Kingdom Life Magazine HR edition

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THE BERKLEY SUPERMARKET

Veteran and locally owned, Berkley neighborhood prepares for the grand opening.

KINGDOM LEADERSHIP BY: DR. PHIL LUCAS

Divine Healing SPECIAL REPORT

PASTOR'S JOSEPH AND LATONYA MCLEOD

FEAR NOT, HOW TO OVERCOME FEAR

KINGDOM Publisher Bernard S. Harrison, Jr. Editor-in-chief Kamilah Bowers

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EFIL MODGNIK

Vol. 16 COVER STORY PASTOR'S JOESPH AND LATONYA MCLEOD In a question and answer session with Pastor's Joseph and LaTonya McLeod, they discuss the love they have for Hampton Roads and their ministry..

SPECIAL REPORT KINGDOM LEADERSHIP Rev. Dr. Phil Lucas pulls back the layers of Kingdom leader in today environment .

SPECIAL FEATURE RISING ABOVE FEAR, AND HOW TO OVERCOME IT Fear comes in all kinds of packages, sizes and flavors Aug-Sept 2021 $10.00

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LIFE worldview news

US Catholic School Association Seeks To Rebound From A Grim Year The organization overseeing Catholic schools in the United States got a new chief executive last month as it seeks to rebound from its biggest one-year enrollment drop since the 1970s.

(LOS ANGELES (RNS) —Amid the pandemic, more than 200 schools closed permanently, and enrollment at the 5,981 remaining schools fell by 6.4% -- or more than 111,000 students – for the 20202021 academic year, according to the National Catholic Educational Association. Total enrollment was about 1.63 million, down from a peak of more than 5.2 million in the early 1960s.

To curtail such closures, the NCEA will need the help of philanthropic donors, Snyder said. Among dioceses in major cities, Las Vegas was the only one where enrollment in Catholic schools increased by more the 2% last year, the NCEA said. Conversely, Catholic school enrollment decreased by more than 8% in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

On June 23, the NCEA installed a new president and CEO, Lincoln Snyder, who served as superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Sacramento, California, since 2015. Based on trends in that diocese, where enrollment is up 3% from September 2019, Snyder is cautiously optimistic that many Catholic schools nationwide can slow or stop the enrollment decline in the coming year. Economic hardships caused by the pandemic forced some families to pull their children out of Catholic schools because they could not afford the tuition, Snyder said. But in Sacramento, he said, those losses were offset by an influx of families new to Catholic schools who were attracted by the system’s educational strengths and its handling of the pandemic.

The overall enrollment drop was 8.1% at the 4,812 Catholic elementary schools, and 2.5% at the 1,169 secondary schools. The reduction in school staffing – including teachers and administrators – was relatively modest at 2.3%, due in part to the availability of the federal Paycheck Protection Program in the spring of 2020.

“We had low infection rates... very few documented cases (of COVID-19) on-site,” he said. “We showed we could have kids in class and still be safe – and that seems to have been respected by parents.”

Of the 209 Catholic schools that closed or were consolidated last year, the biggest impact was felt by urban communities and non-Catholic families, the NCEA said. In its latest annual report, it expressed regret, saying the closure of Catholic schools in underserved areas eliminates “pathways of opportunity” for the affected families. www.christianmagazineshr.com I 10

Snyder said the NCEA would not know until September whether Catholic schools collectively have been able to halt the enrollment decline.

“I believe it’s possible,” he said. “I’m optimistic that with the right resources and people, Catholic schools can grow.”

HAMPTON ROADS HAPPENINGS

THE BUZZ >

NEW GALILEE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, FOOD MINISTRY HELPS COMMUNITY GROW TOGETHER THROUGH THE PANDEMIC New Galilee Missionary Baptist Church is bringing people to Christ through its food distribution ministry.

Under the direction of Pastor Rev. Dr. Anderson O. Foreman, Jr. the church has helped connect and serve the community through weekly and monthly food giveaways to Chesapeake’s South Military Hwy. neighborhoods. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated the need among residents and church patrons, and the church responded, supplying additional food almost weekly.

Working hand in hand with the Operation Blessing and Brightcross Ministries, the servant leader pastor and the church body has also provided resources to a local senior community after a large fire displace many residents. The food outreach lasted over the year and a half has led to hundreds of professions of faith.

The food boxes that arrived on Thursday and were available for needy families through a partnership between the Virginia Baptist Convention and the USDA Farmers to Families

DETAIL >

food boxes, which sent multiple tractor-trailers loaded with thousands of meal kits for Southeastern Virginia churches to deliver in their communities “Churches with ongoing food ministries have been very thankful for the containers of food, which are placed on wet and dry pallets,” said Operation Blessing, Debbie Brant community ministries manager. “Many of their pantries have been depleted and with the number of hungry persons increasing, their sources for food have been decreasing. Some churches are using the contents to provide backpack lunches for out-of-school children.” Operation Blessing had begun the “food 2 freedom” distribution ministry shortly after in 2018. Debbie Brant was aware of the need in the community, and when she found out about Brightcross Ministries, she saw an opportunity to meet a need. Food 2 Freedom is a food bank that distributes surplus food at a nominal cost to churches and other organizations that feed the hungry. The bags of food, distributed by Church leadership and volunteers from the church and business, contain items like chicken, ham, pasta, vegetables, and fruits, as well as canned goods.

“Some people have shared that they’ve been able to live off of one bag of food for a week or two,” said Bernard Harrison, who has served on several ministry food distributions and prayer events.

“This is the tool and opportunity God has given the church and we’re being obedient,” Bernard said. “The first time New Galilee did it they were only able to distribute at least 50 bags but the last time we did it we passed out 100 bags.”

As the food /pantry ministry has grown at the church, so has the need to serve more people in the community.

The church now averages between 60 and 70 people each distribution day.

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COMMUNITY

UNDER THE SCOPE THE BUZZ >

Maury star quarterback EJ Gibson is headed to LSU to further his academic and athletic education Eric Gibson is no stranger to a challenge nor shallow in his belief in Jesus Christ. As the scriptures says in Luke "For with God nothing shall be impossible." Eric has truly lived through that scripture in his life.

Nurtured by a caring mother and grand parent, Eric has stood proudly on his faith and God's strength in him. With the upcoming signing with LSU as a preferred "Walk On" The mainstream media will tell you how he started as a winless sophomore at Granby, then transfer to Maury to help and led the commodores to a state title. You will read about all the accolades and awards he received along the way.

What you wont find out about is his selfless heart for service, and love for community he lives in. Eric's grandmother Pastor Veronica Thomas leads a church in Norfolk and frequently will hear Eric lead the Youth services or attend a 5am men's prayer line. He has also fellowshipped with cross town rivals on food destitution throughout the 757. So wile some may see this as a big challenge Eric has a bigger God.

FAITH @ HOME

ARE YOU NOT SURPRISED TO FIND HOW INDEPENDENT OF MONEY PEACE OF CONSCIENCE IS, AND HOW MUCH HAPPINESS CAN BE CONDENSED IN THE HUMBLEST HOME? A COTTAGE WILL NOT HOLD THE BULKY FURNITURE AND SUMPTUOUS ACCOMMODATIONS OF A MANSION; BUT IF GOD IS THERE, A COTTAGE WILL HOLD AS MUCH HAPPINESS AS A PALACE"

Home is where the heart is. That is a saying that is familiar to most of us. It's also a sentiment that is familiar to many of us. We may live in a house, but do we live in a home? "Home" is portable. A house, an apartment, a trailer, a tent, barracks, dormitory, hotel room, hospital bed, nursing home, secret closet, spider hole, abandoned bus, cardboard box these are all places to live, circumscribed by dimensions and time. They are all different, yet all can be called "home." Home travels with you and expands or contracts to fit the space allotted to it. In fact, "home" fits rather nicely in your heart.

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It's very possible to live somewhere for an extended period of time and not consider it home. You could be in one location and still long for the place of your youth, or wherever you felt at home. Soldiers and missionaries and overseas students ache for home, even though they may have chosen their new locations.

Spouses who move away from their childhood haunts are often haunted by a feeling of emptiness or drifting, and long to go back "home." Most of us, if given the opportunity, would prefer to die at home. There is a sense of "home" that every soul longs for. Proverbs 27:8 says, "Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home."

When a person becomes a Christian, everything changes, including and especially his or her destination. In ancient days, God told Abraham to leave his ancestral country and go to a land that he had never seen. "So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child" (Acts 7:4, 5). Since then, generations of Jews have longed to possess the land of Israel, their homeland. And one day, they will.

Similarly, Christians long for their new land. Jesus promised, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). Paul tells us, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:20). No matter where we make our home on earth, our heart's desire should be toward our heavenly home and Savior.

One of the things that makes a house a home is the presence of someone you love. For married couples, spouses long to be with each other. Whether it's the huge ranch or the hospital room, as long as the spouse is there, it's home (or at least a bit more tolerable!). It could be children, pets, books, tools, or just familiar surroundings, but wherever your heart lies, there is your home. Jesus said as much when admonishing the greedy: "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20, 21).

Where is your home? Believers speak of death as "going home." When that time comes, where will you go? Do you long for the Lord's return to take you home?

Alan is editor of Lifestyles Over 50 (Thrive Media) and contributor to the Allentown, PA, Morning Call. He is also an adult Sunday school teacher and Bible study leader.

Passionate about reviving theology and church methodology and being a senior citizen!

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

More Than 1.5 Million Children Lost Parents Due to COVID

Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 1.5 million people across the globe have died due to COVID-19. Because the disease has mostly killed adults, though, the effect on children has been largely overlooked. Yet the untimely and unexpected deaths have had a profound effect on families. For instance, one result of the pandemic is the increased deaths of parents and primary caregivers, leaving children around the world orphaned.

A common assumption is that an orphan is defined as

BY LEAH CHRISTIANS

a child with two deceased parents. But the definition used by many adoptions and relief agencies focuses on a child who is deprived of parental care. For example, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) considers a child who has lost either parent to be an orphan and further classifies such children as “single orphan,” which is a child with only one parent that has

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died, or “double orphan,” which is a child who has two parents that are deceased.

While no one knows for sure how many children were orphaned because of the pandemic, a new study published in the British medical journal The Lancet has developed an estimate. This report was produced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and World Without Orphans, in conjunction with several global child welfare experts within the World Health Organization, World Bank, and various institutions of higher education.

According to the report, from March 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, an estimated 1,562,000 children experienced the death of primary caregivers, including at least one parent or custodial grandparent.

Between two and five times more children had deceased fathers than deceased mothers. The number of children orphaned by COVID-19 exceeded the number of deaths from the disease among those aged 15–50 years.

Some countries were more affected than others. Countries in the study with primary caregiver death rates of at least one per 1,000 children included Peru (10.2 per 1,000 children), South Africa (5.1 per 1,000 children), Mexico (3.5 per 1,000 children), Brazil (2.4 per 1,000 children), Colombia (2.3 per 1,000 children), Iran (1.7 per 1,000 children), the United States (1.5 per 1,000 children), Argentina (1.1 per 1,000 children), and Russia (1.0 per 1,000 children).

Previous studies have shown that the death of parents or caregivers increases the risks of many problems for children, including mental health issues; adolescent pregnancy; increased risks of suicide; infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS; chronic diseases; family economic hardship; and physical, emotional, and sexual violence. Such children are also at greater risk of family separation and institutionalization. “Institutionalization should be avoided because of its clear damage to psychosocial, physical, and neural development,” notes the report. “Instead, investments should favor strengthening family-based care.”

The Faith In Action Coalition and several of its coalition members agreed with this warning about institutionalization and the need for family-based solutions. “Every 12 seconds a child is losing a parent or grandparent caregiver as a result of COVID-19,” said Karmen Friesen, principal coordinator for World Without Orphans. “This is devastating and highlights the need for a massive global response. But this time—unlike in previous emergencies—we can get things right because we know what works. Now is the time to invest in and strengthening - families and developing family care, not orphanages. And around the world, it is churches that are ideally placed to provide the wrap-around support that families in crisis urgently need.”Christians should pray for hearts to care for these vulnerable children, for opportunities to serve them, and for God’s care for us in Christ to be put on display during such hard circumstances.

Used with permission from ERLC

Words by STEPHEN A. PETERSEN Photos by NICHOLAS GIDOLE

God's Child Ricky Jumawan had a three-year-old daughter named Terri. On a hot May afternoon, Terri watches her father mow the lawn, repair a leaky pipe in the kitchen and wash the family car. After completing his morning “to-do list”, Ricky sat down to eat a lunch of leftover pizza from the night before as he watched the noonday news and sports reports.

“Oh, oh!” Terri said to herself. “Daddy forgot something to drink. Daddy loves lemonade so I’m going to make him the biggest glass of lemonade that I can make him.” With that thought, Terri went into the kitchen, pulled a chair up to the refrigerator, opened it, and took out a bottle of lemon juice. She climbed up on the cabinet to look for and find the largest glass she could see.

Struggling down to the floor, Terri managed to open the bottle of lemon juice to pour in the glass.

To determine if it tasted good, Terri tasted it.

“Ugh! Something’s missing! Yes, it’s the sugar!

Sugar!” so she pulled the chair along the floor finds a plastic canister filled with what looks to be sugar.

She pulled the canister down, drops it, leaving a small pile of sugar on the floor. Because the glass is filled with lemon juice that left no room for the sugar, Terri decided to pour some of the lemon juice into another glass to make some lemonade for her. One, two, three, four, five, six big tablespoons of sugar! “Daddy’s really going to like this!” thought Terri.

In the meantime, Ricky watched all this wondering if he should step in and save the rest of his kitchen.

He decided for the moment to watch a little as Terri sledded down the chair, stepped in the pile of sugar, ran into the lower cabinet door, and bumped into the open refrigerator door. Terri pulled the www.christianmagazineshr.com 21

the chair over to the refrigerator to get into the freezer compartment to get ice but cannot open the door. Frustrated Terri gave up her effort to open the freezer door and settled for just lemonade.

Finally, Terri put the glass of lemonade on a plate for a tray then yelled, “Daddy, I got something special for you!” Trying to balance the glass of lemonade on the plate, Terri spilled lemonade on each step she made. On arrival to the chair where her father sat, she tripped on the rug spilling lemonade on the rug, chair, and on her father.

Terri stood up, looked around, and saw lemonade all over the place. With lemonade on her father from head to toe, Terri began to cry. Through her tears, she looked up at her father with her sad eyes and troubled facial expression as though to say, “What are you going to do to me dad for the terrible mess I’ve made.”

Ricky only smiled, went over and hugged his daughter. He did not see a child that just made a big mess of two areas of the house but a child that he loves unconditionally.

Ricky said to

Terri, “You are my beloved daughter that I love beyond all measure even though the house is now a mess. As with Ricky and his daughter, Terri, God the Father of all people loves each person unconditionally even when we make a terrible, seemingly unforgivable mess of things. God’s arms are always wide open to take us back. He will give us as many opportunities to straighten up our lives as needed.

Although this story is a little different, Jesus told a story very similar to this one. It is a story of God’s persistent, unconditional love for us in spite of our propensity to sin—the story of “the Prodigal Son”.

Whenever you mess up, know that you have a Dad who will welcome you back with open arms.

KINGDOM CULTURE

CHARISMATIC TIKTOK IS DIVIDED OVER PRAYING IN TONGUES ‘I think words are not the greatest at describing the sensation. It’s being filled, it’s being baptized. It’s a little mysterious,' said one TikToker.

WRITTEN BY HELEYNA

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Illustration

By Todd

(RNS) — Michael Paul Corder says he “cut his teeth” praying in public by going around to grocery stores and striking up conversations, asking folks if they wanted to pray. But even in the Bible Belt of western Tennessee, he found people were often hesitant or embarrassed.

Not so, he said, on TikTok. Corder does a livestream open prayer every day, in which he prays for the hundreds of people who hop into the virtual chatroom without embarrassment.

Many of his nearly 165,000 followers who join express feeling relief or calm when he prays for them. Their pain or healing is not something that can be verified, Corder admits, but still, he believes their presence testifies to something missing from their churches.

“It’s a little mysterious,” he added, saying he speaks in tongues when the Holy Spirit moves him.

Pentecostal or charismatic TikTok is a thriving community of diverse Christians. It’s multilingual and multicultural and spans generations. Its hashtags have millions of views. Here, Christians who identify as charismatic Christians, nondenominational, Assemblies of God or Pentecostal all gather to share encouragement and give Christian witness on the internet.

Many of the videos on charismatic TikTok are dedicated to prayer — talking about prayer, encouraging others in prayer or praying on camera. In the charismatic tradition, this can often include praying in tongues — also known as glossolalia. The hashtag for speaking in tongues has more than 4 million views.

Heidi Campbell, author of the recent book “Digital Creatives and the Rethinking of Religious Authority,” says new media has long been a ripe platform for evangelization and religious discussion — from the printing press to TikTok. “There’s a long tradition of using digital media and the internet for spiritual reflection and debate,” she said.

“At those churches, they’re not praying for the sick, or if they are, they’re not seeing results. At mainstream churches, you get more of a philosophical lecture,” Corder said over the phone with Religion News Service.

Sometimes on his livestreams, Corder will pray in tongues — a practice popular among charismatic and Pentecostal Christians that involves speaking in a language foreign or unknown to the speaker (and generally not a known language to any culture) that is believed to be brought on by the Holy Spirit.

“I think words are not the WWW.CHRISTIANMAGAZINESHR.COM greatest at describing the | 24 sensation.”

Before the internet became widely available to the public, Campbell described participating in charismatic email-based communities on internet relay chats, forerunners of popular messenger platforms like AOL Instant Messenger. “If you were speaking in tongues, you would just kind of let your fingers go over random keys—like gobbly goop,” said Campbell, “but that was the symbolism of speaking in tongues.”

In nearly 30 years of research on faith practices in the digital world, Campbell believes that Pentecostal theology provides a warrant for the enthusiastic embrace of new technology. “Pentecostal theology is all about being led by the Holy Spirit,” said Campbell, “so the idea of the Holy Spirit moving through the computer or having a spiritual experience through the computer is very acceptable.”

But not all believers on charismatic TikTok agree. Taylor Cuthbertson, 27, has 27,000 followers on TikTok who watch her videos about living as a Pentecostal Christian. For Cuthbertson, there are some things that “are a big no on TikTok” and one of them is praying. “I’m a very private person,” she said. Pastor Michael Grattan, of Manhattan Pentecostal Church, believes prayer belongs in public, but he’s not sure it belongs on TikTok. Grattan explains the tradition of speaking in tongues through the Book of Acts in the Christian Scripture — it’s a sign of God’s spirit dwelling with baptized believers. The apostles were able to speak in many languages, to be understood as they addressed a crowd of people from different nations gathered in Jerusalem.

In a monolingual community, Grattan said, that sort of diversity of language becomes unnecessary, so the often-unintelligible prayer language of “speaking in tongues” becomes a way of “expressing the deepest parts of your spirit,” Grattan said. It’s perfectly appropriate for a public setting, Grattan said. But he cited Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, which reads, “Let everything be done decently and in order.” On the internet, Grattan sees disorderliness and chaos.

Grattan does have an account on TikTok. “It’s a good way to get the pulse of the people,” he said. But he doesn’t post on it. He’s not sure it’s the ripest ground for prayer or evangelization, saying he thinks the internet’s constant stimulation drowns out the message of the gospel. “When you have so many choices, it’s hard to see the real value and it’s hard to communicate value,” he said, “The vistas of knowledge available on the internet are unimaginable. But the flip side of that is that meaning is lost in the midst of it.” “TikTok to me is the ultimate noise,” Grattan said. Montana Cooley sees her mission on TikTok as breaking through the noise. “I want to spread the love of God,” she said.

At the end of 2020, Cooley, 19, said she was in a dark place. And then she started getting more involved again at the Assemblies of God church at which her great-grandfather was a preacher. “I fell back in love, I guess,” she said.

She wouldn’t show video of herself praying in tongues, however. First, she said, because it’s not premeditated but rather prompted by the Holy Spirit. “Sometimes I’ll do it out in public when the spirit comes my way,” Cooley said. But mostly because it usually happens in church. Cooley does however talk about her experiences praying in the spirit to her 15,000 followers because she wants them to know that talking in tongues is a part of the Christian life. “Some people think that talking in tongues is demonic,” she said, “but it’s evidence, showing other people that the Holy Spirit is there in your presence.”-- Renee Boyder

Johnna Coleman-Yates!

BY GLEN MASON, KINGDOM CULTURE CORRESPONANT Dessert is a course that concludes a main meal. The course usually consists of sweet foods and beverages, such as dessert wine or liqueurs, but may include coffee, cheeses, nuts, or other savory items. In some parts of the world, such as much of central and western Africa, and most parts of China. www.christianmagazineshr.com 26

KINGDOM CULTURE

JOHNNA COLEMANYATES IS NO ICARUS

BUT SHE’S FLYING HIGH ON FAITH Johnna Michelle Coleman-Yates isn’t, as Chaka Khan boosted, “Every Woman.” In the new narrative, Coleman Yates is a woman of wideranging knowledge. A woman with multiple intelligences, Uber maternal instincts for all children, especially her own, with a full resume of professional specialties.

IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY, ICARUS IS THE SON OF THE MASTER CRAFTSMAN DAEDALUS, ICARUS ATTEMPTED TO ESCAPE THE CRETE'S BY USING WINGS CONSTRUCTED OF WAX, UNFORTUNATELY, HE FLEW TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN, WHERE HIS WINGS MELTED.

In her halcyon days, those who knew her knew where she was going. Guided by educator parents, John and Margaret Coleman, she was an academician, concert musician (flutist), and athlete. Now Coleman-Yates is the consummate professional.

Kingdom Life Magazine Correspondent Glen Mason sat down with Coleman-Yates for a Q & A recently to get to know the influencer.

What is her next leap of service? When she took said leap of faith, with the Lord as the proverbial navigator of her life, one could say she has taken to the skies with God as her copilot. Johnna Michelle Coleman-Yates is no Icarus with wings of God’s engineering.

"EVERY CHILD NEEDS A SUPPORTIVE, SAFE, AND LOVING ADULT TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEIR PARENTS TO HELP GUIDE THEM INTO ADULTHOOD" JOHNNA YATES

KLM: Your faith has always guided you.

When did you know it was time to establish your brand?

Coleman-Yates: My passion has always revolved around the idea of empowering people through servant leadership and learning. Therefore, in my professional career (corporate, human services, nonprofit, juvenile justice, and adult education/higher education), I worked for several years in leadership and learning, and I had a platform to build access, affect change, and empower people through learning. Yet, in 2017, I decided it was time to expand my platform and impact on a global scale through the Coleman Yates Group. In the Coleman Yates Group, I would leverage my 25+ years of diverse leadership and learning expertise to offer training, consulting, coaching, and business support solutions to empower people and organizations to prosper.

KLM: Your work in college administration was more of a mission of service for you more so than a job. Was there any particular that led you to serve a larger constituency with the Coleman-Yates Group? Coleman-Yates: I wanted complete autonomy in shaping solutions to help students, people, communities, and organizations to be successful.

KLM: Coming out of high school, and heading to James Madison what did you think your career would be?

Coleman-Yates: I wanted to work in some area of business and in Corporate America. I wanted nothing to do with teaching. Yet, teaching and learning were very much a part of my service to the community and my professional journey as evidenced by training, presenting at national conferences, and teaching for 20-plus years at Old Dominion University (Political Science).

KLM: Who inspired you?

Coleman-Yates: My inspiration came from my parents, grandparents, Aunt Inez, and the many members of my village (family, St. Paul CME, Tots and Teens, Black leaders in the community, etc.) who supported my journey.

KLM: Your service to humanity did not just start.

Tell us about the first two young ladies who live you, and your compassionate parents, impacted?

Coleman-Yates: I have always participated in community service. It was a family value taught and lived by my parents. In college, I became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a national public service sorority comprised of college-educated women who serve their community. I am still an active member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Yet, what started organically as a part of church service blossomed into a mentoring relationship with two sisters in public housing. As they transitioned out of high school, I picked up two additional sisters (two and three years old) to mentor. These are lifelong relationships established when I was in my 20’s.

Needless to say, the two older sisters are well in their late 30’s. One of the younger set of sisters is deceased which was devastating. The remaining sister is in her late 20’s. We are all still in contact and I remain here to support them as they go into business, raise children and start businesses.

KLM: That is a poignant story made for Broadway theatre or a film. You were a teen from what I understand. What made you do that if that’s the appropriate way to inquire about this amazing, humble act of love and kindness?

Coleman-Yates: Every child needs a supportive, safe, and loving adult to work in partnership with their parents to help guide them into adulthood.

KLM: What’s next for the Coleman-Yates Group?

Coleman-Yates: I’ve had the opportunity to train and consult on organizational development and leadership and student and customer success and engagement with corporations, higher education, human service organizations, and nonprofits. In addition, I serve as a global consultant and provide expertise to global organizations conducting accelerated research to gain insight on a specific topic, understand trends, test ideas against realworld data, business, and industry.

KLM: What’s next for the polymath?

Coleman-Yates: So, my next moves include participation in business development activities to build growth, capacity, and greater access to industry and government contracts. I would like my growth to lead to greater community re-investment participating in lifelong learning is an integral component of success and growth. It is a fundamental value that I communicate to clients, and it is a personal value. Therefore, I will continue to participate in business development activities, and I plan to pursue doctoral study at Wilmington University in Fall 2021 to earn an EdD in Organizational Leadership and Learning Innovation.

To learn more visit www.colemanyatesgroup.com

KINGDOM BEAUTY

WHAT IT MEANS TO LOOK BLACK By: Jessica Cruel & Ateh Jewel

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TO BE BORN BLACK IS A BLESSING AND A BURDEN. A BLESSING BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY AND CULTURE WE HAVE CREATED. A BURDEN BECAUSE THE WORLD CONSTANTLY ATTEMPTS TO POINT OUT OUR DIFFERENCES. FROM OUR CURLY HAIR TO OUR WIDE NOSES TO OUR VARIOUS SHADES OF BROWN SKIN. A lEAD, WRITER SHARES HOW LOOKING BLACK HAS COLORED THEIR LIVES WITH HEARTACHE AND HOPE.

As a child growing up I loved beauty, makeup The power of crushed pigments to transform you into anything you wanted to be was and still is pure magic to me. As a child, I loved the glamour and color of MGM films.

But when I think about the subliminal messages that were being sent to me and others that looked like me through those movies, it was that a Black girl with darker skin, full lips, and coily hair was invisible.

I saw very few versions of myself in the movies, in these worlds I wanted to be a part of.

Instead, I saw stereotypical angry Black women, the sassy sidekick or the sexually aggressive beast.

I remember as a teenager going to the beauty counter and being told there was nothing there for me.I would walk away devastated! The sense of being on the outside of what was conventionally considered to be beautiful and inspirational and luxurious. I grew up thinking I was cursed because of my Blackness. I also knew my skin color would hold me back in the world.

Currently, as a mother 0f biracial daughters, I knew I had to break the cycle of negative noise so many of us had been brought up with.

Thank God the world has begun to see and hear the voices of the Black woman. People are now talking about the invisible, painful things we have felt in the past. We are not the negative images we were made to feel we were.

I tell my children, raise up your voice and help heal what happening. You will be seen. You will be heard.

KINGDOM HEALTH

Brandice Lardner is a Certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, Author, Amazon #1 Best Selling Author, and Jesus Girl whose mission in life is to help women ditch the diet mentality and find peace with food and their bodies so that they are better equipped to do the great things God has called them to do.

WHEN NEGATIVE BODY IMAGE FEELS NORMAL Words by Brandice Lardner Photos by Anthony Richards Feeling positive about your body may seem like a foreign concept if you’ve been stuck in a negative cycle for any length of time. Sadly, that self-talk is anything but normal. We would never talk to a friend or loved one the way we do our bodies and yet this is an accepted practice. When did being so uncool get to be cool? It’s time to send this lousy practice away with Joe, the cigarette smoking camel.

Body image has been a hot topic for both myself and the hundreds of clients that I’ve worked with.

Altering the way we interact with ourselves can be a challenging habit to let go of.

Why Do You Hold On To Negative Body Image?

I have found that digging into why we behave in this way can reveal some of the reasons for this behavior and reveal strategies for change. Beneath the surface of “I don’t like my body” live common fears that keep this awful cycle in motion.

“If I say negative things about my body then I will be more motivated to change.” ·“If I don’t say negative things, then I won’t feel the need to change.”

I get it, avoidance is a powerful motivator in many areas of our lives… We choose not to speed (too much) because we don’t want a speeding ticket, not because we want a gold star for our driving abilities. We see this in a loved one finally making a dramatic lifestyle change when they are faced with a dismal health report.

Negative consequences do work in some situations but, when it comes to body image, it’s a losing strategy. I have felt it and I’ve heard it from countless women– it is scary to let go of the negative chatter for fear that we’ll suddenly “let ourselves go.”

If we “give up,” we envision our friends and family finding us unconscious, buried under a pile of brownies. www.christianmagazineshr.com 32

Or we picture a life living in sweatpants and stained t-shirts because surely we won’t care about taking care of ourselves anymore.

But let me ask, is that really true? What do you think would happen if you stopped being mean and tuned into body image and the Bible?

There is a better way.

A Better Approach To Body Image Let’s take a moment and think about the people who’ve had the most positive impact on your life…

The people who’ve made you better.

The people who’ve made you want to be better.

Maybe it was a coach, a pastor, a teacher, or a parent.

How did that individual encourage you to grow, to change, and to improve? Did they call you names, tell you that you’d never be good enough, or bark at you to just stop trying because you’ll never get it? I’m going to take a wild guess and say probably not. I’ll take another stab at it and suggest that they probably used positive encouragement Love, good works, and fellowship. It is how we grow to prepare for the Lord’s Day of return.

How Do You Encourage Others?

Imagine that you take a young child to their Tball game. It may be your niece or nephew, a neighbor, or even your own little one. All dressed in their uniform, they nervously step up to bat. They turn briefly to reassure themselves that you are in fact there, watching them in the crowd.

The pitcher lobs the ball their way, they swing with all their might and… mightily miss. Bad. It wasn’t even close.

You stand up with your hands cupped around your mouth to ensure that they’ll get the message and shout at the top of your lungs–“You’re terrible! You’ll never get the hang of this! Just sit down!” Yikes! I bet you just about jumped out of your seat to rescue that imaginary little T-ball player

As a loving person, you know that what this little child needs is encouragement. They need a reminder that they are just learning and the reassurance that you’re on their side. You know how to stir up love and good works, how it will lift their spirits. You assure this precious child that with practice they’ll do better and that no matter what their performance looks like, they are loved.

Harsh words… …cripple. …build walls. …break spirits.

And guess what?

You are no different. You’re not some rare breed that needs criticism and discouragement to move forward towards your hopes and dreams.

You need encouragement, reassurance, practice, and most of all LOVE.

The Bible and Body Image The Bible describes our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, as God’s workmanship, as dust.

Not once are we admonished to diet and exercise until we are runway-worthy or to berate every inch we can pinch. We’re told to go into the world and preach the gospel, to be a light, and to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Body image in the Bible is a picture of service… servitude that will have eternal rewards far greater than the props we get for being the popular size and shape of the moment.

What To Do About Body Image And The Bible Expressing gratitude for our bodies is not “giving up.” Rather, it’s about choosing, not settling for less. If we’ve been talking negatively about our bodies for a while and not seeing the changes we like– it’s NOT working. It is time to switch it up. A negative focus robs us of the joy that ultimately leads to change. While you won’t change your thinking overnight, you can start seeing progress by poking “holes” in some of your negative comments.

When those thoughts creep in, as soon as you catch them, question them. Ask yourself, “Does this thought line up with what the Word of God says about me?”

Follow-up this comment with some truth from the Word of God. By starting to weaken the argument, you are making progress towards more truth-filled self-talk.

Be sure to look up some Bible verses on body image and read Psalm 139:13-18. Is there one sentence or idea that you could adopt in your day-to-day self-talk?

Divine Healing

The Bible gives many examples of divine healing of the sick, but that was long ago and far away. What about people today—does God still heal today?

God healed many people in Bible times.

But can you and I have confidence that God will hear our prayers for healing and intervene as He knows is ultimately best for us?

God designed our physical body

In the creation account of Genesis, God reveals that He made Adam, the first man, of the “dust of the ground” and then breathed into him the “breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). Adam, the father of all human beings, was designed to be flesh and blood. This means, among other things, that he was subject to illness and injury, and eventually death.

Even if a man was never injured and never became sick, he still would not live forever because the physical body will in time simply wear out.

The author of Hebrews certainly understood that the human body was never intended to live forever when he wrote, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

The fact that we all will eventually face death is the starting point in understanding divine healing, because it means God will not always heal us. In His wisdom, and according to His plan and will, at some point in our lives He will allow every human being to die.

Divine healing from the Scriptures

The Bible does give us many examples of individuals who were healed of serious problems, including leprosy, blindness and being crippled. God even restored physical life to some who had died.

RALPH LEVY KLM CORRESPONDENT www.christianmagazines.com

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God performed these miracles through men like Elijah and Elisha and, in the New Testament, through the original apostles. Of course, Jesus Christ, who was God in the flesh, also healed and even resurrected various people throughout the course of His earthly ministry.

It is clear that God can and at times does intervene in miraculous ways to heal even serious or fatal conditions. Physical healing is a dramatic demonstration of God’s power and love for human beings. It also reveals the depth of His involvement in the lives of people. The Creator is certainly not an aloof, uninvolved Deity as some people would claim!

New Testament instructions

There are instructions in the New Testament regarding physical healing. However, many people today are completely unaware of these instructions.

The apostle James wrote, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:14-16).

When Jesus Christ instructed and sent the disciples out to preach the gospel, in addition to teaching the people they “anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:13). They followed the pattern of anointing with oil and laying hands on the person who was sick, much as the ministry of Jesus Christ does to this day.

The type of oil used is not specified, but olive oil was the basis for the anointing oil used by the Old Testament priesthood. It was also widely used for medicinal purposes and as fuel in lamps. In both regards—as an aid to the healing and in bringing light—it is an appropriate symbol, representing the power of God’s Holy Spirit through which He heals. As often as possible, anointing is done in person.

However, we also find a biblical example of healing when a cloth or piece of material was anointed by the elder and then sent to the sick person. The apostle Paul practiced this in the New Testament (Acts 19:11-12). We in the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, also follow this example when for some reason a minister is unable to personally anoint the sick individual.

It is God who heals

It is important to understand that neither the minister nor the oil he uses heals.

Christians must look to God in faith as the Healer (Matthew 9:20-22; Acts 14:810) and therefore strive to live in obedience to His will (1 John 3:22-23). God honors that faith and obedience, and there are many examples of God’s divine healing and intervention in the lives of people in our modern-day.

It is also important to note that faith in divine healing does not prohibit a believer from seeking medical advice and treatment and doing what he or she can do to recuperate from the illness or injury.

The best and most skilled doctor still cannot heal. What he can do is work with the body God created and the systems He put in place. He may be able to assist, setting a broken bone or prescribing medication, for example. That may allow the bone to mend together properly or allow the body to better fight off an infection or disease. But the power to heal lies solely in the hands of our Creator, and in the workings of the body, He lovingly designed.

Understanding God’s will and timing

Understanding these wonderful promises and fully believing in God’s power to heal, some may wonder why everyone is not healed immediately when he or she is anointed. The Bible, as well as human experience, shows that God sometimes allows health trials to linger, perhaps for years When considering ourselves, we should give thought to whether there is something more we should do or learn. We can pray for help to grow in faith and obedience. But when considering other people, keep in mind that it is never helpful to question their faith or obedience. These are matters for God to judge since we cannot see another’s heart. There may be any number of other reasons why God does not always provide divine healing immediately.

God looks to the future!

God is sovereign and knows about everyone’s needs. He has a perfect and eternal perspective and has our ultimate best interests in mind. Like all trials, sickness can help us grow in faith, obedience, character, and our relationship with God. God wants us to learn patience, so we must not assume that His promise of healing must be fulfilled immediately or not at all. He may have lessons for us or those around us to learn. It is God’s prerogative whether He heals immediately or not. It is not necessarily a reflection on an individual’s level of faith.

God promises a wonderful future when there will be no more pain, sorrow, or death (Revelation 21:4).

In this world we will have troubles, including health problems. God does not promise to keep us alive forever in this physical body, and so all His faithful servants of times gone by have reached the end of their physical lives and are in their graves. They are awaiting the resurrection from the dead when they will be raised as immortal spirit beings (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

Does God still heal today? Can you and I have confidence that God will hear our prayers for divine healing and intervene as He knows is best for us? The reassuring answer from the Word of God is a resounding “Yes!” We can go to Him for healing, always trusting in His love and wisdom to give us the perfect answer at the perfect time, what is most needed for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28)!

COVERSTORY

HEALING, DELIVERANCE, AND EMPOWERMENT

BRIEF BIO: My wife and I served in ministry well over 25 years ago. In 2014, we started what we called the “I Do Daily Marriage Devotional” on social media. As we grew in capacity and continued to faithfully minister through these devotionals, we sought the will of God concerning the next steps in our purpose. Together, we began to write the vision of what the Lord revealed to us. (Habakkuk 2:2) Later, in Philadelphia, PA, in April of 2018, we converted our dining room into a church, held our first service and went forth in ministry as the Lord leads us. Now, we are the Founders and Pastors of Healing Empowerment Church, to the Praise and Glory of God! Since then, we have been aired on The NOW Network with our program called “Healing Fire Today.” Currently, Healing Empowerment Church is established in Chesapeake, Virginia. In addition, we are the proud parents of four young adult children and the grandparents of our amazing granddaughter. www.christianmagazineshr.com 40

AUGUST 2021 | ISSUE 15

"THIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR MINISTRY." (ISAIAH 61:1)

KLM: What is the vision for Healing Empowerment Church?

Our vision is simply to build a generation in pursuit of the Healing Fire of God where divine encounters of His Love, Revelation, and Power are experienced resulting in inner healing, deliverance of the soul, and empowerment to walk in kingdom purpose.

KLM: What are you most passionate about regarding your ministry?

Regarding our ministry, we are most passionate about helping people get healed from injuries and wound in their souls as well as being set free from oppression. In addition, we are passionate about encouraging and equipping individuals to fulfill the call of God upon their lives.

KLM: What inspires you every Sunday morning before you enter the pulpit?

We are inspired knowing that God has chosen to use us in this capacity to serve His people and to build His Kingdom. There was a time when we were seeking God, just asking Him to have His way in our lives. We believe this ministry is His purpose for our lives and we count it a privilege to glorify God and serve others on Sunday morning as well as every day.

KLM: What should visitors/listeners expect when listening to your sermon?

Visitors and listeners should expect to hear a relevant, in-season, biblically sound Word from God that can inform, encourage, and enhance their entire life.

KLM: What does service mean to you? And what are you and the church doing or moving towards in Hampton Roads?

.Service to us means that the love of God is being expressed through our activity to uplift others. Service to others is also a love language expression that God gives leaders to help those in need. Our church has come to Hampton Roads to serve and minister to the hurting and the broken in need of healing and empowerment.

KLM: Where do you see God leading the ministry in 5 or 10 years?

Prayerfully, we would like to see Healing Empowerment Church expanding our evangelistic and soul healing ministry outreach throughout all Hampton Roads and beyond.

KLM: What are the three most important words to describe your ministry?

1.The three most important words that describe our ministry are Healing, Deliverance and Empowerment. This is the foundation of our ministry. (Isaiah 61:1)

MAN CAVE

A MAN’S MAN Dad was a "man's man:" A passionate fisherman; skilled

he was a volunteer minister of music at

woodworker; avid gun collector; grease monkey. In the

church. So, for most of my childhood, Dad

summers, he and his buddies would drive to the Eastern

was the guy trying to catch 4 or 5 hours of

Shore and spend days crabbing and fishing for bass and

sleep, or the guy leading the singing on

spots. He could build and repair cabinetry like a

Sunday. Other than that, I did not see Dad

professional. His collection of World War II-era guns was

except for a few hours on Saturday when I

something he prized. He rebuilt a Corvair engine in our

would tag along with him on errands he had

basement. When I think of what a prototypical American

to run.

dad is supposed to be, I think of my dad.

I went fishing with Dad only twice. He never And he never taught me how to do any of it.

trusted me with a saw or a hammer and nails. I only fired a gun with Dad one time.

I was what you might call an "accident." By the time I came

And when the car needed work, the last thing

around, Dad was in his forties and doing everything he

he wanted to do was slow things down trying

could to simply keep a roof over our heads and food on the

to teach me how to change the oil or spark

table. He no longer had time for any of those passions. He

plugs.

worked 70 to 80 hours a week. When he was not working,

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Today you will not find a fishing pole, table saw, gun, or wrench set anywhere in my garage.

I guess I am supposed to be disappointed by this. A dad is supposed to teach his sons how to do these things. Most men's fondest memories of their fathers are those times building something together; hunting or fishing on a camping trip; or working together to get the engine to crank. Not me.

But rather than looking back on my relationship with Dad as less than ideal, I see a more important legacy: one of faith, family, and finishing strong.

I never had to wonder if Dad loved Jesus. He expressed that in every moment of every day.

He talked about Jesus to coworkers and customers constantly. He demanded excellence in the way the church worshipped on Sunday.

His Bible was always on his nightstand. He did not have lots of time for friends, but when one needed him, he was always there. As best as he could, he lived the life he was given the way Jesus would have.

I never had to wonder if Dad loved his family. He was a hard man. He demanded perfection from his wife and children, and we seldom lived up to his expectations. But on Saturday, he always took me to get a malted milkshake from the drugstore. He showed up at every piano recital I ever had.

And when any of us kids walked away from God, he firmly but lovingly disciplined us, and when that did not work, prayed us back into our Father's arms.

Finally, I'll never have to wonder if Dad finished strong. A few short months after retiring, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.

He was told he had six months to live.

So, he began making sure his ledger was clear. He called those with whom he had broken relationships and righted them. He prepared for my mom to be taken care of. And most importantly, he found a way to share Jesus with those he loved, even after his death. So, as I sat at his bedside throughout the dark night before he was birthed into eternity, I never had to doubt what awaited him on the other side. He closed his eyes in this world and opened them in the next to see his Savior's face.

Faith. Family. Finishing strong.

I do not know how to fish, build, shoot, or repair. But I have got an even better legacy worth passing on to my sons.

Author: Lee Yung is a pastor who enjoys mentoring young men into meaningful adulthood. He is married and blessed with 3 sons.

KINGDOM WEALTH

MONEY MATTERS THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE INSURANCE One of the most common misconceptions about life insurance is that someone is worth several

“The good leave an inheritance to their

hundreds of thousands of dollars dead. Whenever I meet with clients, I

children’s

often ask them what the first thing they think of when they hear the

children.”

phrase, “life insurance.” The most common answer I get is “someone else

Proverbs 13:22

receiving a huge lump sum of money when I die,”

A fourth rider, the long-term care rider, is also

and unfortunately, many families end up neglecting

included in some types of policies where, if one

this responsibility in life because they are only thinking in terms of “what’s in it for me?” While it is, in fact, true that your loved ones (known as

cannot perform a minimum of two activities of daily living (ADL), they are eligible to receive 2% of the death benefit through the long-term care rider monthly. The six ADLs are bathing,

beneficiaries) receive the death benefit payout

dressing, eating, transferring, toileting, and

when you pass away, many people are unaware

continence. Assuming one qualifies for a policy

that life insurance does more than pay out a death

with any of these riders, a life insurance

benefit to your loved ones. If set up correctly, a life

program designed this way would provide a

insurance plan can serve multiple purposes while one is still alive.

family with that income protection, and perhaps most importantly, financial peace of mind, protecting them from draining most or even all their life savings, their 401k, or even their

There are two different types of life insurance: term

children’s college fund to offset the medical

which is temporary, and permanent which will last

expenses that would be incurred.

your entire life. There are many pros and cons to both types, and the life insurance needs will vary from person to person based on age and health. As previously mentioned, when the insured dies, the death benefit pays out to the beneficiaries listed on the policy. In addition to the death benefit, however, over the last few years, many companies have evolved and upgraded their life insurance programs to include living benefits.

These benefits include riders that cover terminal, chronic, or critical illnesses, and examples of diagnosing conditions include but are not limited to a heart attack, a stroke, cancer, or diabetes.

Although specifics of coverage may vary depending on the company and exact product, these riders are designed to serve as a form of income replacement where in the event one is diagnosed with or suffers from a condition that meets the criteria, the living benefit riders would trigger and pay a portion of the death benefit.

Life Insurance Awareness Month begins September 1st. What type of legacy are you leaving behind for your loved ones?

Special Report

RISING ABOVE FEAR

BY ALI THOMPSON & BERNARD HARRISON, JR. Wikipedia says the fear of God, the terms primarily refer to the fear of God's judgement. or a sense of respect, awe and submission to a deity.

Life rarely works out the way you expect it. An unexpected diagnosis, a sudden layoff from your job, a shocking breakdown in a relationship, an accident - all kinds of obstacles can enter your life at any time, shattering your best-devised plans, and thus causing anxiety. When this occurs, you have a choice: you can either let your circumstances knock you down and try to survive in a depressed state, or you can choose to overcome your fears and thrive despite them.

Here are some helpful tips for accomplishing the latter while you rise above fear:

See the potential that exists.

Every time an old dream dies, there is the possibility that a new one is being born. If you trust God with your circumstances, He will bring good out of even the toughest challenges. Every setback can be transformed into an opportunity to further trust God's plan. God is a Redeemer. He is always working behind the scenes constructing a larger, more eternal picture, than you can presently see. Put your faith in Him.

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Cast your cares on God. God promises to always be with you and show you, love. Even though you may not feel God's presence, you can trust His promises. He understands what you're going through, and He cares. While you may not understand why God allowed certain difficulties to enter your life, you can rest assured that His loving comfort and assistance are always available for you. Pray openly and honestly about your thoughts and feelings concerning your difficulties and fears. Don't be afraid to express yourself to God; be transparent because He already knows and understands what you're going through, and He wants you to draw closer to Him when you're vulnerable and hurting

Win the battle against fear.

Whenever a troublesome concern enters your head, pray about it. Don't allow anxieties to increase and linger in your thoughts long enough that they will eventually turn into fear. Use these issues of life as a springboard to perpetuate your next steps and opportunities to teach you how to resolve challenges. Give God every aspect of your life, and then follow Him in faith. Invite God to use the situations that concern you to reveal more about is identity—who He is and what He can achieve.

Only place your trust in God alone.

God deserves your trust. What you understand and believe about God determines your level of trust. So, ponder your beliefs and what shaped them. Read the Bible to better know God and His mysteries. Then, instead of relying on hearsay, or other people's thoughts, formulate your beliefs about God on the Truth of His Word. Your love for God and your trust in Him increase as you get to know Him more. Remember that your difficulties are serving a greater purpose in your life than you can perceive right now.

courtesy of facebook

Berkley: Come Taste and See My life on earth began in Norfolk and now 40 years later, my residence remains the same. Many moons have settled since that frozen ninth day of December in 1980. Many people have come since that day. Many have settled into the ground (dead) since that cold, harsh morning. There was a blizzard in the land that morning in Norfolk and quite honestly, it was the only time where the streets in the city could be considered “clean.” It was the only time the streets of Berkley were empty. Berkley was a community.

Berkley was home base.

My family roots go deep down into the middle of East Berkley Avenue and Lancaster Street. My backyard was a graveyard, and my front yard was a warzone. So, I grew up with the mindset of defeat before I could write my name.

A mainstay of the Berkley community, where you could get fresh and frozen meats, vegetables, and household goods .Mr. Pete managed the Overton's Market.

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For years, Berkley’s name continued to be mentioned amongst the worse in Hampton Roads. There is a scripture that says, “Nazareth! can anything good come from there” (John 1:46)? One may say the same for the town of Berkley. I would disagree unequivocally for several reasons: One, the mayor of Norfolk is also a Berkley native.

Two, the Lake Taylor High School Titans (Berkley’s resource for education), has won the Virginia state championship three times, 2012, 2014, and 2019. I’d say there is plenty good birthed from the town of Berkley, and on August 19th, 2021, another rose in the cement will emerge.

Mike Palmer is that rose in the cement. Born and raised in Jamaica, Mike knew there was more to life. As any young man entering manhood, every step is vital to the process. That next step was the military for the young Mike Palmer and landed him here in Virginia. Out of the gate, Palmer, owner of a small storefront on Park Avenue in Norfolk presented himself faithful to the community. The Bible says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (Zephaniah 4:10). Driven by ambition and passion, Mike, unmasked MP Island Café. The chain’s rise to fame was not short of a phenomenon. People from all over the region gathered to flock to the newly established Caribbean drift. The rest is history Fast forward to the present day, Mr. retired military, owner and now supermarket chain investor in the Berkley section of Norfolk, Mike Palmer shares HIS-STORY with Kingdom Life magazine. I was honored to have been given the opportunity of bringing you, the reader, an up-close and personal look into the world of restaurateur, Mike Palmer.

KL: This is a big responsibility. Were you anxious about bringing your talents to the residents of the historic Berkley section of Norfolk?

MP: “My faith in God for over 20 years now has kept me grounded and guided me through this whole ordeal. Also, with the full support of my son, I have the best support any father could ask for as a restaurateur. My son recently studied business management at Virginia Commonwealth University, and I look forward to building up this new opportunity alongside him. With that said, I can turn my eyes toward generating twenty stores within the next five years. For me, it's all about the next generation.”

KL: The Berkley neighborhood has been known for its convenience stores. How will this supermarket distinguish itself?

MP: “I personally believe this store will complement the close-knit, vivid culture here in this neighborhood. I have the heart to please my customers. That is how I set out years ago at my storefront on Park Avenue, and I have that same energy today!”

KL: That is good stuff right there, sir. A store with this kind of influence, have you factored in any outreach opportunities? Ventures?

MP: “The Berkley Supermarket will be the foundation store for outreach. We have already begun the process of hiring from within the community. So, we are creating jobs for those who have a heart for this brand. My brand name alone has done several sponsorships in the past. For example, games, youth activities, etc. I plan to build upon the opportunities given to me in the years past. Without the people in Berkley and Hampton Roads, we would not be successful so, I plan to return the favor with this grand opening.”

KL: I agree, without the people, none of us would be able to move forward. Praise God for His people. One last question I would like for you to answer, Sir Mike. Most people struggle to answer this one. How would you like to be remembered?

MP: Ha, ha!! “I want to encourage the youth to really pursue their dreams. If you want to go anywhere in life, nothing happens without dreams. That is how I want to go out. Someone who truly inspired the youth to chase what they want and take the necessary steps to make it happen. I want to see the youth come out on the opening day and be inspired to see that it is possible for someone who looks like them owning and operating multiple businesses right in their own communities.”

Kingdom Leaders By: Rev. Dr. Phil Lucas

And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

And he sat down and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. (Mark 9:33-35) The world has an image of leadership that has been characterized in Hollywood films as rugged, powerful, and macho.

Add this view to the concept of leadership in the workplace and we see people vested with authority with masses of people at their beckoning.

Jesus presented kingdom leadership as service to one another. He said the one who desires to lead must be a servant of all. Kingdom leaders operate at the behest of the King of kings to accomplish a divine plan. Everything we do is for the glory of Jesus.

Kingdom leadership is the ability of one person to influence or persuade others to follow. Follow what? The goal of living for and imitating Christ, making disciples, and presenting the good news to the world. In essence, “To know Christ and be known by Him”. Sacrificial service and dying to self are prerequisites for kingdom leadership.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

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19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which is God's. (I Corinthians 6:19)

Kingdom Leadership is the Call to Servanthood.

Kingdom leaders must be committed to know Christ and to make Him known. Committed leaders must protect the flock knowing, “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd (leader), whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

(John 10:12) Worldly leaders promote popularity, fame, and fortune. It is all about self. Some have millions of internet followers where their name alone can affect national social trends overnight with one tweet to their global followers. Some are so vain that they intentionally flood the airways and media outlets with controversial messages just to keep their name in the news and to heighten their mystique. The world knows them on a first-name basis and will follow them intently like paparazzi, but few know them on a personal level and even fewer really know what they stand for.

Kingdom Leaders are Raised up by God. Because of an ever-growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, new leaders emerge throughout the ages to take up the banner to declare redemption and grace to mankind. God has called leaders from all walks of life to embrace a higher calling than fleeting worldly pursuits. When God calls a man, he invites him to “put his hand to the plow and not look back”.

(Luke 9:62) Such is the case when God called Elisha who was plowing with 12 yokes of oxen to serve under Elijah. (1 Kings 19:19)

God Chooses Leaders Who Are Not

Understanding Whom We Serve Influences the Leader’s

Lazy.

Response.

Elisha was plowing the field when called to

Three times in Acts the Apostle Paul summarizes his calling by

be a leader. David was tending his father’s

Jesus on the Damascus Road to King Agrippa, Felix, and to all

sheep when anointed by the Prophet

assembled declaring, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly

Samuel. Gideon was threshing wheat in the

vision.” (Acts 26:19-20) He understood and was compelled by

winepress when called. (Judges 6:11) Peter

the vision of Jesus to work as a co-laborer in the vineyard of

left his fishing business to follow Christ

God above all other earthly pursuits. He understood that great

(Matthew 4:19) and Matthew was

challenges, obstacles, trials, and tests could call any leader to

collecting taxes when called. (Matthew 9:9-

question their calling or God’s ways, as Elijah did after his

13) Paul was pursuing believers to put them

Mount Carmel experience. (1Kings 19:1-3) However, Paul

in jail when called. (Acts 9: 1-22) In each

resolved to be “steadfast, unmovable, and always abounding in

case, God’s calling had a profound impact on each leader so much that they left their former vocation to serve a higher calling.

Isaiah 6 presents us with a man of God who had an encounter with God that forever changed his life. It was on the brink of a

the work of the Lord knowing his labor was not in vain.” (I Corinthians 15:58)

Kingdom Leadership is Filled with Challenges and Temptations.

Paul informs us of the litany of obstacles he faced, in addition

national disaster. It was the year that King

to the difficult requirement to care for the churches (2

Uzziah died, Isaiah records, “I saw the

Corinthians 11:23-28). Sometimes it can get overwhelming, but

Lord”. It is here in the presence of God that

kingdom leaders know the One who provides strength in their

Isaiah acknowledges his sin and the sin of

trials and allow them to persevere in their fight to “press

his people. His first response is “Woe is me”

towards the mark of the High calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

in fear but God sends the angel to cleanse

(Philippians 3:14)

his sin with the burning coal from the altar.

Now cleansed, God asks, “Whom shall we

Worldly leaders often get lonely at the top and find themselves

send?” Isaiah responds, “Send me.”

struggling with depression and anxiety trying to hold their acquired title or position. Kingdom leaders face similar

Kingdom Leaders Are Sent by God

challenges but know that everything belongs to God. When

Every kingdom leader must understand

faced with similar challenges they run to the Rock who

that he is sent by God to affect his

provides grace and mercy in times of need, remembering Jesus’

community or position in life with the

declaration, “Without Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

kingdom message. In essence, “Who will go for us?” affirms that it is God’s calling, God’s sending, and God’s message we declare, and we must do it, God’s way.

Worldly leaders view themselves as qualified for the task. They contend their talents, abilities, acumen, or prowess earned them a seat at the big table. They proclaim that is why they earn the big bucks, acquire the top positions, and

Kingdom Leaders Surround Themselves with Godly Influencers.

Godly leaders offer covering, accountability, and encouragement to other leaders in times of need. Those who receive counsel must be transparent and open to receive instruction and discipline when necessary. They take solace that the vision must be dependent on God to make provision, especially in times of need.

Above All Else, Kingdom Leaders Must Be Obedient to the Vision.

They must examine their motives before they communicate it to others; otherwise, they send a distorted message to their followers. True disciples follow Jesus especially when accepting the responsibility of making Him known (John 17:3) and keeping Him first (Matthew 6:33) in their lives. Their sight must always be on Jesus, their understanding must always be based on right division of the word of God (2 Timothy 2:15), and their personal life must be ordered by the disciplines of scripture.

Remember Paul declared, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” (I Corinthians 11:1) In other words, if I stop following Christ, you stop following me.

Kingdom leaders are tasked to make disciples.

They must know and seek God’s counsel to determine when it is time to pass the torch. They must endeavor to help their protégé prepare for the next level of leadership. Just as David prepared for Solomon to build the temple by putting things aside in his lifetime to make the task easier, Kingdom leaders must not allow jealousy or intimidation to stunt the preparation process. Therefore, “They need to know them that labor among them” (I Thessalonians 5:12) and spiritually discern who has been anointed by God to lead. This means Godly leaders must spend time training, praying, and interceding that God will place the same spirit that is upon them

When Kingdom leaders know who has the heart of God, especially in accordance with the requirements of deacon selection, they know, “These must first be proven”. (I Timothy 3:10) Kingdom leader selection is the highlight of perpetuating legacy and forging ministry for the next generation. In the case of the Prophet Samuel, God instructed him to anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be king. After looking over the sons of Jesse, Samuel thought Eliab should be king, but God said, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”. (I Samuel 16:7) In other words,

Kingdom Leaders Should Never Make Their Selections Based on Their Flawed Preferences.

God is not interested in carbon copies of us. Rather, God seeks those who have a heart to imitate Jesus.

Just as He instructed Samuel, He does not look at things the way man looks. God sees what we cannot see.

God’s sees His eternal purpose being accomplished in whoever He chooses.

Much can be said about leadership, especially in this generation where many desire celebrity leaders. In contrast, kingdom leaders remember that Jesus came to lead as the “Suffering Servant”, not as a celebrity. He is our example of kingdom leaders who will remain true to the divine calling of God, serve the people, and lead the flock of God with compassion.

her story

will I Corinthians 11: 29-29 states, For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

You have been chosen to serve God at the highest level. You have been gifted with talents and spiritual gifts to enable you to accomplish His purpose. Do your best to resist worldly temptations and press towards the mark in hope of hearing Him say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Fear Not: How to Stop Feeding Fear and Overcome It

Fear grabs our attention. It gets us ready to fight—or flee. Whether we mask our fear with macho bravado or slink away to seek refuge, it can have a powerful effect on our thinking, decisions, and actions.

Healthy fear can keep us from harm. But too often fear keeps us from doing what we want—or need—to do.

Sometimes it provokes us into wrong or dangerous responses. Biblically speaking, fear can contribute to obeying—or disobeying—God’s law.

Why does fear seem so pervasive in society today,

FEAR IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST MOTIVATORS. IT CAN PUSH US INTO WRONG ACTIONS OR FREEZE US INTO INACTION. HOW CAN WE KEEP GOD’S INSTRUCTION TO “FEAR NOT”?

and what can we do to control it?

Fear now Increasing troubles in the world and our neighborhoods can make us feel like we are living in a fear zone. Politicians and hucksters of every stripe play on our fears for their own benefit, but that does not mean the underlying dangers are not real www.christianmagazineshr.com 58

Terrorism, mass shootings, spreading warfare, violent crime, disease epidemics, natural disasters, deadly animals—all of these are in the news and too often in our entertainment and our nightmares.

Some high-profile dangers we tend to overplay (like fear of sharks, flying, and mass shootings), while other much more common killers we tend to downplay (like auto accidents and germs). Many of the things we fear never happen to us, and even when they do, all our anxieties and worries generally have done nothing to protect us.

The Bible does not minimize any of the things we fear. In fact, it shows that the world will become more dangerous and frightening as the end times approach. But it also shows how we can deal with our fears—both the good and the bad.

Fear of the Lord First, the good fear.

The Bible does promote an exceptional fear—a reasonable fear that allows us to eradicate all deceptive and destructive fears. This healthy awe and respect for our Creator puts us on the path to spiritual knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 111:10). But many other fears do not have good results

Feelings, phobias, and real fears Our temperament and experiences can contribute to the unique set of phobias and fearful feelings we have. Traumatic events early in life can etch pathways of fear into our brains. Feelings of insecurity can intensify natural human tendencies, like the common fear of public speaking .

Do we have to just live in a constant state of anxiety, punctuated by flashes of sheer terror?

Experts often suggest fighting irrational fears and phobias with education to change our thinking and practice dealing with anxiety-producing situations. Many books and online resources

Fear vs. faith The Bible instructs God’s people many times to “fear not.” God does not want us to be debilitated by fear.

For those who have the proper awe and respect for God and who strive to obey His commands, God makes some wonderful promises: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.

In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you” (Isaiah 54:13-14).

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh.

Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?

And not one of them falls to the ground apart

As we grow in the faith to believe these

and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). God’s Spirit

promises, we can increase our ability to turn

empowers us to control our thinking and to do the right things

our worries over to God. Consider the

for the right reason.

following biblical principles and examples in your battle with fear:

Go to God with your fears.

We can ask God for His strength and peace.

David, a man after God’s own heart, faced many frightening situations. After escaping one terrifying incident during Philistine territory, he wrote, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

The apostle Paul, no stranger to fears himself (2 Corinthians 7:5), gave this advice and reassurance: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Seek God’s Spirit

Grow in faith Our trust in God is based on His promises and His faithfulness. The Faith Chapter, Hebrews 11, is full of stories of men and women who grew to believe that God would do exactly what He promised. Their trust in the faithful God helped them face their fears and act in faith. It helped them wait patiently and courageously endure terrifying trials.

The greatest example is Jesus Christ Himself. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Focus on the positive Like the faithful people of old, we should focus beyond this fearful world on the positive future God has in store. We can also meditate on and appreciate the comfort and peace God gives now.

Paul directed our thinking toward the positive: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there

God gives His Spirit to those who repent and

is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate

are baptized (Acts 2:38), and one fruit of His

on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

Spirit is peace (Galatians 5:22). Paul also

He also often extolled the importance of gratitude: “Rejoice

said it is not “a spirit of fear, but of power

always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for t

Perfect love casts out fear On our spiritual journey, we must never forget our foundational fear of the Lord—our reverence for Him; our recognition of our dependence on Him. This proper perspective should lead to appreciation and praise—and a deeper love of the God who has given us everything we have and ever will receive. He loved us so much He even gave His own Son! So our relationship with God grows on that foundation. “We love Him because He first loved us,” John wrote (1 John 4:19).

What does that love do? If we follow His steps and let Him live in us, we will not need to fear the only thing worth fearing: God’s Day of judgment (verse 17; Matthew 10:28.

As a result, fear is conquered. John summed up his goal this way: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18).

We can go to God with our fears. We can seek more of His Spirit. We can grow in faith in His ability to defeat anything that threatens us. We can find comfort and security in His loving care.

The fear and loathing of this age will be replaced with love and rejoicing forevermore!

GRACE NOTES

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GRACE NOTES

FAITH IN LAW

8 ESSENTIAL SKILLS A LAWYER MUST HAVE TO LITIGATE OR SETTLE A CASE EFFECTIVELY

by Ryan McNeill, ESQ

hen you find yourself between a rock and a hard place, for example, in a complex personal injury case, you might find yourself desperately in need of the guidance of a reliable and well-prepared lawyer.

You retain an attorney to fight (to use the tools of arbitration or litigation to develop and present your claim or lawsuit convincingly and win against any opposing party). For example, winning complex personal injury cases involving road accidents often depends on hiring the best lawyer. it begs the question, "what are the most important skills and abilities of a good lawyer?"

1. Creative problem-solving skills A common misconception is that the legal profession doesn't need creativity. On the contrary, however, most client's problems don't have obvious solutions. It's an attorney's job to think out of the box and find new ideas and arguments to help bring the desired results.

Most lawyers acquire creative problem-solving skills through experience and specialization. You wouldn't visit a dentist for a skin infection, would you? Ensure you hire a lawyer specializing in a particular area of practice—the type of law your claim or lawsuit entails.

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2.Good communication skills Great lawyers are expressive and well-spoken. Vital elements, for example, addressing a court, public speaking, and negotiating with opposing parties, all require magnificent and flawless speaking.

A lawyer should also possess the ability to write concisely, persuasively, and clearly. Part of winning a case is presenting wellwritten briefs and case arguments (among other legal documents) that are easy to understand.

An effective lawyer is also a good listener—communication is twoway traffic. An experienced lawyer knows that it is essential to comprehend and understand what the client or the opposing party to the case is saying.An attorney must have excellent listening skills to analyze oral statements and complex testimonies and design supporting (or counter-

3 Interpersonal skills: assertive but not aggressive. You might have heard someone comment, "he isn't aggressive enough to win the case" That's not necessarily true. A lawyer should be assertive but not aggressive.

An assertive lawyer will present the arguments clearly and authoritatively while not disrespecting others. On the contrary, an aggressive attorney will ignore other's views and may even attack them. Some unscrupulous aggressive lawyers even use legal means to get what they want.

Just like a lawyer who lacks compassion, an over-aggressive attorney is often impatient and hence ineffective at understanding and analyzing the matter at hand. They lack respect for others and harm interpersonal relationships. It often creates an unconducive negotiation environment and can make faster resolution impossible.

4 Investigation, research, and information analysis skills.

Finding and analyzing authoritative legal content inappropriate books, constitutions, and the internet is not always a walk in the park.

Lawyers will tell you that their opinions don't stand up before a judge unless they back them up with facts. That's where the investigation and research skills of a lawyer come in handy. your attorney must know how to: ·Work with investigators ·research laws, use online resources. Apply relevant regulations and use judicial opinions.

The ability to pick what is relevant to the case out of a heap of information and present it concisely and clearly to a client, judge, or opposing party is invaluable to a lawyer.

5 Excellent negotiation and problem-solving skills.

There's always room for settlement, even when the matter has reached trial. A financial award, a plea bargain, or a continuation without a finding is often part of the solution at any stage of the case. All these likely resolution routes need strong negotiation skills.

An experienced lawyer understands that the best next move is not always the most obvious or easiest one. To outmaneuver the other party and win the best outcome for a client, an attorney should be a creative thinker, a good problem solver, and an excellent negotiator.

Other useful skills ·Initiative, resilient, and selfconfidence. ·Teamwork. ·Compassion for clients. ·Stress management . ·Time consciousness. ·Strong moral code.

The bottom line Like other professions, a successful lawyer should have the right skills. At times they'll have to be persuasive, analytical, and creative writers. But at other times, their work will demand more assertiveness, dedication, research, and investigation skills. But in all situations, a lawyer should not be afraid of attention and public speaking and must have excellent people skills

The Law Offices of Esquire Litigation Group

706-536-0251

FROM THE HEART OF JEFF BYRD

What’s In Your Boundary?

My wife and I often watch a mini-series filmed in the Canadian Rockies. It’s about a young woman who has a way with horses. She often takes in horses that are very valuable but have some issues that need to be addressed. Sometimes she takes in $100,000 jumpers for rehabilitation. I’ve noticed just how important it is that these horses be cared for properly. That includes having separate, enclosed pastures for running, stalls that are clean, sanitized, and secure, the right diet and supplements, and protection from any other horses or animals that might pose a threat.

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All of this might be summarized by the idea of healthy boundaries. Never once have I seen or heard of a valuable horse who was put in a field with no boundaries and where the owner just hoped the horse wouldn’t wander off, or be stolen or injured. The measures they go to in order to provide safe and healthy boundaries show the value they place on the horse inside the boundaries.

Sadly, I can’t say we do the same for our hearts and lives. In this age that we live in, I meet so many people who are doing so much for others, trying so hard to be what they feel they need to be, and who are concerned about so many things, but they are exhausted and discouraged as to their ability to ever be enough for all the needs and demands. As we look around at all the problems in this world, we may well feel that the need outweighs our resources.

We need boundaries. Healthy boundaries. Not because we are uncaring, but because we are so valuable and we have needed to be cared for too.

I often say that I can’t give you a ride very far if I’m out of gas! In this age of “smart” phones and 24/7 news of global crisis and a complete lack of healthy detachment and time to renew and recover, many, if not most of us, are out of gas. We are so bombarded with the tyranny of the urgent, the difficult, the heart-breaking on a continual basis, that our attention to important things, or anything really, is suffering greatly.

I recently saw a documentary that stated that in this age of cell phones, video games, videos at the gas pumps, and a virtual unending assault on the senses, that the average attention span of humans has dropped to only 8 seconds. The average goldfish has an attention span of 12 seconds. The goldfish are faring better than we are!

We are exhausted, overwhelmed, burned-out, over-run with care, and it is showing No wonder that Jesus’s first invitation to all people was that of rest. Rest for our hearts, our souls, our minds. He knows our needs very well, doesn’t He? He comes from the rest of all eternity (which we are made for, by the way) and offers such a deep rest to us that we will be forever changed. Jesus says, in Matthew 11:28-30 “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden?

Come to Me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with Mine. Learn My ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in Me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.” – The Passion Translation.

In a very simple prayer I read recently, the author stated how he often prays, “I give everything and everyone into Your hands”, “I give everything and everyone into Your hands.” And he repeats this as many times as needed until the peace comes. What a refreshing idea.

Many of us are like the statue that used to be near my home, on the top of the health spa. It was a large statue of Atlas carrying the world on his shoulders. Sometimes I feel like that. What a wonderful invitation Jesus makes that we come to Him, give Him our concerns, and take a long, deep, refreshing rest.

Doesn’t that sound good?

Recently I got off a call and was thinking of the next thing I “needed” to do. I realized my thoughts felt like the waves of the sea during a Nor’easter. They were all over the place and I was anything but at rest. I simply told God how troubled my thoughts were and how many things were bouncing around in my mind. I had no idea what to do next. I prayed several times, putting everything and everyone in His hands. Then I asked Him to give me back the next thing I needed to do In just a couple of minutes, Jesus settled my mind and brought peace… and just one next thing I needed to do next. I went into it clear-headed and in a state of rest.

Putting it all into His hands is the first step in creating healthy boundaries. It says that we aren’t going to take the world on our shoulders, like Atlas. It’s like putting a high-quality fence around our prized showjumper.

It might mean taking a few minutes to pray, to sit still, just to be. It’s protecting our hearts, whatever that looks like. Maybe it’s watching the sun come up, as I often do. Whatever it is, it’s releasing. Releasing all our cares into the hands of the One who can be trusted with everything. Jesus came all the way from the eternal realm, to bring me out of my trying to figure out everything in this world, and to enter into his eternal peace, care, provision, forgiveness, and love.

Won’t you take a minute with me to put it all in His hands, take a deep breath (or a few), know that He has it all together and has promised to work it all for our good, and be at rest. It will restore you. He’s got this, so you don’t have to!

It will free you from the assault of the world. It will bring you into good, green, restful pastures.

I long for this, don’t you?

Let’s start today by putting the fence of Jesus’s care around the pasture of our hearts and minds and resting in this beautiful boundary.

“Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for He always tenderly cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 TPT

What Constitutes a Gospel

MOVEMENT? Story Andy Cronan/Photos: Ronald Atkinson

While it can take many forms, it is characterized by a growth rate in the number of followers of Jesus that exceeds the growth rate of the population. Movements are self-perpetuating, Jesus-centered (not leadercentered) – and they are more a “grassroots” initiative where a momentum or critical mass starts to take over and bring lasting transformation of individuals, churches, communities, and cities as people encounter the Living Jesus.

This is our heart cry here at Virginia Cities Movement! Virginia Cities Movement is a local expression of Movement.org, which began officially in New York City in 2010 as a collaboration of churches seeking to come together as One Body to express Jesus’ love to their city. Beginning with burgeoning prayer gatherings over 10 years before, it developed into a powerful move of God among the churches of the city that has resulted in a 500%+ growth of the Church in Manhattan. Since 2010, hundreds of cities around the world have sought their help to develop their own City Movements.

Movement is intentional in targeting youth to carry the torch of reconciliation, empowered educators, critical thinkers and Christ-centered servant leaders. Time has shown that as the Body of Christ lives out a love for one another and for the cities where they are, God begins to move and draw people to Himself.

We are seeking to be Jesus’ hands and feet here in our communities – followers of Jesus from across all denominational and ethnic lines – realizing that as we build trust and come into unity as His Body, it makes it possible for the Holy Spirit to move - often shocking people in the world around us as they experience our love for one another and for them. We can see Jesus’ strategy as He prays in John 17:21: “ …that they (His followers) may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” Psalm 133 says: “for there the Lord has commanded the blessing” Unity in His Body is not optional, but at the center of God’s plan!

We have come to understand that “Disunity breeds Virginia Cities Movement began here in “the 757” in 2019, and exciting things are happening as God is knitting together the hearts of those who love Jesus from diverse parts of the Body of Christ - to love Him, to love each other, and to demonstrate His love in practical ways to our community, so that they may experience the t ransforming power of His love for them! It’s not just us!

The Holy Spirit is at work through us and many others, drawing His Body together so that He can pour out His Spirit – We want to be a part of it! How about you?

Find out more on our weekly Virginia Cities Movement Zoom Call, Saturday from 8:30 - 9:30 AM h ttps://movement-org.zoom.us/j/98204374180, One tap mobile: 16465588656,,98204374180# or contact Ron Atkinson at yesusacities@gmail.com, or Andy Cronan at acronan@forgwm.org _________________________________________________________

Photo: Ronald J. Atkinson/ezmediagroup7.com

MOVEMENT DAY October 22 & 23 SAVE THE DATE

A Vision, A Model takes Shape for Norfolk Public School By: Darlyne Tabbanor Along with other efforts, the group is initiating the

table to help strategize the components

Adopt-A-School program to be piloted this fall at

needed to dismantle the school-to-prison

Jacox Elementary School. Documented success

pipeline in Norfolk, VA. Today, an assembly

has been achieved in past years as members

of Christian pastors, business leaders,

volunteered at Jacox Elementary in the form of an

educators, and concerned citizens met

after-school tutoring program. Now, the group

together to tackle this matter. Led by Pastor

plans to implement this more comprehensive

Veronica Thomas (First United Presbyterian

approach with a vision for it to be used at other

Church) and the Let’s Make a Difference

schools in the future as well. Within this alliance,

Coalition, this diverse group is designing a

there is a single family that includes three

platform to work in cooperation with the

generations of educators. Led by Dr. Winston and

Norfolk Public Schools and the local

Eunice Whitehurst (First Presbyterian Church of

community. Their aim is to disrupt the

Norfolk), this family also includes Ed and Darlyne

systemic components which reinforce the

Tabbanor (Bridgers of the Gap Ministries) and

downward spiral of children who have been

their daughter, Dr. Michelle Tabbanor (Bridgers of

seemingly deemed “destined” for prison.

the Gap Ministries).

INSPIRATION

Three generations gather at the community

Image: Ronald Atkinson

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