Tag Archives: President Obama

Posted on

Soul Mates: Dr. Martin Luther Jr. & Coretta Scott King…repost…

thekings

Editor’s Note: This post is from 2011, but I always love a good love story…Read and enjoy…Happy MLK Day 2015!!!

Hello World,

As you know, I love to write about love and marriage. In fact, I have dedicated a whole section on my blog to married couples, Soul Mates. While I know that many people do not believe in soul mates, I would like to believe that God has a hand in orchestrating great love stories that end in marriage. Today, we officially celebrate the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  But from Dr. King to President Obama, their wives had a hand in making them great men. While I will never get the opportunity to interview Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, I still want to feature their story on my blog. So I have decided to post interesting quotations about their marriage. Read, enjoy and take note…

  • Born and raised in Marion, Alabama, Coretta Scott graduated valedictorian from Lincoln High School. She received a B.A. in music and education from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and then went on to study concert singing at Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music, where she earned a degree in voice and violin. While in Boston she met Martin Luther King, Jr. who was then studying for his doctorate in systematic theology at Boston University. They were married on June 18, 1953, and in September 1954 took up residence in Montgomery, Alabama, with Coretta Scott King assuming the many functions of pastor’s wife at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. (from The King Center website)
  • While studying music, she met King, then pursuing a PhD at Boston University. “…he was looking for a wife. I wasn’t looking for a husband, but he was a wonderful human being,” she told an interviewer. “I still resisted his overtures, but after he persisted, I had to pray about it…I had a dream, and in that dream, I was made to feel that I should allow myself to be open and stop fighting the relationship. That’s what I did, and of course the rest is history. ” (from About.com)
  • Martin, about their first date: “So you can do something else besides sing? You’ve got a good mind also. You have everything I ever wanted in a woman. We ought to get married someday.” (from About.com)
  • She was studying music at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston in 1952 when she met a young graduate student in philosophy, who on their first date told her: “The four things that I look for in a wife are character, personality, intelligence and beauty. And you have them all.” A year later, she and Dr. King, then a young minister from a prominent Atlanta family, were married, beginning a remarkable partnership that ended with his assassination in Memphis on April 4, 1968. (from The New York Times)
  • Her first encounter with the man who would become her husband did not begin auspiciously, as recounted in “Parting the Waters,” by Taylor Branch. Dr. King, very much in the market for a wife, called her after getting her name from a friend and announced: “You know every Napoleon has his Waterloo,” he said. “I’m like Napoleon. I’m at my Waterloo, and I’m on my knees.” Ms. Scott, two years his elder, replied: “That’s absurd. You don’t even know me.” (from The New York Times)
  • Still, she agreed to meet for lunch the next day, only to be put off initially that he was not taller. But she was impressed by his erudition and confidence, and he saw in this refined, intelligent woman what he was looking for as the wife of a preacher from one of Atlanta’s most prominent ministerial families. When he proposed, she deliberated for six months before saying yes, and they were married in the garden of her parents’ house on June 18, 1953. The 350 guests, elegant big-city folks from Atlanta and rural neighbors from Alabama, made it the biggest wedding, white or black, the area had ever seen. (from The New York Times)
  • Even before the wedding, she made it clear she intended to remain her own woman. She stunned Dr. King’s father, the Rev. Martin Luther King Sr., who presided over the wedding, by demanding that the promise to obey her husband be removed from the wedding vows. Reluctantly, he went along. After it was over, the bridegroom fell asleep in the car on the way back to Atlanta while the new Mrs. King did the driving. (from The New York Times)
  • “I had no problem being the wife of Martin, but I was never just a wife. In the 1950s, as a concert singer, I performed ‘freedom concerts’ raising funds for the movement. I ran my household, raised my children, and spoke out on world issues. Maybe people didn’t know that I was always an activist because the media wasn’t watching. I once told Martin that although I loved being his wife and a mother, if that was all I did I would have gone crazy. I felt a calling on my life from an early age. I knew I had something to contribute to the world.”  (from The Washington Post)
  • The Kings had four children: Yolanda Denise King (November 17, 1955 – May 15, 2007) (October 23, 1957 in Montgomery, Alabama), Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott King (January 30, 1961 in Atlanta, Georgia), Bernice Albertine King (March 28, 1963 in Atlanta, Georgia) All four children later followed in their parents’ footsteps as civil rights activists. (from Wikipedia)
  • Scott King became an activist in her own right, as well, carrying messages of international peace and economic justice to organizations around the world. She was the first woman to deliver the Class Day address at Harvard University and the first woman to preach during a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. When King was assassinated outside a motel room in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968, Scott King channeled her grief into action. Days later, she led a march through the streets of Memphis, and later that year took his place as a leader of the Poor People’s March in Washington, D.C. (from ABC News)
  • And to carry on that legacy, she focused on two ambitious and daunting tasks. The first was to have a national holiday in his honor, the second was to build a nationally recognized center in Atlanta to honor his memory, continue his work and provide a research center for scholars studying his work and the civil rights era. The first goal was achieved despite much opposition in 1983 when Congress approved a measure designating the third Monday in January as an official federal holiday in honor of Dr. King, who was born in Atlanta Jan. 15, 1929. (from The Washington Post)
  • Over 14,000 people gathered for Coretta Scott King’s eight-hour funeral at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia on February 7, 2006 where daughter Bernice King eulogized her mother. The megachurch, whose sanctuary seats 10,000, was better able to handle the expected massive crowds than Ebenezer Baptist Church, of which Coretta was a member since the early 1960s and which was the site of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s funeral in 1968. (from Wikipedia)

Any thoughts?

Posted on

From Righteous to Ratchet – Your Christian News Roundup…

Hello World,  meeks

Every once in a while so many Christian news stories cross my path that I cannot devote a singular blog post to any of them…I MUST include them ALL…What you will read next ranges from righteous to ratchet…Some of the stories may inspire you and some may just cause you to shake your head…All of them are worthy of perusal to read on…

1. Jeremy R. Meeks aka Fine Felon aka #FelonBae aka Dreamy McMug Shot has been blowin’ up the Innanet since the Stockton, California Police Department posted a mugshot of the 30-year-old felon on its Facebook page on Wednesday. The picture of Meeks, who was arrested for felony weapon charges, was posted as a part of the department’s Operation Ceasefire enforcement mission. Little did the department know this post would have fired up a viral storm of women from all over the world declaring their “admiration” for the blue-eyed, gun-toting, practicing Christian of seven years…At least, that’s what his sister said…Yes, the fine felon is also saved… Hallelujah! Say Amen! LOL…Read more at The Christian Post…

EphrenTaylor2. There is almost nothing more unsettling than a Christian crook…especially one that that uses the church to steal money…And then again, the first treasurer of the church, Judas, was a Christian crook and stole money…Thankfully, there is one less Christian crook stealin’ folks money through the church…It was announced last Tuesday that Efren Taylor II was arrested on a federal indictment…According to an article on ABC News, “some congregants from some of the most prominent mega-churches, including Bishop Eddie Long’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga., and Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Texas, turned over their life savings to Taylor. The DOJ claims that more than 80 people from Georgia alone lost more than $2 million because of Taylor’s scheme.” I don’t want to judge, but I have to wonder did the Holy Spirit tip any of these Christians that this man was a thief…What about the gift of discernment?

3. While Actress Meagan Good was promoting the movie “Think Like a Man Too,” which came out this weekend, she also discussed her forthcoming book with husband DeVon Franklin, a minister and vice president of production for Columbia Pictures, entitled “The Wait” on Jimmy Kimmel…Good and Franklin waited until they were married to have sex…Simultaneously, Good has been criticized for her sexy attire and belief that Christians can be sexy…Rolling Out has a new interview with Good in which she fleshes out her belief…Do you think that Good can promote being sexy yet advocate being celibate unless married at the same time?

book4. Apparently, Frank Schaeffer, son of famous American evangelicals Francis and Edith Schaeffer who founded Switzerland’s L’Abri, is now an atheist who believes in God according to his new book “Why I aAm an Atheist Who Believes in God,”…I actually enjoyed Schaeffer’s book “Crazy For God” in which which he reveals his conflicted views about the church…but now he is saying he is an atheist?! That’s just asinine…Read more at The Huffington Post… 

5. In other atheist news, “Tim Lambesis, lead singer and founder of Christian metalcore band As I Lay Dying, recently confessed that he and other members of his band had become atheists but kept claiming to be Christians so they could keep making money selling records to Christians,” according to an article on The Christian Post…Lambesis, who was recently sentenced to prison for attempting to order a hit on his estranged wife (Yes, I actually typed that), said that most Christian bands he met had similar beliefs!!! Again, I’ma need my fellow Christians to pray for more discernment…Tim-Lambesis1

church6. In positive Christian news, have you ever heard of the new GSN dating show “It Takes a Church” The show, hosted by Natalie Grant, debuted earlier this month…Here is the description from the website : Each week, IT TAKES A CHURCH visits a congregation from across the country to surprise one unsuspecting single with the news that they’re about to be saved from the dating world. The church’s Pastor will task their congregation of cupids, to find the best possible matches for the dater, but in the end, our single will decide which suitor to put their faith in. The congregant who brought the chosen suitor will make a difference to their church by winning a donation on its behalf. The new show already has a lot of fans including Gospel Artist Donnie McClurkin…Here is Elev8’s article about the new show…

7. President Obama showed up in the most unlikely way at the The Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority Conference on Friday…According to TIME Magazine, “small figurines of Obama’s head, first spotted by the Huffington Post‘s Igor Bobic, were placed inside the urinals in the mens’ restroom outside the conference hall.” One has to wonder what faith these attendees have if they allowed such a filthy and degrading depiction of our nation’s president to be a part of the conference? urinal

 

 

 

 

 

Any thoughts?

 

Posted on

Meet Katanga Johnson: Missionary Journalist & Morehouse College 2013 Graduate…

Hello World, katangalaughingkids

Last year this month, I was blessed to cover President Barack Obama’s address to the 2013 graduating class of Morehouse College! It was the first time that a sitting president has ever addressed a spring commencement in the state!

As with any graduation, each graduate was cheered on by a group of supporters, whether family and or friends, and I spoke to many of the supporters as a part of my coverage. I interviewed Jermaine Watkins, who traveled from Nassau, Bahamas to witness his mentee Katanga Johnson graduate with an economics and philosophy degree. Watkins, who used to be one of Johnson’s pastors at Abundant Life Bible Church in Nassau, told me that Johnson planned to be a missionary journalist with Operation Mobilization.

As a journalist, I was intrigued because I had never heard of missionary journalism and may have considered this field as a career option had I been exposed to what seems like a revolutionary field. It’s amazing how God works because Johnson reached out to me about my coverage which enabled me to learn more about the field as I’m on his e-mail distribution list.

Since Johnson, who is from the Bahamas, has worked with Operation Mobilization in Ecuador for almost a year now, I thought it would interesting to find out more about his experiences as a missionary journalist. Below is my profile of Katanga Johnson, 23:

soapWhat is missionary journalism, and what inspired you to become a missionary journalist?

Missionary journalism takes, literally, the Biblical reference of Psalm 96:3, which exhorts believers to “declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples”. This form of storytelling places emphasis on the marvelous works of Christ among the nations by sharing testimonies of missionaries and their ministry efforts.

For me, as storyteller, I am most alive when I can marry my faith, passion and calling into a daily exercise. Serving in missions affords me this opportunity and I see the face of God (my way of describing the ‘sound of the genuine’) in a very intentional way through missions.

What is Operation Mobilization, and tell me more about your involvement in this organization?  boys

I serve with Operation Mobilization (OM), an international, missions organization that works in over 110 countries, motivating and equipping people to share God’s love through evangelism, relief & development, church planting, justice, mentoring & discipleship.

In my role, I focus on the Andean Region of Latin America (Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia) in sharing the testimonies of missionaries in these fields. While I reside on Ecuador, our efforts here support these Andean Region nations in various ways as we encourage people to pray, give and go toward missions intra-regionally, and abroad.

As a ministry concentration, I specifically raise awareness toward financial support of girls whom are survivors of human trafficking, like through Freedom Climb. My involvement in financial development seeks to ensure the sustainability of the ministry activity and my maintaining relationships with private and public donors helps the Dunamis ministry specifically at the moment. Upon more training, I will begin to impact more ministries. However, my heart resonates with the Dunamis ministry very strongly. See more on this ministry, known as Dunamis, here.

Thus far, I’ve been in service in Ecuador for 9 months. My commitment is being extended to another year, making it two years of service, total (until August 2015).

prayerWhat have been your most memorable experiences as a missionary journalist so far, and why?

My most memorable experience thus far has been the gradual transition from being a basic level Spanish speaker upon arrival, to now being an advanced conversational speaker.

Before entering this cross-cultural experience, I had very much confidence in my ability to communicate as a native English speaker, both in written and oral forms. But, after taking weeks to adjust to the language and dialect changes, I began to assume a position of a child once again- unable to clearly communicate my thoughts or desires without the aid of another. Now, after much study and practice, I’m much more effective in the language, with much room for growth.

What do you miss the most about living overseas rather than living in the United States or in your native Bahamas?

There’s not very much I miss about home or living in the United States, honestly. Now that I’m in Ecuador, which, as a member of the Global South (the collective nations of Africa, Central and Latin America and most of Asia) faces grave political, social, and economic upheaval, I am amazed at how the population here is home to an emerging market which will eventually offer immense hopes for economic growth, investment, and cultural contribution.

How did your Morehouse College (where he received a full scholarship) prepare you for your work?

Attending Morehouse College  was a vital decision for my existence as a man of color, with its very demanding measures of brotherhood, friendship and camaraderie. While I am proud to be one of 9 brothers (and 4 sisters) to a hard-working and loving family, my relation to the world has always demanded a much broader cultural experience that Morehouse provided at 17 when I left the isles of my Bahamas toward the clay hills of Atlanta, Ga.

Morehouse College made me a man of character and ideals, more than any other benefit. The quote of my most revered alumnus and brother, Dr. Howard Washington Thurman, Class of 1923, epitomizes my preparation at Morehouse: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Below is a video in which Johnson describes his work with Freedom Climb…

To contact and or support Johnson: katanga.johnson@om.org
Skype: katanga.johnson

Any thoughts?