GRAMMY Award-Winning Worship Artist Tasha Cobbs Leonard to Launch Brunch Event Featuring Yolanda Adams, ‘Greenleaf’s’ Deborah Joy Winans & More…

Hello World,

GRAMMY Award-winning worship artist Tasha Cobbs Leonard is set to launch CANDID, a series of empowering and ground-breaking events for women. Taking the ‘girls brunch’ concept to a new level, Cobbs Leonard will host the first CANDID, an exciting brunch event on Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Atlanta, GA!

Cobbs Leonard aims to offer an inviting, and open forum to inspire and encourage women to understand their potential, and live their best lives! Whether it’s launching a new business, or pursuing a passion, Cobbs Leonard wants women to tap into the possibilities, and understand that now is their time to reach for their dream. The CANDID brunch series brings together the best from entrepreneurs and creatives to philanthropists and influencers to share their stories and strategies in an intimate and fun setting.

“I wanted to take the true meaning of the African proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and support the ‘village’ in that statement — women represent the village in our communities,” Cobbs Leonard said. “We [women] support our husband, raise our children, create our own business, mentor future generations – that often times we miss the opportunity to inspire ourselves and show up for US. I wanted to create a safe space where we can do just that.”

Like every good brunch, there will be good food, great conversation and lots of laughs. Tasha invited her personal village of amazing women to join her at the inaugural CANDID brunch. The incredible line up of speakers includes legendary GRAMMY Award-winner Yolanda Adams; social influencer, TV Star Marlo Hampton (Who knew that Marlo Hampton and Tasha Cobbs Leonard are friends?); Gospel music icon and favorite Kierra Sheard; actress Deborah Joy Winans from OWN’s “Greenleaf” and social media CEO Ivy McGregor.

Tickets are available now by visiting: https://ticketlocity.com/event/view/CANDID.

Any thoughts?

3 Reasons Why I’m Glad Michelle Williams & Pastor Chad Johnson Are Reportedly ‘Working on Things!”

Hello World,

Last April, I was so excited when I heard the engagement story of Michelle Williams & Pastor Chad Johnson that I wrote “7 Reasons Why I Love That Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child is Engaged to Pastor Chad Johnson!” Below is an excerpt:

1. Michelle Williams had to wait on the Lord…We’ve all heard that God is an on-time God, and He is. But the caveat is He may not come when you want Him to come, but He’s always on time…I must confess that I hate that sometimes…God’s timing that is…But there are so many verses that address waiting on God’s timing that I have to conclude that waiting is a part of the Christian life…Below are three of these verses:

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

“The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” Lamentations 3:25

“Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7

I bet it was hard to watch Beyoncé get married 10  years ago, Kelly get married 4 years ago while Michelle, who is making gospel  albums, was just waiting for God’s best to arrive! She had even gotten to the point where she was bitter about love. This is a quote from  her Instagram page: “I used to be so bitter and a hater when Valentine’s Day  would come around. I even found myself tweeting things like “Valentine’s Day is for suckers!” Welp….I’m a sucker! The Lord has been kind!” But her “someday my prince will come” story started last year and from what I’ve read, he is an admiral man of God, a pastor no less! But like I’ve learned”“Eye has not seen, nor  ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

Read the rest HERE.

Since last April, unfortunately, a lot changed. The main thing from what I can tell is that the two of them decided to share their road to the altar via their OWN reality series “Chad Loves Michelle.” Lord, why did they do that?  I watched every episode and really enjoyed it but seeing all of the online dissection of every exchange they had and the day-to-day events of their lives was just toxic. I truly believe that no relationship, even the most stable relationship, can truly flourish if its being scrutinized and picked apart by people outside of the relationship. I mean, according to the Bible, even our very own parents, the ones who loved us first, are not supposed to be in a couple’s relationship because what goes on in a relationship is sacred and must be protected. #LeaveAndCleave That being said, below are my 3 reasons why I’m glad that Michelle Williams and Pastor Chad Johnson appear to be “working on things” according to Page Six although they broke up at the conclusion of their reality show.

They were spotted together at the Kentucky Derby over the weekend. Check out this Instagram post from The Jasmine Brand. They look really happy 🙂

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#MichelleWilliams enjoys the #KentuckyDerby festivities with #ChadJohnson #ChrisTucker #Amerie and more

A post shared by the Jasmine BRAND (@thejasminebrand_) on

1. Some relationships don’t start out smoothly. It was evident by watching “Chad Loves Michelle” that were issues to work out. Michelle has admitted she had some mental health concerns. They are an interracial couple so there were assumptions and belief systems that had to be worked through. Michelle seemed to be skittish regarding commitment. These are just the things that I observed not to mention the fact that Michelle is a major celebrity.  From my own experience, I know for a fact that some relationships are not easy from the onset. One person commented online that this part of their relationship was supposed to be the easiest part…According to whom? Prior to my relationship with my husband, I had never been in a relationship longer than 8 months! I realize now that I choose men who didn’t want to be committed to me and subconsciously, I didn’t want to be committed either. But when my husband came along, I knew he was special but commitment felt foreign to me. I started a lot of arguments with him as result. Thank God he was patient with me, but had this all played out on television, I’m sure folk would be telling him to run and fast…LOL…

2. How they came together looked like how God works. If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you start to recognize when something is just not good, it’s God. This is not something I can explain, well, maybe I can, but I don’t have time to this morning, but maybe on another day when I have time, I will. But the engagement story of Michelle Williams and Pastor Chad just seemed like it was divinely done. One fact that sticks out to me is the fact that Pastor Chad started saving for an engagement ring that he would present to his fiancée 11 years ago. This is what he told PEOPLE magazine: “On my 30th birthday, everybody came and celebrated me. The next day, I woke up alone. I was so lonely. I had a little pity party. My personal life was lacking so much, and I  was living so single,” recalls Johnson, who turns 41 in July. “So as a response to that moment, I opened up a ring account, and for 11 years, I put $150 into a ring account.” As the old saints say, I don’t believe He brought me this far to leave me. I don’t think God lead his servant (a pastor, mind you) to save for an engagement ring for 11 years only to have him present it to the wrong woman. When my hubby came into my life, I had declared myself done with dating. I had concluded that it must not be God’s will for me to get married because every relationship I had just disintegrated. And not longer after that declaration, God did what He does…

3. My hubby said Pastor Chad was a good dude. I know you must be rolling your eyes at this one, but hear (read) me out. Hubby and I have have very different TV viewing tastes. For example, he watches car shows, “Incredible Hulk” reruns and basketball.” I watch “Sex and the City” reruns, “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” and Wendy Williams. Well, one Saturday night, he decided to watch an episode or two of “Chad Loves Michelle” with me. Every once in a while, my hubby will watch what I’m watching but will be criticizing things the whole time. He thinks the housewives are catty and that Wendy Williams is mean and nosy. But as he watched “Chad Loves Michelle,” he said that the pastor looks like a good dude. I turned and looked at him and said, “I know.” I told him that various people online were criticizing him and I couldn’t figure out why. He told me that he didn’t know about all of that but that Pastor Chad seemed like a genuine guy, the kind of guy you could introduce your sister to because he was nice. I.WAS.SHOCKED. My hubby isn’t perfect, but my hubby and my father are the kindest men that I know. If they say you are good people, I believe them.

So these are my three reasons. Have I proved my case? What do you think?

And thankfully, Michelle and Pastor Chad are taking a different approach now that they are “working on things.” Apparently, Michelle has noticed that people have noticed they are spending time together again. This is what she said on Twitter about it…

Yes, I know that Michelle and Pastor Chad opened their relationship to the public before, but now they’ve decided to close it. That’s why you can open AND shut a door. People are allowed to change their minds and praise God, I hope they continue to mind their business and not let outsiders in it…

Any thoughts?

 

Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, T.I. & Scrapp Deleon Bail Out 23 Non-Violent Offenders From Jail in Time for Easter Sunday!

Hello World,

How was your Easter Sunday?! Mine was lovely. After a wonderful Easter service at my church, my husband and I were blessed to spend time with family and friends. Since my parents live pretty close to my in-laws, it was easy to see a good number of people that I don’t get to see every day in one day. In addition to having a soul-saving relationship with God through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus, I’m so thankful that God has blessed me to have a close-knit family and great friends.

Apparently, I was not the only one who was able to reunite with family and friends on Easter Sunday. Through New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s Bail Out Program, $120,000 was raised with the help of rapper T.I. and VH1’s “Love and Hip Hop” personality Scrapp Deleon to bail out 23 non-violent offenders from metro Atlanta jails (DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Rockdale County Jails) on Saturday, April 20 in time to celebrate Easter Sunday with family and friends, according to Fox 5.

On the bus ride home from jail, one man said, “I aine never had nobody help me or do nothin’ for me. I’ve been on my own since I was 13. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done by myself so for y’all people to just come out and bless me like this. I really feel, like, very grateful, very thankful for everything. I’m trying to be, whatever y’all need me to do, whatever y’all need me to help with, I’m there. Just say the word. I’m just very blessed. I’m very thankful.”

Also, church volunteers greeted the men and women with a Welcome Home Party. Barbers, beauticians and celebrity makeup artists  in addition to clothing were on site to get the men and women looking right before they were reunited with their families and loved ones. One man at the party said 30 minutes after he prayed about getting out of jail, he was told about the Bail Out Program at midnight! “12 o’clock at night, the guard knocked on my door and handed me the Bail Out Program. Like it was just crazy.” How many of y’all know that when no one else is up at the midnight hour, you can call up Jesus who hears and answers prayers! That reminds me of what happened with Paul and Silas when they were jail. They were freed at midnight as well!

At the party, Pastor Bryant announced that ALL of the children of the men and women who were released from jail will have college fund accounts at Citizens Trust Bank courtesy of the church. “We want to make sure that we disrupt a culture of recidivism so they do not go back into the system as in previous generations.” Additionally, mentors will work with the men and women.

See for yourselves what happened in the video below:

That is what the resurrection of Jesus Christ is all about – resurrecting new lives.

Any thoughts?