ORDINARY PEOPLE | March 2021 | Vol 12 | Issue 33

WHERE THE ORDINARY IS THE EXTRAORDINARY

MARCH 2021 | VOL. 12 | ISSUE NO. 33

Part 2:

An Abundance of Correctives…

Vacancies

Spotlighting

3 Tammy Meinershagen

Board Chair of Frisco Arts Foundation

Character and Integrity Need Only Apply Non-Financial Decisions That Impact Your Finances Gabi Asiedua Odebode of

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They encourage people to practice early detection of colon, breast and cervical cancer while it is in the most treatable stages.

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departments Founder and Editorial Director Verna V. Nickelberry Editor-In-Chief Sharon Locklear Art Director Rushun Wiseman https://creavolutionarts.com Contributing Writers Vanderbilt Brabson Jeanette Chestnut-Chester Teresa Jordan Paola Tennon Photographers Kimberly Taylor Kendall Elem ‘Advertise With Us” Please Contact Us At (770) 7670649 O.P. Magazine Mail P.O. Box #19699 Atlanta, GA 30327 (770) 767-0649 http://ordinarypeoplemagazine ORDINARY PEOPLE MAGAZINE is a quarterly publication and is distributed in Atlanta, GA, Memphis, TN; Knoxville, TN; Matteson, IL.

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contents MARCH 2021

08 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 10 JUST TO ENCOURAGE YOU 12 IN THE SPOTLIGHT 16 FOR YOUR HEALTH 26 ON THE COVER

Verna V. Nickelberry

Forgiveness

Jeanette Chestnut-Chester

Tammy Meinershagen

34

MIND YOUR MONEY

36

MIRACLES AND BLESSINGS

Physical Wellness

32

STYLE CONFIDENCE What to Wear While Waiting for Spring

Impact Your Finances

Thriving and Surviving During the Pandemic of – 2020

40 CONSIDER THIS 42 Ismael Ramo

Vacancies—Character and Integrity Need Only Apply

46

SMALL BUSINESS CORNER Gabi Asiedua Odebode Owner, Operator of “Afro Meals’”

51 FROM WITHIN...

53

INSPIRATIONAL WORDS Psalm 27

All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without the founder/editor’s consent is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the positions or views of the editor. The publication of any advertisement in the issue does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s products or services by the publication. © 2021 Ordinary People Magazine VeMaShe’ Enterprise LLC

6 | March 2021

0

GOSPEL ARTISTS

Religious Beliefs Can Impact Your Spiritual, Mental and

3 Non-Financial Decisions That

Verna V. Nickelberry

08 36 42

26

16 40 51

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 7

On The Cover

ON THE C OVER COVER INFORMATION Give yourself permission to Live, Love, and Be Free!

Give yourself permission to be the best version of yourself!

Give yourself permission to invest in yourself!

Give yourself permission to make time for yourself!

Give yourself permission to feel good in your own skin!

Give yourself permission to become your Authentic Self! …

Verna V Nickelberry Cover photo by Kimazing Photos Style by Image by Courtney Makeup by Gabrielle Devine Mua

8 | March 2021

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the

EDITOR Thank you, Lady Nickelberry, for your faithfulness and your professionalism.

May God continue to bless the works of your hands for His Glory!

- Deborah Rogers Even during the pandemic, God blessed!

Thank you, for continue to operate in your gifting. It’s so good to see that you are still moving forward with your magazine.

- N. G. I so enjoy the “Word Search” puzzle that you have included inside your magazine.

- Janet I love everything about this magazine, I like the puzzle that is include every quarter.

- Lillia

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 9

Editor-in-Chief

FORGIVENESS

BY SHARON E. LOCKLEAR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven; whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

NIV Romans 4:7-8 These are two very powerful sentences.

Transgressions forgiven. Who has not transgressed? Are any humans without transgressions? Are you or do you know anyone who has lived a perfect life? Humans sin and transgress daily, sometimes unknowingly and oftentimes intentionally.

Christians are human and have the same foibles that beset non-Christians. We sin, we transgress -Christians Mess UP, some more than others. We should never compare, sin is sin. There are no big ones, small ones or ones that are lesser or greater than another.

SIN is SIN and GOD forgives us. Our transgressions are covered and never counted against us. If GOD does this for us, why are we not doing it for others? Why are we not forgiving people? Why do some of us harbor grudges to the grave?

Are you able to forgive yourself and others like GOD forgives us? If not, examine the cause.

GOD forgives us for ALL Sins and Transgressions – ALL. There is no selecting which ones are forgivable today but not tomorrow. Not only are we forgiven, GOD does not count those against us.

We are Blessed with forgiveness. Blessed, not

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cursed, not reviled, not expecting to hear our transgressions and sins again. We are cleansed, absolved, renewed.

Can we do the same for anyone that may have transgressed in our life?

We have endured one year of life during a pandemic, do not allow another day to end without forgiveness for yourself or anyone that may have harmed you in some way. The pandemic has taught us that life is short and relationships are fragile.

Sharon Locklear Editor-In-Chief

He Wrote The Script...

God said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.”

The same goes for all of you. God has an assignment for each of you, and it is me for you to accept it. If you are ready to consent to your calling and learn how to become an entrepreneur in the field you are passionate about, read He Wrote the Script...Just Follow It!

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

PURCHASE ON BARNES & NOBLE

PURCHASE ON ITUNES

P U R C H A S E O N PAY PA L

Overview of Book In this engaging and interactive guide, entrepreneur Verna Nickelberry provides key tips and strategies, along with relatable biblical principles, to guide you through the essential aspects of business: creation, communication, and collaboration. With spaces for reflection, and a planner to help you organize goals, events, and opportunities, you will move further along your path to entrepreneurship.

Hold God’s vision for you above any doubt, fear, or hesitation. The journey can be long and scary, but if you set credible, manageable goals for your success and allow God’s voice to guide you, you can break down the walls of negativity to build up your confidence and build up your business.

About the Author Ms. Nickelberry is the Founder and Editorial Director of Ordinary People Magazine (OPM) an inspirational magazine that showcase the stories and efforts of communities and charities. Ms. Nickelberry continuously serves others through sharing her confident spirit and the word of God. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, sewing, crocheting, and writing.

Ms. Nickelberry currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia

Just to Encourage

JU S T TO E NC O URAG E YOU

BY MINISTER JEANETTE CHESTNUT CHESTER

Have you ever wondered what the life of a righteous person looks like? Or maybe you have considered yourself to be a righteous person without considering the meaning of the word.

What about justification? There are many things we think that we are justified in, and righteous about. But in our own thinking, do we take into account the price paid for righteousness and justification? These are both legal terms and they have legal meanings.

Let’s take a look at what righteousness really means. According to Christianity.com; Righteousness is defined as an attribute that belongs to God, the Lawgiver, and is manifested in His laws. No man can be justified by his own works apart from God’s ordinance. Therefore, righteousness is a wonderful gift from God to humanity through His love: it is the God-given

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quality imputed to man upon believing in the Son of God. There is nothing we can do on our own to be righteous. God is the only Righteous one, it belongs to Him and Him alone. He imputes it to us. This means that it is given to us through our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The meaning of justification is God’s righteous act of removing the condemnation, guilt, and penalty of sin, by grace, while, at the same time, declaring the ungodly to be righteous, through faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

According to Romans Chapter 3, no one is better that anyone else. In Romans 3:10 as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one... therefore, we cannot boast that we are righteous in our own sight

and through our own deeds. Righteousness does not come from us. It is given to us as a gift from God. When we accept God’s gift, we cannot do so without having faith the Jesus has justified us, and not because of our works. We cannot accept this gift with accepting Jesus as the Son of God. Now Romans Chapter 4, says that Abraham and David both were justified by faith. Abraham wholeheartedly believed that even though he and his wife Sarah were well beyond the age of childbearing in the natural, he still believed the promise of God and his belief was counted to him as righteousness. God told him that he would have an heir, and that he would be the father of a great nation.

Why did Abraham believe? What was the source of his confidence in God? Firstly, we have to know that Abraham, who was the most esteemed man among the Jewish people of his day, started off with family issues like many of us.

As Abram, he was called by God after the death of his father, Terah in Haran. It is interesting that Terah means “delay”. In this sense the call of Abram by God was delayed as it were, until he was no longer “settled with his father”, or distracted by matters in the family.

Now the Lord called Abram for a divine purpose; to establish him as the monarch of an entire nation. The nation of Israel! God also changed his

name for Abram which means “exalted father, to Abraham which means “Father of a multitude.”

God promised this to Abraham.

Abraham believed that God would do just what He promised simply because he chose to believe.

When we choose to believe God, he makes us righteous, and he justifies us. Even if works could justify us, it would never be enough in comparison to what God gives us.

The Apostle Paul shows us in Romans Chapter 4 that Abraham is the classic example of the principle of justification by faith. We see in Abraham’s behavior and his experience that this is not a new principle. God has also justified us, and extended His righteousness to us, our part is to believe. Just as it was Abraham’s. This is important for two reasons, since Abraham is acknowledged as father of the entire Jewish nation, and God justified him before the law was even given. The first “Thou shall not” law was given back in the book of Genesis; well before Abraham came on the scene.

We have to remember that according to vs4 of Romans 4, When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.”

(NTL), this is to say that wages received are not a manifestation of grace; they are earned. Works remove grace from salvation, while justification is by faith alone.

Hebrews Chapter 11 is filled with what is known ordinarypeoplemagazine | 13

as the Heroes of Faith! These are those that are mentioned as having had faith in God and how God rewarded them for that faith and belief.

Faith is not a work performed to earn righteousness. Rather, it is the means through which God can impute the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the sinner. This is the process of sanctification. The process of believing.

When we look at David, a man after God’s own heart, even in the mistakes he made and the decisions he carried out, he was still justified by faith in his belief in God and the promises that God made and performed on his behave. It had nothing to do with David, and everything to do with Jesus. David even acknowledges this in vs.69. 6. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7. “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven; whose sins are covered. 8. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them. 9. Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?

This blessedness is a reference to the twofold blessedness of having God’s righteousness imputed, or our sins forgiven.

Circumcision in itself is not a guarantee by itself.

It is a sign, or a seal or a testimony that something took place. To be circumcised is to place value on the importance of what God has done for us. That

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is what Abraham did. He placed a high value on the promises of God and he demonstrated this by taking the sign of circumcision in the flesh. He was not justified because he was circumcised, he was circumcised as a testimony to the fact that he was justified. He did something to show his commitment to the commitment that Jesus made.

Let me encourage you in this; We are justified through faith in the fact the Jesus is the Son of God, and that God raised him from the dead. We believe and we receive the righteousness of God. Our testimony is our changed life and the way we live that life. We present and commit ourselves to Christ to be vessels of honor, worthy to receive the justification that He died to give us.

We do not have to work for it, it is the gift freely given to us. When we come to realize that we can do nothing to obtain it, and circumcise our hearts, we readily testify “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16 (KJV) This salvation and justification is extended to us.

Be encouraged to receive it.

Bless you with love and peace…

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In The Spotlight

TAMMY MEINERSHAGEN BOARD CHAIR OF FRISCO ARTS FOUNDATION CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER AT MEDINA USA

BY WILL ODOM

Mrs. Tammy Meinershagen was named 2017 Spirit of Frisco by the Chamber of Commerce and 2019 Visionary Nonprofit Arts Leader by the North Texas Business Council for the Arts, Tammy Meinershagen has a gift of inspiring others through her music, leadership, and passion for the arts. A professional musician and former English teacher, Tammy has volunteered in many roles to promote arts and culture in Frisco, including the Frisco Public Art Board, Texas Music Teachers Association, Frisco Council of PTA’s, and the 2015 Citizen Bond Committee, where she successfully spearheaded a $10M bond initiative for a performing arts center in Frisco.

“Originally from Chicago, IL and a graduate of

16 | March 2021

Northwestern University, my background as a professional pianist, violinist, and mother of three creative children naturally drives me to advocate for the arts in my city. I believe that exposure to and experience of the arts is essential to the health of each individual, as well as the community as a whole”. – Tammy Meinershagen In her own words, Tammy shared with us her love for the arts and Frisco.

“What I love about the arts family in Frisco and North Texas is the spirit of collaboration. We all understand the transformative power of the arts, and we work collectively to bring visibility and show its value to our cities. In my role as

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 17

community activist and champion for the arts in Frisco, I have had the privilege of working with cultural cornerstones as the GRAMMY-nominated UNT One O’Clock Lab Band, The Cliburn, Steinway and Sons, Shakespeare Dallas, The Dallas Opera, and more. Each time I reach out to partner with another arts organization, I am humbled to receive a warm welcome with a shared desire to support the arts as a whole. In Frisco, we are lagging behind most cities with regards to arts offerings and public funding for the arts, but I am continuously working with our strong team at the Frisco Arts Foundation to raise awareness, support arts creators, and cultivate arts patrons in our city through innovative ways, building a stronger community with the arts.

The Frisco Arts Foundation celebrates a large array of arts as a unifying agent in our community. Living in the #1 Best Place to Live by Money Magazine, we provide an anchor for the arts in Frisco as the collective voice of arts advocacy, fulfilling our mission to champion the arts through advocacy, education, and grant making. We are inclusive, accessible, innovative, and synergistic. Frisco Arts Foundation creates groundbreaking initiatives that combine arts with other sectors, such sports, veterans, business, health, education, and more.

“Art gives us time to reflect, it inspires creativity, and it brings us together. Each of us has unique perspectives, and when they’re shared through art, those expressions have the power to change lives and heal hearts. None of us could have survived quarantine without some form of the arts, whether music, movies, books, or painting, and the arts provide a platform to truly connect with each other, especially during this time of social distancing.” - Tammy Meinershagen In 2015, I spearheaded a $10 million bond initiative for a performing arts center in Frisco, which voters overwhelmingly approved. With more than 70% of local high school students involved in fine arts, Frisco is an abundant training community for future musicians, dancers, singers, actors, filmmakers, visual artists, and more.

Though Frisco, TX may be considered the Best Place to Raise an Athlete and “Sports City USA” due to

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“Each of us has unique perspectives, and when shared through art, tho expressions have the po change lives and heal h

its multiple world-class venues for various sports, I believe our city can also become the Best Place to Raise an Artist and “Arts City USA.” According to a recent Visit Frisco study, the number one reason people leave Frisco is for arts and culture. I hope to change that with the needs of the growing arts community, both its creators and its consumers”.

Tammy is currently the Chief Creative Officer at MedinaUSA, a member of the Advisory Boards of Leadership Prep School, Legacy Christian Academy, and Collin Corporate College’s Nonprofit Advisory Council. She is also a member of the Orchid Giving Circle with the Texas Women’s Foundation. Tammy serves as a grant review panelist for the Texas Commission on the Arts and on an arts selection committee for Congressman Van Taylor.

Tammy’s work in the arts has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News, Community Impact Newspaper, Frisco STYLE Magazine, WFAA Ch. 8, and many other media outlets. Originally from Chicago, IL and a graduate of Northwestern University, Tammy and her husband Todd reside in Frisco and have 3 daughters, all aspiring musicians and arts enthusiasts.

e n they’re ose ower to hearts. ” ordinarypeoplemagazine | 19

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AN ABUNDA NCE OF C O RRE CTI V E O P P O RTUN I T I E S F O R VALI DATING AND INSPI RATI O N DA I LY - PA RT T W O

BY LATOYA R. “DR. JAY” JEFFERSON-JAMES Lord, Black folk have come a mighty long way – materialistically speaking. But beneath our money getting and our getting by, there was always a hot dis-ease bubbling right below the surface. As a child of the Mississippi Pine Belt, I have always felt discomfort at African Americans’ use of the word “country” as an insult – not because I am rural – because we use the word “ghetto” as an insult, too. I wonder(ed), if being “country” is frowned upon and so is being “ghetto,” then what of our identity?

On any given day, I hear Black people make fun of suburban African Americans for “acting” and “sounding white.” So, “country” is bad, “ghetto” is equally bad, but “acting white” means that we are a sell-out? I am confused. These insults say nothing about the geography, but speak to our collective anxieties around poverty and success. In America, poverty has become synonymous with “Black,” and America makes everyone ashamed of being poor (Yet, we worship a savior who was born of a teen mother from one of the worst cities in the ancient world and his stepfather was

22 | March 2021

neither scholar nor king but a carpenter). At one point in our collective, national histories, Black people were mostly agrarian or “country,” then we became mainly “urban” where we were restricted by racist practices to the ghetto. Since most of us never experienced the material success of our white counterparts, we made class boundaries by marking out mannerisms, accents (Southern, like mine. Oh, Lord, don’t be from Mississippi like me!

Everybody gets to dump on Mississippi) and styles of dress (ghetto). But then again, Hip Hop culture is youth culture and Hip Hop dress is “ghetto” dress, so in order to be Hip Hop one cannot be suburb. Again, I am confused with who our young people are supposed to be. And so are they.

Here’s more confusion. For our young people, RAP music and Hip Hop culture is the youth culture. African Americans have been so taught that success means “white” that they ascribed to a conspiracy theory, wrapped in scripture, that to be a successful African American meant to be evil. Sadly, some of my brightest college students BELIEVED in this theory. Sadly, those same col-

lege students have never head of Madame C. J. Walker or Robert Church or Black Wall Street. Sometimes, I ask them, “If you never plan on becoming a millionaire, then why are you in college?” None of them have an answer. Sadly, not one of my students from Memphis even knew that Memphis has one of the only operational Black-owned banks still open since Reconstruction.

Some days, I teach these young people in the classroom, who do not know one thing about being Black, so they “act Black” from reality television shows and listen to self-righteous elders in the community declare them “lost.” In Part One of this series, I talked about the internal Global Positioning System that we all have.

When I hear the excoriating tongue of an elder declare our children, OUR CHILDREN AND NOBOD ELSE’S as “lost,” my face flashes hot. If that same elder lost his/ her wallet or purse, they would spare no effort to find it.

Who was responsible for showing these students to path to positive Black identity in the first place? Some reality television show producer? They sure could not find it in the stores or in name brand clothing that they could not buy for themselves.

Our young people are lost, because their Global Positioning System is always buffering. We did not and do not teach them any history – personal, collective, or national –so the system itself cannot get a clear read on where they stand in the present moment. There is no orientation there, no guiding direction, no rooting, no grounding. The compass needle is spending around and around.

If the GPS does not know where they are coming from, it cannot tell them where to go.

But, 2020, in spite of all of the hurt and pain that this year has dealt us, has a silver lining: it has offered us innumerable Corrective Opportunities for Validation and Inspiration Daily with our young people. If we do not know much formal history to teach them, we can teach them OURSTORY. The times that we are spending in the house with them are precious moments when we can teach our young people that OURSTORY is not about victimization. OURSTORY is not something to be discarded. OURSTORY is not something to be ashamed of.

OURSTORY is a spiritual and psychological instrument of our present personal Global Positioning Systems and provides us with an accurate blueprint for any type of foundation that we may build upon tomorrow. ordinarypeoplemagazine | 23

Word Search

THE BIBLE

DAVID EZEKIEL JOB MATTHEW OBADIAH PROVERBS ZECHARIAH

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DEUTERONOMY EZRA JUDE NAHUM PHILEMON REVELATION ZEPHANIAH

ECCLESIASTES GENESIS LEVITICUS NUMBERS PHILIPPIANS TITUS

“Guys…this is Missile Morgan” Seeking to overcome the scars from her abusive, alcoholic father, Jesse Cartwright, Anthony’s best friend from childhood, is determined to make something of her life. Tomboyish in every way, at times her stubbornness puts her in direct conflict with Anthony’s other friends. A born fighter, she ultimately proves to be tougher than every boy in the neighborhood and the only friend Anthony can really count on. As Anthony battles his inner demons in his march toward glory, and Jesse struggles through her own personal tragedies and loss, their paths grow apart. Eventually the two dis- cover their lives are somehow intertwined and neither will truly realize his or her dreams without the other.

Surpassing the expectations his father had for him, Anthony Morgan is poised to be the biggest phenomenon baseball has seen in years.

Anthony’s future is set. He has worked hard for it, dreamed about it all his life, and can practically taste it! However, what Anthony could not foresee was the untimely death of his father—his mentor and hero. This tragedy started a downward spiral of bad decisions, which ultimately threaten Anthony’s life and future in baseball.

Beyond the Lies is as captivating as The Natural, as compelling as Love Comes Softly, and at times as humorous as Diary of a Mad Black Woman. It’s a coming of age story that will appeal to the young and old, the sports enthusiast, the romantic, those gripped by human tragedy, and those who celebrate the triumph of the human spirit.

Author Mr. Vanderbilt Brabson, III https://beyondthelies-theboo.com https://www.amazon.cm/Vanderbilt-Brabson-III/e/ B004DWVNW?ref=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000 See the book Trailer at https://www.vanderbiltbrabsoniii.com

For Your Health

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

C an Im pac t Yo ur Spi ri t ual , Me nta l a nd P hysi cal We lln e ss

BY PAOLA TENNON, RN, BSN, MBA/HCA, CCM According to an article published by the American Psychological Association (APA); religion has survived and thrived for more than 100,000 years.

It exists in every culture, with more than 85 percent of the world’s population embracing some sort of religious belief.

In this article reference is given to the results of several studies. According to a large body of research, religious people live longer, are less prone to depression, are less likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, and even go to the dentist more often. In 2009, Grafman published an fMRI study showing that religious thoughts activate the area of the brain involved in deciphering other people’s emotions and intentions. This statement seems to substantiate the fact that our belief system has a direct impact on all aspects of our life and influences our actions. Psychology Dictionary Professional Reference defines Spiritual beliefs as a set of beliefs which guide and govern a

26 | March 2021

person’s attitude. Usually, it is directed towards a system such as a religion, philosophy, or ideology.

Attitudes and beliefs in these systems are strongly associated with one another and retained in memory. So, this quarter we will embrace the topic of Spiritual belief and its impact on our health and wellbeing.

The reference Scriptures for this article are found throughout the fourth chapter of Romans and gives insight into the faith of Abraham. The primary focus is on Abraham’s belief in God and the promise granted him through faith. Verses 18-24 of this chapter tells us that “When God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations, he believed. His faith never wavered in spite of the circumstances he was faced with. What we may not realize is that our faith, just as with Abraham, has a direct connection with what we believe. If not for Abraham’s belief in God, his faith would not have been fostered, God’s promise

would not have come to past nor would Abraham have been declared righteous by God. We began with a comparison of definitions between belief and faith. Believe as defined in the Webster’s New World College Dictionary is: 1. to take as true, real, etc., 2. to have trust or confidence in a statement or promise as being true. And 3. belief implies mental acceptance of something true, even though absolute certainty may be absent. Faith on the other hand, is defined as: 1. unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence; 2. having complete trust, confidence, reliance or allegiance to some person or thing, and loyalty. Lastly, we explore the definition of Biblical faith. The Nelson’s Bible Dictionary defines faith as a belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one’s life. Nelson further states that Biblical faith goes beyond the mental acceptance of the facts, instead, it is trust. This becomes evident when we put our eternal destiny in the hands of our Lord and

Savior, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 11:1 states it best: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” Hebrews 11:1.

Surprisingly, the definition of faith lends itself to a more detailed explanation in that it is broken down into two separate aspects: that of good faith and bad faith. Good faith is defined as the absence of malice or any intention to deceive, good intentions, and sincerity. In contrast, bad faith is defined as insincerity, dishonesty, and duplicity. Our society is plagued with an atmosphere of distrust, intimidation, controversy, misinformation, and etc. As a result, our belief systems have become overwhelmed thus prompting conflict, fear, doubt, and insecurity. The topics of spirituality, belief and wellness are being addressed not only because they are typically overlooked, suppressed, or ignored, but because these issues are relevant to what we are experiencing within our nation today.

If not addressed, disruption in any of these areas ordinarypeoplemagazine | 27

and for any reason can significantly impact our overall emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. It is our belief system and our faith that helps us navigate throughout life. When belief is coupled with true faith, we are able to remain steadfast as we face even the most challenging of circumstances. In times such as these, our belief in God intensifies causing our faith to increase even the more, and that gives us the strength to endure in our seasons of weakness. “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) One may ask; how does belief, faith and spirituality relate to our health? An article by Christina M. Puchalski, MD, MS of Baylor University Medical Center entitled; The Role of Spirituality in Health Care, 2001 suggest that; “several studies have shown that patients who are spiritual utilize their beliefs in coping with illness, pain, and life stresses. The overall awareness of these studies indicates that those who are spiritual tend to have a more positive outlook and a better quality of life.” One investigation that was conducted published an article on the JAMA Network website (Journal of the American Medical Association). This two-year study was entitled “Religious Struggle as a Predictor of Mortality Among Medically Ill Elderly Patients” and suggested that religious struggle was associated with greater risk of mortality and may be coupled with declining immunologic functioning. Other explanations of religious struggle were thought to possibly be associated with emotional or personality differences including high levels of depression and anxiety which may be attributed to fear, guilt, and anger, all of which may result in alienation. The results this and other studies led to more than 70 of the 126 medical schools in the United States to offer courses that train students to take a spiritual history when interviewing patients.

Patients who indicated religious struggle were referred to clergy to help them work through issues in hopes that it would help to improve clinical outcomes. It was also suggested at that time that further research was needed to determine if interventions reduced religious struggles thereby improving medical prognosis.

28 | March 2021

In March of 2019, the article; “Science Says: Religion Is Good for Your Health” written by Nichole Roberts gave reference to researchers at the Mayo Clinic. They also concluded that, “Most studies on religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes, including greater longevity, coping skills, and health-related quality of life (even during terminal illness) in addition to less anxiety, depression and suicide.” This article further states that studies have shown that addressing the spiritual needs of the patient may enhance recovery from illness.

Moreover, they state that; while our mental and physical health are intricately intertwined, it is our belief system that drives the way we think and behave and this in turn impact our health-related actions. The example given alludes to people with greater depression and anxiety. It is suggested that they have more physical health problems that lead to lower quality of life and a shorter life expectancy.

The final article I will reference is entitles “The Surprising Links Between Faith and Health and references five ways your faith improves your health. The writer states that religion, not merely spirituality is a profound predictor of health.

Spiritual Practice Indicators are evident by a reduction in blood pressure, strengthening of the immune system, and a reduction of some effects

BELIEF: YIELDS FAITH IN GOD

UNBELIEF: LEAVES OUT GOD

FOSTERS HOPE

FOSTERS FEAR

PROMOTES TRUST

PROMOTES MISTRUST

BUILDS ENDURENCE/PERSERVENCE

LENDS TO HOPELESSNESS/DESTROYS

UPHOLDS KINDNESS/APPROACHABILITY CAUSES OPPOSITION/CONFLICT ADOVCATES UNITY/ FULLY COMMITTED

SELF-INTEREST/COUNTER PRODUCTIVE

“Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed,” John 20:29.

12 See to it, brothers, and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Hebrews 3:12-15

of mental illness. They list five ways your faith improves your health: 1. Faith encourages healthy behavior: The effects of behavioral change due to religion reduces your chance of dying early, (Don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t chew, etc.) Your faith community can probably exercise some healthy influence on the habits that we form and the activities we undertake.

2. Faith reduces stress: Ongoing research has shown that stress can negatively affect the immune system, reducing the ability of cells to attack disease inside the body. Studies have shown that religion reduces stress in a number of ways.

Prayer can reduce blood pressure that is due to stress. While anxieties and stresses tend to encourage the Fight or Flight Response. Participating in prayer, worship and other spiritual activities have been shown to reduce high blood pressure and reduce the stress response.

Relaxation techniques: • Deep breathing • Massage • Meditation

• • • • •

Tai chi Yoga Biofeedback Music and art therapy Aromatherapy

3. Community Improves Emotional Health: A number of studies have shown that the effect of social interactions with particularly religious friends predicates greater satisfaction and happiness in life and improves our psychological and emotional wellbeing.

Given the challenges of the Corvid Pandemic including social distancing the following alternatives can be utilized in order to maintaining contact: (Use discretion when using social media.)

• Writing Letters, sending special occasion cards • Virtual (Ex. ZOOM, Skype, Facetime, Google Meet, etc.)

• Socially Distanced Outdoor Events • Virtual Family Get-Togethers • Phone Calls • Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Reddit.)

4. Helping other improves life satisfaction: Faith makes you happier by providing a community that is more willing to help. Religious people are more likely to give to charities, and to volunteer. They are likely to experience the ordinarypeoplemagazine | 29

health benefits of helping others.

5. Space for the miraculous: Surveys have shown that more than three quarters of Americans believe that prayer can heal people from injury or illness. Many believe that through prayer, laying on of hands, or other types of miraculous intervention, those who claim faith can find in God health for the body and soul. A positive correlation has been shown between optimistic outlook and effective recovery in many studies.

1998, composed by Stephen Schwartz and sung

by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The lyrics are very insightful and lends itself to many of the struggles people are experiencing today. In the depts of fear and uncertainty you cling to your faith even though your prayers so often seem in vain. And yet, this song offers hope no matter how frail it may appear, it is hard to kill. Through our belief in God and the strength of our faith we have the assurance that miracles can happen ‘When We Believe.’

Having worked in the healthcare arena for over forty-two years, I can attest to the miracle of faith.

I am reminded of a song that was released in

REFERENCES A reason to believe, By Beth Azar, December 2010, Vol 41, No. 11, https://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/12/believe, Retrieved January 15, 2021 Belief and Its Effect on Our Health. Are we questioning deeply enough the health consequences of what we believe? https:// www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/our-health/201312/belief-and-its-effect-our-health#:~:text=Science%20Daily%20 reported%20that%20the,for%20good%20on%20their%20health. Retrieved January 16, 2021. https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-63-believing-seeing-seeing-not-believing-john-1138-57, Retrieved January 16, 2021.

Faith forum: What’s the difference between belief in God and faith in God, http://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ourhealth/201312/belief-and-its-eff-our-health, Retrieved January 20, 2021 Science Says: Religion Is Good for Your Health, https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolefisher/2019/03/29/science-says-religion-is-good-for-your-health/?sh=daa2f8b3a12c, Retrieved, January16, 2021 https://psychologydictionary.org/belief-system/, retrieved February 5, 2021.

The Surprising Links Between Faith and Health, https://www.sgmays.org/2019/09/12/the-surprising-links-between-faithand-health/, Retrieved January 31, 2021 The role of spirituality in health care, Christina M. Puchalski, MD, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC1305900/, Retrieved January 15, 2021.

RESOURCES https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/5-spiritual-tools-to-help-you-overcome-the-storms-of-life.html, Retrieved February 2, 2021 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/relaxation-technique/art-20045368, Retrieved February 2, 2021 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/relaxation-technique/art-20045368 , Retrieved February 2, 2021

30 | March 2021

STYLE CONFIDENCE

BY COURTNEY ROBINSON, WARDROBE STYLIST & IMAGE COACH WITH IMAGE BY COURTNEY

WH AT TO WE A R WHIL E WAI TING F OR SPRING Spring is still not far away. Are you in dark cashmere sweaters dreaming about when you can be wearing lighter, brighter clothes?

How about I offer you ways to wear what you have, but with a nod toward spring? Ready for a style lift?

Here goes!

Review your winter coats. Do you have one or two lighter colored coats? Instead of wearing your black coat, you could opt for one in light gray, taupe, or a shade of red or pink.

If you’re wearing warm, plaid scarves around your neck, rummage through your scarf collection and see if some of them have light-colored backgrounds. The lighter the background color, the more spring-like the vibe will be. You can even lean on solid-colored

32 | March 2021

scarves in shades of winter white, dove gray, beige, raspberry, or yellow. Color adjustments can go a long way toward making winter seem less long.

This spring you’ll be seeing cropped jackets, leather bombers, colorful blazers, and trenches (of course) in the stores.

Accessorize these with your colorful scarves, while we await the change in weather. This is a quick way to “dress up” your coat and give it in a “wow” look using brighter colors and prints.

Blouses in floral prints or polka dots give off a spring vibe. Add a denim jacket (even colored denim) over your blouse. While it won’t be seen under your winter coat, it will be a nice surprise to others when you take it off. Pearls are big for spring. Don’t hesitate to dress them up or down and try different colored pearls.

It’s a classic look!

In the absence of international travel, designers are introducing world heritage and cultures into their collections with prints and patterns. Go ahead and pair those with your traditional, plaid jackets or plaid pants – for a mixed print look. Choose to wear the ones that have lighter colors in them.

Wear a white blouse with anything. It can be bright white, soft white, or ecru. Wearing white from the waist up makes any outfit look fresh. For extra pizazz, leave the top one or two buttons of your blouse unbuttoned, and slip a chunky gold, silver, or bronze (any metal) choker, chain, or link around your neck. These necklaces are right on trend for spring.

Take a look at your handbag. Is it looking tired? A handbag could be a great first purchase this spring. Go ahead and shop for it now and start wearing it right away. Look for bags with chain straps or choose a color that stands out. Bags offer pops of color, which will be uplifting when it snows lingers.

Would you like my help? I can help you create lighter-looking outfits from your winter wardrobe, or help you do a little prespring virtual shopping for pieces that will serve you now and later. Just contact me and we’ll get started! For daily tips to help you elevate your personal style follow me on Instagram @ imagebycourtney or Facebook – Courtney Robinson.

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 33

M IND YOU R M O NEY

BY DELAYNA MICHELE ELLIOTT

3 NON- F INA N CI A L DE CI SI O N S T H AT IMPACT YO UR F I N A N CE S Non-financial decisions can have a huge impact on your money situation. You might be surprised at how much influence your choices have over your debt, future earning potential, and retirement.

Those that are financially successful tend to consider the potential impact of all decisions, including those that have nothing to do with money.

Discover the 3 non-financial decisions that have the greatest impact on your financial life: 1. Marriage can have a significant effect on your finances. You might be a great investor.

You have your retirement all planned and you stick to your budget 100% of time. But a divorce can cost you half of your assets and potentially have you making payments to your

34 | March 2021

ex for the rest of your life.

•

Marrying a suitable partner is one of the most important factors in determining your financial situation later in life.

Think about all the ways your spouse could alter your finances. It’s important to choose wisely.

•

Staying married doesn’t necessarily result in financial success either. Before getting married, consider your potential spouse’s spending habits and current debt.

•

There are other factors to consider, too.

Do you both want children? Are you both planning to work? What type of income is your potential spouse likely to generate?

2. Your educational decisions are extremely important. Attending medical school is likely to result in a better income than majoring in English. Higher education isn’t necessarily a fitting choice for everyone, but it’s something to consider.

•

Reflect on what you love to do, but avoid ignoring the economic implications. Think about how much your education will cost in terms of money and time. Also consider the demand for workers in your chosen field. There’s plenty of salary information available. Do some research.

•

The cost of making a poor choice can be considerable. You may be miserable with your job, and then discover that you need to go back to graduate school to stay competitive.

•

Your educational choices can affect your income, employment, and overall happiness.

3. Children greatly impact your money situation. Children are incredibly expensive.

Having one or more children can potentially mean the loss of income for several years.

Financial priorities can also change when you have kids.

•

There’s less opportunity to save and invest. Think about the food, clothes, medical bills, and all other expenses associated with children. That’s money that could’ve been put towards your retirement.

•

The cost of higher education continues to rise. How much will a degree cost in the future? What about if you have three children? Avoid waiting until your kids are in high school to make the necessary financial adjustments.

Many decisions have financial implications, even if they may seem unrelated. Marriage, education, and children can potentially change your financial future in significant ways. Think about the effects these choices can have on your financial well-being.

Sometimes success isn’t about making the perfect choice, but rather about refraining from making a poor choice. Take the time to make informed decisions. Your financial future depends on it!

DeLayna Michele Elliott Diamond Wealth Coach Mind Your Money 2021 World Fidelity Life

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 35

Miracles and Blessings

THRIVING AND SURVIVING D uring th e Pa n de m i c of – 2020

BY SHARON E. LOCKLEAR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF In March of 2020 the world shut down! This was something that the entire world had never experienced before. We asked three people to share with us how they “Thrived or Survived” during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Finding My Purpose During Covid-19

By Shmeka Gibson I do not think anyone was prepared for the life

go right? However, being an independent woman,

shift due to Covid-19. I was not affected by the

who rarely depended on anyone, this was a blow to

virus health wise, but the impact of the virus

my confidence, esteem, psychological stability, and

and the disruption it created in the economy was

faith. Everything I felt I worked for was taken away

devastating.

by a virus. However, when I returned to my parents’ home, something changed for me, life shifted,

In March of 2020, I had to make the decision to

and faith was restored. I had time to redirect my

leave my home and return to my parents’ home due

thinking and set some new goals for myself. I began

to my clients closing deals and canceling contracts

to focus on things I had control of, which was my

because of the financial impact of Covid. This was

daughters and my health and safety. Anything else I

concerning to me, as a single mother of 2 children,

turned it over to God and let him work in my favor.

I became afraid, depressed, unsure about the future and I began to lose faith.

Returning to my parents’ home

As I begin to learn more about myself and the next phase of my life, I

felt like defeat for me. Many

prayed and fasted my entire stay

people may read this and feel

and in those short 3 months, that

that it may not be that big of a

felt like years, God started to

deal, at least I had somewhere to

reveal some ugly truths about

36 | March 2021

myself and how to cleanse to move past the

voice. I no longer question the first thought, I no

wilderness. Those long nights of praying and

longer question people’s intentions, I no longer

crying yielded some positive outcomes for me.

question the direction for my life. I receive it and

This strong woman that was once led by power,

walk with purpose.

success, and money, now lead with God’s guidance and is obedient to the word and his

Shmeka Gibson service@innatesucces.com

Wellness in Faith

By JLeAnn I know, I know you may be looking at the pictures

Here are some tips that have helped me along the

and asking yourself, what does this 35-year-old

way……..

clinically obese black woman have to tell you about health and wellness? I am so glad calling

• Learn everything is related to or regulated by

and life is not given by men, nor made by looks.

appetite. This appetite does not begin with

Often when discussing the topic of health and

natural food. I believe we are triune beings

wellness, faith is an afterthought. For me, it is what

who are spirit, possess a soul (mind, will and

has allowed me to not only make but continue

emotions) and live in a body. Eat in all areas

to engage in transformation and lifelong change.

wisely.

Having released 160 weights over these past few

• Put health in its rightful place. Training the

years, I have gained more than I will ever lose.

body and treating it well is needful and a part

The main being it takes going back to the creator

of temple care; however, it is not is not first

concerning His creation (i.e. me) and letting Him

or only. In other words, I am not my body and

guide me through the journey. I am not my own (1

it should not determine my worth or make me

Cor.6:19-20).

feel better or less than no matter the pounds or how much we weigh-1 Tim.4:8.

Many say by now I should be slaying in a size ____ and looking a certain way. This led me early on in my journey to question myself. What is

• Movement starts on the inside (with the heart and mind).

• Don’t ditch goals but focus on purpose for

wrong with me? Why can’t I? Let me encourage

lifelong health and wellness. This will help

you like I was encouraged: God is not like man

you stay motivated, when you are not moti-

(Num.23:19). He believes in us; He’s just waiting

vated!

for us to believe in ourselves. I realize that all who

• No hating instead, embrace self and others as

read this may not ascribe to my faith and that is

God’s masterpiece. We care for what and who

fine. I did not always believe what I believe or

we love and value.

follow who I follow. I respect and love all people, regardless of their faith. I share my story to encourage you

• Healthy not only looks but is different for and on EVERYBODY. Follow the course for YOUR journey.

and let you know that healing, health and wellness ARE possi-

I am worthy and you are worthy

ble, no matter where you are or

because we came from who is

who you are. I am living proof.

worthy! Be encouraged. I believe

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 37

for you to have a God healthy perspective for

intentionally forever reason) had something to

health and wellness. I hope after reading you see

contribute to health and wellness after all.

just what love can do because that is what I am living in now and what you can live in too. So, to you

Joyfully Written,

I say goooooooo, YOU GOT THIS! Well, looks

JLeAnn-Transformation Coach & Speaker

like this 35-year-old, by what the standards of the

Email: info@jleannco.com

world would call unfit looking but active jogger, cross fitter, and all-around L.I.F.E.R (one who lives

Miracles Really Do Happen

By Kesha Hayes Miracles really do happen...even during a

during adversity. In turn we have secured new

pandemic. We all know how devastating things

partnerships, new speaking engagements, and

were when the pandemic first started. Major

a host of other things even when it seems those

companies had to close down and so many people

things were hard to grasp.

lost jobs they’ve had for years. The impact on our world from this massive disease was unlike

Three tips I’ll share when doing anything in life:

anything I’ve ever witnessed. I still continue to pray for all affected.

1. Answer the call. When purpose is in you, don’t fight it. You won’t be able to do anything

My heart truly goes out to each of them. Somehow,

else until it’s fulfilled. Matter of fact, when

God used this pandemic to shift things around for

suppressing that call, you act out of alignment

me differently. He opened my eyes even more to

to God’s will. Take your place!!

see that He is totally in control and that blessings

2. Accept the talents and gifts God has placed in

do happen when we least expect them. Even in

you. They are uniquely yours. Walk in your

the darkest of times, miracles exist. I own a post

truth and boldly accept all He has placed in

secondary school that provides health care training,

you. There’s room for you, there’s things for

a nonprofit that supports older adults, and a home

you. Go get your things!!!!!!

care agency that offers personal assistance to

3. Please know...when God has given you a

seniors in their home. While watching other major

purpose, He has already provided provisions

businesses close we were still able to maintain in

for you to carry them out. He won’t leave you.

the midst of a very dark time.

It may be dark, it might look hopeless, but remain hopeful. God’s got your back.

Our businesses adjusted quickly to meet the needs of our customers and even while facing a rigorous audit that popped up in the middle of the pandemic, we were still able to pass it and persevere.

It was no special recipe as to what we did differently. We just remained focused and faithful

38 | March 2021

Always remember, when we make FAITH MOVES, we always get more than we are “faithing” for.

Gospel Music/Artists

GOS P E L RE CO R D I N G A R T I S T

ISMAEL RAMOS

BY PASTOR TERESA JORDAN

Ismael Ramos was born in the Midwest of Brazil

CHOICE AWARDS - WINNER 2013 - RHYTHM

in September of 1971. Son of Pastors, Ismael

OF GOSPEL AWARDS - 3 NOMINEES 2014

Ramos showed passion for singing at a very early

- PRAYZE FACTOR AWARDS - 3 WINNER

age. At five years old he was already singing and

FINALIST 2014 - RHYTHM OF GOSPEL

worshiping God at the church his father ministered.

AWARDS

After performing at several festivals across Brazil.

Currently, Ismael resides in Atlanta with wife Ismael finally recorded his first album in 1990,

Sonia Maior and their two beautiful children,

DISCOGRAFIA: 1990 - MEU LOUVOR (Mi

Joshua who is nine-years-old and Rebecca who is

Alabanza) 1997 - NOME A CLAMAR (Nombre

seven-years-old. With a career that extends over 25

A Clamar) 2000 - NÃO HA IMPOSSIVEL (No

years, Ismael understands that God does not give

Hay Impossible) 2003 - SONHOS (Sueños)

you a dream and a mission then leaves you.

2008 - DREAMS (Sueños) Primer CD en Ingles 2011 - SUEÑOS (Primer CD en Español 2012

“He gives you a gift, blesses you and prepares

- TU GRACIA ME BASTA (Segundo CD en

you to reach your dreams. God never leaves you,

Español) AWARDS: 2004 - TROFEL TALENTO -

He is always by your side, until the very end.” -

NOMINEES 2011 - PRAYZE FACTOR AWARDS

Ismael Ramos

- 2 WINNER FINALIST 2012 - GOSPEL

40 | March 2021

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 41

Consider This

VACANCIE S CHARACTER A ND INTEGRIT Y NE E D ONLY AP P LY

BY VANDERBILT BRABSON III, AUTHOR When my wife and I were raising our four children—two girls and two boys, as far as sports went, we were what many would refer to as a basketball family. Our daughters, India and Van’esha were older than their two younger brothers Vanderbilt IV and Joshua. From the time each of the girls [India being the oldest] turned seven years old—other than church activities, their lives were filled year-round with in-and-out of town basketball games and tournaments, basketball clinics, countless practices at home and at school, and lots and lots of sleepovers and visits to our home from their teammates wanting to come and practice with our daughters. The oldest of our two sons was Vanderbilt IV. For the purposes of character building and learning how to be part of a team, I insisted each of our children find a sport he or she wanted to play; however, it was communicated and therefore understood that no child of ours would be required to play sports beyond middle school if he or she chose to stop. As a result, my wife Doretha and I, over

42 | March 2021

the years, spent countless hours at numerous basketball, baseball, soccer, and track practices and games.

I remember on one particular Saturday; I was outside running our two daughters along with our seven-year-old son Vanderbilt IV through some basketball drills. Joshua at the time was much younger and therefore did not play any sport. Finally, in an effort to bring that Saturday’s basketball drill and practice to a conclusion, I told all three of them that each had to sink five free throws in a roll in order for that particular child to be finished with practice for the day. It took the two girls little to no time at all to succeed in that challenge. However, our son Vanderbilt IV, was unable to make five free throws in a roll—even with his sisters standing there cheering him on. Finally, the girls grew tired of their brother’s futile attempts to make five free throws in a roll, and therefore both sisters went on into the house to relax, while I stayed outside on the court with our son.

Even with his sisters gone and after several more attempts, our son was still unable to meet the free-throw challenge. Therefore, I changed the challenge and told him I too was going inside the house. His new challenge was to keep practicing until he just hit 5 free throws— even if not in a roll—no matter how long it took. After giving him those instructions, I immediately entered the house by way of our two-car garage which had small built-in windows in each of the two retractable garage doors. Unbeknown to our son Vanderbilt IV, I actually had not gone upstairs in our house to the join the others.

Instead, I quietly watched our son there in the darkness of that garage as I peered through those garage door windows. I watched him earnestly try time and time again for about 10-15 minutes to hit a free throw, and yet he never did. So, I went back outside and joined him, not initially telling him I had been observing him all along. I asked how was it coming. He looked up at me and said, “Not good.” I asked, “Have you hit any free throws yet?” He said, “No, sir, not any.”

Then I stooped down and looked him in the face, and said, “Actually, I have been in that garage watching you the whole time. So, I already knew the answer to the question I asked you. When I asked you that question, you could have lied, but you didn’t. You could have cheated by stepping across the free throw line in order to get closer to improve your chances of hitting a free throw,

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 43

but you didn’t do that either.” So, I gave my son a hug and told him, “I want you to know I am more proud of you for trying and being honest than if you had stood out here and hit 50 free throws in a roll. I love you and I am really, really proud of you for that.” Then I told him practice was over and the two of us joined the rest of the family inside. *** I was genuinely proud of my son because he really showed character. So, what exactly does it mean to have character? Oftentimes, if we are not careful, we confuse the definitions of character and integrity. However, their meanings are different.

•

•

44 | March 2021

Character is who we are when no one is looking, and what we stand for when everyone is looking.

Integrity is the consistency of our outer actions and our inner convictions … over time. (You and I cannot say we have integrity; people who truly know us will have to say we have integrity. Why? Because it’s not your/my call, but rather it’s the call of those who genuinely know you/me). When others deem that you and I have integrity, their comments about us are: 1) “He/she doesn’t talk out of both

sides of their mouth. 2) He/she doesn’t profess to believe one thing, but then say and do another. 3) You always know where he/she is coming from. 4) He/she is very predictable when it comes to taking a stand on issues.”

So how do you and I stack up regarding Godly character and integrity? Unfortunately, countless individuals fail this test daily. According to google the following is true… …regarding lying: “most people lie an average of 4 times a day which equate to 1,460 lies every year. A man can lie twice as much as a woman in a single day. The number one reason for lying is to get out of trouble or make ourselves look good.” …regarding on-the-job theft: “3 out of 4 employees admit to stealing from their employers at least once. Nearly 40% (37.5%) of employees have stolen from their employer.

3 out of 10 employee theft cases lasted for more than five years. Employee theft cases lasting more than ten years cost an average loss of $5.4 million.”

Unfortunately, if true, those numbers are staggering. However, for us who are Christians,

shouldn’t we as grandparents, parents, siblings, employers, employees, and neighbors be the best examples of what it truly means to be individuals of character and integrity—especially since most, if not all of us, demand no less in those who serve as our leaders—and especially leaders in our churches.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11, “….be ye followers of me even as I am of Christ.” If someone was following you or me, would it lead them to Christ?

As Christians, shouldn’t the bright light of Jesus Christ be shining in and through our lives for all to see? In this life, like it or not, you and I cannot decide what happens to us, but it is within our power to decide what happens in us. If you are already a Christian, know this—it is never too late to start doing the right thing in order that God may be honored in your life and mine. You may be asking what that is. If so, and that is your question, please pray the following: Dear Heavenly Father, I understand that it is only because of Your mercies that we are not consumed. Your compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. Lord, I am truly sorry for my waywardness and allowing my will, not Yours, to become my chief priority. Because

of it, I have continually excused my words, my thoughts, and my behavior. I am so sorry. I no longer want to talk, think, or live contrary to Your will. Lord, I desire for me only that which You desire for me—that in my life You will be glorified. I am asking for Your forgiveness. Please cleanse me from all my sin. It is Your will, and Your will alone that I seek, and the life of Christ which I choose to live. Give me this day a servant’s spirit and a heart wholly surrendered to You. And from this moment forward give me the power to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before You. I ask these things in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

“I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do his work through me.”

James Hudson Taylor. Taylor was an English missionary and founder of the China Inland Mission © January 2021 Vanderbilt Brabson III, Author ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 45

Small Business Corner

SMAL L B U S I NE S S

C ORNER

G a b i Asi edua Ode b ode

Owner , Operator of “Afro Meals’”

BY VERNA V. NICKELBERRY 46 | March 2021

What is Afro Meals’?

AfroMeals started off with the sole intent of Afro Meals’ purpose is to introduce people to the

solving problems in the food space so at the early

African and African inspired food culture! We

days we started off really trying to figure out how

started this business with the intent of making

to solve problems in the food space. We saw that

cooking easy for people in the African community.

many other cultures were establishing their footing

Many African especially the millennials, have

in America, we saw that Africa was missing out on

complained that African food takes a long time

the action. We want them to be what Rockefeller

to cook, so we started out by creating recipes

was to the oil industry in the African food

and products to make cooking easy and simple

business. We started investigating processes that

without it being a tedious task. While doing that

could be improved or eliminated in the process and

we encountered others from other backgrounds

experimented using the puff-puff mix. We saw a lot

who are not Africans who loved our meals. These

of people who wanted to eat puff-puff but couldn’t

people wanted to experience the African food

eat it because it was very difficult to make it. We

culture. So, our business model not only focused

started experimenting and we nailed it down and

on making cooking easy for African millennials

implemented it.

but now introducing other cultures to the African food culture.

•

We are changing the landscape in the African

With that said we started teaching in different

food space through innovations, research

schools in Ohio where 100 to 95% of our class

development, and customer service.

was mostly Caucasian signing up for our class to learn how to cook African food. After a class I thought, a man approached me and said, “I love your food, but your people have not done a good job introducing it to people,” so I answered that’s why I am here to teach it to. He said that he would be back.

Now we are known as pioneers in Ohio introducing people who are not from the African culture to African culture and cuisine. This is how we got our tagline “Experience the Culture”.

Due to this we have been on lifestyle shows such as Living Dayton, Local news on Cincinnati news station, we have been in Springfield Sun newspaper (Springfield, OHIO), this is because people are interested in giving their audience the African cultural experience through food. ordinarypeoplemagazine | 47

•

•

We are introducing the African delicacy in

American and Italian food in 30 minutes, I can find

such a way that is dynamic and intentionality

a way to make African food in 30 minutes and that

in making the food less intimidating.

is exactly what I did when I released my recipe

We were in the finals of a competition in

book last year March 2019 titled Afromeals 30

Springfield.

minutes meals and more!

Afromeals started as Thavma Pastries in October

Another thing that inspired and also frustrated me

2014. Thavma Pastries started when I was heavily

was that African food is so delicious. Why is it not

pregnant and craving puff-puff also known as

as popular in the Western world like other cultural

Bofrot. I couldn’t find this pastry that I use to eat in

cuisines? I did research and the top 10 ethnic food,

Ghana anywhere close to where I live so I decided

African and Caribbean food were nowhere near

to figure out how to make it. I made it and a guest

the 10 food ranking in the Western world, though

came and wanted some. At some point the demand

the ethnic food industry is a billion dollar industry.

was too much so I decided to create a Puff-puff

I have come across many people who have never

mix, which became the talk of town and I started

heard of African food before and the only one that

selling it in different African and International

they might have encountered at one point is either

stores.

Ethiopian food or Moroccan food and that all. For this reason, I became someone who decided to fill

After the release of Puff-puff mix, I started

this gap by introducing other cultures, or ethnic

catering. I was cooking and delivering food to

group to our food, and to our surprise they loved it.

different college campuses. I was also catering for the African Student Association (ASA) for their events in different colleges. At that point I realized

1. As a native of Ghana, has it been difficult to achieve your dreams here in the US?

that our business is more than pastries. Our business is focused on African cuisines or inspired

With any business, it is not easy but the

by African cuisines so for that reason we started

acceptance has been great. The community

the catering business called Afromeals in 2015.

that we live in have accepted our business.

Many Americans have come to love African

What lead me to the culinary industry?

and Caribbean foods and keep coming back for it because of the awareness we are bringing to

One thing that inspired me to start Afromeals

our food. We released spice blends June 2020

was trying to figure out how to make cooking

and we have been accepted in big international

African meals easy. When I was in high school in

stores such as Jungle Jims in Fairfield Ohio.

Maryland, I took a food and nutrition class and

Jungle Jim’s is known nationally for being one

also international cuisines. There we watched

of the best international stores. Our products

several shows from a Woman called Rachael Ray

were accepted in Findlay’s Market which

who coined the concept of 30 minutes cooking.

has been listed as the best place to shop in

Then I started cooking more often at home and

Cincinnati. We are also in other groceries

experimenting with seasonings and spices and

stores and we will be in Whole Food Markets

different meals.

very soon.

Later I said to myself if Rachael Ray can make

Our cooking classes are always booked, again

48 | March 2021

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 49

for the most part with 95% being from another

ladder all the way to graduating with a

culture outside of the African culture. We had

master degree in Biology with a concentration

an experience where a woman wanted to travel

of Neuroscience, Molecular Biology and

to Ghana for the first time, but due to COVID

Immunology. My Bachelor’s degree was

her flight was canceled. She knew that we

in biological sciences with a minor in

taught Ghanaian cooking classes so I agreed to

Psychology.

teach her and her family members how to cook authentic Ghanaian meals for her birthday. She

While in my Master program, I met and

came for the cooking class with her family

married my husband Iyanu Odebode who

and she had a great time. I shared with her my

was born and raised in Nigeria. My husband

childhood stories about Ghana, the foods and

is a tech guru with experience in software

I gifted her a Kente cloth shirt which she wore

engineering and AI who also graduated with

immediately. After that day, I felt so touched

his PhD with a degree in information systems.

and realized that what we are doing is more

My husband and I have three amazing kids.

than teaching people to cook, but we are also

Currently we live in Ohio!

making memories and giving people a cultural experience right in America.

Connect with us through our website www. afromeals.com, also through our social media

2. What is the one Afro/Caribbean dish we all need to experience?

pages Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin @afromeals.

Email us at afromeals.com or call us at 513-7831955.

I would say that the dish that people need to experience is what we are known for in West

To advertise your “Small Business” in “The Small

Africa which is our Jollof rice, it is like the

Business Corner” section,

dish that comes up whenever we talk about a

contact our sale department at (901) 949-3409 for

West African food.

more information.

Jollof Rice is Rice simmered in a tomato, bell peppers, garlic and onion-based stew seasoned with traditional Maggi cubes and other rich African spices! This recipe can be found in our recipe book on Amazon called Afromeals 30 minutes meals and more!

Gabi Asiedua Odebode, born and raised in Koforidua Ghana. I started my early education in Ghana and I immigrated to America at the age of 9 with my elder sister to come and live with my biological parents.

Upon moving to the United States Maryland, I started fifth grade and climbed the educational

50 | March 2021

Inspirational Words

P SALM 27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

(KJV )

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 51

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52 | March 2021

FROM WITHIN...

BY VERNA V. NICKELBERRY In March of 2020 the world was hit with a deadly virus – COVID-19, causing a worldwide “Pandemic”!

Within weeks the world as we knew it was “SHUT DOWN,” no movements at all., everything was very quiet and still. Everyone was instructed to stay inside for two to three weeks, businesses, schools and churches all closed their doors!

As I’m remembering back to March 2020, the beginning of the “Pandemic” and how the world shifted at that time. How medical experts and pharmaceuticals scrambled to find a vaccine to combat COVID-19, all while trying to calm everyone. 2020, will forever be etched in our minds as the year that God shut the world down!

God you say? We know that nothing of this magnitude can take place without God’s permission. He and He alone controls the world.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof: the world and they the dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.”

Psalm 24:1- 2(KJV) Although, many have questioned rather if the “Pandemic” was indeed an act of God and if so, why? A scripture comes to mind when God is speaking through the Prophet Ezekiel to the elders of Israel…

“And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lord, and sat before me.

Then came the word of the Lord unto me, saying, Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you”. Ezekiel 20:1-3 (KJV) The Lord God, He and He along is in total control of the world and everyone in it.

Nothing happens unless He allows it. Our thoughts are not His thoughts, our time is not His time, we belong to Him and not ourselves. A shift took place in March 2020, but we learned how to adjust to our new normal, and we are continuing to learn, as we move into 2021. Things will not go back to the way they used to be. God has given us a second chance to get “IT” right, whatever your it may be. It is up to us as a people to learn from this COVID-19 (Pandemic) experience.

May God continue to shine His light upon us!

And as always, Love, Peace, and Increase Verna V. Nickelberry

ordinarypeoplemagazine | 53

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