Tag Archives: Michelle Williams

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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?

 

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Retrospect: My Top 10 Posts of 2018…

Hello World,

Wow! In just ONE more day, a New Year will dawn and 2018 will be in the rear view mirror of our lives…One of the ways that I like to reflect on a year past is to take a look at what made you come to this blog, my humble corner of the web! Thank you for subscribing to After the Altar Call and hopefully you will stay on as a subscriber in 2019 (please click on this link to subscribe to my blog 🙂 if you haven’t already) and tell your friends and maybe even your frenemies to subscribe too 🙂 ! So take a look below at your favorite blog posts of 2018!

By and large, just like last year, what brought you here were my Greenleaf recaps! I mean truly my recaps brought in the most page views in the Top 10 category, but to vary the types of post that will appear in this blog post, I’m allowing my Greenleaf recaps to take the top category and then after that, I will post the remaining nine blog posts that captured your attention after the Greenleaf recaps. Capiche?

1. Greenleaf Finale Recap, Season 3 Episode 13: The New Life…

Excerpt:  Chile, Karine almost got herself killed when she interrupts Basie holding a gun ready to pull the trigger, sending Bishop on a one-way trip to Heaven’s gates. But Bishop convinces Basie to let her leave and Basie ends up not ending Bishop’s life on this earth after all. “Oh Bishop, you’ve got some amazing faith. Too bad it’s misplaced,” Basie says to Bishop. Lady Mae and the rest of the church for that matter still have no idea what is going on as Lady Mae brings her sermon to a close. Maxine is pleased as punch with her protégé’s performance. “Girlfriend, not even Peter could deny what happened up there. Girlfriend, you got a church!” But before the balloons can be released, they are quickly deflated when they are informed that Bishop was held up by Basie in his office. Lady Mae rushes to Bishop, grabbing him at the knees like she still has feelings for ex-husband. “That man came to kill you.” “I’m okay,” Bishop says as he sweats in his chair.

2. Seven Reasons Why I Approve of The Rev. Jasper Williams Jr.’s Eulogy at Aretha’s Franklin’s Funeral…

Excerpt: I watched several hours of The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin’s funeral or homegoing (which word you choose is likely a reflection of your cultural origin) on Friday, but I must admit I missed the The Rev. Jasper Williams Jr.’s (pastor emeritus of  Salem Bible Church in Atlanta, Georgia) eulogy of the Queen of Soul on Friday. I mostly watched to hear some good ole black church saaangin and see who was there! Yes, I can be shallow like that. But as far as what the pastors and preachers had to say, I figured it would be what we always hear at funerals – some variation of the person was a good person or decent person, etc. (eulogy definition – a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly, typically someone who has just died.) and a come- to-Jesus- while-there- is- yet-blood-running-through-your-veins appeal at the end. I’m in church every Sunday and when I was growing up that was every Sunday and Wednesday so I’ve been to many many church services and funerals/homegoings. But I’m not a preacher nor a pastor and don’t aspire to such a controversial calling but I probably could plan a pretty decent church service or homegoing if I was called upon to do so.

3. OWN ‘Greenleaf’ Actress LeToya Luckett aka Rochelle Cross Shows Off Baby Bump at 2018 Black Music Honors! (PHOTOS)

Excerpt: The clock still has a few 24-hour segments before Season 3 of OWN’s ‘Greenleaf’ premieres on Tuesday, August 28 and Wednesday, August 29, but thankfully the stars of the show are out and about leading up until then! Last night, comedian and radio show host Rickey Smiley and singer and OWN “Greenleaf” actress LeToya Luckett ( aka Rochelle Cross, Lady’s Mae’s lady-in-waiting and or archenemy), who debuted her baby bump,  co-hosted the 2018 Black Music Honors! The annual two-hour television special honors artists and musicians who have influenced and made significant contributions to American music. This year’s honorees were Bobby Brown, Faith Evans, Bebe & Cece Winans, Whodini, Stephanie Mills and Dallas Austin. Also, the 2018 Black Music Honors recognized the legacy of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul who passed away yesterday. (Condolences to her family and friends. She will certainly be missed the world over.)

4. Former Pastor Mase To Reemerge at World Changers Church International’s Radical Revolution Conference

Excerpt: Y’all betta be glad I’m not God. I woulda banished some of y’all below just because you looked like you were judging me. And that’s what I’m trying to remember this morning as I type this blog post. I’m not God and just because I interpret something as being a certain way, that may not be the truth. Only God knows the condition of the hearts of men and women. So here’s the deal. Ya man Mase, or Pastor Mase as he was known in 2014, left his church that he founded as he got caught up in the rapture of rap it seems. I was so befuddled by his departure that I wrote an open letter on UrbanFaith.com.

5. TV One Offers Original Holiday Movies ‘Merry Wishmas’ & ‘Coins For Christmas’ Starring David & Tamela Mann, Kim Fields & More…

Excerpt:  TV One brings the holiday spirit with premieres of two new original movies MERRY WISHMAS, debuting Sunday, December 2 at 7 p.m. and  COINS FOR CHRISTMAS, premiering  Sunday, December 16  at  7 p.m./6C! MERRY WISHMAS , starring  Tamela Mann (The Manns), David Mann (The Manns), Kim Fields (Living Single), Towanda Braxton (Braxton Family Values), Chrystale Wilson (The Players Club) and  Elizabeth Omilami (Madea’s Family Reunion), revolves around successful businesswoman Kenni (Tamela Mann) who hasn’t returned home to the quaint town of Columbia, South Carolina in years. She’s hoping for a peaceful visit when she finally returns home, but unresolved family issues threaten to make the Christmas holiday not so bright. She’s reacquainted with Jessie (David Mann), an old high school friend with a fledgling wellness facility – the Beverly Living Center. She’s instantly thrown into the lives of the center’s residents and meets a host of colorful characters. When Jessie is faced with losing the Beverly Living Center, Kenni steps in to try and help save it. Family conflicts and relationship woes, however, threaten Kenni’s efforts. It looks like only a miracle can save the center and mend broken relationships in time for Christmas.

6. Bishop T.D. Jakes Issues Apology After Potter’s House Fort Worth Volunteer Allegedly Assaulted, Handcuffed & Thrown Out of the Church!

Excerpt: Some Palm Sunday Shenanigans went down this past Sunday it seems! Media outlets from The Christian Post to Media Takeout are reporting that Audrey Stevenson, 22, a member of The Potter’s House of Fort Worth church under the leadership of Pastor Patrick E. Winfield II and First Lady Veronica Winfield, claims she was allegedly assaulted at the church. She argued with church staff regarding being able to be on the church stage…

7. 7 Reasons Why I Love That Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child is Engaged to Pastor Chad Johnson!

Excerpt: By now, you’ve probably heard that Michelle Williams, a member of the former trio Destiny’s Child, is engaged to Pastor Chad Johnson! I ALWAYS LOVE a love story, but I particularly love a love story that demonstrates how God works! Won’t He Do It?! Yes, He did and that is evident in how God brought the two of them together (at least from what we are privy to via the media)! Let me break down seven reasons why I love the love story of Michelle Williams and Pastor Chad Johnson…

8.  Should Divorced Men Such as Dr. Jamal Bryant, Newly Named New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Pastor, Be Allowed in the Pulpit?

Excerpt:  Now that Season 3 of OWN’s “Greenleaf” is over until next season, I’m back to finding my religious drama and intrigue in real life! LOL. Last week, Atlanta was abuzz with the news that Dr. Jamal Bryant, founding pastor of Empowerment Temple, an A.M.E.  megachurch of about 10,000 members in Baltimore, Maryland was leaving his church to be the new pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, which also has about 10,000 members, in Lithonia, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. He will preach is first sermon at New Birth on Sunday, Dec. 9.

9. Le’Andria Johnson Allegedly Uninvited from ESSENCE Fest Gospel Lineup After Going Off About Marvin Winans! UPDATE: Le’Andria Has Apologized!

Excerpt:  Just yesterday I was commenting about folk coming back from the ESSENCE Fest, and from the looks of things Le’Andria Johnson was not one of them after being allegedly being uninvited from ESSENCE Fest Gospel Lineup after going off on a video about Marvin Winans. BlackChristianNews.com is reporting that Le’Andria claimed “the gospel legend dissed her and treated her like ‘a peasant.’ Johnson insists the incident is one of many with fellow artists of faith that’s led her to a breakdown.” It’s not clear where this encounter happened.

10. Why Ciara & Pastor John Gray Are Right To Advise Single Ladies to Level Up…

Excerpt: I know that I’ve been gone for a few days. Due to a family emergency, my hubby and I ventured up north to last Tuesday and just got back on Sunday. And once I returned to my regular Internet habits, I was bombarded with the backlash that R&B star Ciara faced from single ladies over the weekend simply because of a snippet of a Pastor John Gray sermon that she tweeted. See the message that had black Twitter blazing below…

So that’s it Shawty! Blow a good-bye kiss to 2018 because we’re moving on!!! Another year is just ahead…

Any thoughts?

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‘In Living Color’ Star T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh Discusses New Movie ‘REVIVAL!’ & More (TIX GIVEAWAY)

Hello World,

Last night, I was blessed to attend an exclusive behind-the-scenes preview of Harry Lennix’s (The Blacklist) gospel-musical film REVIVAL! at Atlanta’s Word of Faith Church. 

REVIVAL! is a thoroughly innovative celebration of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ through faith, film, and theatre. A Gospel musical based on the book of John, REVIVAL! speaks as a letter from Jesus to a troubled and ever-contemporary world. The journey begins with a live Passion Play in a contemporary metropolis and expands from there into a world of vibrant image and immersive sound. REVIVAL! is an authentic expression of Black Faith in form and intention. It’s also a unique way to re-imagine a renewal of the everlasting and joyous creative spirit of the black church experience!

REVIVAL! stars Mali Music as Jesus, BET and Imagine nominee Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), 10-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan (The Blues Brothers), executive producer T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh (In Living Color), and Niki J. Crawford, whose powerhouse vocals enhance the film’s innovative approach, transcending time and space, and more!

I was able to interview T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh last night! Check out the interview below!

What attracted you to this film?

My friend Harry Lennix asked me to be a part of it and because of our friendship and the trust I have in him, I said yes before I read the script. I have turned down, whether it’s an offer or an audition, many more things than I have accepted. I am highly grateful and blessed that I am that person who turns things down and has still been able to work consistently for decades now.

This production pretty much died three times in the course of five years before it finally came to fruition. What kept you coming back to it when you didn’t have to do so?

I just felt like it was really important. My sister and I talk a lot about when something is going wrong and we feel like, ‘Oh Lord, why are being tested?’ We say, ‘Well, the devil doesn’t bother with people who aren’t doing anything right.’ The devil is cool with you if you are making devilment. There’s no need to create a challenge for someone who is already acting up. But if you are doing something right, the forces of evil, whatever you call it, the devil, evil, whatever you call people who are against goodness, they are only going to bother with you if you are a problem. And you are only a problem if you are doing good works.

And I feel like there were probably forces that came after us, after this film to put blocks in our path so that something this encouraging of humanity would never see the light of day. And that’s in addition to an industry that loves horror and violence and degradation and abuse of human beings. It’s hard to get a film that’s about goodness out and get a distribution deal. And to so to me, part of me feels like if something is trying to stop me, I might be doing something right.

After the third time is when you signed on as a producer, right?

I don’t know every step of the way because I wasn’t on the set every day and Harry is not one to complain. And so when I came on the set and saw his face fallen, I knew something was very, very wrong. And there were a lot of challenges with schedules especially as the project grew and grew. There was a budget to do this very small version. And there was a schedule to do the very small version. But now this person can join, but we have to wait for them. And this person is available Tuesday but not Wednesday. This one is available Thursday but not Friday. So let’s wait.

And as we wait, this is going to cost us more and that is going to cost us more. And then some people acted up and now we have to wait for other reasons. But this time, I said, ‘What is going on? What’s wrong?’ He said, ‘I’m not sure if we’re going to make it through. And I said, ‘What can I do?’ And he said, ‘Do you have blank blank dollars?’ And I was like, ‘Oh for real?’ I said, ‘Hmmm. If had that much, then what would happen?’ He said, ‘Then we would keep going.’ And I said, ‘Let me see what I can do.’ And I wasn’t the only one to do that either. I kept it going when I could keep it going and others kept it going later.

What do you hope people will get from this film?

One, I hope that people will see REVIVAL! and be inspired by it and think differently about who they think God is. I think the movie is absolutely for everyone but for people of color, particularly for black people, Africans who ended up in this place where the institution of slavery was worse than any other place. And that we succumbed when we did to horrific, constant degradation and a loss of everything – loss of language, culture, pride, heritage – everything. A lot in part because we were shown this image of a person who was the physical opposite of us. And we were told this is God. And if this is God, you cannot be God. You cannot be divine. You are the opposite of God. You are the opposite of divine. And you don’t deserve anything better than to eat out of the same bowl that a dog eats from. And to be whipped and then raped. And then killed.

But truth, science, everybody, logic knows that there were only people of color. So when people say, ‘Black Jesus’ that’s redundant to me and it offends me. That’s like saying, ‘Black Tkeyah.’ What else am I? Of course, these people were of color. This is not a colorblind cast. This is a color-corrected cast. Just like this image of a blue-eyed blonde Jesus made us suffer, I hope that this much more color-corrected image of Jesus lets us know that we really do have divine in us.

What made you pledge Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated? ( I had to ask this question since we are both members of DST 🙂 )

I pledged 36 years ago. My sister is a Delta and to tell you the truth, when she pledged, I knew nothing about black Greek life and I thought she had been abducted by a cult. I thought I would have to go in there and infiltrate and save her. (Laughter) But then after I got to college, I said these people might not be so bad. I made the decision that I always intend to be good and I want to belong to an organization whose purpose is to do good work. And I liked being held accountable for service. I’m a Golden Life member. I went from Beta Alpha at Florida A&M to Chicago Alumnae, and I have for the past several years been a member of Century City in Los Angeles. I have served in many capacities. I chair two committees now. And I’m on a national committee. I’m on the National Arts & Letters Commission advisory team. I am honored Soror Smith blessed me with that position.

As of today, REVIVAL! is in select US cities (Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles)!  REVIVAL! will have its  second rollout in January 2019,  expanding to screens in Memphis, Baltimore, New Orleans, Norfolk, St. Louis, San Francisco, Cleveland, Orlando, Boston, Tampa, Milwaukee and additional theaters coming soon.

Check out the trailer below!


If you live in the Atlanta area and would like TWO free tix to REVIVAL! at AMC Southlake, you have to be the first person to comment and tell me the name of the show that T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh starred in as a mother.

Any thoughts?