Elevate Magazine: The Music Issue 2019 by embracemedia

SOULFUL SOUNDS THE MUSIC ISSUE

2018 Best Digital Only Magazine, Florida Magazine Association 2018 SIX 1st Place awards in writing, design and photography, Florida Press Club

HIGHER THINKING FOR BETTER LIVING

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN MUSIC SINGER/SONGWRITER STEPH CARSE CHARMS WITH HIS LATEST ALBUM, MY SHINING HOUR

Born to Beguile

elevatemagazine.us | ANNUAL EDITION FEB 2019

THE FINALE OF OCALA’S GOT TALENT IN PHOTOS. A NIGHT OF SONG AND DANCE

Meet the Finalists A FASHION PHOTO SPREAD OF OCALA’S GOT TALENT TOP 10

ALL THE FIXINS

DARRELL’S DOG GONE DINER OFFERS SECOND CHANCES — GOD’S PLAN IN ACTION NO. 02

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CONTENTS

FEATURES

CONTENTS »

THE MUSIC ISSUE

ANNUAL 2019

| FEATURES

COVER STORY | BORN TO BEGUILE International Christian singer/ songwriter Steph Carse charms with his latest album, My Shining Hour.

GOD TALENT? The finale night of Ocala’s Got Talent — a night of song and dance in photos

MEET THE FINALISTS A fashion and Q&A feature to get to know the Ocala’s Got Talent Top 10 | PROMOTIONAL

FEATURES

THROUGH THE HEART Heart of Florida Youth Ranch and BAYS Florida help foster kids and kids in trouble with second chances at life.

THE BALANCE OF BUDDHISM Phil Smith, owner of CMIT Solutions of Ocala, applies Buddhism to his locally based information technology service provider, a benefit to clients.

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NO.2 VOL.1

CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE Publisher/Executive Editor John Sotomayor EDITORIAL Copy Editor Lisa McGinnes Contributing Writers Trisha Hiatt Rev. Bill Dodd Pastor Joshua Sarmiento Pastor Louis Cherubin Crystal Jewell-Maksou Pastor Wendy Bustin ART Creative Director Joe DeLeon Graphic Designer Alex Sotomayor Ashley Burdeshaw Photographer Conan Segrest O P E R AT I O N S Advertising Sales Director John Sotomayor OUR MISSION Our Purpose is to Serve God, Help Others, and Grow Together

DEPARTMENTS 05

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

ELEVATE YOUR COMMUNITY

WORK OF FAITH

THY KINGDOM COME

FROM THE PULPIT

AROUND TOWN

BREAKING BREAD

ELEVATE YOURSELF

IN YOUR WORDS

DEVOTIONAL

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Annual Edition 2019 / Published Feb 2019 Sotomayor Media Creations LLC 352.571.0129

ON THE COVER

International Christian singer/ songwriter Steph Carse Location: Citrus Club, downtown Orlando Photographer: Natasha Carse

R E A D E R FE E D BAC K We want to hear what you think of each issue and welcome your comments and suggestions at: john@sotomayormedia.com FO L LOW U S O N www.facebook.com/Elevate.ForSpiritualLife/

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Copyright All contents copyrighted 2019 by Sotomayor Media Creations LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertising content in any manner without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Unsolicited material will not be returned. Publisher reserves the right to approve or refuse any advertiser or contribution for any reason. Photographs are submitted by writers of each article who assume responsibility for usage approval. Publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ claims or content of advertisements. “Paid Promotional Feature” or “Special Promotional Feature” denotes paid advertising features. The ideas and opinions contained in this publication do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of the publisher.

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BY J O H N S OTO M AYO R

Spirituality of Sound

PHOTO BY: RALPH DEMILIO

Music sets the mood. Like the score of a movie or a play, music directs the feeling one engages with the scene. The same could be said of music in church. Gregorian chants use monophonic liturgical recitatives and free melodies to form incipits, partial cadences and full cadences to evoke feelings of ceremony, grandeur, and solemn connection to tradition. Gospel has dominant vocals with strong use of harmony with Christian lyrics, generally sung a cappella. Singing is usually accompanied by hand clapping and foot stomping for rhythm. The feeling is one of celebration. Contemporary Christian music combines folk, gospel, pop, and rock music that energizes a room, generating feelings of inspiration derived from the lyrics and beat. Music is subjective. It is derived from and influenced by personal taste. There is no wrong way to enjoy church music, just as there is no wrong way to pray. What matters is the connection one feels to God when in the moment. We as Christians should explore and celebrate the many different ways we connect to God through sound. Music is creative. Our spirits are divine and possess a desire to create. Our earthly bodies have five senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound. We create what is pleasing to our senses, and share them as a community. We cook and eat together. We fashion visual arts like paintings and sculpture. We sing songs together to communicate feelings — from pain to praise. God created us in his image. That means more than physical image. It means he created us to create as he does. To explore our world and develop new things with its resources.

Music transforms. In this issue — Soulful Sounds, the Music issue, we see how internationally renowned and revered Christian singer and songwriter Steph Carse uses his God-given talent to translate his message and transform lives — to combat bullying and greed. His message has gone global. His music has created movements. The same can be said of local musicians Hiram Garcia and Angel Reyes. They began by using their music to elevate their own lives. In doing so, they began to elevate their community around them, beginning with the Spanish-speaking community. Finally, we see that with all those who shared their musical talents at the 4th Annual Ocala’s Got Talent competition. Nearly 100 competed in five auditions leading to 20 semifinalists, then 10 finalists — all sharing their God-given talent in a talent-sharing event that ultimately brought awareness to the beneficiaries: Heart of Florida Youth Ranch and BAYS Florida — two organizations devoted to helping neglected, abandoned and abused children aged 4 to 18. They provide young people with structure and guidance so they have a shot at life as they are placed in foster care or adoption or returned to an appropriate family member. That is ultimately the power of music. It connects us with God and with each other, so we are all empowered to make a difference in the world around us.

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Bro n

toBeguile

BY / / J O H N S O T O M AYO R

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| C OV E R S T O R Y

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN MUSIC SINGER/ SONGWRITER STEPH CARSE ONCE AGAIN USES HIS GODGIVEN MUSICAL GIFT AND INCANDESCENT CHARM TO INSPIRE OTHERS WITH HIS LATEST ALBUM, MY SHINING HOUR, TO RISE ABOVE ADVERSITY AND IMPROVE OUR WORLD THROUGH KINDNESS. E L E VAT E M A G A Z I N E . U S 0 7 T H E M U S I C I S S U E 2 0 1 9

At times, it takes under five minutes to make a lasting impact on someone’s psyche. In the case of Steph Carse’s song and video, “The Lord’s Prayer,” it only took 3:56 minutes. Elevate Magazine was struggling financially as a startup. As the publisher and founder, I sought answers everywhere. Local Chaplain Edwin Quintana told me I should view “The Lord’s Prayer” by Steph Carse for inspiration. He sent me a link, which remained in my email inbox for days. In a moment filled with doubt and despair, I allowed myself five minutes to view the video to see if it could offer a solution, or at least a distraction. My motivation was restored within the first 35 seconds.

The Lord’s Prayer was done to honor the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting massacre in Orlando — the national tragedy at the time, which occurred in the city Carse called home. It begins with a haunting melody over televised footage of President Kennedy’s assassination. A high-powered executive, played by Carse, is overwhelmed on a business call as more footage on his television screens covers other tragedies, like the World Trade Center collapse on 9/11. He slams the phone, falls back into his chair, then watches more footage, this time news coverage of the Pulse nightclub shooting. At that moment, he finds a note, presumably from his wife, instructing him to read the passage she left for him. It is The Lord’s Prayer.

He drops to his knees and sings the most striking rendition of The Lord’s Prayer I ever heard. The video includes images of inspiration, such as a teacher educating her students about the importance of faith and patriotism, and a soldier preparing for deployment, leading up to the climax of an automobile accident driver, presumably a drunk driver, comforted by police — including a police chaplain performed by Quintana — as the lyrics say “Forgive us our debt, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” The final scenes of the video show the crash victim in photos at the doctor’s office, his life presumably changed by sobriety. The doctor rests a card on the photo that says, “A Doctor’s Prayer.” In the closing shot, as Carse sings the final verse, “For the

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CS | BORN TO BEGUILE

Family Given, God Driven

“CARSE BELIEVES ONE DOES NOT — Steph Carse performs with Robby Johnson and Jam Country at the Festivent concert in Quebec, Canada on August 4th, 2018

kingdom, the power, and the glory — forever, amen,” the words appear: “And now these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love. But the greatest of these is Love.” I was moved. And immediately acted. I contacted Carse and asked for his permission to include his video “The Lord’s Prayer” in our crowdfunding campaign to raise funds. He graciously agreed. Funds were raised in 2017 that contributed to the premier of Elevate Magazine. The same year, Carse worked on his latest album, “My Shining Power.” Upon learning this, I knew instantly I had to invite him to be featured in our second issue, already selected as our music issue. The timing was perfect. On September 20, 2018, Carse was honored at the 2nd Annual Canadian International Faith & Family Film Festival with “Best Music Video” for his powerful rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Without any hesitation, Carse graciously accepted.

DID YOU KNOW? • PBS filmed a documentary on his life and career called “A Portrait of Steph Carse.” • Steph Carse is a Chaplain. He studied under Edwin Quintana, who appeared in “The Lord’s Prayer” video as a police chaplain.

BECOME A MUSICIAN, RATHER IT IS SOMETHING

Carse believes one does not become a musician, rather it is something they are meant to do. At least, that is true in his case, he says. Born in Montreal, Canada, Carse was raised in a diverse musical family. His father loved rock-and-roll — particularly Elvis Presley songs, and his mother was partial to country and gospel. Most influential musically, his grandmother was an opera singer. “Since she was my official baby sitter as a kid, I would listen to Mario Lanza and other major opera singers,” Carse said. “She would tell me stories of her uncles — my great uncles — who were opera singers in Hollywood at the time when musicals were popular but actors could not sing, so my great uncles were hired to do voice-overs during the singing parts.” From an early age, Carse developed his musical talent. The draw to Christian music specifically he says was divinely influenced. For instance, he worked on an album as part of a PBS special and at the time, only had the title “Reach Out,” along with the music. No lyrics. He was invited to sing the National Anthem at the American Red Cross-national meeting in Central Florida, as well as the title track for the album, Holiday Heroes he wrote specifically for the Special Olympics. After his performance, the mother of the CEO of the Red Cross approached him and suggested with his vocal talent, he do something musical for the Red Cross. When asked for direction on what she sought, she mentioned the Red Cross reaches out for those in need. Upon hearing the phrase “reaches out,” Carse felt a divine connection to what he was already working on. That evening, he

THEY ARE MEANT TO DO.”

• Carse co-wrote and performed the song, “Reach Out,” which is the Official Song for The American Red Cross. • His song and performance of the “Holy Land Experience” in Orlando is currently airing on TBN in the TV commercial for the popular tourist destination.

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• A resident of Orlando, Florida for the past 20 years, Carse first moved to the United States from Canada to Nashville, Tennessee in 1997 to pursue his music career. • Carse’s latest single, “I Only Have Eyes For You,” was his wedding song, thus his tribute to the power of romance and marital unity.

CS | BORN TO BEGUILE

★ ★ ★ wrote the entire song, and shortly thereafter, gave it to the Red Cross. Three days later, Hurricane Katrina hit. Not long after, the Red Cross requested to use the song “Reach Out” as their official theme song to motivate donors to their relief fund. Carse immediately identified God as the conductor, who orchestrated the chain of events that led to that occurrence. He developed a clear vision of how to parlay his creativity to enact real change for those who face adversity.

Heart Driven, Confident Livin’

Carse is no stranger to adversity. As a child, he was bullied often. Since 1980, his home has served as a foster home for mentally challenged children. “Kids could be cruel,” said Carse. “Once the word got out that our home served as a foster home for mentally challenged kids, the name-calling and bullying started at school.” One night, Carse read a story on how bullying led to a suicide. He recognized this as an epidemic. He also recognized the level of bullying and taunting has grown worse. As a kid, Carse was bullied at school by two or three guys. Once he returned home, he felt safe and protected. It ended there. The difference today as he sees it, is that there are no safe places anymore. Taunts continue, even when the children are not face-to-face, through social media cyberbullying. Bullying follows them into their home. “Bullying has become the highest cause of suicide for children under 14,” said Carse. He knew he had to reach out and do something. He would implement change with music; that was a given. But this time he would do more. Carse founded a nonprofit organization to combat bullying by strengthening the resolve of those subject to it, called Y I Count (Why I Count). The intent of Y I Count is to build the confidence and character of children affected by bullying so they have the resolve to deflect the effect. According to Carse, this is accomplished through a four-step program. First, they are taught about the physiology of the human body — how unique they are. “They are taught how awesome they are made,” said Carse. “This is God’s program based on Psalms 139:14, in which King David said, ‘I am awesomely made’ adding ‘this I know now.’ We need to remind them repeatedly.” Second, participating kids are taught the power of words. According to Carse, the program is entirely based on scripture. “Through Proverbs, we know the tongue has the power to

“THROUGH

CARSE BY THE NUMBERS • Sold over 500,000 CDs worldwide. • His album, Holiday Heroes, dedicated to the Special Olympics in Canada, generated over $2 million in net profit for the Special Olympics.

PROVERBS, WE KNOW THE

Steph Carse at a Y i Count event at the Walt Disney Elementary School, Anaheim, California (Jan 2019)

TONGUE HAS THE POWER TO BUILD OR DESTROY.”

build or destroy,” said Carse. “We teach them what we call ‘the Boomerang Effect’ which means what you say will come back to haunt you. We can demonstrate how these kids are affected by their own words.” Third, the program resonates with kids through the inclusion of music. Music connects the brain to what they learn through both mental and emotional stimuli. Dance is added through what is called “The Awesome Challenge” that helps the kids find their “happy dance.” Fourth, Y I Count helps kids develop character through empathy. To Carse, empathy means developing compassion toward others outside of the self, which is accomplished through acts of kindness. One nine-year-old participant collected 5,000 cans of goods for the Salvation Army, from his own initiative. Carse awarded the boy the Y I Count Award for his service. Only a year and a half old, Y I Count now has an international outreach, with new centers being introduced in South Africa and Russia in 2019.

At The Crossroads

Work on his current album, My Shining Hour, started in 2013. After a four-month run in the Venetian in Las Vegas, performing

• Won 5 awards from the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association, including Best Feature Film and Best Male Vocal for the one-hour TV Special he produced for PBS. • Received a 5-star review for his 36-show run in Las Vegas from Jerry Fink of the Las Vegas Sun.

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Bocelli pop-opera, Carse decided he wanted to create something that more boldly defined his faith in Christ. He recalls being at a church in Las Vegas called The Crossroads, when the pastor invited the congregation to write their prayers on the pillars of the foundation. Carse wrote, “I want to pursue a project where I can be bold about my faith and would be heard around the world.” That prayer became his drive to fulfill the project now known as My Shining Hour. He initially thought it would take three to six months to produce the CD along with a TV special. Instead, it took three and a half years. What began as a small idea blossomed into a global project, taking Carse to Israel and Africa. His prayer was answered. “We received the green light from Daystar to begin the project, and now this year, we are on Uplift Television broadcast over 24 million homes in the United States,” said Carse. “It was a long journey … through this process, it taught me how to get out of my own way — and learning what it means to let go and let God.”

Amazingly Gracious

CARSE’S CHARITY, Y i COUNT, INC. Founded by Steph Carse in 2016, Y i Count, Inc. serves to empower young kids by building confidence and celebrating their differences, rather than feeling

CA R S E ’ S A L B U M S 1993 - STEF CARSE 1994 - UN DERNIER SLOW 1995 - FIESTA 1999 - HOLIDAY HEROES (SPECIAL OLYMPICS)

Honored at the 2nd Annual Canadian International Faith & Family Film Festival with “Best Music Video” for his powerful rendition of “Amazing Grace” in September 2018, Carse says his favorite moment of the film festival was being able to perform the song during the awards ceremony. “Being a part of the CIFF was an incredible experience,” said Carse. “It was a highlight to share the moment [perform the song] with this impressive group of filmmakers.” The award was well deserved. Not only did Carse arrange and perform the song, but he also directed and produced the video. Commencing with a hypnotic visual of a lit match revealing the first page of Genesis, followed by stunning landscapes, Carse crossed musical styles including Pop, Gaelic, African and Native American. His rendition is described as a “multicultural experience, merging voices, scenes, and landscapes from North America, Madagascar and the United States.” “Music is a way to unite differences,” said Carse. “In the video [Amazing Grace], we go from Gaelic to African, then Native American, and by the end, everyone is united. In the Bible and throughout history, music has always been used as a form of celebration … a gift from God to uplift the spirit.” Carse uses his music, videos, non-profit work and charisma to do just that.

2006 - REACH OUT (ALBUM AND TV SPECIAL ON PBS) 2012 - NOW 2017 - MY SHINING HOUR (ALBUM AND TV SPECIAL) SINGLE 2018 - HALLELUJAH

FOR MORE VISIT US ONLINE AT Elevatemagazine.us

(A TRUE STORY) 2018 - I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU 2019 - NEW UPCOMING ALBUM

shame over being different. It is a four-step program: • Understanding the miracle of their bodies • Understanding the power of words • Developing positive identity through the Awesome Challenge

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• Building character through empathy, done through acts of kindness • Recognized by the United Nations, Y i Count, Inc. has an international outreach. To learn more, visit www.YiCount.org.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Through the Heart

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Heart of Florida Youth Ranch in Citra, Florida helps foster kids receive the love and structure they need. BAYS Florida offers kids in trouble redirection for a second chance at life. Both joined together for one extraordinary fundraiser that not only brought awareness to their cause, but charged up many to do more than donate money. They gave their hearts.

here is nothing more heartwarming than the sound of children’s laughter. The wonder in their eyes, the jubilation in their clapping, and the freedom as they run and play portray the essence of childhood. It is a given then that it is equally heartbreaking when the laughter, wonder, jubilation, and freedom cease for a child due to neglect, abuse or the death of their parents. The Heart of Florida Youth Ranch exists to restore that childhood spirit to children in need. HOFYR is a faith-based residential youth program for children who have lost their parents by virtue of neglect, abandonment, or death. It provides a home environment for the children until they are placed in foster care or adoption, or are returned to their family or parents if the situation that caused the separation is remedied. It is not simply a dormitory for them to stay. The children participate in activities and build relationships. HOFYR began as a boys’ ranch, and according to Dr. John Sweet, executive director, may have been part of the Sheriff ’s Youth Ranch system. At some point, the boys’ ranch ceased to exist and whoever owned it gifted the ranch property to a church which then gifted it to Church of God, which started the HOFYR in 1990. HOFYR provides counseling and therapy for those kids who need it, such as Unbridled Hope Therapeutic Riding Program and Ignite, by Pastor Joshua Sarmiento.

BY / / J O H N S O T O M AYO R

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“Basically, we are a ‘one-stop shop’ when it comes to providing whatever an individual child needs,” said Dr. Sweet. “We do an assessment of what their needs are, and how we can help them.” Many children come with emotional and psychological problems, dealing with past traumas and family issues. Some have court issues. HOFYR provides assistance in the court process. In addition, HOFYR helps with any educational and health issues the children may have, as well as spiritual guidance. “We basically see ourselves as a place for the residents’ next step — whether that is a foster home or adoption, or return to their family or parents,” said Dr. Sweet. “We want to give these kids every opportunity to be successful.”

Partnership with BAYS Youth

BAYS Florida has a 36-year history of working with children and families, primarily children involved with the juvenile justice system. “Our main goal is to help children change their behavior so they do not end up in the adult corrections system, and that their behavior does not escalate to the point of a major public safety issue,” said Alvin Martinez, director of community relations of BAYS Florida. In 1982, the best friend of founder Bill Bowman was killed by a police officer while still a juvenile. While working at Sears, Bowman decided he wanted to do something to help children so they would never be faced with the same situation as his best friend. Bowman incorporated Bay Area Youth Services

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

to work with children who have been arrested and to keep them out of the juvenile justice system so they could turn their lives around. For 30 years, Bay Area Youth Services operated around the Tampa Bay area with tremendous success. In 2013, the Department of Juvenile Justice asked the organization to extend their service coverage from a five-county area to statewide. “We had to rebrand keeping BAYS as an acronym for Bay Area Youth Services, and add Florida to indicate statewide presence,” said Martinez. BAYS Florida offers various programs and services. JDAP is a diversion model contracted with the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). The program is meant for first-time offenders: those arrested but who have never exhibited delinquent behavior. “It provides the state attorneys in each judicial circuit with an option to not charge the child as a delinquent,” said Martinez. “In a diversion program, instead of applying a court remedy, the state attorney can list the case as ‘no file’ and send the case directly to us [BAYS Florida].” Working in the diversion arena has been the primary purpose of BAYS for the past 36 years. The model has changed due to philosophical changes at the DJJ. “It changed in 2010, becoming an evidence-based, research-driven diversion program for children that takes into account each individual child’s risk factors,” said Martinez. “Based on those basic elements, we create an individual service plan for each child, to increase the child’s protective factors and decrease their risk factors through various forms of intervention, including substance abuse education, anger management, and other factors in the children’s history causing them to misbehave. We give them the tools to behave in a productive fashion.” The H.O.P.E. program stands for Helping Others Progress with Empowerment. It primarily works with

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B AYS FLORIDA BY THE NUMBERS BAYS Florida serves over 4,600 youth every year 83% of youth successfully completed JDAP program in August 2017 BAYS Florida collected more than $2.5 million in victim restitution 92% of youth did not reoffend in Circuit 12 Youth received over 50,000 hours of counseling children who have been separated from their parents in Hillsborough County, and were targets for abuse. “Our role is to work with the child and a relative caregiver in order to reunify that child currently in some form of foster placement back with either their parents, grandparents, or other relative that can provide a stable home for the child,” Martinez explains. The program is planned for expansion to other counties by July 2020, including Marion.

Ocala’s Got Talent

In the fall of 2018, HOFYR and BAYS Youth combined their resources to present the 4th annual Ocala’s Got Talent fundraiser competition, generating much needed good cheer and goodwill for their causes. Modeled after the popular television show America’s Got Talent, Ocala’s Got Talent was held over a two-month period with five auditions held at various local churches accepting four

Youth have performed over 1.5 million hours of community service

semifinalists per audition to move on to the semifinals. Those 20 were then narrowed down to 10 finalists who competed two weeks later at the Les Bowen Auditorium at HOFYR, preparing two acts for the finals. Several of HOFYR’s resident children competed. Most either sung or danced. The joy of watching these kids perform their hearts out on stage to cheering family, friends and fans felt like a shot through the heart by Cupid’s arrow. Four years ago, HOFYR was offered the opportunity for the rights to the fundraiser name. The name was previously used by another organization. The fundraiser brings awareness, exposure, and promotion to HOFYR and its services to children while allowing people in the community to express their talents. “It is a win-win situation,” said Dr. Sweet. Les Bowen, the namesake of the auditorium, has been a primary

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

donor for many years. “He has a great heart for the ranch, and has given much of his time and effort to help the children,” said Dr. Sweet. “We could not ask for a better champion for the cause.” “It is a tribute to the entire community in Ocala that they are willing to step up and support organizations that are really unsung heroes working with a challenged population,” said Martinez of BAYS Florida. “The fact that the community recognizes our goal to help children succeed and inspire change within them reflects upon the spirit of the event [Ocala’s Got Talent].”

HOFTR SERVICES

• • • • • • •

Family life in residential living units provided with quality of service Social services provided to residents and, where possible, their families Educational programs Spiritual guidance and enrichment Staff teams provide responsive, child-centered working practices Licensed professional psychotherapy Case management to connect services: academic, personal, life skills, and psychiatric medicine management • Intake, discharge, and after-care planning • Behavioral overlay services with individual treatment plans • Connectivity with approved visiting resources Source: hofyr.org

“We want to give these kids every opportunity to be successful.”

B AY S F L O R I D A S E R V I C ES • JDAP Program — Diversity Program prevent criminal record and acquire services at BAYS • Substance Abuse Prevention Program — Use of Drug Prevention 4 Teams evidence-based curriculum • H.O.P.E. Program — Intensive Family Reunification Services • Civil Citation — Partnership with DJJ for pre-arrest diversionary effort for participants 12 years old or younger assessed as high-risk • GED & Back to School Initiative — Partnership with RAYS Baseball • Foundation to offer GED scholarships in Pasco County • BAYS Community Care — Intervention services and mental health counseling • BAYS Family Connections — Functional Family Therapy (FFT), a short-term, high quality intervention program with 12 – 14 sessions over three to five months for 11- to 18-year-old youth referred for behavioral or emotional problems Source: baysflorida.org

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God Talent?

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BY / / J O H N S O T O M AYO R P H O T O O G R A P H Y BY / / C O N A N S E G R ES T

It was an event one year in the making. Then five weeks of auditioning and one night of semifinal performances, all leading to the finale night of Ocalaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Talent, where 10 finalists sang or danced to their fullest for the coveted prize â&#x20AC;&#x201D; winner of the 4th annual Ocalaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Talent 2018. Everyone came out on top. The contestants got to showcase their God-given talent. The audience got to enjoy riveting performances. And the children of Heart of Florida Youth Ranch and BAYS Florida got the awareness their organizations needed to provide the services these neglected, abandoned, or abused children must have for a chance at survival.

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GOD

TA L E N T ?

Festivities were already in full swing before the Les Bowen Auditorium opened its doors for the finale night of Ocala’s Got Talent. Round tables filled the room for VIP guests, adorned with the heart of Florida Youth Ranch symbolic centerpieces — a metallic Christmas tree formed from horseshoes, with heart-shaped ornaments adding dimension and color. Auditorium seating surrounded the VIP tables. The judges table took center position in front of the elevated stage, which was decorated like a Norman Rockwell Christmas living room. People arrived and filled the room. The judges took their positions. The refreshment stand opened for business. It was time for the show. Heart of Florida Youth Ranch event coordinators, Helen Berry and Jenna Rovira, opened the event and introduced the celebrity judges: international Christian singer/songwriter Steph Carse; America’s Got Talent former contestant Macey Mac; country singer Shane Wooten; and Elevate Magazine publisher and Ocala Magazine managing editor John Sotomayor. Special recognition awards were presented to the sponsors, followed by some opening remarks, which then led to the first round of the competition. The top five would move on to round two.

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Mark Symthe opened the show with one of his crowd-pleasing original songs, performed on guitar. Markevia Williams wowed the crowd with a powerful rendition of “Change Me” with an equally compelling performance of a cloaked woman symbolically washing away her pain. While answering a judge’s question, she revealed her painful personal challenge in life that she overcame, leading to a life devoted to

doing God’s work. Sarah Johns followed with an equally dramatic performance which began with her blindfolded and her mouth taped shut before she danced. Johns was one of only two dancers in the top 10. Angel Joiner was the other, and she brought her own creative spin on dance that the judges and audiences have come to look forward to since the auditions.

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GSUNDAY’S OD T A BEST LENT?

Then came the cuts. Five moved on, including: singers Jillian O’Neill, Victoria Kidd, and Markevia Williams, and both dancers — Sarah Johns and Angel Joiner. The five performed. Standouts included Jillian O’Neill on the flute and Markevia Williams’ moving rendition of “Can’t Give Up Now.”

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SUNDAY’S BEST

The voting was in. After an intense wait, Helen Berry called everyone back to their seats for the announcement of the top three. In third place: Angel Joiner. Second place: Jillian O’Neill. The winner of Ocala’s Got Talent 2018: Markevia Williams. Cheers and congratulations filled the auditorium. Lives were changed. Some had victory. Some validation. Everyone received God’s grace.

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Meet the Finalists

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Q&A WITH OCALAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GOT TALENT TOP 10 The Heart of Florida Youth Ranch, together with BAYS Florida, held the 4th annual Ocalaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Talent entertainment talent competition fundraiser in order to raise funds and awareness for their programs that help foster children and children in need. Five auditions were held in the fall of 2018, selecting 20 to move on to the semifinals. During the semifinals, 10 were selected to move on. Here are the Top 10 finalists, along with Q&A to get to know them better.

BY / / J O H N S O T O M AYO R P H O T O S BY / / C O N A N S E G R ES T

MEET THE

FINALISTS

Markevia Korean Williams Age: 33 City/State: Sparr, Florida Current Career: Administrative Assistant to Executive Director of Marion Youth Academy Talent Performed for OGT: Singing Name of Church: Miracle Deliverance Center of Hawthorne, Florida Career Goals: My career goals are to become a professional gospel recording artist but also remain in the juvenile justice field to inspire troubled youths to never give up on their dreams, knowing God will always be with them, and to teach and train others to sing. Impact I hope my talent will have upon the community/world: The impact Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to make known In my community and around the world is spreading the love of Jesus. Inspiring them know to keep the faith, and that all things are possible when you believe! What do you hope your legacy will be: I hope and pray that my legacy will be remembered by a young lady who pushed and pressed her way to pursue her dreams through singing and the world knew she had a heart for people, she loves her family, but most of all she loves Jesus!

City/State: Ocala, Florida Current Career: Senior at Forest High School Talent performed for OGT: Singing Name of Church: Love Fellowship Career Goals: My career goals are to become a successful R&B singer as well as a gospel singer. Talent goals, if different than career goals: Same as my career goals a singer. Impact I hope my talent will have upon the community/world: I hope I impact the youth to follow their dreams no matter and to always keep God first.

Kesean Jackson

Age: 17

What do you hope your legacy will be: To leave my mark on the earth as a humble, God-fearing young man.

Jillian O’Neil

Age: 31 City/State: Originally from Atlanta, Georgia (currently in Oxford, Florida) Current Career: Lead Patient Service Representative at The Villages Health Talent performed for OGT: Singing and also played the flute. Name of Church: St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Wildwood. I cantor there every weekend for masses, and also sing for weddings, funerals and other events throughout the year. Career Goals: I want to continue to progress in my current career with The Villages Health. Talent goals, if different from your career goals: I love to continue to cantor masses at my church St. Vincent De Paul. I am also part of a trio, “The Amazing Grace Notes,” and we just had our fourth concert. Our goal is to record our own CD in the near future. What do you hope your legacy will be: I want to be a good role model for my eight-year-old daughter, Cadence. She is very passionate about music as well, and I want her to also share her love of music with others and to use our gifts we were given to help others in any way we can. E L E VAT E M A G A Z I N E . U S 2 7 T H E M U S I C I S S U E 2 0 1 9

FINALISTS

Angel Joiner

MEET THE

Age: 31 City/State: Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Current Career: Social Worker/ Dance Mentor Talent performed for OGT: Dance Name of Church: Bahaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Faith Career Goals: I am working on my Masters in Social Work to become an International Human Rights Advocate for Children/Humanitarian Talent goals, if different from your career goals: I would like to dance across the world and be featured as a dancer for the artists Sia and Lindsey Stirling. I also want to teach kids to dance who are in impoverished countries. Impact I hope my talent will have upon the community/world: I use my talent to inspire others and be a positive role model. I want to use my influence to encourage others to live drug free and turn to the arts as an outlet. I pray for further opportunities to showcase my talent and reach out to our vulnerable populations and let them know they are valuable and they will do great things in this lifetime. What do you hope your legacy will be: I am hopeful that my actions will create a ripple effect that will help make the world a better place. My legacy will be in the success of every life I inspire and when the kids I mentor or have an influence on grow up to be great talented leaders who live without drugs. My legacy is in the success of those who I have the honor in serving.

Age: 32 City/State: Originally from Burlington Mount Holly, New Jersey. (Currently in Hernando, Florida) Current Career: Currently my career is an independent artist. My art skills include singing, dancing, modeling, animation, drawing, filmmaking and pretty much anything that has to do with art. I have a degree and license in filmmaking from the motion picture Institute of Michigan (MPI). I got to work with actress Kristy Swanson, who acted in Nemesis Nosferatu directed by Douglas Schultz, who was also my directing instructor from MPI. Talent performed for OGT: Singing Name of Church: Our Lady of Grace in Beverly Hills,Florida. Career Goals: My career goal as an artist is to someday sing at Madison Square Garden. I aim to build up my own multi-business company known as Flawless Dreams. I also plan to provide counseling and therapy for artists like actors and models, just to name a few. I plan to seek out struggling artists and aid them in their careers. My last big important goal is to aid the homeless in America, with a company that was created by myself and my immediate family.

LeeLee Cruz

Talent goals: To work with people such as Tina Turner, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Mariah Carey, Will Smith, FKA twigs, just to name a few. Impact I hope my talent will have upon the community/world: I plan to inspire and motivate other artists who have thought to put their talent down because they are getting older and believe that their time has passed. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m hoping to reach out to them and open doors for them, metaphorically speaking. I want to show others who had a hurtful past being a rape victim and then becoming a young single parent, that their time is not over and to keep pushing and to lead a strong example to their young. What do you hope your legacy will be: I wish, hope, and pray that my legacy lives on through my daughter.

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FINALISTS

Victoria Kidd

MEET THE

Age: 32 City/State: Originally from Montgomery, New York…(in Ocala since 2015) Current Career: 4th grade teacher at 8th Street Elementary School in Ocala Talent preformed for OGT: Singing Name of Church: I haven’t found my church home yet but there are so many amazing places to worship here in Ocala it is hard to choose one! Career Goals: While I love my current profession as an educator, I would love to be able to perform for an audience on a more consistent basis. I love getting feedback from the crowd, and hearing how they enjoy my performances truly makes me happy! Impact I hope my talent will have upon the community/world: I would love for my talent to be able to inspire young men and women across my community, not just those in my classroom. I would love to be able to combine my vocal ability with being an educator to motivate children to do their best every day. What do you hope your legacy will be: I hope that my legacy will be that my two daughters will see the impact I have had in my community and with my students and strive to do similar things to have a positive impact on their world.

Mark Anthony Smyth Age: 39 City/State: Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana (in Ocala for the past 20 years) Current Career: Musician Talent performed for OGT: Singing/Songwriting/ Guitar/Performing Name of Church: I am not my denomination, I am “a citizen of Heaven” Career Goals: Music. Impact I hope my talent will have upon the community/ world: With music as my occupation, I plan on singing any and every song that others want or need to hear. In the setting of a bar or a party, I might be known as the guy who can sing over 1,000 songs written by others. But I am diligently working on writing and recording original songs that only I can sing. As Gypsy Sparrow, I hope to move from one place to the next singing my heart out and spreading joy all about.

Sarah Johns Age: 21 City/State: Ocala, Florida Current Career: Dance Teacher & Server Talent performed for OGT: Dance Name of Church: College Road Baptist Career Goals: Dance has always been a huge influence in my life. It’s my biggest passion and something I’ve always wanted to pursue as a career. It’s definitely a struggle to pursue anything in the dance world but I have never let that stop me. My biggest dream has always been to dance for Disney. Watching the princesses as a young girl made me fall in love and one day I hope to be up there, making the little girls smile, just as I once was.

Impact I hope my talent will have upon the community/world: I hope to make an impact on anyone who has been down on themselves and didn’t fully believe in what they were doing. I’ve struggled so much in the dance world but I have not let that stop me. Time and patience is the biggest thing. God makes everything happen for a reason so even if your hard work doesn’t seem appreciated or noticed now, just remember the time will come. I’ve been pushing hard and going for what I want even when I didn’t fully believe in myself so I hope I can show that it’s so worth it in the end and you CAN do it. What do you hope your legacy will be: I hope that one day my legacy will be that I made an impact with my students and that I have taught them life lessons along with helping them exceed and succeed in their dance technique and performance.

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MEET THE

FINALISTS

Devyn Picard Age: 16 City/State: Ocala, FL Current Career: Gymnastics Coach at Balcony Gymnastics and Youth Sports Complex Talent performed for OGT: Singing Career Goals: To become a neurosurgeon. Impact I hope my talent will have upon the community/world: I would like to take my singing to the next level, if given the opportunity. I would like to perform as a musician.

Douglas Goodridge Age: 22 City/State: Born in Nottington, England; raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Current Career: House parent at the Heart of Florida Youth Ranch Talent performed for OGT: Singing and Spoken Word Poetry Name of Church: Transform Life Church of God Career Goals: Become an actor. I love theater and majored in it in college. Impact I hope my talent will have upon the community/world: I see singing as more of a hobby. I see spoken word poetry as something I would pursue consistently, which will help my acting.

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WORKS OF FAITH

FROM THE PULPIT

AROUND TOWN

BREAKING BREAD

WELLNESS

ELEVATE YOUR

COMMUNITY

Elevate Yourself 40

SUNDAY’S BEST

AROUND TOWN

BREAKING BREAD HOW RONDO GOT HIS MOJO BACK

PHOTO BY STOCKLITE

IN YOUR WORDS

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E L E VAT E YO U R C O M M U N I T Y

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ELEVATE

Bilingual singing duo Hiram Garcia and Angel Reyes discuss their debut album, Pasos de Fe (Walk of Faith), and the next step in their musical journey, Alcanzando una Promesa (Reaching a Promise).

Workof Faith BY / / J O H N S O T O M AYO R

T Hiram Garcia and Angel Reyes at The Sharon Performing Arts Center, The Villages.

P H O T O S BY / / C O N A N S E G R ES T

he development of the novice musical duo, Hiram y Angel (Hiram and Angel) and their first album, Pasos de Fe (Walk of Faith) could best be described as a test of faith. Released two years ago, Hiram Garcia and Angel Reyes distributed their debut album through CD Baby, an online music store specializing in the sales of CDs, vinyl records and music downloads from independent musicians. They also applied their own method of guerilla marketing — promoting their work as a ministry, performing their music at church functions, including the fifth annual God Belongs in My City Prayer Walk in 2016, and promoting on Christian radio. “We were blessed,” said Reyes. They were blessed indeed. Most of the instrumentals they used were leased from various producers, and the duo did all the mixing and songwriting themselves. Two years later, they are almost ready to launch their second album. “The reason we wanted to continue what we started with the first CD is, it was a long, hard process, but trusting in God, we knew it was going to happen, so we knew there would be a major blessing because of it,” said Reyes. “After its completion, we can now see the blessing that occurred because of the work, which is how it has touched other

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people’s lives. We are now reaching what God has asked of us.” Their next album currently under production is appropriately named Alcanzando una Promesa (Reaching a Promise). What is that promise? Simply put, if you apply yourself to do God’s work, and not for selfish cause, then you will be blessed by God. Put another way, helping others is food for the soul. The blessings earned are not physical, satisfying carnal desire, but spiritual — application on a much deeper level. Like most of us, this spiritual path for Garcia and Reyes was not initially taken. The road unilluminated, the necessary steps were not so clear.

The Perilous Road (Commonly Traveled)

“The topics we cover in our album are relatable to many — the hard trials in people’s lives such as financial loss, a bad relationship or a breakup,” said Garcia. “But unlike conventional music, our Christian music offers hope to those who have faith in God.” The majority of their songs come from personal experience. The song Que Voy a Hacer (What Am I Going To Do) was written about a young man they know who was bullied in high school and because of it, contemplated suicide. Shortly after the song was written, Garcia witnessed another young man attempting

E L E VAT E YO U R C O M M U N I T Y suicide along railroad tracks. Garcia approached the man calmly and asked him to talk about what was going on. Garcia was able to stabilize the man and keep him calm until the police arrived. “It [the event and outcome] confirmed that God was with us,” said Garcia. “God speaks to us in his own way.” The experience impacted Garcia profoundly. It did not go unnoticed by him that the man who had lost his way was helped by someone who had also once been lost, but now was found. Garcia has loved music as long as he could remember. By the age of 7, he was singing at church. As time went on, his family moved frequently. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, Garcia’s family moved to Redding, Pennsylvania, then to Puerto Rico. As a teenager, Garcia moved to Ocala in 2004. By then, he had developed an interest in secular music, specifically hip-hop. He wrote his lyrics to those styles, but the more he pursued that route, the more opportunities eluded him. Garcia grew restless and discontent. By 2014, he pursued a lifestyle of drugs, which progressed rapidly. It led to a DUI arrest. He saw this as God’s wakeup call. Through counseling, he turned his life around, and shortly after, together with Reyes, began work on their first album, Pasos de Fe.

The Peril-less Road (Walking with God)

Reyes learned how to play instruments at an early age, and was challenged by a cousin to pursue music. He partnered with another friend before Garcia and began performing in small venues, mostly school and church events. He decided this was something he could pursue professionally. Reyes met Garcia through a cousin Garcia had dated at the time. Aware of his troubles, Reyes stood by him, being there for him. Together, they decided to

SERVICE WORK Reyes is a Worship Team Leader at his church, Ministerio Unido en Cristo de Marion Oaks (Ministry United in Christ of Marion Oaks). If you would like to join or for more information, visit ministeriounidosencristo.com Reyes volunteered with hurricane relief efforts last year by both Hurricane Irma, which affected Florida, and Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico. Garcia recently joined the Florida Multicultural District (FMD) Youth Ministries, based in Orlando, which reaches out to teens and young adults, listed as “the unreachable, the misfits, fatherless, motherless, loners and hopeless,” providing guidance, hope and love through Jesus Christ. To learn more, visit fmdag.org

be serious about music and pursue it as a duo. In the beginning, Reyes place his personal pursuits of fame and glory first. Like Garcia, he saw opportunities closing, even dwindling. Placing God first changed that. Reyes noticed that secular music promoted a superficial and selfish lifestyle. Lyrics promoted lavish spending on material goods and mistreatment of others, especially women. He disagreed with those messages, instead seeing his mission to promote positive values through music. “What people listen to now is madness,” said Reyes. “I want to put music out there that creates happiness, not hostility.” The message Hiram and Angel wish to present with their new album, an extension of their first, is that by walking with God, we avoid the pitfalls of life we create for ourselves. Fear and anger are shackles that bound us to hardship. By walking in faith, we are free. That does not mean we will lead a life without peril. But if we stand with God, it will be manageable. Their song Huellas en la Arena (Footprints in the Sand) speaks to the well-known parable, which Garcia simplifies as, “No matter what we are going through, God is there for us.” Hiram and Angel feel it is important to relay with their music that life will always be fraught with trials and tribulations. Too often, Christian music is sugar coated with positivity without conveying the realism that we will face hardships that must be overcome. “We are reminding others, just because you are or become a Christian who follows Christ, doesn’t mean everything will become better automatically,” said Reyes. “You will face trials and obstacles, but now when you are with Christ, you have a solution — an answer on what to do for what you are going through.” “It does get easier,” added Garcia. As their career and personal experiences attest, walking with faith will reach the promise.

FUN FACTS Hiram Garcia was born and raised in New Jersey, then moved around until landing in Puerto Rico before ultimately residing in Ocala. Angel Reyes was born and raised in Connecticut until he also moved to Puerto Rico. At 14, Reyes’ family moved to Ocala. Both met in Ocala through relatives. Hiram and Angel produce bilingual albums to build bridges and break barriers, reaching both the Englishand Spanish-speaking communities with which they feel a personal connection. Hiram and Angel expect their next album, Alcanzando una Promesa (Reaching a Promise), to be released in the spring 2019.

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POEM BY HIRAM GARCIA There was once a man who dreamed of seeing the ocean located, in a secluded area, miles away from the Barrio (town) he lived in. Every day he would wake up put his sandals on and walk the path given to him by his fishing friends. He realized that no matter which way he went there was a huge mountain whose name was Tribulation that stopped him from proceeding forward. One morning on a walk towards the beach which he so longed to see, he stood in front of Mt. Tribulation. He put his hand on the mountain and said, “move now!” The Mountain looked at him and laughed saying, “In what name do you command me to move, yours? Be gone!” The man walked away tired and in despair saying to himself “Will I ever see Paradise.” He stopped and sat under a group of palm trees to rest for he was weary from his journey. He then dozed off for a few hours he began to dream of a great day of fishing on the water but having it ruined by a terrible storm. In the dream he heard a voice that said Storm calm down and leave this man alone! The subtle yet strong voice called the man and said, “I am your creator I have seen how much you have longed to see your Destiny, your paradise! I have seen how long you have faced Mt. Tribulation and failed each time. My son that Mountain will never move by your strength you need to go and face that mountain with me by your side and command it to move in the name of The Lord of Lords and the King of Kings the one who never leaves you nor forsakes you!” Instantly the man woke up and made his way back to the Mountain and did just as the Lord commanded! Mount Tribulation said what is this power that I feel is lifting me up from my very foundation, in that moment Mt. Tribulation was, catapulted miles into the sea and the Man was in awe at what he saw. An ocean of crystal-clear water with fish as far as the eyes could see and at that moment, he knew he was Home.

ELEVATE

THY KINGDOM COME BY / / PAS T O R W E N D Y B U S T I N A N D C R YS TA L J E W E L L - M A K S O U P H O T O BY / / K I N G D O M M U Z I C

Christian rapper, Bryann Trejo, with Kingdom Muzic, in concert at Open Door Community Church in Summerfield, Marion County, Florida June 14th 2019.

ryann Trejo, with Kingdom Muzic has lived a life of crime, being involved in gangs and so much street crime that prison and jail became just a way of life. If that wasn’t enough, in 2013 his twin brother was murdered. Bryann chose to forgive and allow God to transform his heart. He now sings Christian Rap all over the U.S. Crystal Jewell-Maksou, with Open Door Community Church and EBM International, was led by the Lord to bring Bryann Trejo to Summerfield, FL to share his testimony and God inspired songs with hurting and broken children. Because he has walked through what many children are daily experiencing, he can show them the power of God’s love to transform their lives and bring them hope. Summerfield, in

many ways is the forgotten part of Marion County, yet it has the highest rate of poverty and 100’s of broken hurting and often hungry children. Children and teens that need hope for a better life in spite of all they see around them. Open Door Community Church is working hard to make a difference in the lives of these children and in many others by feeding them weekly and even starting an after-school program. The Genesis Center of Marion County has been established to help these children with

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homework and learn life skills such as automotive, carpentry, culinary art, robotics and much more. Our hope is by having a positive role model such as Bryann Trejo it will help inspire these children and teens that they too can aim for much more in life then overwhelming obstacles they are currently facing. Through the love of Jesus Christ, they can become productive members of society. If you would like to help with the donations needed to bring Bryann Trejo to Summerfield or just to learn more about what we are doing to help these children on a daily basis and how you can help please feel free to contact us at 352-245-2560 or go to EBMInternational.com. All gifts are tax-deductible and desperately needed so we can make a huge difference in the lives of the future generation.

FROM THE PULPIT

LISTEN UP BY / / PAS T O R J O S H UA S A R M I E N T O s I drive about an hour each day to work, I usually listen to music. As we work out, we generally listen to music. As we walk, we listen to music, and in our devotional prayer time, we listen to music. As a musician, I love music! Music is powerful! Music warms the heart and brings us to a mood. Spiritual music truly helps us; spiritual music feeds our inner life. Some music solicits you to tap your feet, encourages imaginary dancing, or causes musical instrument playing no matter where you are. If you are Latino, like me, you start your dance and make a joyful noise, even acting like you have your own salsa band (el Gran Combo) around, or act like Marc Anthony on a stage with a mic. To some, their hearts are stirred up with music, and to others, music can drive you to tears. Music is capable of evoking powerful emotions. One research study on music identified that music has the power to alter our emotional perceptions of other people. The researchers found that music powerfully influenced the emotional ratings of people’s faces. Happy music made happy faces seem even happier, while sad music made participants perceive faces as a sad countenance. A similar effect was also observed with neutral faces. The outcome identified the emotions of music could quickly spread from one sensory system to another. With all that being stated, as a Christian, I believe spiritual music significantly helps us. Spiritual music feeds our inner being and helps us in life. I also believe we can use music to help our spiritual life grow. Music and the spiritual life can go together, as I believe spiritual life and music complement one an-

Spiritual music feeds our inner being and helps us in life.

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other. As a spiritual seeker, music has helped me to go deep within my devotionals, worship and relationship with Christ. Music has helped me to get the utmost satisfaction from life and from Biblical truth. Many have identified that when we listen to music within our spiritual lives, or when we ourselves play music, immediately our inner beings climb to a higher level. When we hear spiritual music, or when we play a spiritual piece of music, many feel a kind of personal thrill in our entire existence from the soles of our feet to the crown of our head. Spiritual music adds to my aspiration and daily inspirations. Each time I play spiritual music, I get an extra dose of strength or “oomph,” along with inspiration and delight to face my worst days and fears. Music helps me overcome my shortcomings while directing me back to the creator of music, our Heavenly Father! Our Creator God knows that in the twinkling of an eye, spiritual music can elevate our consciousness and empower our spirits, body and soul. I believe that music and song continue to play a vital role in the life of God’s people today. God created music to be holy and pleasing unto Him and to use for worship and praise unto Him. I would encourage and admonish all to pray and meditate, and also to listen to spiritual music so that we can become undoubtedly inspired and illuminated and can fulfill God’s will in our lives! So, go ahead, listen up and make a joyful noise unto the Lord and sing unto Him. Sing psalms to the Lord and talk of all His wondrous works! —

Pastor Joshua Sarmiento is a native of the Bronx, NYC. He is an Ordained Bishop with The Church of God in Cleveland TN. Joshua is currently the Clinical Director of The Heart of Florida Youth Ranch in Citra Florida and Founder of Ignite Community Counseling and Resource Center Ocala, Florida.

PHOTO BY WHYFRAME

ELEVATE

BE THE CHURCH

Church is not a building. Church is not an event.

BY / / PAS T O R L O U I S C H E R U B I N he church is not a building nor an event, but who we actually are. The church has been erroneously perceived as a building; an organized group of people that gather and just read the Bible. The reality of the Church (Greek: Ekklesia) is bigger than its perception. Many people may have misrepresented the church which may bring light to the many preconceived notions. Ultimately, “the Church” is people of God, filled with the presence of God, set apart and called to the purposes of God in the world. For this reason, we must be committed to equipping everyday people for the everyday mission to achieve gospel saturation everywhere, every day. Do you believe that? Do you believe you are the church? Do you believe the church is actively on mission every day in the activities of life – in the workplace, at school, in cafes and pubs, around dinner tables, and on the soccer field, all for the glory of God? If you are a leader in the church, do you see that your job is not to primarily do the ministry for the church, but to equip the church for ministry in the everyday activities of life (Ephesians 4:11-12)?

PHOTO BY AMNAJ R

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FROM THE PULPIT

Four years ago, we planted a church in the city of Ocala. Honestly, we did not know what to expect. We wrestled with the idea of transitioning the traditional concept from a Sunday church to an “everyday” church, praying with members through wounds old and new, and reorienting our people to see themselves as the church – a people saved by God who have been sent out into the world by God for his purposes. Recently, I met with our Serve Team Leaders. After our meeting, I asked one of the leaders their thoughts on the commitment, vision, and responsibilities we have for our community. “To be honest, we’re a little overwhelmed.” When I asked why, they responded: “Well, I am used to church being one to two hours on Sunday and a few hours on Wednesdays. But at this church you keep reminding us by saying that we don’t go to church, we are the church 24/7. That’s a little overwhelming because that means everything counts – we’re always on.” I said, “Well, you know I didn’t make that up, right? You already were the people of God 24/7 regardless of whether I said so.” They agreed with some laughter, “Of course, we see that. It’s just that we weren’t really thinking about it before. Now we are.” I continued, “Well, it doesn’t need to overwhelm you. If you were the church 24/7 before when you weren’t thinking about it, and God was at work in you whether you knew it or not, think about how much more fulfilling life could be when you are fully aware that he is at work in and through you all the time, even when you’re sleeping!” I went on to explain that God isn’t necessarily looking for us to try harder or add more ministry demands on our lives. He wants us to walk in greater awareness and dependency on him in the everyday stuff of life and engage what we’re already doing with gospel intentionality. This isn’t additional, this is intentional. It’s not about adding more to our busy lives; it’s about engaging all of life for his glory. It’s about fully realizing we have his power because he is present in us and in all we do. In addition, if you are wanting to see real change, you must be intentional. You first must be aware that you are an agent of change. You are the church. Whether you’re a leader or not, God wants you to see that he is present in your life by his Spirit, at work in your life by his power, and eager to be glorified through your life for your joy, others’ good, and Jesus’ fame. Be intentional. BE THE CHURCH. — Pastor Louis Cherubin Lead Pastor, Kingdom Revival Church. Pastor Louis is a gifted leader with over twenty years of ministry experience. His ministry has touched many lives and has impacted people of all ages, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds. He is committed to equipping his congregation to make a meaningful impact within and beyond the walls of the church.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

The Balance of Buddhism BY / / J O H N S O T O M AYO R P H O T O S BY / / C O N A N S E G R ES T

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The owner of CMIT Solutions of Ocala, Phil Smith, applies Buddhism in business and his general being. The result is a well-balanced life we could all benefit from.

ven the most accomplished individuals can suffer from inner turmoil. That inner suffering would inevitably surface, and could have damaging effects in one’s personal and professional lives. For some, the answer lies with the faith and practice of Buddhism. Buddhism is quite different from Christianity, so to say that one can be both Christian and Buddhist is not accurate. For starters, Buddhists do not believe in the existence of souls, or of God. Christians do believe in the existence of souls, and furthermore, believe that the soul can have eternal life through Jesus Christ, the son of God. Christians worship God and restoring the relationship between God and man through Jesus. Buddhists are not concerned with the existence of God, rather seek after the “nonself ” known as the anatman. That said, it is possible to be a believing and practicing Christian while also following the philosophy of Buddhism to reach inner peace. Ultimately, what both Christianity and Buddhism have in common is the spirit of compassion. According to author of the article “Christianity and Buddhism: more similarities than differences,” Jenny Stewart, “Bodhicitta in Sanskrit, is as central to Buddhism as love is to Christianity.” In the end, whatever works for the individual should not be dismissed. Phil Smith, the owner and president of CMIT

Solutions of Ocala, a new franchise start-up in Ocala that offers information technology services for small and large businesses, has discovered the benefits of Buddhism in his life.

Before Buddhism

Phil Smith has had multiple successful careers in his lifetime. Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Phil loved computers from an early age. In the summer of 1979, he built his first computer. His first career was 20 years in the U.S. Navy. Phil then worked 11 years as a healthcare technician project manager. During his 11 years as a healthcare technician project manager, Phil implemented electronic medical records in some of the largest hospital systems in the nation. He was one of four project managers who implemented the electronic medical record system EPIC at John Hopkins, ranked the second most prestigious hospital for medical schools in the nation, a career highlight. Phil then implemented EPIC at New York City Health and Hospitals, an 11-hospital system, along with hundreds of clinics in St Louis — all on one electronic medical record system. During that career, Phil has implemented computer network systems at 25 hospitals and over 800 clinics. He retired in 2003. He moved to Ocala to be closer to his son and ex-wife. In Ocala, he worked various jobs: first, at TimberRidge as a case manager, then at Hampton Inn at Deerwood as an assisted living facility administrator.

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In 2006, Phil had an epiphany that healthcare was not what he wanted to do. He sold his house, lived off his retirement from the Montgomery GI Bill for two years, and went back to school and got a degree in computers, plus certifications in healthcare and networking servers. He became employed at Shands Hospital as an IT project manager. During that time, the hospital introduced a new electronic medical record system. Phil led the team because of his knowledge of both computers and healthcare. Professionally, Phil achieved great success. Personally, Phil was suffering in silence.

Becoming a Buddhist

For years, Phil did not have a belief system, it was not something his parents instilled in their children. If anything, he described himself as atheist/agnostic. “In 2006, I hit an emotional bottom,” said Phil. “I started on a spiritual path in order to help the suffering within myself.” When he lived in Gainesville, he met a woman. “We were single and she was cute,” he said. She was also Buddhist. She introduced him to her faith. “The first time I walked into the temple, the spirituality just clicked,” said Phil. Buddhism made sense to him as a way of looking at the suffering within you in an introspective way. “When you understand how your thought processes work, how your emotions work, it becomes very psychologically enlightening,” said Phil. “When you do the work inside of you, your whole world changes;

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you see the world in a different perspective.” Before Buddhism, if something bad happened to Phil, he felt no control, which he described as a toy being shaken by a dog. “My mental state was based upon what was happening in the outside world,” said Phil. Buddhism has reversed that for Phil. His mental state is based upon what is happening within, which allows him to affect the outside world around him, rather than the other way around. Phil offered this example: If someone cut him off on the road, the initial reaction of anger is not Phil’s responsibility, caused by previous response. It is after that initial thought that Buddhism says we have control over what course to take. “I could continue to follow the story I derive, that he is a jerk and doesn’t respect me as a driver on the road, or I can take a deep breath and let it go,” said Phil. Twelve years ago, if someone cut Phil off on the road, it would ruin his day. He would spend hours ruminating about what that driver did to him. “I have a choice today,” said Phil.

Buddhism in Business

Being a Buddhist helps Phil to be more intuitive and observant of the needs of his clients. Phil referred to the Buddhist area called The Mindful Leader, which is focused on meditation and mindfulness. “Because I practice meditation and mindfulness on a daily basis, it allows me to be a little bit more in tune with people around me, and to recognize when they are suffering or having a difficulty.” CMIT Solutions of Ocala is a managed IT service provider, which means they monitor your computer IT infrastructure remotely. “We identify problems and issues before they become prevalent, and are able to go in through the back end and fix them before you even know it is broken,” said Phil. Currently, they have a 500-engineer, number-onerated-in-USA network operations center, and a 24/7 help desk located in North America. They currently monitor roughly 40,000 workstations and roughly 4,000 servers nationwide. As a managed care client, CMIT Solutions of Ocala will meet with clients either monthly or quarterly,

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depending on the business owners need. They are presented with executive summaries, which reveal how many viruses or adware were stopped, how many help desk calls were addressed, how long each call took place, and other needed metrics. Those measures help spread out the IT cost and decrease or prevent the downtime. The current model for most small businesses is the “break-fix” model: In other words, the mentality that one would plug in the computer and it would run for five years without the need for maintenance. “If you were to apply that to your vehicle, lock and load changes for checking the tires or tune ups, your car would require negligence work,” said Phil. “With computers, over time, they work slower.” With the car analogy, without regular maintenance, such as an oil change, you would incur greater costs by requiring new transmission replacement, plus loss of use of the car while being repaired, so you have to pay for an expensive rental. What CMIT Solutions basically does is put software into the computers to monitor them remotely. The can see when the hard drive is getting full or see

if a problem is developing, so they can be proactive in repair. According to Phil, his practice of Buddhism helps his customer service. When people are more conscious of what is going on inside of them, they have an easier time recognizing that someone else is having a difficult time. “That mindfulness allows me to recognize what is happening around me to take action,” said Phil. “The change produced in others has a ripple effect.”

BOOKS ON BUDDHISM

Here are five of Phil’s picks for beginners in Buddhism. When Things Fall Apart – Peme Chodron The Mindfulness Survival Kit – Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhist Book Camp – Timber Hawkeye Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away – Ajahn Chah The Mindful Leader – Michael Carroll Also, Phil’s two favorite YouTubers are: “Venerable Robina Courtin – it’s an hour long, but ‘Be your own therapist’ is my favorite of all time. Just know VenRob, as people call her, is not your typical monk — she the monk with spunk!”

Being a Buddhist

“Saying one is a Buddhist is like saying one is a Christian. There are many types of lineages,” said Phil. “I happen to be a Tibetan Buddhist.” Tibetan Buddhism has four major lineages. The lineage Phil follows is very structured, with meditation being a big part. “Keep in mind, Buddha was a human being born 2,500 years ago, but he was not a god,” said Phil. “He is more of a mentor than a higher power.” There is no concept of god or higher power in Buddhism. “Buddha was a human being who eliminated all suffering within himself,” said Phil. There are Four Noble Truths in Buddhism. The first truth is you will experience pain and suffering in your life. It is not an option. You will get sick, you will get old, and you will die. The second truth is that all suffering is caused by desire. You want something you do not have or you have something you want to get rid of. If you eliminate the desire, then you eliminate the suffering. The third truth is to get rid of suffering, you must get rid of desire. The fourth truth is to eliminate the desire, there exists an eight-fold path. The eightfold path is basically eight principles applied to one’s life to help eliminate that desire: having the right views, intentions, speech, actions, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration. Phil has been an active Buddhist for 12 years. His faith has given Phil an outlook on life centered on core sense of peace, serenity, and happiness that is unshakeable. Sharing his enlightenment on Buddhism to Ocala serves his purpose for returning. “Part of the path is to make sure I am in a place to be able to give before I start giving,” said Phil. “With this start-up franchise, I need to become viable first, financially solvent, and then I can begin to look into doing more community service.” C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O N

Buddha was a human being born 2,500 years ago, but he was not a god,”He is more of a mentor than a higher power.”

Contact CMIT Solutions of Ocala: 1294 SE 24th Rd Suite #2 Ocala, FL 34471 Ph: 352.817.2751 www.cmitsolutions.com/ocala

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“Ajahn Brahm is also good – has a geeky sense of humor that is very endearing.” Any video or reading of the four knowable truths and eightfold path is a good start to understand Buddhism. They don’t have one reference book (like the Bible) but the Dharmapada and Discourses (short, medium or long) are good references. Keep in mind, it’s difficult reading without some basic understanding of the principles. CMIT Main Services

CMIT Guardian: data security system from malware. “Think of your IT infrastructure as a house,” said Phil Smith, owner and president of CMIT Solutions of Ocala. “This is the security system made up of locks and alarms.” CMIT Guardian offers backup disaster and recovery from Florida problems, like hurricanes. They have several different backup disaster and recovery options, based not only on the size of the business, but also the risk involved. CMIT Marathon: comprehensive, proactive technology management. They install two small pieces of software on the computer. First, a telamon, which monitors the hardware. It makes sure everything is running smoothly. It can be put on schedule to thin out the recycle bin once a month, or reboot the computer every Sunday night, which gives it a fresh start for the week. The second is Webroot, an anti-virus/anti-malware software. Antiviruses take up much of the computer’s resources to keep it running smoothly. Webroot is on the cloud so it does not take up the computer’s resources, which makes the computer run faster, with instantaneous updates.

AWA R D S

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2017 MARY SUE RICH DIVERSIT Y AWARD Organization Category by Racial Harmony and Cultural Awareness Committee, City of Ocala 2 0 1 7 F L OR I DA P R E S S C LU B E XC E L L E NC E I N JOU R NA L I SM FIRST PLACE — Religion Writing, SECOND PLACE — Community News 2018 FLORIDA MAGAZINE ASSO CIATION CHARLIE Award (First Place) and SILVER Award (Second Place) for Elevar and Elevate Magazines respectively, as Best Digital-Only Magazine 2018 FLORIDA PRESS CLUB EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM EIGHT AWARDS IN THE FOLLOWING Travel Writing Layout Sports Page Feature Photo Essay Feature Photography Sports Action Photography Sports Feature Photography Feature Page Design Headline Writing

We are honored to be acknowledged with such high praise by both the City of Ocala and the state of Florida through two major media organizations in our first two years. A blessing. Glory to God. – J O H N S O TOM AYO R , P U B L I SH E R

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FIRST PLACE FIRST PLACE FIRST PLACE FIRST PLACE FIRST PLACE FIRST PLACE SECOND PLACE THIRD PLACE

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AROUND TOWN

Ocala’s Got Talent Finale BY / / J O H N S O T O M AYO R P H O T O S BY / / C O N A N S E G R ES T Over an eight-week period, Ocala’s Got Talent held auditions and semifinals leading to the finals held on Nov 10, 2018 at the Les Bowen Auditorium at Heart of Florida Youth Ranch in Citra, in search of the 2018 top local talent. The winners were: Markevia Williams (singer), first place; Jillian O’Neill (singer), second place; and Angel Joiner (dancer), third place. The prizes were $1,000, $500, and $250, respectively. The fundraiser benefited Heart of Florida Youth Ranch, which provides housing and other aid to foster kids, and Bays Florida, a youth services program originating in Tampa, which now provides services throughout the state. The winners: Jillan O’Neil, Markevia Williams and Angel Joiner

Douglas Goodridge

Sarah Johns

Jason, Jackie, and Paige Jacobowitz

LeeLee Cruz and Dev Picard

Diane and Ian Beryl

JoAnn and John Sweet

The Judges: Shane Wooten, Marcy Mac, John Sotomayor and Steph Carse

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VEEG.CO PLANT-BASED RECIPES

BREAKING BREAD

All the Fixins BY / / J O H N S O T O M AYO R

P H O T O G R A P H Y BY / / C O N A N S E G R ES T

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Someone took a chance on Darrell Warden-Levine. Now he pays it forward by giving chances to others so they may better their lives. Darrell’s Dog Gone Good Diner offers all the fixins — hope to staff who need second chances, while offering the community delicious breakfast and lunch options from 13 locations in Marion County. 13! They have a new one currently in development in Lady Lake, Lake County, with another planned in Gainesville, Alachua County. Good fortune has blessed Darrell for his good heart.

arrell Warden-Levine was working one evening in preparation to get his startup restaurant opened in a few days. He prepared the restaurant at night, after ending his shift at his day job. A woman named Lisa kept asking him if he was hiring. He would reply not until they open. Darrell had no additional startup money to hire even a single employee. This repeated several times until one day, Lisa just started helping him with whatever task he was working on that night to prepare for the opening. Darrell recognized the drive caused by desperation that could be molded to success, if given a chance. Lisa became the very first employee of Darrell’s Dog Gone Good Diner. She was in recovery for substance abuse. She rode her bike to work, while dealing with DCF to get her children back. Through sheer determination and putting in the work to recover, Lisa is still employed with Darrell’s Diner 10 years later, has her own home, and got both her kids back. Hers is the success story that has become common centered around Darrell’s Diner — now the major source of employment in Marion County for those recovering from addiction, like Lisa, to get back on their feet. Darrell’s Dog Gone Diner started in October 2009, when Darrell, himself a recovering drug addict and alcoholic, asked his employer for financing to start a business of his own. They came to an agreement. “I was just trying to find myself a job,” said Darrell. “I imagined a small place where I would cook and find a server and make a nice, comfortable living for myself.” It is always a difficult time to open a restaurant, since most fail within their first year, but 2009 was an exceptionally difficult time, given the recession of 2008. Darrell and his business partner, Larry, persevered, in part due to Larry’s keen sense of business management, but also because of the vast support they received from the recovery community. Darrell and Larry have helped others, and the recovery community, as well as 12-step ministries and churches, have helped back.

Hard Life

Darrell was born in North Carolina, in a family of four including his parents and sister. His parents

Darrell Warden-Levine pays it forward by giving chances to others so they may better their lives.

divorced when he was 11. He lived with his mother in a motel. His father and sister moved to Florida. When he was 12, his sister was in North Carolina visiting during the summer. His mother was taking the kids to the mall to meet their father when they were involved in a terrible car accident. Darrell’s sister was killed in the accident. Darrell was removed from his mother’s care following the accident. “I started down a road of behavioral issues, which included drugs and alcohol,” said Darrell. Darrell was locked up often at juvenile centers. Eventually, he was sent to a reform camp in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was there for a couple of years. “It was not a nice place,” said Darrell. “When I got out, that pretty much fueled my anger, my rampage that I was on.”

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Party Life

Darrell was off on his own, moving to Orlando, Florida. His father lived in Bartow, Florida. He wouldn’t live with his father out of resentment for having been sent to the reform camp in Texas. Nothing good happened in Orlando. “I learned the ways of the streets,” said Darrell. He began working in bars and nightclubs as a bartender. Although the money was good, Darrell got involved in the party life. “That’s when my drinking and using really accelerated,” said Darrell. For 12 years or so, Darrell lived homeless, in and out of jail. He was involved in frequent criminal activity just to survive and support his habit. It turned around for him when he was introduced to a

BREAKING BREAD “I knew how to cook food and manage a restaurant, but I did not know how to run and reinvest to grow a business,” said Darrell. Darrell’s gratitude is evident every day at the diner.

Pay it Forward

— Top left: Darrell’s Diner signature dish — The Mountain Scrambler Top right: Garrett Little Bottom: Brian Southall

Many of the people referred to Darrell from Unity Place, 12-step ministries and churches have felonies and are trying to start their lives over after recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. If a position becomes available, selection is based on satisfactory time and effort on recovery plus experience. Candidates can begin with entry-level experience and learn on the job. Like Lisa, Darrell’s Diner has many success stories. Ricky is one of them. He had no prior experience but had proven himself serious about his recovery at Unity Place. Darrell gave him a chance five years ago. He was recently promoted to manager after putting in hard work. “Besides giving people second chances, which we do and hold to high regard, Darrell’s Diner works in conjunction with Unity Place to feed those in need throughout the community,” said Darrell. “Those in need are not only the homeless; they include families who are struggling and the elderly.” Everyone needs a helping hand at some point in their lives. No one is ever turned away by Darrell’s Diner when asked for help and they can provide it. K E Y I N G R E D I E N TS FO R D I N E R G R OW T H

detox. Not by his choice. Darrell was publicly intoxicated, and was given the option to go to detox or jail. Not knowing what detox was, he decided it sounded better than jail. While he was at the detox, a counselor spoke to him about moving into a halfway house. She told him he could live there and get back on his feet, but that he would have to follow rules, and not drink or drug. “I was interested in that, because I was interested in getting off the streets,” said Darrell. ‘I didn’t know at the time that I was not interested in drinking, but I was willing to not drink to get out of the situation I was in.”

Recovery Life

In January 2000, Darrell was introduced to a halfway house in Ocala called Unity Place. He resided there for nine months, but could not succeed at staying sober on his first try. He started drinking and using drugs in Ocala. He was back in jail quickly after that. When he was released from jail in 2003, he returned to Unity Place. He has remained sober ever since. He has recently celebrated 15 years of recovery. After completing his stay at Unity Place, he became an employee there. Eventually, he was promoted to director. Six years later, he opened the diner, with his employer at Unity Place as his business partner. “Six years after my stay at a halfway house, it was the owner of the halfway house that helped me with underwriting for the business,” said Darrell. “Because of my relationship with the halfway house, church, and the

recovery community, my life has turned around; I was helped, so now I am called upon to help others.” Darrell’s Diner is a second-chance establishment. All of their employees on every level have gone through recovery, and are given the chance to work there because they will most likely not find work anywhere else. Darrell says many of his staff are referred to him through Unity Place. He also receives many referrals from the 12-step Christian ministries and churches. “[Helping others] really started because of who I am,” said Darrell. “I am a second-chance employee; had Larry not believed in me, who knows what my story would have become.”

Business Life

Over the past 10 years, Darrell’s Diner grew to be a huge success. They have 13 restaurants in Marion County. Eight have opened within the past five years. They have a couple of new prospects. They have one currently opening in Lady Lake, Lake County, adjacent to The Villages. Their next location will most likely be in Gainesville, Alachua County. “I could not have done this without some really great employees and many loyal, local customers who have consistently stayed with us,” said Darrell. “And also, Larry (his business partner/underwriter) who originally helped me open.” Darrell admits the diner would not have grown to the scale it has without Larry’s savvy on business management and expansion, and his financial support.

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What worked for Darrell and Larry may not work for everyone. What they like for their locations are shopping centers with Publix or Winn Dixie anchors. For them, they generate the largest foot traffic ideal for a diner. The best shopping centers anchored by a Publix or Winn Dixie would be located near retirement communities. Shoppers, employees on their way to work or on their lunch break, and retirees make the best diner patrons. D I D YO U K N OW

For the first couple of years, Darrell was the only cook and he hired only one server. Darrell’s Diner offers simple, great-tasting food, nothing fancy, food that you would cook at home, at low cost, with an open kitchen concept, so patrons can see into the kitchen while dining. Marketing was done solely by word of mouth. Darrell reached out to the recovery community, and the recovery community responded. M U S T - T R Y M E N U FAV O R I T E

The Mountain Scrambler is by far their most popular breakfast item. For lunch, try one of their signature, flame-grilled burgers.

IN YOUR WORDS

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BY / / T R I S H A H I AT T fellow mommas and dads. Wow, parenting is such a blessing, but can be so incredibly difficult at times. AMIRITE? You take one look at their little faces when they’re young and you just want to laugh instead of discipline sometimes when they get in trouble. And when they’re teenagers, the bickering can seem unbearable. Then you feel guilty for getting onto them and ask yourself, “Why can’t I just respond without getting upset?” Right? Gosh, I sure hope I’m not alone here. We are so, so, so important as the leaders in our children’s lives. Our role as Christian parents is to be administers of God’s unconditional love to our children 24/7. Not just when they are getting good grades or on a roll of obeying cheerfully… no, ALL the time we are called to love without limits, to be patient, kind, supportive, engaging, and giving of ourselves when it’s not so easy.

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Ways to administer God’s love in your home: 1. Practicing gratitude 2. Modeling kindness 3. Engaging with your child 4. Implementing prayer time 5. Teaching God’s word

Practicing Gratitude

From sun up to sun down we have the opportunity to be a prime example of God’s love to our children. One of the best ways we can do this is by starting the day with gratitude. Start the day off by praying with your child and thanking God for the simplicity of a new day and the many blessings He’s given you. You can model gratefulness in your home by trying not to complain, by staying positive, and by making simple statements throughout the day to your kids about what you’re thankful for.

Modeling Kindness

This is pretty much a no-brainer, but it can be hard to model kindness ALL the time. Making sure we, as parents, think and say good things is so important and is the beginning of being kind. Remember what

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PARENTS: ADMINISTERS OF GOD’S LOVE

ALL the time we are called to love without limits, to be patient, kind, supportive, engaging, and giving of ourselves when it’s not so easy.

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Paul said in his letter to the Philippians? “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8. Being kind starts in our hearts and minds. Are we always kind 100% of the time? Absolutely not, but the important question is do we strive to be kind? Are we watching what we do and say around our kids? Because, trust me, they are watching us and they are picking up on our behaviors and attitudes. Colossians 3:12 is one of my favorite verses and it says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Modeling kindness by staying patient, being compassionate, remaining positive and trying to understand your children (even when it can be so hard) can create a beautiful family atmosphere.

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

they can talk to God anytime, any place, and about anything. (Just keep your eyes on the road, LOL.) If this doesn’t work for you, try praying at any mealtime with your children or before bed. Most young kids have a bedtime routine involving bath time, brushing their teeth, putting their pajamas on, and story time, so why not have prayer time at the end of their night to wind them down and teach them to thank God for their day whether or not it was good? Teach them to pray by praying first and remember that most importantly, our goal is to teach our children to develop a solid relationship with their Heavenly Father.

Teaching God’s Word

PHOTO BY OLENA YAKOBCHUK ; MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES

Engaging With Your Child

School, extracurricular activities, clubs, sports, church, dance, homework, projects — the list of things we can have going on is never-ending and can very much be a distraction to your quality time with your child. Carve out special time for you and your kids that is one-on-one, with no screens, and has lots of opportunities for heart-to-heart conversations and lots of fun and laughter. It doesn’t matter how young or old your child is, you can always have a special conversation that is heartfelt. Get to know your child on a regular basis. Consistently ask your child questions like what their favorite parts of their day or week are or what it is that they are passionate about. It isn’t always just play that can create a close bond to our children; simply connecting and engaging with them is just as important. God wants us to spend time with Him in His word, by serving others, and by talking with Him in prayer throughout the day. He created us as human beings and not “human doings,” so just slowing down and being face-to-face with your child having a conversation, playing together, or simply taking a walk together will do wonders for the bond between you and your child.

Implementing Prayer Time

Again, in busy homes, which most of us have, this can be hard. But if you have some kind of a routine in place, it should be simple to incorporate prayer into it. If you are in a hurry in the mornings and don’t sit down for breakfast together, pray on the way to school. Children need to know

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Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” One of the best things we can do as parents is hold fast to the promises of God’s word and to sprinkle His words throughout our child’s day. Take one night a week and read and discuss a Bible story together. For little children, I like The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones because of its simplistic storytelling and vivid illustrations. For boys, the Little Boys Bible Storybook for Mothers and Sons by Carolyn Larsen is excellent and she has also written one for girls, the Little Girls Bible Storybook for Mothers and Daughters. These are wonderful Bibles because they include a “Becoming a Man/Woman of God” section that is an applicable extension of the Bible story, and a “Mom’s Touch” section that encourages moms to share their personal stories that might influence their children for Christ. Also, Everything a Child Should Know About God by Kenneth Taylor is a great resource for young children from about preschool to third grade. — Trisha Hiatt is a third-generation Ocalan who is a Christ follower, wife, and mom. Trisha was a Kindergarten teacher at Redeemer Christian School for seven years and at Victory Academy for three. She loved teaching, but the Lord opened the doors for her to write from home which ended up being ideal as she is able to stay home with her two-year-old son, Sutton. She thoroughly enjoys writing and has been honing her craft for four years working with Best Version Media as the Content Coordinator for three Citrus County neighborhood publications.

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ELEVATE

SILENCING THE MIND BY / / R E V. B I L L D O D D hat can we do to improve our lives on a daily basis? What would you wish for to find better relationships, easier working environments, and a generally more peaceful mind on a regular basis? And most importantly, how can we connect directly and daily with the divine within us? For many of us, our daily routine includes rushing to get out of bed in the morning, cleaning up, eating in a hurry and hurrying to get to work or to begin our normal hourly activities. A little peace and harmony for each of us would make us feel more spiritually connected and more relaxed overall. Meditation provides relief to sensory overload by allowing the mind to be quiet. Getting the mind to rest takes some time and practice, but it is worth it. For some, meditation can positively affect physical health. Even a simple 10or 15-minute exercise in meditation can help us to overcome stress and find true inner peace and balance. As we meditate, we become silent and peaceful, which allows Christ to be with us and felt throughout the day. It is through meditation that we offer our gift to God. But we need to

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It is through meditation that we offer our gift to God.

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IN YOUR WORDS

reconcile with everyone around us before we get to the quiet place within. In Matthew Chapter 5:23-24, the Blessed of the Pure of Heart are being honored. “So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” And this is what being in the quiet and meditation is all about. Meditation can even help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our thoughts from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful. Jesus speaks of this kingdom of God within each and every one of us. In Luke 17:20-21, Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and He answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is’ or ‘There it is!’ For in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.” Through meditative practices, we ultimately can connect with the kingdom of God within and also get to a truly deeper state of self-awareness. With a quiet mind we free our overall awareness. And we ultimately find after significant practice, that we can meditate at anytime and anywhere, accessing the inner calm no matter what’s going on around us. We also find that we can better temper our reactions to things in life. Ultimately, meditation will help us to center ourselves and to become successful on a regular basis. Meditation will help us always to connect with the Christ within. We will become exceptionally happy in our lives. And we deserve it. —

Rev Bill Dodd has served in numerous executive positions overseeing administration, governmental and public relations, marketing and publications for major public and private entities. For over fifteen years, Dodd was the Executive Editor and Publisher for Car & Travel and AAA World magazines. Over the years, he attained national recognition for public service and tourism efforts. Dodd was the Senior Minister at Unity of Ocala from 2003 to 2009 and presently is the Senior Minister of a non-denominational church focused on meditation called Trinity of Light in Ocala.

DEVOTIONAL

ELEVATE

BY / / C R YS TA L J E W E L L - M A K S O U he story of my life used to be, “God, as soon as I do this I will spend some time with you. Right after I am done with this we will get together.” Well, about 18 or so years later I was still busy doing a whole bunch of nothing. I fell into every trap the devil had set for me. I went down countless roads that led to a deeper destruction. I tried to figure things out myself every which way you could possibly imagine. I would say this substance or that substance was the problem, when in reality, I was my own enemy. Oh glory be to our Savior! I can’t thank Him enough for setting me free from that way of thinking. It was only when I made a decision to get alone with Him, one on one, that I truly understood who He was and who I was meant to be in Him. I simply made a commitment in faith to seek Him everyday first on February 20, 2012. From there He has spiritually changed me from the inside out. It is nothing I could have ever done without

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Him. I stopped trying to figure out things and people and allowed the Lord to heal me and deliver me from all those years of pain, unworthiness and hurt. There is nobody like The Most High God. He is perfect in all His ways. I stand today as a soldier for Christ Jesus, delivered from all unrighteousness and cleansed by the blood of The Lamb. I have a purpose and am a friend of God. By getting alone with Him first every day, I have grown to know Him. From there I have grown to love Him. Now I serve Him. The Lord is waiting for you to make that decision today. May you find Him wherever you are. My Prayer: Oh Father, I pray that every soul who reads this today will be drawn by the everlasting power of Your Holy Spirit. I pray that You will rise up and do what they cannot do for themselves as You have with me. I ask this in Jesus’ name. —

Crystal Jewell-Maksou is a contributing writer for Daughters of King International Ministries. She is part of Ocala Business Leaders Association, Faith and Justice Coalition, Phoenix House Alumni, Christian 12-Step, and several other community based outreaches.

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GET ALONE SO YOU CAN STAND ALONE WITH GOD

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8 (NKJV)