Subscriptionswww.kdgospel.com/subscribe.htm

KDgospel Magazine is published four times a year. All non-advertising and non-subscription inquiries should be submitted via email to [email protected]

Contents of this publication may not be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.

Our Mission: Living Life, Loving Life, while Successfully Managing Life is everyone’s dream and “KDgospel E-Mag,” delivers idea’s, answers and encouragement that will turn those short and long-term dreams into manageable goals.

After all where there is no vision the people perish.Proverbs 29:18

KDgospel Magazine



http://www.crconsultinggroup.org

scious decision to continue moving for-ward. We here at KDgospel have faith in youand your endeavor and we are here tohelp you obtain your goal. Included inthis issue, you will find all the help youneed to turn your spiritual, financial,and personal life around. Getting a second chance isn’t a badthing at all, just ask President BarackHussein Obama! Many of you took thetime to pray for the state of this countryand made your decision known by vot-ing. Through our uninspired experienc-es and the negativity of thinking yourvote wouldn’t make a difference youmoved anyhow towards necessarychange! However for African Ameri-cans, taking part in this election meantsomething else all together. This pastelection marked 50 years of removingmind sets designed to perpetuate biasedgrowth and “Old House” mentalities.That accomplishment alone resound’sthe faith of our ancestors and their am-bitions that lived even though they died. This New Year is not about anotherresolution or to do list. We believe thisyear is about walking in the libertywherewith Christ has made us free; inour minds, bodies and in the unlimitedpossibilities for our lives. Take yourrenewed hope and teachings of yourpast experience, along with KDgospel’sMagazine into the New Year and con-tinue to evolve in your mind, body, andspirit. Happy New Year ͽ

letters of encouragement

Publisher Deanne Williams

PUBLISHER

T en! Nine! Eight! Seven! The ball, peach or whatever the emblem in your state has dropped. You heldyour breath and waited as if the dis-appointments, failures, and stressfulsituations would somehow slowlydisappear and be no more. You waitfor what seems to be a lifetime ofanticipation for the three, two, andone to be announced. Its 2013! You’ve survived, but wait, there’sthat list you made sitting right on thecoffee table. Maybe you magneticallyattached yours to the refrigerator ortaped it to one of the many mirrors inyour home. You put that list togetherweeks ago, but at the top of the listare the reminders of what you did notaccomplish in 2012, now those thingsimpede your 2013 list. The list is in-dicative of just how much more fo-cused you will need to be in this NewYear. It’s a reminder of how muchharder you will have to work to makesure history does not repeat itself.The list; nothing more than a souve-nir of all the setbacks you’ve en-dured. Setbacks; I mean, who hasn’texperienced them? Every time youtried to focus on your 2012 long andshort term list of resolutions, some-thing came along knocking your am-bitious nature off of its perfectlyfitted peddle-stool. This year is going to be different!Why am I so optimistic you mightask, because you’re persevering rath-er than giving-up. In spite of all theseemingly negative mishaps you’veencountered, you’re making a con-

ETTING ASECONDCHANCEISN’T ABAD THING

G

8 Winter 2013 / KDgospel

Please Note: KDgospel has added a new section to its publicationcalled Real Stories. In this section you will find true life storiesfrom true life people like you.

FASHION

K D g o s p e l COM

ontrast, Contrast! Blues with reds, purples withpinks, patterns with prints, metallic's with leather;all seem to be fashion forward but for those of uswho’ve lived through the eighties, not so much! Theoxymoron in fashion is to move it forward, yet webuild that forwardness on past eras which seem torepeat themselves every twenty or more years. Twenty years ago we called what you see today,the Bold Eighties! This era included: the big hair,the bodacious shoulder pads, leggings or skinnypants that sagged in the middle, tattoos and bodypiercing's, and the more makeup the merrier. Eventhen was there an unspoken statement being com-municated; you are your own individual.

FASHION FORWARD, or NOT !

☻

C

Only as recently as the late 1990’s did the Church began to subscribe to the“worldly look” of fashion and thus began the debate over what’s old andtraditional against what resembles the, “new and prosperous.” This was duemainly to the influence of the 1990’s pop culture. Many in the church believedthat this time for the church was the beginning of being “sold out.” However,the opposing viewpoints were that in order to “win the world” you have tocapture their attention. This upped the ante on secular fashion in the church andwidened a whole new market to accommodate the church and main stream’scoexistence.


By Gregori Lindsey

ͽ

with a mainstream appearance is avery effective component to whatwe do.”So KDgospel ask, “What’s newthis second time around?” Ourthought was not to bring the oldinto the new, nor be the new voiceon what’s hot and what’s not. Ourgoal was to invoke thought on whatyour personal message or story isfor those allured to you. Is it toproudly exhibit your disciplinednew gym body or to erase the linesof deity and communicate you areyour own individual? Fashion is thecatalyst for many a conversations,statements and personal esteems.All of which support the idea thatfashion is forward. KDgospel’sviewpoint of Fashion in this secondtime around wanted to appeal toyour expressions of wardrobe.What is your reason or thought inwhether you are moving forward?Is it in demanding personal respectfrom those who read your wardrobestory or is this second time aroundabout you following another break-through in church liberation push-ing the envelope as far as your sixpack or voluptuousness will allow?While externally representing yourmind, body and soul with yourfashion sense is easy, we shouldalso acknowledge that from aChristian perspective internally, wethrough faith are all a work in prog-ress.

In the church our fashion rolemodels back then were those whohad the notoriety of the secularworld mostly in the form of gospelmusic and those role models usedthis influence in the church to pushtoward the acceptability or allow-ance of the traditional looks’ re-placement by the modern. For thechurch, this move wasn’t without afight. Entire sermons were beingdedicated to express the outrage ofthe trending fashion scene. Severalperceptions and behaviors wereformed to perpetuate the negativethoughts surrounding this movefor instance; women were not sup-posed to cut their hair, wear certaincolors of dress or lip stick, if soyou were deemed a rebel or a Je-zebel! For the men it was the same,a suit jacket with a neck tie forSunday morning was always im-plied. To wear jeans or sneakerswas absolutely non-negotiable,and those that did, were assumedto be mischievous and not of the“church”.To date while the same ridicule ismore of a thought, people havetaken their sense of what’s fash-ion and what’s secular to a mun-dane, do what feels good attitude,which is the mantra of the fashionindustry.One gospel artist stated, “We rep-resent Christ on a global level andthe idea to allure the non-believer

Fashion forward or Not, What’s new this second timearound, is all about reflection and taking the necessaryassessment to move it forward

FASHION


By R.O’Brien Lynch-Owner & Operatorof The OExperience Salon NYC & Atlanta

Winterizing

R. Obrien Lynch, Owner of the O’ Expe-rience Salon NYC & Atlanta, suggesteda few products that have proven to betried and true. All of the below productscan be found on-linehttp://www.bing.com/shopping/search?q=Purchase+Kera+Care+Products&qpvt=Purchase+Kera+Care+Products&FORM=HURE#x0y0

*Natural TexturesCleansing CremeLeave in Conditioner Hair MilkButter Creme MoisturizerTwist and Defining Custard

*Keracare Conditioner(s)Conditioner for Color treated hairHumecto Creme ConditionerDry & Itchy Scalp Conditioner

*Keracare Shampoo(s)Shampoo for Color treated hairHydrating DetanglingDry & Itchy Shampoo

African American hair does not makeor retain moisture as quickly as sayCaucasian or multi cultural hair.Therefore, we have to incorporatemoisture either into our daily regimeor our weekend maintenance. Mois-turizing your tresses should include acream based moisturizer. Ask yourhair car professional to recommend ashampoo and conditioner that’s for-mulated exclusively for your specifichair type. Try not to focus more onprotein aimed conditioners as toomuch protein on our hair can be dam-aging combined with the less favor-able elements of the cold and dry air.Also remember, just because a manu-facturer markets a product stating itwas made for us, doesn’t mean that itis. Always seek a professional rec-ommendation prior to making the in-vestment.

HAIR SESSIONS

Your Hair!Shielding your tresses during the winter months is asimportant as having a hair care professional to main-tain them regularly. During the cold seasons the hairbecomes dryer and more susceptible to weakeningbecause of the changes in temperature. You see, thehair is comprised of fibers that build up the integrity ofthe hair and once those hair fibers are compromised itcan be difficult to restore. So, the changes in seasonsmake it imperative to safe guard your hair from theelements which can cause permanent damage to thehair.

Some added thoughts to consider forthe winter months would be to use asatin or silk scarf around the collar ofyour coat or jacket to discouragebreakage in the nape area, avoid us-ing spritz and sprays that cause addi-tional drying during the coldermonths and finally, sleep using a silkor satin wrap or pillow case to helpretain the moisture created from yourhair care regime.These simple measures can make ahuge difference in your totalachieved look; for the styles, the col-ors or even the extended versions ofyour mane, but those looks shouldnever supersede your ability to con-stantly nurture your beautiful tress-es. After all, those things will changecontinually, but healthy care andmaintenance should be a constant


Extra Virgin Olive Oil penetrates deepinto the skin providing needed moisture aswell as protecting the skin, helping tokeep it smooth and elastic. Also, whencombined with sea salt it makes for a greatexfoliate for those who have scaly dryskin. While these are a few ingredients thatwe’ve found effective, you may want tomake your own choices in deciding whatworks best for you. In deciding, dispel theidea that the thicker the moisturizer, themore protected the skin; such as Vaseline.While those agents may buffet the bruntof the cold and winds, they also block thepores and neglect their nutrient support.Thus leaving you with a shinny crackedskin coat; familiar? Choose a moisturizerthat is creamy to the touch with naturalingredients included such as; Aloe, Shea,Cocoa, and the essential Vitamins, A&E. Avoid fragranced moisturizers whichgenerally contain high concentrations ofalcohol that will extract moisture or dryout the skin. Taking your skin care main-tenance an extra step further during thecolder months is essential to keeping aradiant and smooth exterior that will per-meate all year round.

Awwh, the Magicof Moisturizing

The cold winter months are HERE and did you know that making necessary adjustments to brave thecold don’t have to be limited to just clothing? Your skin which is the body’s largest organ can be anally if treated properly and can assist your clothing selection in combating those brute winter days.

BURRrr ! The skin is about 2mm thick and it takeson some pretty hostile environments allthe while helping the body maintain itsconstant body temperature. The skin alsoprotects the body from the entrance ofgerms and other microorganisms thatwould compromise the body’s defensesystems. Moisturizing the skin adds andextra layer of coating or protection fromthe cold and assists the skin in increasingits defense by preventing dehydration;thus eliminating dry and cracked surfaceswhich make the body more susceptible togerms and pathogens entering. We generally initiate caring for our skinat the beginning of our day, but did youknow, just as your body rest and rejuve-nates from the day’s demands when yousleep, so does the skin? So before bed, wewanted to suggest using a facial cleansingagent that will remove the excess oils anddirt that have accumulated during the day. A cleansing agent we’ve found thatworks great and may already be amongstyour essentials is lemon juice! Lemonjuice, rich in hydroxyl acids helps exfoli-ate and rid the skin of dead cells, allowingyour pores to breathe which promote newskin and maintain elasticity. Lemon juice can be applied to the faceusing a cotton ball and rinsed the follow-ing morning.

For the body, we suggest showeringbefore bed using a cleansing agent thatalso exfoliates and invigorates the body’sskin cells, while sealing in moisture. After you’ve blotted dry, apply a lightmoisturizer to assist with skin repair dur-ing your sleep, creating a subtle sheenindicating the skin cells are being treatedwhile you rest. We’ve asked around and found thatusing Palmers Coco Butter is a tried andtrue without adding the greasy aftertouch. Don’t forget to give special atten-tion to the knees and elbows whichthroughout the day loose more outermoisture due to the constant activity,whether standing or sitting. For those that are not so Palmer friendly,may we suggest Extra Virgin Olive Oil?Extra Virgin Olive Oil is loaded withnutrition and antioxidants like vitaminsA and E which aide in skin repair. While this oil packs a nutritional punch,you can also use it on your face and body. The same qualities and benefits youexperience on the inside of your body canbenefit the outside of your body. Thislittle fruit's versatility lends itself well tomore than one use.


SKIN SESSIONS

By Travis Sibling

Dawn Strozier, PersonalTrainer/Nutrition [email protected]

FITN

ESS

QU

EEN


A New Year, For A Fitter You

FITNESS

Monitor your progressMonitoring your progress is important to youroverall success. Once you notice your body isadapting to your current regimen it’s time toswitch it up and raise your game. The key isto do a quick breathing exercise with yourself.If you can carry on a basic conversation with-out becoming short of breath chances areyou’re not working hard enough. It’s time tochange.Adding resistance training to your workoutallows your body to burn more calories at afaster rate, even while resting. Resistancetraining raises your basic metabolism andhelps to prevent your body from storing fat.The more lean muscle you have the moreefficient and effective your metabolism is.Resistance training not only helps you losemore weight, it helps you keep the weight off.

Think 80/20Successfully reaching your fitness goals thisyear will be determined by how well youunderstand the 80/20 rule. 80% of your suc-cess depends on your ability to make healthydiet choices. The other 20% is your workout.Choosing healthier foods will provide yourmuscles with the nutrients they need to synthe-size new muscle tissue and restore glycogenlevels. The biggest mistake you could make isnot providing your body with the high qualityprotein it needs. Eat properly and prepare fora noticeable boost in your metabolism and achange in your appearance.

Stay focusedSticking to your fitness resolution will not beeasy. That’s why less than 50% are successfulin making their resolutions work. Being real-istic in your approach, monitoring you prog-ress and remembering the 80/20 will help youreach your fitness goals and having a commit-ment to your health will ensure yoursuccess. ͽ

Dawn Strozier, PersonalTrainer/Nutrition Consultantwww.thetfitnessqueen.com

[email protected]

The most popular resolutionfor the new-year has alwaysbeen to get in shape and ifyou’re like most people, itwas the same goal you set foryourself last year. Most peo-ple loose sight of their goalbefore the first

thirty days for a number ofreasons; lack of commit-ment, not enough time or di-minished motivation. Hereare some practical tips tohelp you make this year yourbest year ever.

have to be a formal activity.Simply increasing the levelof intensity in your everydayroutine such as housework,grocery shopping or playingwith the kids, can make aworld of difference to yourhealth.

For example, by keepingyour body moving from taskto task with very little timeto rest when doing house-work can be great cardiovas-cular exercise. It does notrequire extra time out ofyour day or a huge commit-ment on your part and it is agreat way to get you started.

Be realisticStart slow and graduallymake progress. Exercisedoesn’t always

2013’s

Enjoy the new you!Winter 2013 / Kdgospel 15

http://www.thefitnessqueen.com

For more details or to purchaseGo to www.branchlineministry.com

JOYhas never beenfelt to it's fullest,

or experienced toits utmost until

it has beenexperienced withthe Father. There

is a joy, anunspeakable joy that

surpasses allunderstanding.

At times when youdon't feel your best,

if you can takea moment to stop

and think,But God!, joy

will most certainlystart to set in.

It is at thispoint, if you

could take anothermoment to focuson that sudden

surge of joy,you will

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you are feelingis not predicatedupon man most

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http://www.power.watchgmctv.com

WORLD & COMMUNITY

Michelle Williams, and other gospel music leaders to judge Most Powerful VoicesGMC TV, Light Records and Roland Corporation will participate in the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s4th annual Most Powerful Voices gospel competition. The online gospel singing competition helps the association to educate peopleabout stroke — the No. 4 cause of death and the leading preventable cause of disability in America. Michelle Williams is involved inthe contest, because her family has been affected by stroke.

“Embracing our commitment to uplift and inspire our viewers with qualityfaith-friendly programming, we are pleased to support Most Powerful Voic-es, which allows aspiring artists to lift their voices and showcase their tal-ents while raising awareness about an important health issue — theprevention of strokes,” said Philip Manwaring, senior vice president of stra-tegic planning and research for GMC TV. Most Powerful Voices is part of the American Heart Association/AmericanStroke Association’s Power To End Stroke awareness campaign. ThroughPower To End Stroke, the association provides culturally relevant events,tools and resources to decrease stroke among African-Americans, who aredisproportionally affected by the disease. “African-Americans are especially susceptible to stroke due to a higherprevalence of high blood pressure, diabetes and previous heart attack orstroke,” said Dr. Rani Whitfield, family practitioner and American Stroke As-sociation spokesperson. “That’s why it’s an important requirement of thiscompetition to receive stroke information and to learn how stroke is largelypreventable, treatable and beatable.” Michelle Williams is involved in Most Powerful Voices because it “focuseson two things that I am passionate about — gospel music and sharingstroke information,” she said. “My father and my grandmother sufferedfrom strokes,” Williams said. “My father’s stroke left him unable to walk ortalk and I am sad to say that my grandmother is no longer with us. Strokehas really devastated my family, so being involved with the competitiongives me the opportunity to share my story and to empower people withstroke knowledge to help them to reduce their risks.”

For more information on the competition and stroke, visit www.power.watchgmctv.com

The contest is open to independent artists, groups and choirswho sing gospel, holy hip hop, praise and worship music. Partici-pants, who must be 18 years or older, may sign up atPower.watchgmctv.com and upload a video or MP3 file by Jan.31. Family, friends — and fans — have until April 5 to vote fortheir favorite artists. Those who register to compete or vote willreceive lifesaving stroke information from the American HeartAssociation/American Stroke Association. The top 10 finalists will be judged by gospel music industry lead-ers, including singer and song writer Michelle Williams (formerly ofDestiny’s Child), James Robinson, president of A&R at Light Re-cords, and holy hip hop artist Flame. The grand prize winner will be announced April 30 and will receive: · The opportunity to perform in the Central Park Summer Stage Concert in New York City with Light Records artists · $2,500 for a trip to New York · $1,500 cash and a digital single on iTunes from Light Records · Personal coaching by a renowned Light Records gospel artist · $5,000 in musical instruments and gear from Roland Corporation · National recognition on GMC TV’s Digital Download of the week The top 10 finalists and a lucky voter will also win prizes.



FEATURE

Winter 2013 / KDgospel 21

Stephen B. Steward

Planting, Harvesting, & Raw-RedemptionBy KDgospel

raising, singing and a whole lot oflaughing and it’s only twelve in the after-noon. That is the only way to describe theopenness and transparency revealed fromthe moment names were announced viathe conference line. You couldn’t tellwe’d just met as the interview began towind down but the conversation went onas if two friends just met up after notseeing each other for a year or two. Wetalked about family, careers and Ministryalong with his debut project titled: Withmy Whole Heart.

Armed with the credentials of Elderfrom Exalted Word Tabernacle of PraiseChurch where he served as Minister ofWorship for eighteen years, StephenSteward is just as common as anybodyelse. “I’m just being an artist.” I want tobe able to relate to people without intim-idating them with titles and positions.” “Iam about being a brother in Christ andbeing able to relate with everybody,”says Stephen Steward. ►

“When God sendshis servants out, headequately equipsthem and some-times being raw isthe only way toreach them.”

Raw RedemptionP


Planting


A farm boy’s lessons learned will prove to be thelessons worth passing on. Weather he knew God’sintentions for Stephen or not, Mr. Steward wouldgive Stephen his first lesson in discipline throughPlanting and Harvesting at age fourteen. Givinghis whole heart to the process wasn’t easy but theprocess provided Stephen with the tools needed tobecome a sowʹer. My Dad gave me a 20-acre fieldwhen I was fourteen. He said, “Boy, here’s atractor and some seeds, go out there and plant.” Iunderstand more clearly now the part in the biblethat talks about giving and it being given back toyou. When you give to the earth, the earth will giveback to you, exceeding and abundantly! On aver-age the 20-acre field usually yielded about thirty-six bushels to the acre of soybeans when I plantedthem but my field yielded forty-two bushels to theacre and I won an award within the county for thebest production for a teenager. I had my own carby the time I was sixteen. While my peers wereplaying ball after school, I plowed the fields, but Ireceived rewards that they did not. My Mom com-pared me to her father, Papa Will. He was born in1899 and died in 1970. The man had so much stuffbecause he was a giver and a sowʹer. I learned fromhim if you sow, God will always give you a har-vest, and that’s what I’ve done my entire life.

The title of his new release, With My Hole Heartis a true reflection of who Steward is and how hewitnesses to people in need. “It’s more than minis-try, it’s my job!” “The Lord allows me to workwith people who are lost, broken, and desperate forchange and when God opens that door, I immedi-ately seize that opportunity.” “When God sends his servants out he adequatelyequips them and sometimes being raw is a part ofthat equipping.” Some of these people are careercriminals, drug attics, gang members, even killers;searching for a new way of life and the Lord allowsme to speak life and hope into them.” “They be-lieve that they’ve done so much wrong that Godcouldn’t possibly love them, but God shows mehow to bring them hope.” I went to see a lady thatI was assigned to in South Central, Los Angles.She was a 30-year heroin attic from Alabama. Herteeth were all rotted out and she was only 51 yearsold but she looked as if she was much older. Mebeing almost fifty and from the south as well, I saidto her, “Miss Harris, I know you were taught aboutJesus growing up; Why are you running fromHim?” “Why are you hiding behind drugs andalcohol?” “Do you know that Jesus put you on thisearth to have purpose?” She began to cry and said,“I’ve been running from Jesus a long time.”

People that grew up with us would ask how Ibecame so much more successful than my siblings,and I would say that we all had the same love; thesame food, and the same butt-whippings, but someof us just took it more serious than the others. Itreally is a mystery how God purposed to use onedifferently than the other and that’s what I relate itto; God’s mystery. God knew I came to Californiain 1984 with $500-dollars in my pocket but he alsoknew six years later my wife and I would be open-ing a Subway franchise in South Central. One ofmy siblings told me black people and Mexicans arenot going to eat Subway sandwiches in South Cen-tral and that I was going to lose my money, and shealso mentioned that I didn’t have any experience. Icalled my Aunt Anna because I really needed affir-mation from her in regards to pursuing this dream.My aunt Anna said, “Baby she didn’t

After praying for her I returned to my car over-whelmed by the sadness. I prayed for her soul andsalvation. About a month later, I was walking tomy office and heard somebody say, “Mr.Steward.”I turned around but didn’t see anyone Irecognized. “Mr. Steward!” I turned around againand this lady is coming towards me. I said“Ma’am, who are you?” She said, “You don’tremember me?” I said “No, I can’t recall who youare.” She said, “I’m Miss Harris, the lady youprayed with. I was on heroin for thirty years andJesus healed me.” I couldn’t even recognize her.Her appearance had changed so drastically. Herhair and makeup were done and she was welldressed. I had never seen her in that state. That tome was an example of Raw-Redemption; Godtaking a woman strung out on heroin giving herback her identity. That’s RAW REDEMPTION!

Hurt your feelings, she hurt your flesh.” “You need-ed that affirmation and your flesh needed that.”“God gave the vision to you and your wife; youcan’t share your vision with some people becausethey’ll cut you off at the knees.” She told me to notshare another thing with her in regards to thoseSubway stores. For some people faith is seeingbefore believing. I invited her to the Family andFriends’ Grand Opening and the first thing she saidwas, “Ohhh, he did it!” The Lord had to remind me;some people’s faith is seeing before believing. Somy aunt Anna had taught me a valuable lesson;sometimes God gives you things that are so preciousyou can’t even share them with the people closest toyou, until it manifests.

ministry, family and my career. I’m still planting; Ihave a garden out here in California about 40x45. Iharvest that garden, it gives to me and I give to myneighbors. I am by no means without the understanding orcompassion for learning life’s lessons and beingopen to God’s instructions and guidance. Frustratedone day, after I had picked about four or five hun-dred grapefruit off of my tree, I said, “Why am I theonly one out here picking these grapefruits to giveaway while everybody else was receiving the bless-ings of having them, I’m tired.” The Lord spoke tome and said, loud and clear, “The fruitfulness of thistree represents the fruitfulness in your life, if youleave the fruit on the tree and they rot your future is

I’ve been singing since I was out of my mother’swomb and the Lord would birth songs into me. Idon’t know how to read music, I don’t know howto score or write chart music; God just gives me anear to hear. I believe God is calling for true wor-shipers. It’s our Spirit, not our flesh, gifts or talentthat will worship him from the depths of our hearts.When I am in a place of submission to God, hewould give me sometimes two-or-three hundredsongs; knowing I don’t know how to write musicand then open a door to sing them un-pitched forand with professionals in the music industry. All Ican attribute that to is living in the Spirit, walkingin the Spirit, worshiping in the Spirit; it’s God’sSpirit being manifested in my spirit and Christ inme being the Hope of Glory. But in regards to planning a career of ministry andworship I think God is saying to me what he said toAbraham; that He would be bless the works of myhands. A lot of artists don’t plan a career outside ofministry and they sit around and wait for things tohappen. I had a career for twenty years as a proba-tion officer for the county of Los Angeles. I men-tored juveniles and adults while working as acertified domestic violence anger management in-structor. I was always out there with the lost and thehurting and with those who were cast down in theheart of where our worship is. In having a careerGod taught me how to balance my life between

being reflected.” Needless to say I got stuck that dayby a lot of thorns but I got everyone of those grape-fruits off that tree. Another time I was in my gardenpicking mustard greens and the leaves were justfalling off. They were so big and plentiful that theywere just falling on the ground. I said, “All thesegreens in this garden and I’m the only one out herepicking them.” The Holy Spirit spoke to me andsaid, “When you allow those greens to fall on thatground and the night crawlers begin to eat them,they become unfruitful to you and everybody elsethat could have enjoyed them.” “It’s like the praisethat you should have given me yesterday but youdidn’t; you let it go away and rot. “You can’t pickup that praise and keep it for the next day.” “Thepraises that you give me should be like my mercies;new every morning.” “Pick those greens and I’llgive you new greens next week.” So I picked thosegreens until my back hurt. The earth will teach youif you get your hands dirty. It will teach you aboutconstancy and faithfulness. We deceive ourselvesbelieving we should be in the pressed down shakentogether and running over realm, but we’ve donenothing to cultivate that harvest. Cultivating thatkind of harvest for me meant getting dirty. It meantleaving suburbia and going to South Central. Itmeans interceding for those who are lost and contin-ually making intercession for those who need hope.

FEATURE/ Planting & Harvesting

Harvesting

ͽ

“You have cancer”. The doctor’s voice on the other end of the phonewas professional and distinct, but I didn’t quite hear what he had justsaid. My little granddaughter was visiting me on summer vacation,and she was zooming around the room, playing, not using her “insidevoice”. So I repeated to him what I thought he said, “I have pre-cancer?” He replied, “No. You have cancer.” I guess I was hoping Ihad heard him incorrectly, but his second answer was like the first,and sealed my fate. I felt numb, kind of in a state of unbelief. I calledmy husband at work, and told him the news we had been waiting for,for several weeks. I tried to drop the bomb in a matter of fact way,you know, like I’m just relaying information. I tried to play it cool. Ifelt his heart drop, and he gasped for air, trying to hold back tears,while offering words of his affection for me. This man was going tomake me choke up, so I got off the phone quickly, because I didn’twant to lose it. Not yet, at least. My five year old granddaughter was playing around me, unfazed thatI was shaken to the core by the phone call. She was hungry, so I madeher a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I had cancer! I cut hersandwich in fours, the way she liked it, but my mind was elsewhere.I have cancer, dog-gone-it! My mother had just died of cancer twoweeks prior, and I was dealing with grief, and unbelief that I didn’t

“I believed that God would meet me at my faith level, and He did!”

I have cancer, dog-gone-it!

“You’re Strongerthan

You Know!”

food diet…I love chocolate too much, and bagels, and a wholebunch of other yummy things! I believed that God would meet me at my faith level, and He did!While I was going through chemo, there were days I felt so sick;nausea, vomiting, headache, body aches, and also, depression.Sometimes I was alone at home, while my husband worked, and Ifelt all alone in my plight. Where was my church family? No vis-its, no home-cooked meals? But while I lay in my bed, in a chemofog, the Lord spoke to me and said that I was never alone! He gen-tly reminded me that although I was sick, I was lying in a big,clean, comfy bed; that I had quick access to a clean en-suite masterbathroom (in case of vomiting!); He was the one who gave mestrength to walk downstairs to my kitchen to prepare myself some-thing to eat! I had so much to be thankful for! My wonderful hus-band who worked to keep me at home, my great medical insurance,and the list went on and on! That changed my perspective from mypity-party to accepting what is! I lost my hair, and I didn’t mindsnatching off my wig if I got too hot! Weeks of radiation therapy ensued, and God ministered to me as Idrove to and from for eight weeks. He showed me I wasn’t beingtrue to myself, and needed to make some hard decisions in regards

By Pastor Tresti Cunningham

have her here anymore. “Am I going to die of cancer, too?” questionsfilled my mind. I missed her so much, and I don’t know how I gotthrough the next few hours, but laundry had to be washed, little faceshad to be cleaned and kissed. I had invasive, stage 1 breast cancer. My surgeon performed alumpectomy on my left breast, and then several weeks later, I under-went seven rounds of chemotherapy. Oh, I forgot to tell you, I waspastoring a church while all of this was happening! I informed mychurch when my initial mammogram came back as suspicious, andwe prayed down heaven that the devil’s assignment was cancelled, inJesus’ name! After the biopsy results came back positive, I told thechurch, too. We prayed, and believed God for a miracle, that Hewould heal me!I tell you, this was a trying of my faith! People came out of the

woodwork, telling me of their supernatural encounters with God, andhow they were healed. “So, what was wrong with me?” I wondered.Where was my faith? Shouldn’t a pastor have more faith? Where wasmy miracle? Even with all of these questions, I never felt the urge toask God why I got cancer. I opted for the surgery, and the regimenmy doctors recommended. My husband said he would stand with me,wherever my faith was. You see, I couldn’t trust myself to commit toa natural healing, like eating a raw

to what I really wanted to do in ministry. I had been feeling stuck,unhappy, like I was wearing a mask, but I had been too afraid toleave. The members didn’t know the great conflict that warredinside of me; it was greater than the cancer! But after battling thisdeadly disease, and winning, I gained a newfound confidence toaddress issues that I used to ignore. Small skirmishes did not af-fect me, and I had a new zest for life, and living. I made the deci-sion to leave where I was pastoring, and although it wasn’t pretty,I had such a peace of God. And, He sent powerful confirmationsthat I was doing the right thing. I want to encourage you, that no matter what you may be facingtoday, or have endured in the past, you’re stronger than you know!Our great God is always with you, helping, guiding, and empower-ing you to do the seeming impossible. See your trial as a set-upfor something good; something bigger and better than you couldever imagine hallelujah! I got a second chance. I didn’t die. Liveyour life on purpose, this is your second chance…don’t waste it!Get up, dry your eyes, dust yourself off, trust God, and keep onmoving…keep on living!

You’re stronger than you know!


REAL STORIES {INSPIRE ME}

„“ I was the typical young enthusiastic girl in

high school. I was involved in the homecomingcourt, senate, honor roll and sports. At the ageof 16, I got pregnant. I hid the pregnancy fromeveryone including my parents until the day Idelivered. Two years later during my third se-mester of college, I met a guy with whom I laterbirthed two daughters. Hiding the third preg-nancy from my family members seemed to bethe right thing to do since I went off to schoolto make something of myself, but my life’schoices brought me back home to live with mymother, pregnant. Shortly after, my mother’shome foreclosed and I moved into the projects,this time pregnant with my 4th child from amarried man. A better life didn’t seem possibleuntil this one day when I had enough! I willnever forget, while looking out the windowwaiting on the mailman to bring my $238.00AFDC check, I told my mom I wasn’t going tobe waiting at the mailbox every month for anAFDC check and food stamps to care for mykids. She said, “It’s not going to be like thisalways.” After about six months of living in the projects,I realized that if my situation I created for my-self and my children was to change, then I wasgoing to change it! I enrolled in a 2 year degree program at a localcommunity college. I worked full time duringthe day and went to college full time at night

two nights a week. I graduated with my Associate’s degreein May 2003 and after being hired full time as an ExecutiveAssistant for Continuing Education in 2004, I moved out ofthe projects the very next month. It was rough as a singlemother. The tears, the worries, the fears, people’s judgments on topof losing my mother made it all seemed at times impossi-ble, but in May 2011, I graduated with my Bachelor’s of

He has also been accepted into Johnson and Wales’sCulinary Arts program. My daughters who are 14, 13, and 12 are all involved inschool activities and sports, while being on the AB honorroll. I inspire because I was that stereotypical teenage mom. Iinspire because I understand how hard it is to want betterfor yourself and your children. I inspire because I know theimportance of love and support and what it also feels liketo no longer have it. I inspire because I went from beingpregnant in high school to obtaining my Bachelor of Sci-ence Degree as a single mother of four. I inspire because Iwas determined that the projects would not be my chil-dren’s role model. I inspire because I understand purpose!

To the young lady who believes she’s thrown her lifeaway feeling lost in her choices made, I say pick up thepieces of your life one at a time and with each one realizeit’s one less on the floor of dreams you think are shattered.

Shevonne Lockhart’s, STORY TRULY INSPIRES!

Science Degree in Business Ad-ministration. I had to start and stopmany times during those years ofbeing encouraged and discour-aged, but I promised myself andmy mother I would finish! Todate, my son now seventeen willgraduate in May 2013.


{INSPIRE ME}

Worship artist Steve Mitchell knows just how important being in agreement is with the Spiritof God as well as the spirit of a team. With worship songs like ‘Higher Place,’ and ‘The Eyesof the Lord,’ Mitchell is always hungry for whatever God serves up. He exhibited that thispast December, at the GLOBAL WORSHIP EXPERIENCE held at New Birth Cathedral MBC,in Lithonia, GA (hosted by, Apostle B. Dwayne Hardin). As a singer and a songwriter ahumble Mitchell can’t help but smile when asked weeks later to recall “what he, himself hadtaken away from the total worship experience.”

THE 12-12-12 WORSHIP EXPERIENCE

“I was very honored to be a part of the12-12-12 Worship Experience. So manythings stood out to me that night. The unityof the people who gathered; just being in thepresence of so many gifted people, musi-cians, singers and speakers and on that occa-sion each person seemed to beautifully deferfrom each other. However as the Spirit or-chestrated the night we were all on oneaccord.” We did rehearse a few songs prior to thatevening but by that night, it was nothing buta spontaneous flow of music, prayer, praiseand words of encouragement. I couldn't helpbut notice that the events which transpiredwithin those walls that night stimulated anarea which would reach far beyond thosewalls.

Steve Mitchell’s{SOUNDING OFF}

ENTERTAINMENT MUSICAL NOTE

The event was being streamed live, but Ibelieve that the sovereign God was influ-encing us to share this experience withthose that weren't physically with us. Thepower of agreement is truly a significantforce in the earth, as Jesus himself oncesaid "Where 2 shall agree concerning any-thing on earth it shall be done for them..."Heaven knows how much was effected as aresult of ministries gathering for one com-mon purpose. I have never met most of the people therebefore that evening and yet we flowed to-gether with an eternal familiarity. I feel aspiritual connection with all who attended.

By KDgospel


Just as the Jewish people customarily per-form a coming out ceremony for their youngsons at age 13, known as the Bar Mitzvah, thiswill be a period of coming out for many. Not only will they be coming out, but they willcome with power and anointing like we’venever seen. More importantly, they will haveintegrity and the character of Christ. They arecoming into a place where they will be ac-countable and responsible for their ownactions…no more babies. I believe it is becausewe came together in alignment. I honestly believe that we have thwartedevident destruction because we came intoalignment with heaven. The predicted end ofthe world dated 12/24/13 shifted into the startof a new day of power and grace and we arenow positioned to show God’s sensible, practi-cal and supernatural power. It’s a good day!From my heart, I pray that we will totally alignwith the heart of God, from the White House toour own house. We must pray and work (act onwhat we believe). We must not compromisethe absolutes of God. We must never fit in withaverage status quo agendas. We must lovehard and administer the truth in that love. Wemust saturate the marketplace with wisdom,savvy and dignity. We must not demean thechurch, but raise the standard of the church,not through rules but with honor and excellingexcellence. We must change this world wisely,effective and definitely.

God’s Man,

On 12/12/12 we came together for a time ofuninhibited worship, praise and prophetic inter-cession. We came to bring gifts to Jesus, identifythe actualization of a new day and then effica-ciously walk out that day. With no agenda, but with the order of heavenand the willingness of wise men & women whovoluntarily gave of their time, we were able totouch heaven, open some portals and affectchange. We prayed for our young people andtheir generation that the power of God wouldrest upon them. We worshipped prophetically,waved the victory banners, and blew the Sho-far. There were Black, White, Latin, African, & Carib-bean people represented. Not only was race anon- factor, denominationalism was not evendiscussed. We prayed in different languages yethonored the same God. There were famousartist, acclaimed preachers & world class musi-cians. On the other hand, there were partici-pants who may never stand on a stage thatlarge ever again. Nevertheless, no one caredbecause we were in the presence of the Lord.The presence of the Lord was so captivating,that of the thousands in attendance, no oneleft until we closed the service. People were delivered & healed, nations wereshifted and ministries restored. I believe it wasthe alignment of heaven that we, like the sonsof Issachar observed and acted on. Now we are in 2013, a time that propheticallyspeaking will blow many people’s minds. Thereis such an outpour of grace upon this time &season. It will look like the best of times formany, but the worst for others. The order of Godwill override the typical concept of corruptionnormally attached to the number 13.

COMMUNITY

12-12-12 Uninhibited“There is such an outpour of grace upon this time & season.”


F

CHOICE READS

rancis Chan, whose family originates from Hong Kong, is a dynamic pastor and speaker. Hehas written several books including hisvery popular, Crazy Love: Overwhelmedby a Relentless God. Both The ForgottenGod and Crazy Love were released in2009. Chan is the former teaching pastor ofthe Cornerstone Community Church inSimi Valley, California. Chan and his wifeLisa began the church in 1994 with justthirty people and grew to 1600 memberswithin six years. Chan is known as anengaging and relevant speaker. His focusis to encourage believers to authenticallylive their faith and he by no means is afraidto challenge lukewarm behaviors. Thebook, the Forgotten God is co-authored byyoung writer Danae Yankoski, and is ac-companied with a DVD to guide smallgroup discussions.

THE FORGOTTEN

Reversing our TragicNeglect of the

Holy Spirit.

GOD

Without a Trace by Christianauthor, Colleen Coble is a Chris-tian Romantic Suspense story setin the Upper Peninsula of Michi-gan. It is the first in Colleen's RockHarbor series and was first re-leased in 2003. There are fourbooks in this popular series. Without a Trace is the story ofBree Nichols whose husband andson have been lost in a planecrash. Bree is a search and rescueexpert. She has criss-crossed hun-dreds of acres of woods with herfaithful and well-trained dog to noavail. The wreckage remains un-found and Bree mourns for the lossof her family. Her methodicalsearches cause her to become in-volved with a local murder investi-gation in the seemingly peacefultown of Rock Harbor. There is ten-sion throughout this suspensefulstory and the beginning of a newlove interest as the villain is ex-posed and all the questions an-swered. Coble is a wonderfulstoryteller and describes vibrantand varied characters.Without a Trace is the first of four

Rock Harbor books, but Colleen isa prolific writer and has many othertitles as well. Her most recent re-lease is entitled Tidewater Inn andis the story of a young womanseeking to restore an aging hotelon an island. The plot thickenswhen a friend is kidnapped, devel-opers stalk her and there is sur-prising news about the history ofher own family. And, oh yes, thereis also a handsome Coast GuardLieutenant adding to the localcharm.Colleen Coble is a terrific Chris-

tian writer with lots of energy andexperience in keeping a readerturning the pages of her excellentbooks.

By Jan Pierce

The main theme in the Forgotten God is the fact that some Christians do not fullyunderstand or access the power in the Person of the Holy Spirit. In his foreword Chanexplains the confusion Christians have about sensing the presence of the Holy Spirit andalso our lack of understanding the possibilities of living within His power. He speaks ofthe disciples as they moved from ineffective and frightened men to dynamic leaders ofthe early church after their experience with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Their lives changed forever that day and Chan believes our lives can be similarlyimpacted. How would the life of our congregations change if we were similarly endowedwith power to believe, act and obey God’s leading with a focused sense of purpose? The Forgotten God addresses the questions modern Christians have about the Holy Spiritwhile exploring some of our fears, misunderstandings and preconceived ideas of GOD.At the end of each chapter Chan outlines a short biography of a person or couple livinga surrendered and empowered life for Christ. One such couple is Domingo and IreneGarcia, a couple who in the early years of their marriage were on the brink of divorce andnow today their marriage and entire life has been completely transformed. Chan believeswe are all called to a life powered by the Holy Spirit—a supernatural life! Otherbiographies of persons who gave everything to the service of God by the power of theHoly Spirit include Francis Schaeffer, Joni Eareckson Tada, J. I. Packer and DavePhillips and his wife Lynn, who are the directors of Children’s Hunger Fund. The Forgotten God is both thought-provoking and challenging. The book is perfect toread for personal edification or for use in a classroom setting. Francis Chan is a strongvoice calling believers to growth and action.


FINANCIAL FOCUS

By Cecilia Bailey


No she isn’t. Was she able to afford it when sheoriginally purchased it? Yes she was. But with thechange in jobs and salary it just became too much.So what does she do at this point? I say, still believeGod. She called me back the next day after regrouping,praying and doing some research. Her decision…short-sale the house, sell everything she doesn’t love and ifshe had to, use a portion of her retirement to buy anotherhouse with cash. I thought that was a stellar idea! I toldher that starting over is simply a new beginning. Weoften think that when we lose something we have failed. In some cases that failure is not final, it’s just thestepping stone to the next opportunity. As the AmericanFamily Insurance commercial states, “What happenswhen you complete a dream? You start thinking of thenext.” In my friend’s case, the next dream is on the horizon.The lesson for me---don’t be afraid to jump off of asinking ship into a lifeboat. These steps might help youin your own financial recovery. ►

The downturn in this economy has a lot of people re-thinking theirfinancial strategy. For some the American Dream has become theAmerican Nightmare. I was having a conversation with a friendrecently and she was telling me about her mortgage troubles. Now thisyoung lady is a believer, has a relationship with the Lord and haswitnessed God’s blessings in many areas of her life. She has a true giftin creating vision boards and I have personally witnessed the manifes-tation of prayers answered and dreams coming true as a result of herfaith and her willingness to dare to dream. So as she went on and on about the possibility oflosing her home to foreclosure, having a bad creditrating and losing the dream home she’d prayed for 5years ago, I just listened. And when it was my time tospeak I gently, but firmly, reminded her of all thethings she had prayed for within the last year and howGod had answered those prayers and gave her exactlywhat she had asked for, from the jobs, to the relation-ship, to the restoration of relationships and even afreaking iPad! We talked about the possibilities offoreclosure, short-sale, using her retirement to getcurrent on the mortgage and any other governmentprograms that would help. But the thought of “losing” again was simplyoverwhelming for my for friend, and the questionbecame, “Why would God give me this dream homeonly to lose it?” The answer is He did not give it toher ONLY to lose it. I believe He gave it to herbecause she prayed for it and it was an exercise of herfaith. In this new season of her life, she has a new andbigger dream. Does it mean that she is irresponsiblebecause she is unable to keep the home that is nowvalued more than $100K less than the market value?

STARTING OVER IS SIMPLY A NEW BEGINNING

FINANCIAL FOCUS

By Cecilia Bailey

If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will takeyou there. This nugget of wisdom has always resonated withme because it speaks to the importance of having a plan foryour life and setting goals that will make a difference.

“

”

Cecilia BaileyCR Consulting Groupwww.crconsultinggroup.org


Thank’s Cece girl,

for helping me to get

real.


If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there. This nugget ofwisdom has always resonated with me because it speaks to the importance of hav-ing a plan for your life and setting goals that will make a difference. Have you everimagined what your life would look like without debt? Do you have enough nerve toput your dreams to paper? Take a few days to really think about what you wantyour financial life to look like. Then begin to collect the photos, images or wordsthat represent it and place it on a board that you will see everyday. You’ll be sur-prised at how motivated you are to change when those images remind you of yourdreams daily.

Life presents us with many opportunities (ie. Challenges) and we get to decide howwe handle them. Whether you are facing foreclosure, lost a job or behind on yourbills…get real. This is really happening! You may have to make some life alteringdecisions that will disrupt “the norm” or how you thought your life would turn out.Here are some steps that might help you:

· Accept what is happening to you· Conduct some research to determine your options· Make a decision· Read the next section

It’s time for us to take action by getting outside of our comfort zone to do a differ-ent thing. Time waits for no one. I’m a planner by nature and sometimes thatworks to my advantage, but in other instances it can work against me. In this sea-son, challenge yourself to move out of the Land of Familiar and into the Communi-ty of Change. Do something every day or every week that will move you closer tothose dreams on your vision board. Here are a few ideas:

· Apply for a new job or ask for the promotion· Sell things that you are no longer using· Turn a hobby into a side hustle· Go to networking events in your field

Get a vision

Get real

Get moving

Finally, if your problem seems to be bigger than what you can handle, talk to a professional or find a localnon-profit in your area that will assist you.

FINANCIAL FOCUS



FINANCIAL FOCUS

• Preparation — No one gets up one day andis ready to run a marathon. Marathon runners train formonths, and even years. As an investor, you, too,need to prepare yourself for the “long run.” How?By learning as much as you can about different assetclasses, types of risk and all the other factors associ-ated with investing.

• Patience — Marathoners know they have along haul in front of them, so they typically create a“game plan” — one that takes into account such fac-tors as their physical condition, the weather on raceday, and the characteristics of the course, such aswhether it’s hilly or flat. Investors should also createa strategy — one that encompasses their goals andways of working toward them — and stick to thisstrategy.

• Perseverance — Marathoners may deal withinjuries, dehydration and other setbacks, either whiletraining or during the actual race. But as long asthey’re able to keep going, they do so. As an investor,you, too, will face obstacles, such as market down-turns. But as long as you continue investing and don’thead to the “sidelines,” you have a good chance ofmaking progress toward your goals.

• Vision -- Marathoners study the coursethey're on, so they know what’s

Brad S HillFinancial Advisor.3134 W Carefree Hwy Suite 12Phoenix, AZ 85086 623-580-3956

Investors sometimes may get frustrated with their invest-ments because those investments don't seem to producequick results. And perhaps that's understandable in ourfast-paced society, in which we've grown accustomed toinstant gratification. But investing is, by nature, a long-termactivity. If you look at it in terms of an athletic event, it's nota sprint, in which you must pull out all the stops to quicklyget where you're going. Instead, it's more like the 26.2-milerace known as a marathon.

ahead — and where they're going.As an investor, you also need a vision of what lies infront of you — the number of years until your retire-ment, the type of retirement lifestyle you anticipate,what sort of legacy you plan to leave, and so on.Your vision will help drive your investment deci-sions.

• Proper coaching — Not all marathonershave individual coaches, but many have at leastgone to clinics or joined running clubs so they couldlearn more about the various aspects of this gruelingevent. And an investor, you can certainly benefitfrom guidance or “coaching” in the form of a finan-cial professional — someone who knows your indi-vidual needs, goals and risk tolerance and who hasthe experience to make recommendations that areappropriate for your situation.

• Every marathoner is familiar with the diffi-culties of the challenge and the satisfaction of finish-ing the race. As an investor, you also will be testedmany times. Furthermore, you’ll never really crossthe “finish line” because you’ll always have goalstoward which you’ll be working. Yet, by emulatingthe traits of successful marathoners, you can continueworking toward your objectives — and perhapsyou’ll avoid the blisters, too.

Investing is a Marathon–not a Sprint

And as an investor, you can learn a few things from marathoners, such as:


FINANCIAL FOCUS

6. Check your credit periodically. When rebuilding creditcheck for up-dated credit scores every 6-months to makesure that payments you are currently making are beingposted. A credit score of 620 or better is needed to pur-chase a home. Some lenders may require a 640 creditscore.7. Keep a steady employment history. Two years ofconsistent employment history is reviewed when purchas-ing a home. Changing jobs frequently and unexplainedgaps of unemployment are not good signs to the lender. Ifyou are self employed be sure to keep all your records inorder and tax returns available as you will need to showproof of profit.8. Speak with a loan consultant. They can keep youinformed of the latest guidelines as they change regularly.Checking with your bank can also alert you to special ornew programs being offered that might help you toachieve home ownership sooner and cheaper.

Although, it’s not as easy to purchase a home as it was inthe mid 2000’s, following these steps will show lendersthat you are moving in the right direction and committedto having a second chance at homeownership. Its 2013,Now is the best time to buy.

DREAMING OF A SECOND CHANCE AT HOME OWNERSHIP

By Carla Jordan

A long time ago bankruptcies, short sales and foreclosures attached a major negative stigma to your credit history forseveral or more years. Since the mid 1990’s, that stigma has narrowed along with difficulties in the national economy andhousing market during the late 2000’s. Bankruptcy, short sales and foreclosures have become regrettable yet acceptableways to gain a financial new beginning. When used for this purpose a home buyers can qualify for a mortgage in as littleas two years after a bankruptcy or short sale. Three years after a foreclosure.

If you’re considering purchasing a new home, here are some tips to get you started andhelp you to achieve your Dream Of Becoming A Second Chance Homebuyer.

1. Check your credit immediately after discharge, foreclo-sure or Short sale. Make sure that the credit report reflectsaccurate information about the bankruptcy, foreclosure orShort sale.2. Reestablish credit- Obtain a new loan or new creditcard. (secured or unsecured). You should have 2-3 goodtrade lines including a car and 2 credit cards. How youpay your credits off will be a factor in your credit ratingsso make sure to pay them off monthly.3. Keep any credit that is still active in good standing.Making all payments on time will help to keep your creditsqueaky clean.4. When renting a home, have the lease in your name andmake payments with a check from your account so thereis good proof of payments. Two years of good rentalpayment history is required for the purchase of a newhome. But don’t let the idea of renting for two years getyou down; for every payment you make Smile knowingyou’re one-month closer to your second chance home.5. Save money for a down payment. You will needbetween 3.5-20% of the purchase price. FHA loans willrequire that you put 3.5% of the cost down to secure acontract. Conventional loans require a 20% down pay-ment.


HEALTH

The average American consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium aday – more than twice the 1,500 milligrams recommended by the American Heart Association/AmericanStroke Association. Changing your salty ways may be difficult, especially since you have acquired a tastefor salt, but don’t worry – making the swap or taking the challenge doesn’t have to be hard. With the helpof the Salty Six (common foods that may be loaded with excess sodium that can increase your risk ofheart disease), you’ll be able to identify, and keep track of, top food culprits. "To get started with the association's challenge, get familiar with the food labels and nutrition facts forthe foods that you eat and track your sodium consumption over the first two days to get an idea of howmuch you are eating, which I'm sure will be surprising to many people." commented Rachel Johnson,Ph.D., RD , FADA, spokesperson for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association,Robert L. Bickford, Jr. Green and Gold professor of Nutrition and professor of Medicine at theUniversity of Vermont. "Then, over the course of the next three weeks, use the Salty Six as your guide tohelp lower your sodium intake." ►

American Heart Association/AmericanStroke Association launches SodiumSwap Challenge

Change Your Salty Ways In Only 21 Days

Sodium – the everyday meal offender that mightmake your face feel puffy and your jeans look, and feeltighter. By reducing your sodium intake during a threeweek period you can change your sodium palate andstart enjoying foods with less sodium. The AmericanHeart Association/American Stroke Association canhelp you to re-charge your taste buds and give yourheart-health a boost with the new Sodium Swap Chal-lenge.

By: Toiya HonoreAmerican Heart Associationwww.heart.org/nutrition


http://www.heart.org/nutrition



By the end of the challenge you should start to notice a change in the way your food tastes and how you feelafter you eat. You might even start to lean towards lower sodium options and will be aware of how much sodiumyou are consuming in a day – keeping sight of the goal of having no more than 1,500 milligrams in a day andcontrolling the portion sizes of your meals. As you start jotting down your grocery list, or planning your next restaurant meal, be sure to keep the Salty Sixin mind and look for the Heart-Check mark on products in your local grocery story and menu items in restaurants.Products that are certified by the Heart-Check Food Certification Program, meet nutritional criteria for heart-healthy foods and can help keep you on track during your challenge. (www.heartcheckmark.org) Making an effort to reduce the sodium in your diet will help you feel better and live a heart-healthy life. Explorelinks to tasty recipes, get shopping tips, access tools and resources and share your personal Sodium Swapsuccesses on the American Heart Association’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/americanheart and clickthe Sodium Swap tab. For more sodium tips, resources and encouragement, visit www.heart.org/sodium.

HEALTH

To take the Sodium Swap Challenge, just follow this guide

Week 1Start by tackling the amount ofbread, rolls, cold cuts and curedmeats that you eat. For example,one piece of bread can have asmuch as 230 milligrams of sodiumwhile a serving of turkey cold cutscould contain as much as 1,050milligrams of sodium. When yourrecommended daily intake is keptto 1,500 milligrams or less, it’samazing how fast it all adds up.Check your labels on these items,look for lower sodium items, trackyour sodium consumption each dayand log how much you’ve shavedout of your diet. Portion controlmakes a difference. Foods eatenseveral times a day add up to a lotof sodium, even though each serv-ing is not high.

Week 2Keep that momentum going!This week’s foods include pizzaand poultry. If you’re going to eatpizza, aim for one with lesscheese and meats or lower sodiumversions of these items or trysomething different and add veg-gies, instead. When cooking foryour family this week use fresh,skinless poultry that is not en-hanced with sodium solution rath-er than fried or processed. Keepyour eyes on the 1,500 milligramsof sodium each day and, again,log your results.

As you round out your challengeand embark on the last week, focuson soups and sandwiches. The twotogether typically make a tastylunch or dinner duo, but one cup ofchicken noodle or tomato soup mayhave up to 940 milligrams – it var-ies by brand --and, after you add allof your meats, cheeses and condi-ments to your sandwich, you caneasily surpass 1,500 milligrams inone day. This week, when choos-ing a soup, check the label and trylower sodium varieties of your fa-vorites and make your sandwicheswith lower sodium meats andcheeses and try to eliminate pilingon the condiments. Be sure to trackyour sodium and try to keep yourdaily consumption to less than1,500 milligrams.

Week 3





relationships…and sometimes even to professional rela-tionships. These now brick walls have even helped to block outsome would-be blessings. The sum of all of this is that we simply must look inthe mirror and delve inwardly before we can expect tolook outwardly. There are many of us who have notbecome whole. Yet, we want and expect so much froma potential mate. As single women blessed enough toenter into a marriage the second time around, we shouldexpect to be in control of our expectations. Are we asequally givers as we are receivers?

“…for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, insickness and health, until death do us part."

I am aware that these vows mean more than meets theeye. And in honoring them, I am in full understandingthat giving 50% while expecting 50% back is unrealis-tic. While the ‘fifty-fifty’ speach sounds good, it’sclear that 80% and 20% also equal 100%; 75% and 25% also equal 100%; 99.5% and .5% all equal 100%.And unfortunately, 100% plus 0% still equals 100%.With the ‘in sickness and health’ portion of the vows,it’s so important to remember that the script sometimesflips; and health can very well land on the other side;and sickness could take us by total surprise. Should thatbe the case, I am hopeful that I have given well morethan 50% of love and care - enough to expect that if –through no fault of my own – I am the one who is ableto give only the .5%, that an abundance of coveragewould be given back to me. So, what would I look forin a husband the second time around? No more than Iam willing to give of myself – remembering that love isboth patient and kind; and that it unequivocally enduresall things.

SINGLES SPACES

As we should always be maturing in our singleness,we should also be able to see more clearly… the dailyadvantages of single-hood. I celebrate my singleness because I am in a greatplace…constantly preparing for the next big thing. And, if the next big thing happens to be marriage, thenso be it. However, the next big thing could be a new job, amove, an appointment, a promotion, a rotation, transi-tion, even a demotion. That big thing could be badnews. But whatever it is, we need to be prepared tohandle it and learn to live in a spirit of expectancy,regardless. Either way, we should have a daily routineand commitment of worship. In celebrating Jesus and celebrating me, I choose toliken singleness to the cross. As single Christian wom-en, what should we look for in a husband the secondtime around? Let me say right up front, that this state-ment – per the bible – already seems oxymoronic withthe operative word being: look. Proverbs 18:22 (KJV)says, Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, andobtaineth favour of the LORD. So, women in this case,are not the ‘seekers’ but rather, the ones who should besought. If the women are the ones who are being soughtout…the ‘good’ thing/s, then we should remain in astate of preparedness with a constant spirit of expectan-cy. All too often, we go back into relationships expectingmarriage but end up being disappointed because perhapsthe expectation on our part, was greater than that of theother person’s. A state of preparedness includes beingready to receive what and who God has for you. Per-haps with marriage the first time around you might nothave known what to expect; and went through the entiremarriage with blinders on. For the second time around, there is an opportunity tohave a keen sense of direction and clarity of vision. We(women) should already either be or becoming the‘wife’ that we are called to be when our husbands findus. Regardless of whether the first marriage ended dueto divorce or death, there is a definite advantage – thesecond time around, to be more in tuned to the Spirit. We should be better equipped to anticipate the needsand desire/s of our future and potential mates. Further,more our ability to respond should be even better thanthe first time around. Oftentimes, as wives, the way werespond to questions, situations and circumstances canactually dictate their outcome/s. Our reaction couldprovide a pillow as a cushion, or a stone. We hold manykeys to locked doors in relationships and marriages.When we solely look at what we want to see in ahusband, we often neglect who we should want to be in

a wife. So, in turning the expectation around, wereally have an opportunity to raise the bar forourselves so that we can see better the second timearound…hear better the second time around…dobetter the second time around… love better thesecond time around… ultimately expecting better(first of ourselves) the second around. Once we’re able to grasp a better understandingof who we are, then we can begin to look at whatto expect out of someone else. So, it might just beworthwhile to ask, “What do I expect of myself?” It is unfair that we ask so much of and out of apotential mate when we often don’t hold ourselvesto the same high standard of giving as we do -receiving. As women, we have to be able to finda way to break down the bricks that that beenstacked up from our past. Those bricks havemanaged to make a barrier so strong that it hascarried over into our present male/female

Marriage:If at First YouDon’t Succeed…

By Patricia Walden

God of aSecondChance

While there are several definitions of the wordsingle, the one that I have chosen to define oridentify with my ‘single’ status, is ‘individual’.As such, I am one who is set apart from the crowdand classified by my peculiarity. My survivability is strong and extends to myliving single and sustaining wholeness. And, when I look in the mirror, I not only seethe me that I am: single and consistently embark-ing on wholeness; but these days, I can also lookin the mirror and see my father – and just howmuch I am beginning to resemble Him. I don’t recall seeing that much of a resem-blance there in the past. However, I am nowinclined to believe this new vision has muchmore to do with growing ‘up’ than it does withgrowing ‘older’. Yes... maturity is the order of the day. As we grow in grace, and in the knowledge ofChrist, we ought also to recognize that the morewe know, the more we grow. Unfortunately, itdoesn’t always work the other way around –hence the term, old fool. If god’s people perishfor lack of knowledge, and if knowledge is pow-er, then we all need to put ourselves in the posi-tion of student and become perpetual learners sothat we can continue to gracefully grow in ourevery day walk with Christ.


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http://www.branchlineministry.com

I recently endured a situation thatopened my eyes pretty wide. It was eyeopening because of the people who wereinvolved. Coming out of this situation, Iwas left with the firm belief that believersin the body of Christ (whether leaders orlay-people), when speaking to others,ought to really consider recording them-selves. Why? For the purpose of them actuallyhearing themselves. I believe that if this isdone on a regular basis, then prayerfully,Christians will start considering thewords that come out of their mouths:how they say what they say. And maybeonce they do hear themselves, the wordsreceived might actually sound very dif-ferent than what was actually intended. Awh arrogance, so many of us say wedislike arrogant people but so many ofus don’t consider the arrogance within.Now having PRIDE in and of its self isn’talways a bad thing. After all, we encour-age our children, our friends, and thosewho operate our businesses and minis-tries to have some pride in themselvesand the work that they do. The lack ofgood-pride is why we need to have somany self esteem classes. Lack of good-pride is why some peopledisregard not keeping their word to oth-ers. It’s also what keeps some from ad-mitting that perhaps how they revealthemselves to others might either not bein their best interest or may not be whatGod has in mind for them. Most of the times we will find our-selves focusing on trying to be good be-fore God as a method of proving that wehave made it our intent to shun all thatmight be considered evil; and yet weoverlook the basic principle of beinghumble and open. Many of us will con-tend that humble is the epitome of ournature since we’ve been transformedthrough the blood of the Lamb.

However if we’d dare push the back orreplay button on our recorders, close oureyes and listen with the intent of seeingour true nature we might just find outwho we really are and how far we’vereally come in transforming in the Spiri-tual, and how much further we still haveto go in becoming who we should be inChrist. Embracing the knowledge that we stillhave a great deal of work to do on our-selves isn’t a bad thing. As a matter offact, we should be happy to find thatthere is room for God to do more workon us. You know, less we find ourselvesfalling into the same condemnation asthe devil! In my revolutionary stage dur-ing this situation, I sadly got to witnessthe pride and arrogance of an individualwho I thought held no space for such athing within. This individual said somethings in a taped interview as a responseto questions asked; but whenthey saw their own words in writing theybecame upset at the reality that the

light in which they would be viewed,would illuminate their arrogance andpride instead of promoting their talents. Knowing that the interview was re-corded and knowing how the personspeaks, all I could say was, “It’s on tape.”I mean tapes have a hard timelying…right! The fact that this personwas only worried about how theysounded in a promotional sense and notin a ‘God forgive me’ sense, left me withwide open stunned eyes. I found myselfasking God to please show me myselfbefore I have to hear myself. NeitherGod nor I would like what came out ofme. I shared with a friend that I intendto find new ways to say something posi-tive about and in situations that are ab-solutely ugly from now on or at least for2013. Will I be able to do this? I don’t know.But it is up to me as a ministry leader, toknow that it is my responsibility to beopen to God and allow him to show methe error of my ways lest I fall into pride- thinking God approves; and arrogance- thinking God will continue to let merule over anything let alone His Minis-try. I pray now more than ever that Hu-mility will be found to be my truenature, even if the revelation comes fromme having to listen to my own wordsplayed back to me.

www.branchlineministry.com

TODAY I PLEDGE

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the forward (per-verse) mouth, do I hate. (KJV); I Timothy 3:5-6, (For if a mandoes not know how to rule his own house, how will he takecare of the house of God?); not of novice, lest being puffed upwith pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

Proverbs 8:13

Arrogance &

Pride

Neither Arrogance nor Pride is at-tractive on any Christian! How weadorn ourselves with the gifts thatGod has given us is important. Wenever know who God will send ourway. Our gifts and talents are to beshared with others. And, weshould remember that God is al-ways watching. It is God who givesus reason to be proud.

Proverbs 16:18 says, ‘Pride goesbefore destruction a haughty spirit

before a fall.’ So let us make thePLEDGE TO STOP ARROGANCE

AND PRIDE in their tracks!

“Today I Pledge to dress in Humility to keep from being cloaked inArrogance & Pride so that God can adorn me with His grace!”


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http://www.branchlineministry.com

REDEEMED FOR 2013

INSPIRE ME

We bring greetings to you in the Spirit of our Lord and Savior JesusChrist. It is an honor and a great privilege to welcome you to this blessedNew Year 2013. Yes, it is blessed. KDgospel is excited about the greatmove of God that is to occur in the Body of Christ this year. The Lordhas given us a fresh new year with His fresh anointing. Look up, openyour heart and shout with your mouth, “Lord I thank you for your freshanointing that you have given to me for each day of this New Year;because old things have passed away and all things are being made newin your life.” Forever gone are: Carnal ways of thinking, old baggagefrom bad relationships, anger and resentment toward love ones and“eye-dentified “enemies, and most of all; self condemnation. We havebeen redeemed by the blood of the lamb and will overcome by the wordof our testimony. Let 2013 be the year we focus on daily renewing our mind with hisanointed word, developing the fruit of the Spirit and pressing toward themark of the prize of the high calling which is in Christ Jesus. We willalways be victorious because there is no weapon formed against us thatwill be able to prosper. We want to encourage you to look in your mirror at the beginning ofevery new day this year, see Jesus in you and see you in Him. He is ourHigh Priest and that is the reason our fight is called the good fight offaith. So rest in the arms of the Lord every day of this year; put all ofyour trust in Him and remember that He will never leave you nor forsakeyou.

Yours In Christ Jesus,Apostle Jennifer M. London

Apostle Jennifer London

Dearly Beloved,


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It is unfortunate that most women who

manage to survive their abusive situation are

also most likely to either return to their abus-

er or to entire into another abusive relation

ship if they do not receive the proper help

and or counseling for their depression.

Most women who stay in abusive rela-

tionships say that it is because of a felling of

over-whelming helplessness sometimes this

is due to the fact that there are children to

consider which adds an extra weight of de-

pression making it harder to cope with the

idea of leaving or getting help.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

Women Who Are Victims of Abuse Arethe Number One Suffers Of Depression

Women who stay with there abuser because they feel they have no whereelse to go run the risk of becoming severely depressed the longer they stay.

If you see or know anyone who is a victim of abuse…..please get involved. By givingthem the number listed below.

The number one report from counselors,

or psychiatrist dealing with women that suffers

from some form of depression, say that you will

almost always find the cause to be some form

of abuse that has accrued, and/or is a huge fac-

tor; they also clearly identified that abuse and

depression go hand and hand.

When evaluating women for depression

counselors will note that one clear sign that a

person is suffering from depression is a lack of

self-esteem, this can be a blinder or hindrance

to the abused persons healing process because it

keeps them from believing that they are capable

of surviving on their own.

A.

B.

C.

D.

Interval House is dedicated to providingservices to prevent and break the cycle ofHartford, CT 06134-0207.Business 860-246-9149 Fax 860-247-2042www.intervalhousect.org/

REAL STORIES


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kdgospel magazine jan-mar 2013 issue

Documents

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