Tag Archives: Annual Christian Women’s Retreat

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12 Reasons I’m Thankful for 2012…

My aunt traveled from out of the state to come to my book launch party…

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Hello World,

At this time of the year, I always have to pause and thank the Lord for His Goodness to me…So let me list 12 reasons why I’m thankful for 2012…

1. My first book “After the Altar Call: The Sisters’ Guide to Developing a Personal Relationship With God” was published this year. I have wanted to be an author since I was six years old so the publishing of this book represents the beginning of the realization of a lifelong dream… And since it was published, it has become an Amazon Best Seller and Black Expressions Book Club Best Seller!!! Thank you Lord for You are good…

Roses my boo gave me to help me celebrate my 39th birthday…

2. R. (my boo) was accepted into a college program in his chosen field this year…I’m so proud of him and happy for him…Like Brian in the movie “Mahogany” said, “…Success is nothing without someone you love to share it with! ” It has been wonderful to share our successes together this year, and I am looking forward to sharing many more of our successes together…Thank You Lord for You are good…

3. My book launch party was the visual representation of my lifelong dream coming true. And I was so blessed to see how many friends and family came out to support me!!! I will cherish this night for as long as I live…Thank You Lord for You are good…

Me and my lovely assistant at my first book signing at Lifeway Christian Store…

3. The journey of being a published author has been a lot of work, but incredibly gratifying…I have sold and signed books at Lifeway Christian Store, Nubian Bookstore, an Annual Writing Workshop and Fine Arts & Music Extravaganza( both hosted by the Stone Mountain-Lithonia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated),  in Nashville, Tennessee at 33st Annual Christian Women’s Retreat, at Central Christian Church’s 11th Annual Women’s Prayer Breakfast, at the 98th Hampton University Ministers’ Conference and at the AJC Decatur Book Festival. Also, on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012, I will be one of several authors participating in the Third Annual Southwest Arts Center Book Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The center is located at 915 New Hope Road, Atlanta, GA 30331. Whew!…Thank You Lord for You are good…

4. Although I’ve been working as a journalist for some time, I’m so grateful for more opportunities in my chosen field…I became an official contributor to Urbanfaith.com this year, and my contract as a columnist for THE LOOKOUT was renewed…I have been a freelance writer for Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine since 2009, but this past summer, I won an Atlanta Association of Black Journalists award for business reporting for the magazine! And I got to be part of the AABJ panel discussion “The Art of the Hustle” with The New York Times best-selling author Denene Millner (one of my mentors in my head). …Thank You Lord for You are good…

Praising the Lord at the 98th Hampton University Ministers’ Conference…

5. Although my primary purpose of attending the 98th Hampton University Ministers’ Conference was to promote and sell my books, God blessed me in other ways as a result of attending this conference…First of all, the music at this conference which was also held in conjunction with the 78th Annual Choir Directors’ & Organists’ Guild Workshop…And when I say the music was breathtaking, I really and truly mean that…I have never praised God like that in all of my life, and it was such a blessing to my spirit…Also, it was wonderful to visit Hampton University for the first time…It is such a beautiful school…

Also, while I did not get to meet Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, who is immediate past president of the HU Ministers’ Conference and the first female president of the conference, I was inspired to look her up after the conference…Her book “A New Dating Attitude” is one of the most important books I’ve ever read…I’m just going to put it out there…I want to meet her and interview her one day…maybe even collaborate with her on a book….(Dr. Sujay is a true friend and mentor in my head.)…Thank You Lord for You are good…

6. I’m always grateful for my wonderful family…As my family is originally from Jamaican and we have spread out all over the world, I don’t get to see my extended family as much as I would like to…However, I was able to spend some time with one of my cousins who lives in Jamaica…He was in Atlanta for a few months while pursuing his medical degree…Thank You Lord for You are good…

At Sunset at the Palms Resort in Negril, Jamaica…

7. Speaking of Jamaica, as it is my family’s homeland, I’m always grateful to visit although I’m no longer able to visit my beloved grandparents who are now with the Lord…In September, I was blessed to go back to Jamaica to be a bridesmaid in one of my best friend’s wedding.  While I was in Jamaica, I was able to see one of my beloved uncles that I haven’t seen in years. Also, it was great to visit this year as Jamaica celebrated 50 years of independence from Great Britain this year!…Thank You Lord for You are good…

8. I’m sooo thankful for my immediate family as I am every year…It continues to be a blessing to see my nephew and niece grow up….I cannot believe my nephew has entered middle school this year……Thank You Lord for You are good…

9. As of this year, it has been 20 years since I graduated from Benjamin Banneker High School in high school! For the first time since then, I was able to return and visit the brand new beautiful school as a part of its Career Day last month…What a blessing! …Thank You Lord for You are good…

10. I never take my health for granted…As of my last physical, I’m still healthy……Thank You Lord for You are good…

11. I never take my finances for granted…I’m so thankful that I’m able to pay my bills, save and invest……Thank You Lord for You are good…

12. And I’m always thankful for the little things…feeling the sun on my face as I drive…a good hair day…a kick-behind workout…Saturday mornings……Thank You Lord for You are good…

What are you thankful for in 2012?

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Check Out My Pics From the 98th Hampton University Ministers’ Conference!

 

Hello World,

If you read my last post, you know that in a span of two weeks, I’ve driven up to Nashville, Tennessee for the 33rd Annual Christian Women’s Retreat, spoken at Central Christian Church’s 11th Annual Women’s Prayer Breakfast in the A and flew up to Hampton, Virginia for the 98th Hampton University Ministers’ Conference! But I took it all one day at a time like the old saints advise, and I’ve had a fabulous time!

Since this was my first time attending the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference and visiting Hampton University, one of the illustrious HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), I took lots of pics to chronicle my journey…Share my journey in pics below…and tell me what you think 🙂

Obviously, a Hampton University banner…The school was established in 1868 and is still here today!

The reason I was in Hampton…

I was blessed to be a part of the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference Bookstore, which was sponsored by Urban Ministries Inc.

My books in the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference Bookstore…

The obligatory me and my books shot 🙂

A conference attendee checking out my book! I promise she was already checking it out before I asked if I could take the pic…And she bought the book too  🙂

Ministers enjoying the bookstore…

Many of  the conference attendees (including me) stayed on campus during our time at the conference…I was assigned to Twitchell Hall…This brought me back to my 552 Creswell Hall days at UGA…Loved dorm living back then…but now, not so much…

This was the view from Twitchell Hall…Wow!

I was told this is the home of Dr. William R. Harvey, Hampton University president…This home was literally just a few steps from Twitchell Hall..Ere ah..I bet he keeps a very close eye on students since he lives right in the center of the dorms…LOL…

I just adore old buildings, and Hampton has many buildings that appear to be decades old…I believe this is the dining hall…

A girl had to eat! The dining hall…again…brought me back to my UGA days…

And just like my UGA days…A bruh will make himself known…LOL…This bruh told me he pledged in the ’50s! He was there for the 78th Annual Choir Directors’ & Organists’ Guild Workshop which is held in conjunction with the ministers’ conference…It was the best singing I’ve heard in my whole life…

Now, if I met a bruh, you know I had to meet a soror! This is Soror Rev. Evelyn Harvey White Spurlock (who made sure to apply her red lipstick before I took her photo)! She proclaimed she is a 1938 graduate of Hampton (then Hampton Institute) and will be 98 years old this month! And she didn’t start preaching until 1992! She retired in 1979 after teaching 43 years in public education…How inspiring!

There was a wonderful display of flags from different countries across from the dining hall…Do you know the names of all of the countries?

Of course, I had to highlight Jamaica’s flag…

Another view of the flag display so that you can see more of the beautiful campus…

Of course I had to take a picture of the campus church…I love the message…TGIF!

The church’s magnificent clock tower…

My artistic shot of the clock tower…

Another view of the church…Behind the vendor area is the HU Convocation Center where most of the festivities for the conference were held…

Inside the Convocation Center..Just to give you an idea of how many people were at the conference…This photo was taken at the Tuesday evening worship service…Again, one of the best praise and worship experiences I’ve ever had…

A view of the choir and ministers…

I’ve never seen this before…Every time this woman got excited in the worship service, this woman started waving flags…and she never hit anyone with them…A creative way to praise the Lord!!!

And if you needed accessories for your praise and worship, you could find them here…Lap cloths anyone?

And you could get your accessories personally embroidered…

More wares…

Good shopping…

Okay, I could post more photos, but you’ve probably had enough at this point…so here is my last photo of the beauty on Hampton University’s campus…I hope to go to this conference again…

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

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After the Altar Call on the Move…

Hello World,

The lone writer...(get it? LOVE.THIS.PHOTO)...A pic from my book release party...

If you have visited my humble blog before, you know that my book which has the same name was released in February of this year! And since then, I have been on the move around the A as I have attempted to spread the word about a book that I truly believe will help women to develop a personal relationship with God! And God has blessed my efforts!

As of this month, my book is now available via Black Expressions Book Club! From the web site…

Black Expressions is the book club when it comes to books for and by African Americans. We’ve got bestselling books from such African American authors as Zane, Brenda Jackson, Eric Jerome Dickey and E. Lynn Harris. From new urban fiction to black romance novels and African American Christian fiction, Black Expressions truly has something for everyone. Plus, our editors love reading as much as you do and they’ll constantly keep you updated on the most-talked-about African American books on the scene.

If you are a member of Black Expressions, you can order my book for a whopping 50 cents! Truly, you cannot beat that deal anywhere sooo order it here (click on the link.).

And now that the unofficial start of summer is this weekend (Memorial Day weekend), I plan to venture out of the A and hopefully spread the good news about After the Altar Call!

This weekend I will be at the 33rd Annual Christian Women’s Retreat in the Country Music Capital of the World! Yes, that’s right, I (along with my mother and other women from our church) will be traveling up the road a piece to Nashville to fellowship with Christian women from around the country. And if you’re read my book, one the original organizers of the retreat (which was created in 1980), Ms. Susie Doswell is featured in my book. Ms. Doswell has a tremendous testimony of thriving after after teenage pregnancy and abusive marriages. The convention will be held at the Sheraton Music City Hotel so if you’re in the area, stop by and see me.

The next weekend, on June 2, I will be speaking on “Developing a Personal Relationship With God” at Central Christian Church’s 11th Annual Women’s Prayer Breakfast. The prayer breakfast begins at 10 a.m. Central Christian Church is located at 1916 Dodson Drive, Atlanta 30311…That’s right in the heart of the SWAT!!!

And a few days after that, I will be signing my book on Tuesday, June 5 at 1 p.m. and Wednesday, June 6 at 2 p.m. at the Urban Ministries Inc. bookstore  at the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference in Hampton, Virginia! From the conference web site…

The Ministers’ Conference began in 1914 when the Negro Organizational Society, the Conference for Education in the South, the Southern Education Board, and the Cooperative Education Board sought to address the growing concerns of the African-American church and its relationship to the community. With Hampton Institute carrying strong influence with each of these community organizations, it became the birth-place of the original Ministers’ Conference, then known as The Conference of Negro Ministers of Tidewater, Va.

The HU Ministers’ Conference and Choir Directors’ and Organists’ Guild has also welcomed famous individuals to the campus of Hampton University. Past attendees have included the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1962; the Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker of Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York; the Rev. Jesse Jackson; the Rev. Al Sharpton; the Rev. T.D. Jakes; and in 2007, Barack Obama.

I pray this book will truly help women all around the world develop a personal relationship with God! And I’m thankful to God for enabling me to spread the word about this book, and I could use your help too…Let erebody know After the Altar Call is on the move…

Any thoughts?