Urban Sentinel (November 2020 Holiday Special)

Contents Table of

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Letter From The Editor

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Your Testimony is Your Weapon

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A Dream or A Purpose

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Faith-Family-Forgiveness

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Mapping Out My Purpose

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The Depth of My Struggle

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Keep God First

Reignite The Vision

Songs and Words of L-I-F-E From The Voice of Pastor Shirley Murdock

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Trouble Don’t Last Always

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The Opportunity of Storms

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Quartet Gospel’s Living Legend: Larry Young

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Good Grief: It’s the Holidays Again

Letter from the

Editor This year has been a tough year for many of us. We will go into the year 2021 and we will never forget March 13, 2020,

for this was the day that our country was shut down because of the Covid-19 virus. This was a new journey for all of us because we had never experienced a pandemic. The struggle has been real and this journey has been real. We have seen the loss of loved ones and friends, and we have seen the loss of jobs for many of our friends and neighbors.

These times have really been a test of our faith.

Reggie Kearney, MBA Publisher/Editor:

Urban Sentinel www.urbansentinel.com www.urbansentinelmagazine.com Twitter: @urbansentinel or @06Alpha Facebook: Urban Sentinel Facebook Live Host of the Urban Sentinel Live Show

When I came up with the idea for this Special Ministry Edition of the magazine, I envisioned bringing together a group of people who would be able to lift us all up through their writings. I can say that we reached our mark with this special edition.

We are blessed to be able to have Pastor Shirley Murdock grace the cover of the magazine. Pastor Murdock is a true woman of God who has a beautiful voice that allows you to feel the heart and soul of every song that she sings. Along with her singing, Pastor Murdock has a message for you through her preaching of the gospel.

It is my hope and prayer that you will be blessed by these writers and their articles. It is also my hope and prayer that you will have a blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas and I want you to know that “God is still in control.�

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Your Testimony is Your Weapon

By Apostle J. L. Cash There’s not a day that goes by we don’t here someone say “The Lord Is Good’ or something very close to it. We speak of the Lord and his goodness sometimes without even thinking about what we’re saying. It’s good and wholesome conversation so many do it to break common ground in a conversation. But here I would like to invite you to look a little deeper, In fact so deep until just mere words of God’s goodness are transformed into Testimony.

The word testimony means “The evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something, Evidence in support of a fact or statement.” Your testimony is powerful and always life changing. Your testimony makes you a threat to the plans of the enemy because your testimony confirms the word and very will of God. So the enemy does everything in his power to keep your mouth closed. Because of the power they carry testimonies are often very hard to get and to keep, we often encounter failure after failure before actually getting a hold on a true testimony. There is no testimony without rigorous testing and these tests often come upon you without study time or preparation periods. These tests are notorious for draining a person of self and pride which are known blocks to the will and blessings of God. Sometimes we have to be broken to become better. God takes all of your broken pieces and he carefully puts you back together again but without the hurt, pain, bad habits and weaknesses you started with. Out of your brokenness your testimony is born, from you actually seeing God’s love, grace and mercy in action on your own behalf. When you’re broken and you give what broken pieces you have left to God he knows just what to do.

The Japanese have a method of repairing broken pottery called Kintsukuroi. This centuries old method is done by repairing the broken cup or dish with Gold instead of glue. They describe it as golden joinery. When you look at the repaired cup, in every place that it was broken you now see seams of gold giving it a unique appearance and a value greater than before it

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was broken. The cup or dish is now more beautiful for having been broken. The broken places became it’s places of praise.

In Joshua 4:1-9, 20-24. This chapter gives a further account of the miraculous passage of Israel’s passing from Jordan to Canaan. They were told to remember what God did for them as they decamped from where they had been and pitched their new camp in Gilgal. The things we see God do in our lives help us to better know him, his character and nature. At Joshua’s order they walked up to the rivers side and God’s almighty power led them through it. They had passed through the red sea unexpectedly while in flight from Egypt but they crossed the Jordan on Purpose. When you see what God not only can do but will do for you it strengthens your faith, trust and belief.

They came to Jordan and lodged there before they passed over. They had seen God move at The Red Sea when they didn’t expect him but this time they were expecting his mighty move.

Joshua told them, Sanctify Yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

They did as Joshua had asked and on the next day they saw God move…

He opened The Jordan for them, they crossed and he closed it behind them.

For the testimony, Joshua commanded them to take every man a stone. These stones were to become Pillars of Testimony to the miracle Power of God dividing The Jordan and delivering the children of Israel. It was required that every man take up a stone upon his shoulders. In other words, every man had to carry his on testimony.

As believers we often fail to realize that one of The Greatest Weapons we have against the enemy is our testimony. Your testimony makes you a threat, It’s time to open your Mouth.

It’s time to declare what God has done and is doing in your life.

Revelations 12:11 says “they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony. By the blood of Jesus and by your own testimony.

Romans 8:37 says that nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. More because you didn’t just get delivered, You didn’t just get healed, You didn’t just make it through the waters, You didn’t just make it through the fire and through the flood, but you came out with a TESTIMONY. The Devil fears the very opening of your mouth and the victorious weight of the words of your testimony. Your testimony makes you dangerous. It’s not what you make it through, it’s that you made it through. Your personal victory benefits no one except you. But when you OPEN YOUR MOUTH and began to declare the faithfulness of God and declare the mercy of God that delivers you, that restores you and sets you FREE. Your testimony becomes your weapon.

A instrument of POWER to set the captives free. Many have been shamed into hiding their testimony because of what others may say or think and they live their lives just keeping silent.

The enemy want to keep your mouth shut because he knows your testimony has POWER to bring LIFE, to bring HOPE, to bring JOY and PEACE and to bring restoration and deliverance. Your testimony is your own CUSTOM MADE WEAPON. It was your pain, your heartbreak, your confusion, fear and loss that designed this very special weapon. What happened happened, but it didn’t kill you.

God put you back together and from it all made you better than you’ve ever been. Now testify, tell of his faithfulness, his goodness, his grace and love. You are LIVING proof of it. You are a LIVING TESTIMONY. Have you ever noticed in the movies how they always want to stop the one with the real testimony against the crook? No matter how evil the person or persons are they fear the one with THE TESTIMONY. They seek to silence them pretty much the same way the Devil wants to silence the people of God. OPEN YOUR MOUTH and tell it, beat the enemy with your most powerful weapon, your testimony.

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A Dream or A Purpose

by LaSonya Bryson-Murdaugh

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The song says, “It all begins with a dream.” I understand the meaning and the implications of the song; yet, I’m reminded that we have to guard our gates and control our tongues. The enemy of our souls only needs a foothold and is always on his three-tiered mission: steal, kill, and destroy.

It all begins with a thought and a plan. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Long before we arrived on earth and long before our parents knew they would be used to get us here, we had an assignment. We were born with and for a mission. It wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t the result of poor planning or failure to use protection. You are the result of God’s planning and have a purpose. The way that we view life and the lessons that we are taught make that concept of being chosen to populate the earth difficult to comprehend. As a result, we sometimes concentrate on all the things that are wrong with us instead of focusing on all the amazing qualities that He placed in us. Despite scripture telling us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), we spend a lot of time comparing ourselves to others.

Nothing gives Satan greater delight. Comparison is a foothold. If he can keep us thinking that we are inferior, less than, not smart enough, not articulate enough, not pretty enough, not rich enough, not tall enough, not skinny enough long enough, he knows he has the potential to cause us to fumble our mission.

(James 2:26). Our faith is seen through our works. In this world that is lost and in a state of confusion we are supposed to stand out. We are the salt of the earth and should be a bright light shining. We can’t shine if we are busy hiding away our gifts and talents and dodging our assignment because the purpose that we have scares us. We have to get to a place where we trust God over all things. We have to trust Him when it looks good and when it doesn’t. We have to trust Him when it feels good and when it doesn’t. We have to act in faith even when our faith meter is low.

Why? We are not our own. We were bought with a price, His blood that was shed on Calvary. We have cannot afford to become weary or to be slack. The world is looking to us, the believers, even when they don’t say anything. We have to be mindful of our actions, our conversations, what we entertain. We need to understand that our bodies are temples. Why is this important? It is important because when we realize the importance of these vessels in which we operate, we will treat them better. If we can be trusted to take care of these clay jars in which we live, we can then be trusted with spiritual things. Our purpose, our mission is too great to take lightly. The kingdom suffers when we do. We have to get to a place where pleasing Him becomes more important than any of the temporal things of this world. It’s not easy but it is worth it. After all, only what we do for Him will last. He is our ALL. He’s not a genie that gives us what we want. He’s not the one whom we seek when we are in trouble. He is our ALL. Anything that we do should be done to and for His glory.

If it cannot be done to and for His glory, we should not be doing it. I am not suggesting that you become so holy that you are no earthly good. Who would benefit from that? No one. What I am saying is that we have a purpose to fulfill. We have to work for it. Just as Olympians train, we too have to train. We have to get in the gym of spirituality and work out our soul’s salvation. We have to get away from distractions so that we can hear from Him. We have to study the word and develop a deeper relationship with Him. We have to write His word on the tablets of our heart, but we can’t stop there. We have to live it. We have a charge to keep and a God to glorify. Our life’s living should be a tribute to Him. Daily, others should see us glorifying our Creator because our lives should be living epistles. Our characteristics should line up with the characteristics of Christ. We should be holy. Without holiness, no man should see God (Hebrews 12:14). We are called to be in this world but not of this world. We can’t straddle the fence and complete our mission. We all have gifts. The gifts were given to edify the body. What we do has an impact on our brothers and sisters. Therefore, we need to make sure that our actions line up with what He would have us to do. We do not want to be the cause of someone suffering.

“You were created on purpose with a purpose.”

As a result of us filling our heads with doubts and listening to the naysayers, we get off track and doubt ourselves.

Oftentimes, our plans don’t line up with the plan and purpose God has for us. We spend of lot of time in a state of dissatisfaction because we don’t believe we are who He created us to be.

Imagine that! We have the audacity to tell our Creator, the all-seeing and all-knowing God who is the maker of Heaven and Earth that He got it wrong when He put in us the tools to carry out the assignment that we are to accomplish. When we deny who we are, we are essentially telling Him that He failed despite the fact that we know He can do anything but fail.

It’s not a surprise to Him. Others before us doubted and there will be others coming behind us that will doubt. Moses didn’t think he was articulate enough; therefore, he didn’t think he should be the one to speak. Esther didn’t think she was fit to be with the king. Sarah though she was too old to receive the promises of God. Thomas doubted. Mary had no idea why she was chosen to birth the Messiah. Our Lord and Savior was ready to be offered up and went through with dying a cruel death on Calvary’s cross; yet, we lack the substance to offer our all to the One who died for us. We are content to aimlessly wander through life as if we don’t know that we carry a treasure and are full of power. We conduct ourselves as if we have never been told that our lives are not our own. We act in a manner that confuses the world because instead of allowing our actions to prove that we are members of a royal priesthood, we often times operate in a state of fear and doubt. Fear and doubt are constricting. God wants to stretch out in us. In order for us to get to the place we have been purposed to get to we have to do more than dream about it. Faith without works is dead,

A dream is defined as images or thoughts that one has during sleep. A purpose is the reason a person exists. You are more than image. You were created in the image of God, one who does not sleep, who knew the thoughts He had towards you and had a reason for you to be on the earth.

He put a plan in motion to get you here. He loves you with an unfailing love and will use every moment of your life to get you to your expected end. All you have to do is trust Him. Some things may have begun with a dream. You are a much bigger deal than that. You were created on purpose with a purpose. Carry out your mission. You were created for this.

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“Faith~Family~Forgiveness” By: C. NaTasha Richburg

The book People asks…what is the secret of our 36-year marriage? Tells stories about life lessons learned from Melvin and C. NaTasha Richburg’s marriage. This book speaks on hard times, good times and funny times experienced in the Richburg marriage. The Richburg’s hope this book offers insight of what worked for their marriage by providing tips, lessons and insight gained from their strong life changing marriage.

“Faith ~ Family ~ Forgiveness” There have been many rough times during our marriage when economic downturns resulted in one of us being laid off work, but we trusted God to provide during those hard times. God showed up and showed out every time we needed him. We believe God ordained our marriage, so we both do everything possible to make our marriage work. The most important aspect of hard times is that we know we are never stuck in a hard time; we go through hard times.  As Christians, we keep God first.  We believe God shines His light to guide us to reach the end of every tunnel.  We pray together and thank God for our marriage.  Melvin and I established a prayer wall in our marriage suite that contains our prayers to God.  Family is first. We love our family. Sometimes, the love we give is tough love.  No one in our family is perfect.  Accept your spouse for who he/she is. Don’t try to change your spouse into an image you have about him/ her that rests solely in your head.  We learned to forgive ourselves when we make a mistake.  We learn from our mistakes.  Maintain a “family” calendar where everyone in the family documents their events and activities.  Answers to life’s problems are expressed in the Bible.

Excerpt from Chapter 14 of People ask…what is the secret of our 36-year marriage? By C. NaTasha Richburg

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Mapping Out

my Purpose

By Arlette Thomas-Fletcher

Christ into her life. At the age of eight, she was called into the ministry.

It is this ministry that has guided her throughout her life. “So, many things have happened around me, relatives almost losing their lives from COVID 19 and friends dying. I am still focused on the path that has been mapped out for me, to give God glory through the work I do with my ministry, media, writing, and music.”

As a child, she enjoyed praising God at her grandmother’s church, while taking part in the children’s choir and going to Sunday school. This is where she learned the Bible stories that would shape her decision making for her path through life. It was these stories that stayed with her throughout her life and motivated her to write stories that would inspire God’s people. In her life, she saw much hardship. Like with her first son being born with multiple medical problems that almost shook her faith.

He was afflicted with a condition from birth. Doctors said he would not be able to walk or live a normal life. But God had other plans. He blessed her son to walk and live a productive life. At the age of ten, he fell ill again this time with cancer. Once again, her faith was tested, and she turned to the Lord for help. God divinely healed her son. So, when they returned to the doctors, not a trace of the cancer was found in his body.

Arlette accepted her call into the ministry with humility and sincerity.

As she pursued her calling, she found herself preaching the gospel but being led by the Holy Spirit more and more into writing. She began to write songs, plays, screenplays and books. As the Lord anointed her, she became prolific.

Arlette is a singer/song writer who sings her own original music to the glory of God! She is also a minister at a small church called Words of Wisdom Fellowship Church in Maryland. She is the owner of Fruits of the Spirit Productions LLC in Maryland. Where she is the writer, director, and producer of Christian and family film. Allowing her to focus on the ministry of God’s word through media and film.

She believes in starting each day with scripture and prayer and asking God’s peace and guidance to carry her through each day. She says,” God only can bring the peace we need in a world of confusion. Surrounding myself with positive people that passionately believe in the principles of helping your neighbor is my mantra. Trying to live a life of purpose and creating things that make a difference in the lives of others is what I strive for each day.”

Long ago, her purpose was mapped out for her well before she accepted

She started spilling out of her soul writing children and inspirational books, poems, music, and films which gave her fulfillment. Arlette is a trailblazer. She was the first African American female in Maryland to write, direct and produce a Christian western film called “The Lonesome Trail”. The film is about redemption and forgiveness.

She has won many awards for this inspirational work and is currently seeking distribution. Arlette believes that numerous souls can be reached through the ministry of film. She thinks that her purpose is mapped out by God and hopes to be able to inspire people with her work through these demanding times. She wants everyone to be inspired knowing, that it is a close relationship with God that can map out a successful plan for your life. As Martin Luther King said,” Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

For more information about Arlette Thomas-Fletcher go to www. fruitsofthespiritproductions.com

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The Depth of My Struggle

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By Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton I thought the struggle of holding on to my four children as a widowed 19-year-old mother was next to impossible. However, God guided me through all of the challenges that I had to face. It was most challenging to me and without my mother; I do not know how I would have managed.

Time would prove that many more challenges and struggles would come my way, but I always managed to survive with my family, friends, faith, and prayer.

I have been through so many struggles in my lifetime. The loss of my first husband to murder in June 1969, the unexpected loss of my step-father in July 1987, the loss of my mother and a younger sister in a tragic house fire in February 1992 while I was stationed in South Korea. That was the only time I ever contemplated suicide. The loss of my guardian mother in October 1995 who suffered severely due to cancer. Whatever I had to do to get through the challenges, I did. Many times, I would wear a smile knowing that I was so very saddened inside from all of the losses. I never showed a tear because I thought tears were a sign of weakness. I did not want to show my family that I was weak. I was always the strong sibling in my family, looking out for all of us. There would come a time when I would be unable to wear a smile and I would show tears.

Now fast forward to my second marriage. On Easter Sunday, April 7, 2007, I was home with my baby brother in my bedroom watching a movie, “Happy Feet.” It was late when we finished, almost 12 midnight. I was sleepy and my brother went to hang out in the garage with my husband. I hardly got to sleep when I heard a knock on the front door. I went down stairs to see who it was; about the same time my husband and brother were coming through the back kitchen door telling me it was the police.

I opened the door and there stood two white males in suits. They introduced themselves as homicide detectives and showed me their badges. I knew one of my kids was dead. The tall officer said; “We are so sorry to inform you that your son Keenan Wynn was murdered about 12:30 this morning. I felt like the floor just dropped from under me and I fell backwards into my baby brother Clifford arms.

The officers said many things, to this day; I could not tell you what they told us. My brother, Clifford and my husband Aaron had tears in their eyes; they tried to hold it together for me. I remember calling my two daughters who lived nearby and they were both at my house in Suitland, Maryland within minutes. Then I called my son Kevin in Pennsylvania (where my family is from) and told him his baby brother was dead. I told him he had to get to my baby boys son before he heard it from someone else. I called my sister Mary next, and then my cousin Douglas Smallwood because I knew my extended family would all know shortly, about the death of my son. At about 3:00 in the morning it seemed like my entire family was at my home in Maryland. Nothing seemed real to me.

This cannot be. I felt it was all just a bad dream This was all over the news by 6:00 in the morning. “WRC-TV – Washington, DC “Man shot dead Saturday night in his apartment on 23rd Parkway in Temple Hills, police said the victim, Keenan Wynn Kearse, 38 was in his apartment when someone knocked on the door about 9:00 pm. At least two men were let inside, where one produced a gun, demanded

money, and shot Kearse several times, according to police.” After reading that I knew, my baby boy was dead and gone from this world and that it was not a bad dream. The only thing I could feel was revenge. I wanted justice for my sons’ life. I wanted the two men killed as they killed my son; I wanted their parents to feel the loss and the pain I felt. I wanted their sons to pay for their sins.

I was so broken that I could not plan our sons’ funeral. I relied on my husband and daughters who took care of things for me. The church had standing room only and I felt so much love from family and friends, which helped me to bare the pain of the loss. Through it, all the underline hate was still with me.

I felt like heartbreak and emotional pain surrounded me all the time. I wondered where God was. I was so angry with God. I had always believed in God, but this was too much. I cried so many nights. I asked God why he took my baby boy away from me. I felt trapped in a room and away from God. The door had a lock on it that I could not open. My days became clouded and bleak with all the losses that had accumulated in my life. The memories always came back stronger every time I experienced a loss. Each loss took a part of my heart to the point that I had become numb to the world. After the loss of my son, I remained home from work for some time. I started hearing my son talk to me. We were having conversations when the house was empty with only my presence.

I knew I was losing it, but I felt he was trying to tell me that he was okay.

My husband heard me talking to him one day when he came home from work and asked; “Who are you talking too?” I told him my son. We talked after he was settled and he said I need to see someone to help me to accept that Keenan Wynn is gone.

The human resources from his job called me often to offer mental health therapy. I refused until my husband told me he would go to therapy with me.

Therapy was positive for me. I know that everything happens for a reason. I may not know the reason; however, God does know the reason.

Who am I to question God? I finally decided to go back to work, as did my two daughters. We agreed to a date and kept the start date. Medication to help me deal with my situation helped me to get back on track mentally. Surely, depression and anxiety is treatable with the right therapies. I stopped blaming God and continued to be the best Godly person I could be. When court day finally came up my husband and I agreed to a plea deal for the perpetrator who the police caught. The agreement was time served and 25 years’ probation. I agreed because his grandmother was raising and he was a teen father. They were at all of the court appearances. As a grandmother, I could feel her pain and we had teen grandsons who I hoped would never go down the same path.

My passion is fighting for people who are all too often left out. To win the opinion of intelligent persons in my life and the affection of children is most important to me. To look for the best in others not their faults for no one is perfect. I believe that is what God wants me to do. That is his plan for me.

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Rhonda R Bratcher is the founder of Frontline Warriors for Christ International Ministry Inc. an Apostolic and Prophetic Ministry in Maryland. She is called to be a Kingdom voice that reforms leaders and regions by unveiling God’s ytruth and helping leaders embrace their unique identity. She is a deeply passionate Prophetic Intercessor, revivalist and teacher of the Word of God who operates strongly in deliverance, healing, and worship. Her mandate is to equip The Body of Christ by building and releasing strong apostolic teams who understand spiritual warfare and culture which advance the purposes of the Kingdom of God. Rhonda Is happily married and a mother of 3 with 2 grandchildren and one on the way.

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Keep

God

First

By Thomas King There, once, was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He, however, had an old shotgun and three bullets. So, he decided he would go out and kill something for their dinner.

As he was going down the road, the man saw a rabbit. He fired at the rabbit, but, he missed. Then, he saw a squirrel. He fired at it, but, he missed the squirrel, too. As he went further down the road, he saw a wild turkey up in a tree, but, now he only had one bullet left. Just then a voice called out to him and said, “Pray, aim high and stay focused.” However, at about the same time he heard that voice, he saw a deer. He thought that the deer would make a much better meal than the wild turkey. So, he brought the gun down from aiming at the wild turkey up in the tree and aimed at the deer. But, then, he saw a rattlesnake on the ground about to bite him. So, he naturally and instinctively, brought the gun farther down to shoot the rattlesnake.

But, there was that voice again, that said to him, “pray, aim high and stay focused.” So, the man decided to listen to the voice. He prayed, then, he aimed the gun up high in the tree and shot the wild turkey dead. The bullet, his last bullet I might add, bounced off the dead turkey and killed the deer, too. The handle flew off the shotgun, hit the snake in the head and killed it. And, when the gun went off, it knocked the man into a pond.

When the man stood up to look around, while wondering what had hap-

pened, he had fish in all of his pockets. So, he and his family had a great dinner of fish, turkey and deer. And, the snake, which was Satan, was just dead simply because the man listened to the voice of God. Well, as I hasten towards conclusion, I’d like to offer these thoughts for your kind consideration: • Remember that only God knows our future AND that God will not put us through more than we can handle.

• We should not look to man for our blessings, but, look UP to the Lord.

He can open doors for us that only He is able to do. These are doors that we do not have to slip through, but, doors that He has prepared, in advance, for only us.

• God knows when we are in need and God knows what we are in need of.

• We should always pray first before we do anything else, then, aim high in our goals, our dreams and in our aspirations and, more importantly, stay focused on God. Finally, as I take my seat, we need to wait on God. We need to be still and be patient. Then, and only then, everything else will follow as long as we remember to keep God first.

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Reignite The

Vision

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By LaVerne Perlie Can you believe it? We are in the eleventh (11th) month of this year, and I am grateful that I am still here (as the old folk would say). This year (2020) has been a year full of surprises. The year 2020 has been a year of new doors, new people, and new opportunities. At the same time, 2020 has been a year of challenges, survival, and uncertainty. Many have suffered the unfortunate loss of family members and friends. I am sure many will agree that 2020 has stretched the faith of many. If you have landed on this page of the Urban Sentinel Magazine, I am grateful that you are reading this message. I want to encourage and remind you that today is the beginning of a brand-new day; therefore, you have another opportunity to focus on the next step (s) you will take before 2020 ends.

Before you proceed, allow me to ask a few questions. What is it that you are preparing to do? Have you achieved the goals you have set for the year? Have you documented your list of accomplishments? Have you started to create a vision plan for 2021? If your answer to these questions is yes, Congratulations. You are doing great! Stay on the course. If your answer to this question is no, there is no need to fret. It is possible to see the vision, write it down, and somehow get stuck. Life, family situations, health challenges, slow business, financial famine, competing priorities, or a public health emergency can impact the timeline(s) established to see the vision come to fruition. In some instances, the delay is not a result of the examples mentioned previously but more from the desire to execute the concept before it is time.

Here is an example; God shows you a glimpse of a vision. After getting a glimpse of the picture, you begin to put your thoughts on paper. You are in a proactive mode and start organizing, planning, and networking.

You are beginning to develop cost estimates, called the bank, updated the project plan, and scheduled all events a year ahead of time. Financially you are prospering; however, you are moving so fast to witness this vision happen that your emotional health physical well-being is now in jeopardy. As a result, weariness and frustration kick in, and your decision making is poor. Not one person should agree with following this process. Indeed, this is not what we anticipated, nor is it what we wanted. Doubt can creep in and cause you to wonder if what you saw was real. You begin to ask, are you sure my blessing is in this? Once the process starts, it is possible to lose momentum, focus, and become weary, distracted, discouraged, complain, or become fearful and impatient.

Does any of this sound like events that may have occurred in 2020 for you? I am not sure what has happened in your life over this year that could have caused your light to diminish. I am not aware of the circumstance or situation that might have contributed to halting your progress.

However, I am here to empower, inspire, and encourage you to keep moving, don’t’ stop now. It is time for you to reignite the vision. Here are a few thoughts to ponder as you prepare for 2021.

der the power of God’s sovereignty. Everything moves at his command; therefore, I admonish you to write the vision as instructed, BUT, please do not rush the process and try to move ahead of His timing. Wait until He permits you to run with it.

Readjust Your Lenses

You must see it before you see it! If you think you are not thriving because the appointed time’s timing differs from what you saw, then look again.

God showed you the vision. Trust me. He will give you divine instructions to implement the vision and clarify when to pursue it. You know what you saw, and you believe it was God who showed you the idea, so look again and ask God, what did I not notice the first time? Ask Him for clarity and readjust your lens. This shift in your focus will allow you to receive further direction on implementing the vision. You must see the idea happen through the lens of FAITH, not with your natural eye!

Renew Your Passion

Remember your WHY. What are you trying to accomplish? What goals are you trying to achieve? What ministry, book, church, or businesses is your desire to launch, continue, partner, or expand. Do you believe that God is faithful to perform what he has shown you in the first place? Do you trust your instinct and timing over God? If so, this is not feasible, nor is it a viable option. This type of thinking will dim the light that illuminates and impact your emotions negatively. In this case, you must allow your passion to renew by focusing on God’s promises. Trust and believe what the Spirit of God shows you. It is so easy to become discouraged when the light gets dim; however, if you focus on the reason you started this journey, you will remember your WHY contributes to passion. Passion for service, passion for building, passion for innovating, passion for creativity, passion for growth, passion for production, passion for expansion, passion for leadership, and passion for advancement. Your passion is the reason you will execute the assignment.

Renew Your Mindset

The brain is a significant organ in the body. It has a MAJOR responsibility for thought processing. The mind controls how we think, feel, believe, our intellect, understanding, perceptions, actions, and decisions. What thoughts do you have stored within your mind? Is your mind filled with doubt, insecurities, anxiety, or imperfections? We must guard our minds and heart with diligence. Because the vision is for an appointed time, you must understand how to endure the WEIGHT of WAITING. Waiting is also part of the process. I know it doesn’t feel comfortable; however, remember the promise, written in the 40th chapter of the book of Isaiah, which reads they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. The appointed time for your vision will come when it is time. Wait on it with an open mind, wait on it with expectation, Wait!!!!

Habakkuk 2:3 ESV For still, the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay

Relinquish Your Will Over to God’s Will

The one thing I know for sure is that God has not forgotten you. He is the one who showed you the vision, instructed you to write it; however, HE IS THE AUTHOR and the ORGANIZER! HE APPROVES, CONTROLS, AND DIRECTS THE TIMING AND THE PLAN. GOD IS IN CONTROL. Beloved, understand this, the kingdoms of the world are un-

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Habakkuk, 2:3).

Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

URBAN SENTINEL 15

Songs and Words of L-I-F-E From the Voice of

S hirley

Pastor

Murdock Written by Corretta L. Doctor

She has a beautiful, bold, vibrant voice and sings with such precision that you will feel the heart and soul of every song! Shirley Murdock has been singing all of her life and has been in the professional music business for 37 years. If there was such a thing, Shirley Murdock’s genre of songs would fall into the ‘Life Songs’ category because she sings about l-i-f-e.

Shirley Murdock, my, my, my she is so much more than a beautiful voice.

This Woman of God has a message for you. She never departed from her roots in Gospel music. Her very first R&B album included ‘Tribute’ and it was to remind people of God, and as she promised God, she would always remember him and never toss her relationship with him aside even when she sang rhythm and blues. “I would take my relationship with God with me and show that love wherever I’d go. Music is so powerful.” Shirley says we need music that we can go to when we are down and depressed, so it can lift us up. “We need love music to remind us why we fell in love in the first place because there is so much divorce and division between couples, and gospel music tells people about God’s love. We need to be able to get inspiration and be able to go get it from music. We need socially conscious message songs that deal with what is going on in society today.” Shirley is working on a cover of “People Get Ready”, and she says that everybody is praying for change. “We have to pray and get ready for change. I grew up with music like What’s Going On, Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud.. and another song, my husband loves Young, Gifted, and Black. So, for me my genre is life songs”.

Shirley came straight out of the choir stand. As a young lady, she would sing at funerals and weddings and the folks would throw a little ‘something-something’ at her and as she got a little older, she formed ‘Shirley Murdock & Company’. It was a small group in a mid-sized town that performed gospel and R&B concerts in and around Toledo, Ohio.

Shirley worked a job and performed with her band, but keeping up with the small gig fees where an artist is paid to sing, with no consideration for the costs of the outfit, the hair, and the group member fees was not

16 URBAN SENTINEL

easy. So, at the end of the day, from a financial standpoint it was just not balancing out. As a young artist, you have to invest in yourself, but with the monies she was earning, Shirley couldn’t see profitability.

Shirley left Toledo and went to make a living in Columbus, Ohio to work with a ministry team named The End Time Revival Evangelistic Crusade (TETREC). When she got laid off from TETREC, she came back to Toledo.

In the interim, Shirley’s cousin had a cassette tape of Shirley singing ‘Jesus is Love’. Roger and Larry Troutman, two founding members of the 1980’s funk group, ‘Zapp’, heard the cassette tape and met with Shirley.

She went to talk with Roger and told him, ‘thank you, but no thank you’ because she wanted to sing Gospel. “I always thought I’d sing gospel, but those doors never opened, so I just walked by faith through the door that opened for me”.

Her big professional gigs came to life when she moved to Dayton, Ohio and joined Troutman Enterprises, she was making a record. Her first job with Roger Troutman was a gig in Houston, Texas singing backup for him. She recalls that ‘The Deele’ and so many other groups were there.

Her record wasn’t out yet, so she came out on stage and did a cover of ‘Freeway of Love’ by Aretha Franklin. Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight were Shirley’s main teachers. Shirley never studied music because she has a gift from God. She learned from the ‘greats’ and gleaned from the people that were doing what she wanted to do. She names the Clark Sisters, Shirley Caesar, and Stevie Wonder as influences in her career and says, “those people are all up in here (my voice) and they show up every now and then”.

According to a recent article by Don Thrasher published in the Lifestyle section of Butler County, Ohio’s Journal-News, “From 1983 until the tragic deaths of Roger and Larry Troutman in 1999, Troutman Sound Labs was the home base for Dayton-based funk group Zapp. The recording studio at Salem Avenue and Catalpa Drive was the site of recordings by Zapp

not occur, you’re that lady’s husband so I’m letting you go”.

and solo work from Roger, Shirley Murdock and the Ohio Players’ Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner. On Friday, Oct. 16, Murdock, the Troutman family, Mayor Nan Whaley and others gathered for a small public dedication for a new Ohio Historic Marker and musical sculpture by local artist Michael Bashaw”.

Shirley surely brought the vocals, but she is a writer, too. She reminds us, “The very first hit record that I wrote, and was a part of, was Computer Love. On my last R&B record, a hit was “In Your Eyes” and it became a wedding song. It was a song I wrote about my husband. Now that is the kind of song Shirley likes to sing about!

Every superhero needs a theme song. Shirley wastes no time telling us that it’s time to flee from this crazy situation and she tells us that the enemy comes to kill and destroy…..oh those powerful words are belted out by many of us in Shirley’s song, “I Love Me Better Than That”. That song quickly became an anthem for hundreds of thousands of people and it is a timeless message that echoes loudly to this day.

“I Love Me Better Than That” Official Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhyuQpNnkoU “I love country music. One of the drivers of our tour group used to always play country music and the music always told great stories. To me, it is just R&B with a twang. I like great country artists like Dolly Parton and so many others. The lyrics can speak for you if you don’t know what to say. Lyrics are powerful because it’s spirit and life. We have to be mindful with what we put in the atmosphere as ‘words’. Just like with ‘As We Lay’, when I was asked to do ‘As We Lay’, I wasn’t the first person to sing ‘As We Lay’.

Billy Beck from the Ohio Players was the first. I told my manager (Larry Troutman), I know that ‘As We Lay’ is a hit, but I got a problem with it. I told him if I’m gonna sing the song, I am going to add these lyrics: We should’ve counted up the cost, but instead we got lost in the second, in the minute, in the hour. Because every decision that you make and the things that you do in your life, just doesn’t affect you, it affects everybody in your world. For one night, these people succumb to their emotions, flesh, and desires without thinking about in the morning….when the sun rises and everything you do in the dark is exposed by the light. Not thinking about the effect it’s going to have on everybody in their life: the wife, the possible children, the possible daughter growing up watching daddy cheating and now she has trust issues. See everything is connected. That is why I added that part. A lot of people couldn’t exactly “hear” that part but now I get a chance to go back and minister that song.

They couldn’t hear it because they were in the middle of it, they were in the middle of an actual ‘as we lay situation’. The next record had a song called ‘Husband’. So, that was like the answer. If you messed up and you didn’t make a good decision then, now you can make a good decision.

The songs says: I’m a lady with class, I know my desire will pass, this will

Shirley comes from a very large, close-knit family. Both of her parents are deceased. There were six children, three girls and three boys and Shirley is the baby girl. Shirley’s parents divorced many years ago and her Mom raised all of the children. Shirley is married to fellow music industry producer and businessman, Dale Anthony DeGroat, her husband of 32 years. Dale is also her business manager. Dale and Shirley have known each other for many years. Dale was Roger Troutman’s Music Director. Shirley and Dale were two church kids that were cut from the same cloth, they were both raised by their Mothers, they both knew how to talk about church and music! Shirley and Dale have one son, Devin DeGroat. He is a young man with an old soul! Devin is in graduate school studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He graduated from The Ohio State in 2014 and became Road Manager for Shirley until he left for grad school.

"We have to

pray and get ready for

change."

Shirley and Dale are Co-Pastors of ministry that she defines as a church without walls, an online ministry, named ‘PRAYING4YOU’. It all began with a Wednesday NOON prayer hour and has evolved into a 14 year ministry. They also have meetings on Other days of the weeks along with Sunday worship and many other weeklong opportunities for Christian Education. They are also prison ministry leaders and they each minister in the prison systems.

Since the COVID-19 restrictions, they now work solely from home and manage their online Ministry and Radio Show that plays 24/7 where you can tune in and listen to gospel music anytime. The website is www.praying4you.org. Please join Shirley and her husband in their endeavors to share God’s word. There are a variety of opportunities on their website for you to become fully engaged with their ministry.

Corretta L. Doctor is a Writer with interests in celebrity interviews that highlight the “today story” of everyone she interviews. Contact the Writer at corretta@CorrettaDoctor.com

URBAN SENTINEL 17

18 URBAN SENTINEL

TROUBLE Don’t Last Always

I never imagined in my mind that I would ever feel like there’s trouble everywhere, but this year has taught me many things and has shown me what it feels like to have trouble everywhere. 2020 has brought about a lot of different emotions for so many of us. This year many of us have witnessed a lot of uncertainties and have experienced trouble on every side of life: emotional troubles, financial troubles, mental troubles, physical troubles, sexual troubles and spiritual troubles; just trouble on every side.

I am reminded of the scripture in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

Whether you suddenly find yourself working from home, homeschooling your children full time, working longer hours, not working at all or unable to stay home due to being an essential worker life looks very different for all of us in this season we are currently in. Don’t fear because though because trouble don’t last always.

During this time of uncertainty and sudden changes it’s important to take time to reset our thinking and don’t get caught up in the chaos of the moment. Trouble don’t last always.

Though, we may be experiencing some type of trouble, hard times and uncertainty; we have a solution: Trust God. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. In this passage of scripture, God gives us four points to meditate on while experiencing trouble (uncertainty) in our lives: 1. Trust in the Lord 2. Lean not to understanding 3. Acknowledge God 4. Follow His lead

your

own

Point #1- Trust in the Lord. When you put your complete trust in God it makes everything smoother and clearer. Sometimes, we get caught up on trusting people and things when all God

desires for us to do is to put our trust, our hope and assurance in him. When we put all our trust in God He will make everything alright.

Point #2- Lean not to your understanding. God said his thoughts are not our thoughts, therefore it’s important for us not to lean on or rely on our own understanding; because we don’t know the depths of God’s understanding or will for our lives. We may see ourselves in one way and God sees us in a totally different way. We must lean on God’s word in order to get a better understanding of who God says we really are.

Point #3- Acknowledge God. Matthew 6:33 reminds us to seek first God and His kingdom.

While experiencing trouble on every side we must continue to seek God and acknowledge him and his ways even in the midst of trouble. We must still recognize God in all that we go through good or bad because God knows all and he sees all and God is able to deliver us through any trouble we may face in life.

Point #4- Follow Gods lead. While experiencing trouble, we must follow God at all cost. Sometimes, the direction he’s taking us isn’t easy; but we must remember that He is the way and he knows where he’s leading us. Therefore, we must trust his directions; even when the way he’s directing us isn’t familiar and seems off track.

We must remember that God knows where we’re heading and he knows the best path to get us to our destination.

When we trust in the Lord and stop leaning to our own understanding and we continue to acknowledge God in all that we say or do and follow God’s leading; no matter what type of trouble we may face. Knowing that God will lead us through our troubles and deliver us to our expected end. Beloved, rest in the assurance that though trouble may be present in your life at this very moment and you’re not sure which way to turn consult God and trust him to direct you in the path in which, you should go because; TROUBLE DON’T LAST ALWAYS. SHALOM.

URBAN SENTINEL 19

The Opportunity of

STORMS

By Antione J. Hutchins, Sr. 2020 has been an unprecedented year. Nearly two hundred and fifty thousand deaths from coronavirus alone, over six million unemployed people, and mental health cases on the rise are just the top tier of a long list of challenges that this year has been faced with. This year will never be forgotten. There has been unfathomable sickness, sadness, depression, anxiety, uncertainty, financial issues, and not to mention all of the craziness that goes with social distancing. With all of these negatives, if one were to add in the tension of this year being an election year, 2020 could be considered, by some, as the perfect storm. The year 2020 has been a year of challenges, hardship, and a fight for survival. At the end of the day, the troubles mentioned should be the kind of things that make believers turn to God more than ever. Where some would ask, “Where is God?”, God may be asking the question, as He asked Adam in Genesis 3:9 (NLT), “Where are you?”

God allowing us to conclude, and come out of 2020, should be a motivating factor to seek God like never before. If 2020 hasn’t strengthened your prayer life, tested your faith, and furthered your dependence upon our sovereign creator, there could be a missed opportunity. What more

20 URBAN SENTINEL

has to happen for God to have our attention? This pandemic season of separation is the perfect opportunity to discover a relationship with God like one has never known.

At the end of the day, God has designed that man would draw closer in relationship with Him. The elements around us should never distract us from seeing God’s hand, His will, and His love in every situation. The focus of believers, in all circumstances, must be a drawing near to God, in order to have an even deeper and more substantive walk with Him after coming out of heightened drama. One cannot lose focus on God at a time when God is needed the most.

Peter experienced what happened when the elements and forces around him caused him to lose focus. Matthew 14:28-32 (NLT) says, 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” 32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

The disciple that Peter was stepped out of the boat in confidence, just simply hearing the call that was extended to him by Jesus.

However, the force of the winds and the size of the waves quickly turned Peter’s confidence into fear. The intimidation of the things that were threatening Peter’s walk with Jesus, required direct focus on who Peter was walking with. Peter was walking with Jesus. Being a water walker with Jesus was safer than any boat that Jesus wasn’t in.

Focusing on Jesus during the storms of life do not immediately stop the storm. This focus does however, keep you from allowing the elements of the storm not to drown you until you can get to the destiny that has been assigned by God over your life. Adam Hamilton gives a powerful illustration in his book entitled, SIMON PETER, FLAWED BUT FAITHFUL DISCIPLE, when he writes, I think Jesus was expressing the kind of disappointment I would express to my daughters as they were growing up and gave up too quickly on something they could have conquered if only they’d kept at it. I imagine Jesus meaning something like: “Peter, why did you look away? I had you.

You didn’t need to worry! If you had only trusted me.”

God’s desire is that we walk with Him. The deception and distraction from the enemy of our soul, is to convince us that God has forsaken us, and that our prayers are in vain. If in fact we as followers of God no longer believe that praying, fasting, studying the word of God, and even loving one another bring us closer in our walk with God, then we will be convinced that our spiritual life no longer matters. This erroneous thinking is designed to ultimately pull us from the will of God for our lives.

The truth of the matter is that God has been in the mist of us the entire time. Things may have been trying, but they could have been even worst.

The fact that we are still alive, relatively in our right minds, and moving to get past this season is a true indication that prayer still works. No one should have to convince a steadfast believer that prayer is important. One may not always get the answer that they are praying for, but even in the answers received, trust in God should prevail. God’s will is always bigger

than our plans. Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

God is still sitting high upon his throne. This depiction of God in His deity should give the believer confidence. The confidence in knowing that God is still God. In conjunction, knowing that God is not just above us, but walking with us, should give the believer comfort along with that confidence. There is comfort in knowing that there is no storm that can arise, in which God will not see us through to the other side. Do not miss the opportunity to go into the next season of life with spiritual power, maturity, and a greater determination to become everything that God has predestined to you to be.

URBAN SENTINEL 21

Quartet Gospel’s Living Legend

Larry young Shares His Secrets to Success and The History of Gospel Music

By Alesha Brown Today’s gospel music industry has such a wide range that there is often a controversy between what is acceptable versus crossing the line. Old school versus contemporary gospel music has many feeling as if the lines are blurred between spirituality and ungodliness. This is why living legend Larry Young is invaluable in his vast knowledge on the roots of gospel music and the legacy of those that pioneered it. His track record of touring almost every state in the United States and Alaska in his 50 plus year career and work with over 1,000 artists definitely qualifies him to do so. And, just in case you didn’t know, he taught black gospel music at Yale University.

I had the pleasure to sit down with Reverend Larry Young for a lengthy discussion on the history of gospel music and what today’s young aspiring artists need to know to be successful.

Reverend Young has received five Stellar Award nominations and one Grammy nomination for his work with Howard “Slim” Hunt and the Supreme Angels.

He advocates for mainstream award shows to honor and respect the rich history of quartet musicians. And here is where the gospel music education and the story of a legend begins.

Larry Young will tell you that gospel music did not start in the 70s, 80s, or 90s with contemporary artists and choirs but with quartets. Quartets,

22 URBAN SENTINEL

by definition, are an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers (coming from the Italian quarto and Latin quartus meaning “fourth”).

He talks about his and other quartet singers’ experiences during the civil rights movement. They could perform on stage but could not go to hotels and often had to sleep in their cars. Often they could not get gas and were hungry because there was nowhere for them to sleep. When they performed at churches, it was a tradition for them to sleep at some of the members’ homes.

Not to mention that in the 50s and 60s bass guitar music was considered “devil’s music” to churches. Young feels that if it was not for quartet singers, there would be no Kirk Franklin, Dottie Peoples, or John P. Kee. They would simply be artists playing for their local church. Understandably, it is troubling that these pioneers are not reverenced at today’s gospel award shows unless they pay for the privilege at pre-shows that are not aired or acknowledged on television.

Born in 1955 in Vidalia Georgia, Larry started playing in quartet groups at the age of seven. He has worked with a plethora of gospel music legends and studio artists including the Highway QCs of Chicago Illinois (the group that singer Sam Cooke started with); Milton Bigham of the Georgia Mass Choir; Reverend Julius Cheeks & the First Baptist Church of Marshall Heights Gospel

Choir, Glenn Jones and The Modulations, and the Swan Silvertones. His career was started at the infamous Savoy Records where James Cleveland’s had his hits and traveled with quartets where he received his start.

Larry Young plays virtually all instruments including bass guitar, lead guitar, drums (snare and bass), symbols, bongo, congo, tong, trombone, organ, piano, and keyboard. He had little formal training and is mostly self-taught except for the trombone which he learned to play at Evans Junior High School in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. One part of his legendary gifts is that he grew up with the legends before he played with and for them. He played in his father’s quartet and repeatedly played an album of the Highway QCs of Chicago Illinois. (This was the group that singer Sam Cooke started with. It was under the tutelage of Spencer Taylor.)

Young vowed to one-day play for them and his wish was granted when a friend called him and said they needed a guitar player. Previously he had met Spencer Taylor and spent time learning from his musicians and building a friendship with Taylor. Young went on to create five to six albums with the group and write five to six songs for them.

Through Spencer Taylor, he met Milton Bigham of the Georgia Mass Choir. Bigham started using him as a studio musician and songwriter, which provided the opportunity to record with artists such as Reverend Julius Cheeks & the First Baptist Church of Marshall Heights Gospel Choir, Glenn Jones and The Modulations, and the Swan Silvertones.

What would he advise today’s musicians?

“Back in my day, you didn’t just jump up and sing because you could sing. Every group has a signature style. Learn your group’s signature style and harmony then you can blend into the group. If you’re singing with The Temptations, you have to learn how to sing the Temptations. If you’re singing with the Mighty Clouds of Joy, you have to learn how to sing Mighty Clouds of Joy. You can’t sing Shirley Caesar with Dottie Peoples. Everybody has their own signature style and that is what makes them a professional with hard work. You have to learn to hear the

style and how to play the style.”

Other tips for success: • Learn the industry: don’t just play or sing-learn about the recording, producing, writing, publishing, representation, etc.

• Don’t just be in the audience; be behind the stage.

• If you want to charge people, make sure you have a resume. Too many of today’s artists want to charge what they feel they are worth but have no body of work to validate their stated price.

• Skillset and talent alone do not entitle you to a certain salary in the music industry.

• Copyright your work.

• Do what you love and also do things that help others. A lot of what he has done was for the benefit of others, not wealth creation.

Larry notes that a handicap with artists today is there is too much of a push to get out there and perform versus studying the industry.

Most professional groups today only sing on the weekends. During his era, people went to gospel concerts any night of the week, so artists played seven days a week, sometimes twice a night. Larry managed to be a traveling musician while working fulltime in law enforcement and working at several radio stations. He once worked for a radio station that was owned by Lynda Bird Johnson (President Lyndon B. Johnson’s daughter).

Living Legend Larry Young shared a memory and the words from his grandfather and sealed his future.

When he was eight years old, his grandfather took him to work in the cotton fields and the like. He remembered a burlap sack and earning small wages. His grandfather told him that he should “learn how to play that guitar and make it feed you” because he didn’t think he would have much success working in the fields. Larry Young has done just that and has opened doors for many artists during his 50 plus career span. He still does through his studio PSR (Professional Sound Recording) in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, where he works with churches and The Heavenly Stars quartet group.

Follow him on Facebook: facebook.com/ larry.young.906.

URBAN SENTINEL 23

Good Grief:

It’s the Holidays Again

By Rashieda Addison I’m reminded of our three-bedroom bungalow for a family of five and a half. The intoxicating aroma of a delicious dinner that did not include a synchronous gathering at the table. We took turns eating the dinner by entering the kitchen at different intervals, making our plates and returning to separate corners of the house. It wasn’t because we didn’t love each other or our bionic calico cat, Jamie Lee. It was just that this was how we operated. Mom was an amazing single parent. There was no real dad, except my sporadically-present stepfather, who was on hiatus at the time. This was our normal. Mom - a single child - had no siblings. Therefore, we had no cousins, aunts, or uncles. Nevertheless, this was her version of making happiness happen.

--This is a short chapter from my book of life.

Who am I? “Hi. My name is Rashieda, and I am a griever.”

From November to December, a spotlight catches grievers with their pants down. While these months usually bring families and friends together, many grievers find themselves sitting on the side of the bed, reflecting on the loss of loved ones. Grief is representative of loss. In addition to death, loss is realized in a variety of circumstances: • Divorce • An empty nest • Retirement • Unemployment

24 URBAN SENTINEL

• Eviction • Betrayal • Abandonment • Terminal Illness • New to parenting (biological/adoption/blended family) ….and now a PANDEMIC. In this unique season called 2020, I encourage you to consider the following: Your life is valuable.

Do you believe that?

Say it out loud: “My life is valuable!”

Think back to sitting on a carpet square in elementary school, when the teacher told you to put on your thinking caps, close your eyes and use your imagination. Within your imagination, see yourself standing in line within an infinite open space. Your frontal and peripheral views take in millions of people. As far as you can see, all are facing in the same direction of a long winding line. At the front of the line you see a big neon blinking sign with the words, The Game of Life. It is written in any color you imagine. As you navigate the line, you gather a number of people, in the fashion of picking berries, who play a variety of roles in your life. Some are labeled children while others are labeled friends, family, enemy, pastor, pets and/or lovers. Your dual reality includes the game pieces of life labeled work, play, school, travel, survival, worship, servitude, and more. On a daily basis, people and things, both near and far, take an east or west turn into a door that you never realize as you move forward. Their/its exodus, hurts your heart. You long for their return to your presence. You need to say more words and engage them.

You weren’t ready. They stopped playing the game prematurely. You feel as if you cannot travel the road with them. Replacements and space fillers fail time and time again. Nevertheless, your charge is to continue down the road...after all it’s the game of life.

mailed to me from the prison, I write about him, I keep a letter on top of my desk to regularly view his handwriting, I call his full name out loud, George Meyers, Jr. Prisoner #141134. And I continue to live life on purpose.

The path dictated for whom and what we love is not our decision. It is their purpose realized. We all have purpose in this life. One thing that is certain, is that when we open our eyes, we have an innate charge to live. It is dishonorable to life itself to not appreciate the ability to breathe despite the quality of the circumstances we find ourselves in. We are graced abundantly through being awakened each day.

So what, now what?

My challenge to you: • Write a story, prayer or memoir.

• Create a flyer of a celebratory event.

• Write a list of poignant quotes/sayings.

• Draw/paint a picture.

• Write a list of descriptive words.

• Create an acrostic poem.

• Make a phone call/reconnect.

• Smile. Cry. Scream. Sit in silence.

Whatever you do...be deliberate in your choices to navigate the holiday season. Be comfortable with the discomfort of grief by inhaling and exhaling the life inside you. Channel your ability to breathe each day.

Find hope in the fact that your journey was predestined for the game of life. Choose your outlook and reactions to what comes your way.

Divorce: be grateful that you were able to love. Retirement: appreciate the legacy you left in the workplace. Singleness: enjoy selfishness on all levels. Empty nesting: shout yay for independence. Loss of a loved one: give praise for a shared journey. Sit on the side of the bed, have your moment. However, while you are experiencing real emotions, know that you are equally compelled to experience life...on purpose!

You may open your eyes.

Who or what is that loss for you?

Until the age of 40, I had not understood the depth of the loss I suffered and the residual effects upon my father’s exodus from my life when he was sentenced to a natural life imprisonment term. I was two months old. It lasted 43 ½ years. My journey lingered and repeated the stages of the grief process (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) in the many relationships that I attempted. Substitutes for the role of my father. Substitutes derived from his absence. I struggled with the idea of missing someone/something I never had. He exited the game of life two years ago, yet I have the purpose and charge to continue breathing, living, and exhaling. While I have not opened his box of belongings

About the Author:

Rashieda Addison is originally from Detroit, Michigan. She currently resides in the southern Maryland area. Rashieda serves as an administrator and adjunct faculty in the DMV. Rashieda is the proud mother of a sophomore college student-athlete. In October 2020, Rashieda co-authored a book entitled, ‘HOPE is HERE: An Anthology of Testimonies.’ She can be reached on social media at: @RaGantt (Twitter) or Rgantt914@gmail.com(for bookings).

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