Here We Go Again!

It's been a while since my real post. A lot has transpired since then. I wouldn't say that my outlook on life has changed. However, I have taken a new approach to a lot of areas of my life.

Well, it's now November. The year is quickly coming to a close. And I'm somewhere I never thought I would be. God has opened doors for me to do the things I talked about previously.

I mentioned that I wanted more friends. Instead of forcing me to step out of my comfort zone (which may or may not be a good thing), God has brought some familiar faces from my past back into my life. Earlier this year, I ran into my long time friend, Darryl, on MySpace. (FYI: MySpace is great!) Darryl and I went to Michigan Tech together. He and I started together back in 1997. We were introduced by Ms. Danquah, a Michigan Tech recruiter. She thought we would be a perfect match given our similar interests.

Darryl and I could be twins (on the surface). He was a genius at his high school. I attended a high school of geniuses. (I was a wanna-be genius.) He was a strong Christian. I was a strong Christian. He really liked gospel music. And I LOVED gospel music. Did I mention we favored each other a little. Darryl is tall, light skinned and has been known to wear glasses. Although, Darryl's slightly taller than me.

During my freshman year, we were really good friends. We talked. We hung out. We did stuff together. Those were good times. Darryl left Michigan Tech at the conclusion of my sophomore year. We were roommates that year. [I just thought, did I cause Darryl to leave Michigan Tech? No... Darryl was dealing with some serious issues. I was the least of Darryl's problems.]

Regardless, Darryl went on to conquer the world, as far as I knew. He did his thing. I did my thing. New friends replaced the old. I went on to develop very meaningful relationships with my peers at Michigan Tech. If there ever was a time of discovery, my five years at Michigan Tech were just that. I discovered a lot. Some of the things I discovered I will take to my grave. Other things I discovered I'll tell over and over and over again. There were some good times. There were actually a lot of good times. And there were some bad times. And there were a lot of bad times. I often thought that if I had some people (like Darryl) to lean on, I wouldn't have struggled as much during my low moments. (Please don't get me wrong. I didn't miss a beat during any of my dramatic experiences at Tech. It just would have been nice to have some support from people like my friend Darryl. That's all.)

I digress, though. I didn't hear from Darryl again after that sophomore year, until my graduation. I returned to my Detroit home in May 2002. I had just completed a stellar year of academics, achievements and fun. [My senior year of college was great!!!] Anyway, I thought about Darryl. I really have a knack for tracking people down. I don't remember how I found Darryl. The only thing I know is that Darryl had left the confines of the state of Michigan (which really isn't that much confined), and made his way to a military base in Alaska. What the heck?!?

So, on my mother's phone, I dialed the long-distance telephone number to Alaska. Darryl and I chatted. We always liked talking about our families. Family is important. I know I love my brother and parents to pieces. Darryl is the same. He always has something positive to say about his siblings and parents. So, we talked for a while. He gave me the latest on his endeavors. We talked about relationships, work, school, life, Christ, and everything in between. That's what I like about the relationships I have with my close friends. We're able to pick up where we left off, no matter how long we've been apart. You can't find that quality in every relationship.

After I spoke to Darryl that day, it was another dark age before I heard from him again. I still thought about him. I figured he was somewhere doing his thing. That's we did. We did our thing. Most of the people I hang out with are INDEPENDENTS. They are and have been fully capable of thriving and surviving on their own. Their parents did not have to worry about them. It didn't matter where they were in the world, they were going to be alright. And that's how I viewed Darryl. Darryl was too smart to throw his life away. Plus, he had God on his side. You can't beat that.

It was until this year that I caught up with Darrly again, after 4 years. This time, it was on MySpace. God has a way of doing things that just amazes me. I found out Darryl was living in Hawaii. How do you go from Alaska to Hawaii? I don't know. But that's where he ended up - married with a baby on the way. [FYI: All of my friends are doing it real big inthe family department. My best friend is expecting his first child next spring.] But this is the beauty of it. Instead of staying in Hawaii, Darryl had already planned to move in Indiana... to live in the same area as his father... which happens to be in the same city my future mother-in-law lives. Coincidentally, Darryl's father lives in the SAME apartment complex as my mother-in-law. How weird is that? Totally!!!

So, I asked for friends, and God brought me one from Hawaii. How awesome is my God?!?

YSC5 Song List

I Just Want to Thank You

I just want to thank You forever and ever and ever
For all You've done, done for me.
Blessings and glory and honor
They all belong to You
Thank You Jesus for blessing me.


I Love You Lord Today

I love you. I love you.
I love you Lord today.
Because you cared for me in such a special way.
That's why I praise. I lift you up.
And I magnify your name.
That's why my heart is filled with praise.

My heart, my mind,
M sould belongs to You.
You paid the price for me way back on Calvary.
That's why I praise. I lift you up.
And I magnify your name.
That's why my heart is filled with praise.

There Is None Like You

There is none like You.
No one else can touch my heart like You do.
I could search for all eternity long,
And find there is none like You.

Because of Who You Are

Because of who You are I give You glory.
Because of who You are I give You praise.
Because of who You are I will lift my voice and say,
"Lord I worship You because of who You are."
"Lord I worship You because of who You are."

Jehovah Jireh, my provider
Jehovah Nicce, Lord You reign in victory.
Jehohav Shalom, my prince of peace.
And I worship You because of who You are.


Again I Say Rejoice

(Chorus)Rejoice in the Lord alwaysAnd again I say, and again I sayRejoice in the Lord alwaysAnd again I say, and again I sayRejoiceCome bless the Lord, come bless the LordDraw near to worship Christ the LordAnd bless His name, His Holy nameDeclaring He is goodO that men would praise HimO that men would praise Him(Repeat Chorus)O that men would praise His namePraise His name to the ends of the earthAnd again I say...(Repeat Chorus)RejoiceRejoice...

BSR2K6 SONG LIST

We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise

We bring the sacrifice of praise into house of the Lord.
We bring the sacrifice of praise into house of the Lord.
As we offer up to You, the sacrifices of thanksgiving.
As we offer up to You, the sacrifices of praise.

We bring the sacrifice.
We bring the sacrifice.
We bring the sacrifice.
We bring the sacrifice the sacrifice of praise.

Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
We bring the sacrifice the sacrifice of praise.

You're worthy!
You're worthy!
You're worthy!
We bring the sacrifice the sacrifice of praise.

A: We bring the sacrifice. S: Hallelujah! T: You're worthy!
A: We bring the sacrifice. S: Hallelujah! T: You're worthy!
A: We bring the sacrifice. S: Hallelujah! T: You're worthy!
ALL: We bring the sacrifice the sacrifice of praise.

We love you!
We love you!
We love you!
We bring the sacrifice the sacrifice of praise.

Hallelujah! You're worthy!

This Is the Day

This is the day.
This is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice.
I will rejoice and be glad in it, and be glad in it.

Oh, oh, oh this is the day that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day.
This is the day that the Lord has made.

I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart.
I will enter His courts with praise.
I will say this is the day that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

He has made me glad.
He has made me glad.
I will rejoice for He has made me glad.
He has made me glad.
He has made me glad.
I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

What a Mighty God We Serve

What a mighty God we serve.
What a mighty God we serve.
Angels bow before Him.
Heaven and earth adore Him.
What a mighty God we serve.

Jesus is the God we serve.
Jesus is the God we serve.
Angels bow before Him.
Heaven and earth adore Him.
Jesus is the God we serve.

Lord, You Are Good

Lord You are good, and Your mecry endureth forever,Lord You are good, and Your mecry endureth forever,People from every nation and tounge,From generation to generation.
We worship You, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,We worship You, For who You are,We worship You, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,We worship You, For who You are,And You are good!
You are good, all the time,All the time, You are Good.You are good, all the time,All the time, You are Good.
We worship You, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,We worship You, For who You are,We worship You, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,We worship You, For who You are,For who You are,For who You are...And You are good!

Give Thanks

Give thanks with a grateful heart.
Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His son.

And now, let the weak say I am strong.
Let the poor say I am rich.
Because of what the Lord has done for us.

I Sing Praises to Your Name

I sing praises to Your name, oh Lord.
Praises to Your name, oh Lord.
For Your name is great and greatly to be praised

We sing glory to Your name, oh Lord.
Glory to Your name, oh Lord.
For Your name is great and greatly to be praised.

We Exalt Thee

We exalt thee.
We exalt thee.
We exalt thee oh Lord.

You're so worthy.
You're so worthy.You're so worthy oh Lord.

How I love thee.
How I love thee.
How I love thee of Lord.

In the Sanctuary

We lift our hands in the sanctuaryWe lift our hands to give you the gloryWe lift our hands to give you the praise And we will praise you for the rest of our daysYes we will praise you for the rest of our daysWe clap our hands in the sanctuaryWe clap our hands to give you the gloryWe clap our hands to give you the praise And we will praise you for the rest of our daysYes we will praise you for the rest of our dayWe sing our song in the sanctuaryWe sing our song to give you the glory We sing our song to give you the praiseAnd we will praise you for the rest of our days Yes we will praise you for the rest of our daysJesus we give the praiseEmmanuel we lift up your nameHeavenly father coming Mesaiah!And we will praise you for the rest of our days Yes we will praise you for the rest of daysHallelujah in the sanctuaryHallelujah we give you the gloryHallelujah we give praiseAnd we will praise you for the rest of our days Yes we will praise you for the rest of our daysJesus we give you the praiseEmmanuel we lift up your nameHeavenly father coming Mesaiah!And we will praise for the rest of our daysYes we will praise you for the rest of our daysYes, Yes lord for the rest of our daysHallelujah, Hallelujah, HallelujahFor the rest of our daysHallelujah, Hallelujah, HallelujahFor the rest of our days
Yes, Yes lord for the rest of our daysAnd we will prais eyou for the rest of our days!
I Will Bless the Lord



We've Come This Far by Faith

We've come this far by faith leaning on the Lord, trusting in His Holy Word.
He's never failed me yet.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, can't turn around.
We've come this far by faith.

I'm Gonna Trust in the Lord

I'm gonna trust in the Lord.
I'm gonna trust in the Lord.
I'm gonna trust in the Lord till I die, till I die.

I'm gonna trust in the Lord.
I'm gonna trust in the Lord.
I'm gonna trust in the Lord till I die.

I'm gonna stay on the battlefield.
I'm gonna stay on the battlefield.
I'm gonna stay on the battlefield, till I die, till I die.

I'm gonna stay on the battlefield.
I'm gonna stay on the battlefield.
I'm gonna stay on the battlefield, till I die.

I'm gonna treat everybody right.
I'm gonna treat everybody right.
I'm gonna treat everybody right, till I die, till I die.

I'm gonna treat everybody right.
I'm gonna treat everybody right.
I'm gonna treat everybody right, till I die, till I die.

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey

Name: Kevin J.
Birthday: June 5
Birthplace: Detroit, MI
Current Location: Indianapolis, IN
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Height: 5'11"
Right Handed or Left Handed: Right
Your Heritage: African American
The Shoes You Wore Today: black dress shoes
Your Weakness: Having weaknesses
Your Fears: Not achieving my fullest potential
Your Perfect Pizza: Meat Lover's
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: A job I LOVE
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: LOL (of course)
Thoughts First Waking Up: "not again..."
Your Best Physical Feature: My Back
Your Bedtime: 10:30 PM
Your Most Missed Memory: Fighting with my brother
Pepsi or Coke: Coke (w/Vanilla)
MacDonalds or Burger King: McDonald's
Single or Group Dates: BOTH
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Nestea
Chocolate or Vanilla: Vanilla
Cappuccino or Coffee: NEITHER
Do you Smoke: NEVER
Do you Swear: NEVER
Do you Sing: ALWAYS
Do you Shower Daily: DON'T YOU?
Have you Been in Love: Yep!
Do you want to go to College: Been there, done that (2x over)
Do you want to get Married: Sure do!
Do you belive in yourself: Of course!
Do you get Motion Sickness: Nope!
Do you think you are Attractive: No...
Are you a Health Freak: Yes...
Do you get along with your Parents: Love them to death!
Do you like Thunderstorms: Free car wash!
Do you play an Instrument: I wish!
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: NO (see above)
In the past month have you Smoked: NO (see above)
In the past month have you been on Drugs: NO
In the past month have you gone on a Date:Yes!
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: No (sadly)
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: No
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: NEVER
In the past month have you been on Stage: Technically!
In the past month have you been Dumped: Oh no...
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: Nawww
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: No
Ever been Drunk: NEVER
Ever been called a Tease: No
Ever been Beaten up: Yes (sadly)
Ever Shoplifted: Yes (really sadly)
How do you want to Die: Quickly
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: Happier than the day before
What country would you most like to Visit: Haven't done France yet!

In a Girl..

Favourite Eye Color: brown
Favourite Hair Color: dark brown
Short or Long Hair: However Alexandria had it done this time...
Height: 5'5"
Weight: Ask Alex...

Best Clothing Style: preppy
Number of Drugs I have taken: 0
Number of CDs I own: TOO MANY!
Number of Piercings: 0
Number of Tattoos: 0
Number of things in my Past I Regret: 0

Today's QUIZ (From dirt poor to filthy rich)

My friend, Roman, sent this to me on MySpace. It is some type of indicator of your status in society. Here's how the scores work.
0-10 - Dirt poor
11-20 - Ghetto
21-30 - average
31-40 - SPOILED
41+ - FILTHY RICH

[x] Cell phone
[x] Own phone line
[x] Own room
[ ] 3 story house
[ ] Hot tub
[x] Pool
[ ] Guest room
[x] Computer in your room
[x] TV in your room
T O T A L : 6

[ ] Queen or bigger bed
[x] More than 20 pairs of shoes
[ ] Expensive sunglasses
[x] Name brand purse/bag
[ ] ipod/mp3
[ ] PS2
[ ] XBox 360
[ ] Nintendo DS/Nitendo 64
[ ] Gameboy Advance
T O T A L : 2

[ ] Basketball hoop
[ ] Air hockey table
[ ] Pool table
[ ] Ping pong table
[ ] Foose ball table
[ ] Trampoline
[ ] Own a snowboard/skis
[ ] Own a surfboard
T O T A L : 0

[x] Stereo in bedroom
[x]DVD player in room
[ ] Have something from abercrombie and fitch (does it count if it was given?)
[x]Gets $100+ each month
[x] Shops at AE
[x] owns something from Gucci or Prada
[x] wears Lacoste
[x] parents give you there credit card
T O T A L : 7

[ ] Goes shopping at least once a week
[ ] Expensive cologne/perfume
[x] IM
[x] Digital camera
T O T A L : 2

[ ] electric scooter
[ ] 4-wheeler
[ ] Guitar/drums
[x] Piano/keyboard
[ ] Any other instrument
[ ] Hammock
[ ] Been on a cruise
[x] Traveled out of the country
[ ] Personal trainer
[x] Expensive jewelry
[x] Met a celebrity
T O T A L : 4

[ ] Straightener/curling iron
[ ] Been to a batting cage
[ ] $100+ on you right now
[x] Credit card
[x] Been to Europe
[ ] Been to Hawaii
[x] Been to NYC
[x] Been to Chicago
T O T A L : 4

[ ]nice car
[ ] Pet
[ ] Ranch or cabin
[x] Been to 10+states in the US
[ ] 200+ buddies on myspace or aim
T O T A L : 1

[ ] Home cooked meal almost every week
[x] Eat out alot
[x] Been in a limo
[ ] Own a camcorder
[ ] Own a laptop computer
T O T A L : 2

OVERALL TOTAL: 28
I'm AVERAGE! Hooray?

Fulfulling my destiny...

What is my destiny? My best friend has been talking ALOT lately about dreams and potential and all this stuff about the future. And honestly, it has prompted me to start thinking about my future. I'm sure we've all been confronted with the option of preparing a personal long range plan or setting goals for your life. I know I have, especially when I was in high school. It seems, however, that I have long since "veered" from the path I initially started. My plan was to be a successful corporate manager with ties to politics and education.

Where am I at today? Well, I do work in Corporate American (technically). I am not a manager, though. I am registered to vote, but not involved in politics. I've been to school, but have long since gave up any aspiration of being involved outside of being an alum. Is this alright? A better question would be, "Am I satisfied with my current state of being?" And if not, "Am I willing to take the necessary strides to get back on track?"

What happened to all the activities I used to enjoy? I used to do it all. I don't want to brag, but my extra curricular calendar was filled with all kinds of events, trips and engagements. I was somewhere every night of the week. Now, my only constant event is work. Student government used to be my thing. I was president of this and vice president of that. I used to travel the country speaking, singing and meeting. I would meet early in the morning, in the middle of the day and throughout the night. I would help host conferences, conventions, parties, socials, receptions and everything of the like. I joke with my fiance'. I tell her that I had groupies. No, I didn't have women chasing me, but I did have people that were glad to see me when I arrived.

What happened? Now, I'm lucky if anyone even recognizes me when I introduce myself. My current feeling when I arrive at various church events isn't one of welcome, but of disbelief and disdain. Although I feel that I have done nothing to offend anyone, I have somehow developed a medium sized list of haters and back stabbers (one of the opposites of groupies). What is the deal? Then again, I go other places and am met with "surprise." "I wonder why he's here." Sure enough, people will smile. But is that a polite way of not saying hello because they have not taken the time to get to know me?

It's not anyone else's fault. I tell people all the time that communication is a two way street. I can say something to someone just like they can say something to me. Right now, I am not well-known in Indianapolis or Anderson or Muncie or Evansville. People know of me. They know that I am from Anderson (even though I live in Indianapolis). They know that I am a director (with charisma). Other than that, I'm not really known. And I guess that's mostly my fault again, now that I think about it. One of my aims when I moved to Indiana was to not be in everybody's face all the time. I wanted to keep a low profile. Prior to Indiana, I was EVERYWHERE (as I've already mentioned). When I came to Indiana, I wanted a small, close knit group of friends that I could trust, confide in and hang out with. Well, my circle IS small. It's actually a triangle. There's my fiance' and my best friend. I have some associates that I truly value as being a part of my life, but I do not "spill my guts" to them.

There's a part of me that still has those grade school tenedencies. Do you remember how you always wanted to be in the "in crowd." Well, I always wanted to be cool. But my lack of name brand clothing, my "gumpiness," my glasses, my super high voice, my mannerisms (ask Alex), and other situations denied me access to these exclusive groups. But, because I went to a high school with smart kids, everyone was technically at a disadvantage. So, I took a liking to the people that mirrored my ambitions. We became an elite group of our own, bolstering our signature brand of school pride, diligence, competence and itegrity. It worked. We were recognized everywhere we went. They saw us coming! No, we didn't get invited to all the parties. But we did alright.

Once again, I want to belong to the cool crowd. I have an idea of who is cool and who is not. Am I waiting on an invitation? I guess so. Will I ever get one, probably not. What does it take to get one? I don't know. I usually make friends by accident. I've never been intentional about making friends, not prior to my undergrad days. I usually sat there, and people came up to me. I think in college, I started befriending people. This got me into trouble (which I may talk about in another entry). Since then, I've gotten away from "befriending" people. "Don't go chasing waterfalls. PLEASE stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to." What a very wise thing to say. Those waterfalls will get you in trouble EVERY time. As a result though, I don't have as many friends. I don't have as many opportunities to shine and then mingle. I'm usually twice removed from everything that I do. I'm never really there for myself. I'm always the friend of or guest of someone else.

Excuses, excuses, excuses... If I want to have friends, I have to show myself friendly. That's what I have to do.

Back to the task at hand... I've got to take a serious look at my life and see where I am supposed to be. Primarily, I have to be in the will of God. I want to be where God wants me to be. If God wants me to be alone and friendless, than sobeit. If God wants me to be the life of the party, then sobeit. If God wants me at the top of the corporate ladder, then sobeit. Or, if God wants me to be scraping the bottom rung, assisting people who treat me like crap, then sobeit. I need to hear a word from the Lord. I also need to decide what I want. The Lord will give you the desire of your heart. You have to be in His will. I need to pray.

Kevin J.

Whatever happened to being nice to people? Whatever happened to respecting one another? Whatever happened to doing right for the sake of doing right? Nowadays, it seems like people need a reason to be nice to someone else. And for some people, they need a REALLY good reason. For instance, at my job, I am compensated for how "friendly" I am to clients. Unfortunately, my clients are not rewarded for returning this gesture. Thus, often, they are not the most friendly when it comes to telephone etiquette. There have been times that I have had a mind to tell people what they can do with their accounts. However, because I value AND appreciate my job, I try to treat the clients with the utmost respect, fitted for any human being.

My question is, "Is it too much to ask for the same treatment?" I don't think it is too much to ask. Many of the clients take it personally when I ask them questions to verify their identity. It's not that I don't trust them. But I am speaking to them over a telephone (not in person). How do I know they are who they say they are? I really don't know unless I ask them personal questions. Some clients even act like I am going to use their personal information for evil. What they fail to realize is that I DO NOT CARE about their personal information. I don't care how old they are. I don't care what their telephone number is. And I really don't care about any of the financial details of their records. As a matter of fact, it is my job to ignore this type of information and treat each client with the same OUTSTANDING level of quality, personal service expected of my institution.

The client neglects to see this, however, and usually comes back with attitude, aggression, resitance and even anger. It truly is a "hard knock" life for us. Some clients are worse than others. It seems like the older the client is, the less patient the client is. I spoke to my parents about this. They seemed to be in agreeance that the older they get, the shorter their patience becomes. I asked them, "Please try to THINK before you speak." Think about who you are speaking to. Is it that person's fault that you have the problem you have? Or is it somehow the fault of someone neither party knows personally?

That leads me to another problem. At my work place, it seems as if the representatives answering the telephones are being "sacrificed" to the clients. The behind the scenes workers mess everything up, but do not have to face the client. I'm stuck handling the irrate client who has forgotten that we are both adult human beings, not children, and not animals. Many of the difficulties I face, now, are the direct result of someone's negligence. Someone hasn't sent out the correct paper work. Or someone hasn't mailed a check like they said they would.

And then again, I'm stuck with the client who has unmet expectations. Some clients just automatically assume that if a check is mailed today, it should be in their hands tomorrow. No countries postal system is that great, especially ours.

What a day?!? They really don't pay me enough to put up with this. What can you do though? I'm stuck for right now. There are bills that MUST be paid. You have to do what you have to do (with a smile). So, that's where I stand. I'm smiling. I'm not sure what tomorrow holds. For right now, I have a job. And it's a good job. It's more than what some people have. I'm grateful.

~Kevin J.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

WOW! I can't believe it. I am really 27 years old, today! My friend Janai told me to celebrate my birth month, not just my birthday. And I think I'll take her up on that. Besides, how often do you get to celebrate your 27th birthday? The answer is ONCE.

I've been in conversation with different people about my life. I've been encouraged to reflect on my past experiences and examine how I've changed from this point last year. "As I look back over my life, and I think things over, I can truly say that I've been blessed. I've got a testimony!"

It's weird, when I think about it. This time, last year, I was just graduating from the Christian Theological Seminary. I had completed my music courses at Butler University. I was glad to be done with it all. I was even more eager to START my life. At that point, everything was on hold for the simple reason of being enrolled in school.

Sadly, I struggled for months before I found a job. When I did land that job, I felt like I was well on my way. Since last year, I've started TWO new jobs, both with reputable companies. I've become engaged to my beautiful fiance', Miss Alexandria N. Crumble. I even released a CD with my church choir called "Heartburn," complete with concert and release party. God has truly been good to me.

In all that I've been blessed with, I can't help but remember how my life used to be. I used to travel every month. I flew from city to city. I stayed in the most exclusive of hotels. I served on executive boards and committees. I rode in limos and fancy cars. People looked forward to seeing me. I was actually received with open arms. What happened?

I can't say that a part of me doesn't miss the glitz and the glamor. It was definitely fun while it lasted. And the experiences have helped to make me a better person.

~Kevin J.

RIDE OR DIE!
Psalm 34 (King James Version)
1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Key Verse: Psalm 34:16
The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

Subject: Ride or Die!
Sub Topic: Your Time Is Almost Up!

Ride or Die!
Its funny when you study preaching and preachers. You start to pick up on the various “techniques” that preachers use. You start to notice the clichés and the catch phrases or buzz words that preachers use. We’ve all noticed trends in prosperity preaching. “God’s gonna bless!” “New car!” “New job!” “New house!” “New money!” The preachers neglect to give you the WHOLE truth. They don’t talk about the suffering that you have to go through to get all of these lavish things. But people buy into it. Can you blame them? Not really… We all want to be blessed. And most of us NEED a blessing. Or at least we THINK we need a blessing.
Well, today I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news. Most preachers try to give you the bad news first. Death, hell, damnation, etc. Then they tell you how God is going to prosper you, everyone shouts, and then you say what an awesome message that was. Well, my goal today is not to flatter you with God’s goodness. My purpose is to WARN you of the coming danger if you don’t get your life right. PERIOD! We’re going to start with the good news and I’m going to leave you with the sobering bad news.
The GOOD NEWS… If you haven’t noticed, Grace Temple is taking off. I mean, we are REALLY going places.
I came to Grace Temple in August 2002. I was fresh out of college. I had spent the entire summer working at a Bible camp in the scenic Pocono Mountains. I had reaffirmed my calling with God to teach music and to sing His praises. I had dedicated my life to serving His people. And here I was, on my way to the next level in my destiny. I came to the state of Indiana with the purpose of perfecting my craft and finding my future.
Grace Temple was first on the list. Elder Wright and First Lady Wright and the entire Grace Temple family welcomed me with open arms. They even embraced my two roommates. The next thing you knew; I was directing and singing with the choir, helping plan and coordinate events for the church, participating in the audio/visual ministry, and so much more.
My best friend, brother and cousin, Minister Donaldson, was right there accomplishing similar goals; going to school, finding the love of his life, climbing the rungs of the corporate ladder, developing his gift of speaking, writing music and poetry and so many other things.
I really don’t like to refer to 2002 as the rebirth of Grace Temple because I wasn’t there prior to 2002. But, from the outside looking in, I think it would be fair to say that 2002 marked the beginning of a NEW “good thing” here in Anderson. Amen? Amen!
The accomplishments begin to surmount when we start to name them.

In 2003, we saw a lot of firsts and historic moments for Grace Temple.
Our pastor and first lady were elevated to the position of District Elder for regions on the continent of Africa and later the Dominican Republic.
We celebrated our first annual Family and Friends Day.
We hosted our very first Grace N Praise concert.
In 2004, we did it all over again.
This time, we honored our pastor and first lady by commemorating their elevation to Suffragan Bishop with the Inaugural Banquet at the Holiday Inn.
We traveled to the Evansville Convention Center where we ministered at the Apostolic World Christian Fellowship Convention.
We took it to the street with our Outreach Ministry lead by Minister Rachel Donaldson.
Our Youth and Young Adult Ministry hosted their highly attended Hallelujah Party.
We had a Christmas Play, adapted by our own Minister Jermaine Donaldson.
In 2005, we hit the year running.
We went back to Evansville.
We hosted Family and Friends Day 2005.
We expanded our Audio/Visual Ministry to include CD and DVD capabilities.
We traveled to Nashville, Tennessee where God poured out His spirit through our pastor and the choir.
We expanded our Outreach Ministry with new equipment.
We hosted our biggest Back to School Revival to date.
Grace Temple spear headed the City of Anderson Katrina Relief Gospel Concert.
And, we followed up with our beloved neighborhood Hallelujah Party.
And this year… My, oh, my!!! 2006…
Family and Friends Day…
Grace N Praise 2K6…
Grace Temple released their FIRST CD, Heartburn.

Grace Temple is doing it REAL BIG! God is definitely blessing. Grace Temple is an international ministry by default. God is using this house to spread the gospel to the world. As anyone can see, the move of God is on this place. And confirmation through prophecy and physical trends shows that we are headed for greater and higher heights. And because of that, God is worthy of the praise. And because God is WORTHY of the praise, we need to give Him that praise.
So, where do YOU fit into all of this? You need to make a choice today. There are only two choices. Are you with God, or are you against God? And for Grace Temple specifically, we need to know are you with us or are you against us.

Joshua 24:15But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Matthew 6:24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
It’s time to ride or die! You’re either for me or against me.

Romans 8:31
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
If God is for me though, no one can successfully be against me. It’s time to ride or die!
We CANNOT continue to live off the prosperity and blessing of others. I tell the story of how I went to college. But just before I left, my pastor, the Apostle Charles O. Miles, who was great is so many ways went on to be with the Lord all of sudden. He just died. He was healthy. He didn’t have any health problems. But the Lord saw fit to take him. But it took my pastor dying for me to realize that I was on my own. Sure enough, I had lived on my own, but I was now accountable for my own soul. I was in charge of determining my destiny. I had long since reached what we often hear about, the age of accountability. I was old enough to know right from wrong. But more importantly, I was old enough to know the consequences of my actions. The wages of sin is DEATH.
Ride or Die!
When I went to college, I knew I could feast off of the blessings of my parents and my family. I couldn’t rely on Momma and Daddy for everything spiritual any more. I had to get this thing for myself.
A lot of us are walking around today with a hedge of protection granted by God only because of praying parents, aunts and uncles. We need to be aware though, that at any time, God can LIFT that hedge of protection and make us susceptible to the hand of the enemy. Some of us, we’re walking around here like we’re Superman and nothing can harm us. We are all mortal. None of us are free from danger, especially those who don’t know Christ. The only difference is that those who are in Christ Jesus have a secret weapon. It’s the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost keeps us from doing things that we shouldn’t do. It keeps us from being places we shouldn’t be.

Acts 1:8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
That power is what gives us the ability to follow instructions, to obey. The Holy Ghost is what gives me a song in my heart when peers stab me in my back. The Holy Ghost is what allows me to sing at churches and in choirs when I KNOW the people there don’t like me. I can’t stop doing what God has called me to do because YOU don’t like it. I can’t stop running this race because you have it out for me. You don’t like the way I move. You don’t like the way I direct. You don’t like the stride in my step. You don’t like the length OR the color of my hair. You don’t like the chain around my neck. You don’t like the pitch of my voice. Did I once, ever ask you what you thought about me? Then obviously, I don’t care. If I valued or wanted your opinion, I would have asked you for it.
And that’s how you have to be. Bishop Wright can’t run Grace Temple based on what Elder So-in-So and Bishop So-in-So say about his decisions. It doesn’t matter what they’re doing across town. Bishop has to worry about what’s going on over here. Saying says, “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks.” MIND YOUR BUSINESS!
Holy Ghost! The Holy Ghost helps us mind our own business. The Holy Ghost serves as that Comforter we so desperately need. Some of us pretend like we can’t make it without PHYSICAL INTERACTION with the opposite sex. You need some Holy Ghost. God is all the companion you’ll EVER need. If He can be a mother when you’re motherless and a father when you’re fatherless and a friend when you’re friendless, what makes you think He can’t be a companion when you’re alone? He’s the lover of your soul.
God has set it up for us to enjoy this ride. God is taking us places. And I want you to go with me. I want all of you to be there. I want to see Deaconess Humphrey and ALL of her children. I want to see Sis. Jackson and ALL of her children. I want to see ALL the Wright boys, not just their father.
Some of us have been tagging along for too long. We’re getting to a point where we can’t just show up. The time for spectating is over. The show is about to begin. Everyone who doesn’t have a ticket is going to have to LEAVE the theater. We can’t keep “mooching” off of God and our parents and our saved love ones. Your time of accountability has come. Some of us are LONG over due. Where Grace Temple is headed, everyone can’t go.
The scriptures explain it to us so well. Why ride?
8 O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him.
9 O fear the Lord, you His saints [revere and worship Him]! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear.
10 The young lions lack food and suffer hunger, but they who seek (inquire of and require) the Lord [by right of their need and on the authority of His Word], none of them shall lack any beneficial thing.
God is GOOD! I am blessed because I trust Him and take comfort in Him. I do not go without because I fear Him. I do not lack anything because I seek the Lord.
Verse 10 says that the young lions lack food and suffer hunger. If you’ve ever seen a young lion, they like to act like they’re tough and strong. The enjoy the wild. They enjoy being outside. They enjoy playing in the sun. But actually, they cannot fend for themselves. They rely on their parents to subdue prey so that they can eat.
Like the young lions, the young people of Grace and Anderson roam the wild, playing. But inside, they do lack nourishment. They suffer hunger. They have that desire for something greater, but never attain it.
My God satisfies me though. He gives me everything I need.
Here’s our warning again. Ride or Die!
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Listen to what the preacher is saying. Obey your parents.
12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
Seeing all men naturally desire happiness, he wonders why they cast themselves willingly into misery.
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Stay away from evil. Don’t run to it. Chase after the positive things in life. Find a wife or a husband. Settle down. Start a family. Get a good job. These are the things that fulfill people’s lives.
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
God is looking out for the righteous. God hears the cries of the saints.
16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
DIE! This is where we die. If you don’t turn from your wicked ways of speaking guile and speaking and doing evil, you DIE. God’s face is AGAINST you. You are CUT OFF from the remembrance of them of the earth. (k) The anger of God not only destroys the wicked, but also abolishes their name forever.
God is someone you DON’T want upset with you. The Bible speaks about how God literally destroyed – not killed, but destroyed. God just slew people. Perfect example… God killed the army that chased the children of Israel at the Red Sea. He didn’t just instantly take their life. God caused a great wall of water to drown and crush them. God didn’t allow man to do that. God did that. God flooded the WORLD and saved Noah and his family. That flood killed EVERYONE and they momma and their pets. God did that. God killed the army that chased the children of Israel at the Red Sea. He didn’t just instantly take their life. God caused a great wall of water to drown and crush them. God didn’t allow man to do that. God did that. God burned up two cities at once when He destroyed Soddam and Gomorrah (with fire and brimstone – a little like hell).

Genesis 19:24Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
It’s not a good idea to mess with God. God will KILL you. But physical death isn’t the only risk you run when you play with God. There’s spiritual death. There’s emotional death. There’s financial death. Some of us wonder why our relationships never work out. You wonder why it’s so difficult for you to “feel.” We wonder why we can’t get a job. We wonder why we struggle to pay bills. We wonder why we can’t get a prayer through. Some us are dead emotionally, spiritually, and/or financially.
We didn’t choose to ride. So we died.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
When they seem to be swallowed up with afflictions, then God is at hand to deliver them.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
No one said it was peaches and cream over here. But God will never leave you, nor forsake you. There are going to be rough times. But the Lord delivereth you out of them all.
20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
Evil, not God… But Evil shall slay the wicked. The devil’s going to get his turn to pick at you too. The devil is mean and dirty. He’s going to torture you. You’ll be slain in a long, drawn out way. The devil will mess with you, your children, your family, your loved ones, the people around you, all for the purpose of torturing YOU.
22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
But those that serve Him, God will redeem. God will spare his judgment on those that earnest live for Him. The saved “for real.” Those that know Him for themselves.
It’s ride or die. You can’t hang on to someone else’s salvation for the rest of your life. When you die, you’re still going to hell. The only way out is to get it for yourself.

HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY!

When I think about Easter, I used to think about Eater egg hunts, jelly beans and, of course, the Easter Bunny. As a matter of fact, my fondest memory of Easters past are the wonderful Easter baskets my Aunt Lois got me EVERY Easter. I always look forward to her presenting a basket filled with candy, toys and fun. It not only showed that she loved me, but it showed me that she was thinking about me, regardless of the fact that I was 100s of miles away. I love my Aunt Lois and my Uncle Jerry. They've always been so supportive of me. I can even recall my Uncle Jerry prophesying over my life when I was just a baby. Well, I don't actually remember him doing it. But I do remember the stories. What great God parents!?!

Back to Easter though... It took me a while to break the mold of understanding surrounding this holiday. It wasn't until I went off to college that I truly realized the significance and importance of Easter. Easter is all about the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Without the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, there would be no Christianity, let alone Easter. This ultimate sacrifice is commemorated on Easter. And at the same time, we mark this time as the re birth of our religion. Without the death and resurrection, Jesus would not be the Christ. And without Christ, we would have no Christianity.

There's a song that I'm going to sing today in church that summarizes Christianity and our reason for living. It's called One Day. It depicts the life of Jesus and its importance to Christianity today.

God bless,

Kevin J.


One Day
J Wilbur Chapman

1.
One day when heaven was filled with his praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin—
Dwelt amongst men, my example is he!

Chorus
Living, he loved me; dying, he saved me;
Buried, he carried my sins far away;
Rising, he justified freely, for ever:
One day he's coming—O, glorious day!

2.
One day they led him up Calvary's mountain,
One day they nailed him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is he!

3.
One day they left him alone in the garden,
One day he rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o'er his tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Saviour is he!

4.
One day the grave could conceal him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then he arose, over death he had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!

5.
One day the trumpet will sound for his coming,
One day the skies with his glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Saviour, this Jesus is mine!

Listen to the MIDI for One Day

HEARTBURN

It's a new day, and a new job. I'll tell you about it later.

alright then... Here we go. I received an email last week from my college friend, Brian. Brian and I both attended Michigan Tech University near the cold, frozen-over lakes of upper Michigan. Brian mentioned to me that he is writing a book which is scheduled for release in late 2006. I am looking forward to picking up my copy.

When Brian mentioned that he was writing a book, my mind went back to my years, shortly after Michigan Tech, when I wanted to put my life story on paper. I still think my life story would make a great book. Some people would probably believe that it was fiction as opposed to reality. I don't even consider myself to be a good story teller. But some of the stories from my somewhat sorted past come to life all by themselves.

Anyway, I am eager to read Brian's book. And I very tempted to begin work on my life's story. I think I'll start with my seemingly normal childhood. Many people don't realize this, but I actually was very stable (and for the most part, like everyone else). Sure, I had my unique quirks, but who didn't? I remember, one time in the 4th grade, I broke out into tears because I had to resign from the Safety Patrol team. I was the only 5th grader in my classroom that was invited to be apart of such an elite group of students.

At Lemasters Elementary, being a Safety Patrol meant that you were somebody important. Don't get me wrong, I knew I was somebody special. I just don't think many other people, besides my family, realized it. For some strange reason, only certain students in a particular class taught by the teacher who was over the Safety Patrols were asked to be Safety Patrols. I wasn't in that class. I suspect that the school considered her class to be the better of the 5th graders. There was another 5th grade class taught by another teacher. I think her class was considered to be the not-so-good 5th graders. And then there was my class. My class was actually split down the middle. Half of us were 5th graders. And the other half was 4th graders - go figure. I think we were considered the "left overs."

I didn't mind though. My class was taught by the coolest teacher in the whole school, Mr. Fogerson. He was cool on so many levels. First, he was a male. Who ever heard of a male elementary school teacher? And then, he was just cool for the sake of being cool. He was always finding ways to motivate students to do their best and finding alternative ways to learning.

Anyway, back to the story. My mom was taking my brother and me to school at the time before she went to work. She wasn't trying to leave any early than what she had to. Thus, I wasn't able to get to school as early as I needed to perform my Safety Patrol duties. I wasn't devastated because I wouldn't be able to participate. I was already privileged at the opportunity to serve. The teacher over the Safety Patrols, however, gave me a stern talking to as if I were letting down the world by resigning. I couldn't take that at 10 years of age. So, one day, shortly thereafter, I broke out in tears. I just couldn't help it. I could not stop crying. Imagine my embarrassment. Thankfully, my hero, Mr. Fogerson, was there to see about me. He kindly escorted me to the coat room and asked me what was wrong. I didn't know why I couldn't stop crying. He figured it out though. What a guy!?!

Mr. Fogerson is probably the best teacher I've ever had. He really encouraged me to be the best at whatever I do. He laughed with me when I laughed. He created an environment where I wanted to succeed. He helped me try new things that I knew I wasn't good at (like basketball and kickball). He helped me up (after I fell several times during kickball). And gave me the courage to try again. I need to send this man a thank you card. I think owe him a lot.

More stories to come...

Kevin J.

Well, here goes nothing. I am "excited" about what the future holds for me. For those who don't know me, nmy name is Kevin J. Walker. I am originally from Detroit, Michigan. I currently reside in Indianapolis, Indiana. That's the geographical info.
I am recently engaged to thee beautiful Alexandria Nicole Crumble. We met at Butler University in the Fall 2003 in a voice class. It's been heavenly bliss ever since. Well, not really. We have our ups and downs like any other couple. But we have a great big God to keep us in check. He's the driving force behind our relationship.
Speaking of God, I am a minister at Grace Temple Apostolic Church in Anderson, Indiana. My pastor is Suffragan Bishop Dr. Jerry D. Wright. His co pastor is Evangelist Josephine Wright. They are my cousins. I serve as the Minister of Music for the church. We have a youth and young adult choir. We have a combined choir. And we have a revovling praise team.
The name of the combined choir is the Anointed Mass Choir. They are currently in the process of recording their debut CD, Heartburn - produced by Minister Jermaine C. Donaldson (my best friend, brother and cousin) and Minister Milton Keys (my good friend and peer in the gospel). The CD release date is Saturday, May 6, 2006 at 6:00 PM. Look for it!
My home church is the International Gospel Center in Ecorse, Michigan. The pastor is the Rev. Marvin N. Miles. It's been a while since I've been active at International. I had to leave because I started college in Houghton, Michigan (which is no where near Detroit OR Ecorse). When I was in Detroit and available to attend International, I was a member of the usher board (3rd Sundays) and the International Voices of Deliverance.
Coincidentally, I am now a member of the Butler University Voices of Deliverance Gospel Choir. Go figure! My fiance' is the president. I used to direct the choir, but had to "step down" because I graduated "hooray." (Class of 2005) Now, I just sing with the teriffic tenor section - RobL, Adam and G-dubb.
That's pretty much my whole life. I go to work. I go to church. And I sing. That's what I do.