Since February 11, the world has mourned the death of the shooting star that was Whitney Houston, an iconic voice that is not likely to be matched for generations…But this Friday, when the movie “Sparkle” is released, the world will be able to see Whitney shine once again – her last time this side of Heaven…I do believe that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven,” and I believe the world was being prepared to release Whitney back to the Father that bestowed her with the voice of angels although we did not realize it at the time…

Mara Brock Akil, who wrote the screenplay for “Sparkle,” discussed the synchronicity at work as the screenplay unfolded in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“She kept calling me her angel,” Mara says. But Mara was baffled when Houston said to her, “I really appreciate your putting my church in your script.”

“I didn’t put your church in my script,” Mara told her.

“New Hope Baptist,” Houston prompted. Mara had unwittingly given the church in Sparkle the same name as the church in Newark, N.J., where Houston had started to make her indelible mark, singing gospel as a young girl. (The same church hosted Houston’s funeral service.)

“I believe in divine order all the time,” Mara says. (She and Salim are Muslim.) “But this particular time, I really felt the presence of God all the way through. It was like it was meant to be.”

And I do believe each of us is afforded the opportunity to claim “new hope” in Christ Jesus if we would only take Him at His word. In spite of the addictions and ailments she suffered from throughout her short life, Whitney professed her faith in Christ Jesus over and over again, and I pray that He guided her safely into the arms of Her heavenly father…In fact Whitney’s devoted mother Cissy Houston always felt that Whitney would never be in the world for very long and revealed so in an open letter to Whitney that appeared in Whitney’s funeral program. A copy of that letter appears on Essence.com.

I never told you that when you were born the Holy Spirit told me that you would not be with me long and I thank God for the beautiful flower he allowed me to raise and cherish for 48 years.

The other day on February 11th He came for you. But not without warning. For two months now I have been depressed, crying, lonesome and sad not knowing why.

And I believe that if you choose to walk with the Lord, He will give you experiences that enable your burdens on earth to be a bit lighter in spite of the pain we all will experience from time to time…That is what He did for Cissy Houston on the very day of her beloved daughter’s death…

On Saturday, before I found out about your transition, my doorbell rang. I went to answer it but there was no one there. It rang again and again, no one was there so I called the concierge to tell him someone was ringing my doorbell. He checked the cameras and told me that no one was there. You promised me you were coming to spend time with me after the Grammys. I believe the spirits allowed you to come after all.

Last night, I attended a book signing for Denene Millner, who wrote the novelization of “Sparkle.” Millner detailed how she was entrusted with developing a back story for Whitney Houston’s character Emma, Sparkle’s single mother who was a former singer instead of a maid as in the original movie. In this modern-day version, Emma warns her daughters that show business has its pitfalls in spite of the dizzying heights of fame and fortune. We’ve all probably seen that the now haunting trailer for the movie in which Emma says, “Was my life not enough of a cautionary tale for you?” She said writing the novelization of the movie over a two-week period last month was particularly meaningful  in light of Whitney’s death months earlier. In fact, Millner wrote the book in two weeks as she only was offered the opportunity last month.

So, I hope you will join me as I plan to reflect on the beautiful brilliance of Whitney Houston in “Sparkle” this Friday! Your earthly vessel has been gone back to the dust, but your spirit soars on…

Any thoughts?

The post Sparkle…Whitney’s Last Time To Shine This Side of Heaven… appeared first on After the Altar Call.

As you can probably tell by this blog, I’m a big entertainment and overall media junkie! My love for the entertainment world started as a child and although I am almost 40 years old (GASP), I still read my celebrity gossip magazines, try to see all of the hottest films and stay abreast of all pop culture trends…At times, my interest in entertainment and all media has conflicted with my faith as Christians are charged to focus on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) People who get to know me are surprised that I can quote popular rap songs as easily as I can quote Scripture…

However, in recent years, I have noticed that more and more Black Christians are committed to creating compelling and actually good entertainment outside of Gospel music and nowhere is this more apparent than in Hollywood…I’m loving how Bishop T.D. Jakes is making an impact in Hollywood from producing “Jumping the Broom” (the main character Sabrina Watson decides to forego premarital sex after one too many failed relationships with the wrong men) to writing the story for the recently released “Woman, Thou Art Loosed: On the Seventh Day” to producing the upcoming “Sparkle,” which features Whitney Houston’s final screen performance…

DeVon Franklin, vice president of production for Columbia Pictures, shared his faith in Christ through his awesome book/testimony “Produced By Faith: Enjoy Real Success Without Losing Your True Self.” And I actually got the chance to interview him about his book and life as a Black Christian in Hollywood. Check out my interview here! Also, I wasn’t aware that Meagan Good is a Christian until recently, but I have come across quite a few articles in which she only expresses her faith. And she is currently starring in “Think Like A Man,” which reportedly grossed over $33 million on its opening weekend (last weekend) and is no. 1 at the U.S. box office! I saw the movie last weekend, and I really enjoyed it! (Sidebar: I adored Good in “Eve’s Bayou!”, and I watched it again last weekend.) And incidentally, DeVon Franklin and Meagan Good recently announced their engagement! Congrats to them!

Good recently ministered to some girls in the FEARLESS Girls Club (a youth empowerment program for high school girls) and told them how her faith has sustained her, particularly as she has been taking care of her family financially since she was 14 years old. Apparently, some of the girls have seriously considered suicide and Good as well as Bre’ly Evans, an actress who appears in “Sparkle” shared their testimonies with the girls. Check out the video below.

I’m sooo excited that Black Christians in Hollywood are opening up about their faith and making a real impact as well…And I’m not even mentioning Tyler Perry, Kim Fields and others…This is sooo right on time…

Any thoughts?

The post Black Christians Making an Impact in Hollywood… appeared first on After the Altar Call.