Category Archives: Relationships

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Potter’s House Bishop T.D. Jakes & Pastor Sheryl Brady Address Racism & Police Reform in Opinion Piece & Open Letter…

Hello World,

Bishop T. D. Jakes of The Potter’s House in Dallas & Pastor Sheryl Brady, who leads The Potter’s House in North Dallas, recently issued statements regarding their stance on racism and police reform…

In the wake of the recent killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, global spiritual leader and elder statesman Bishop T.D. Jakes is calling for a national conversation on policing and race to be immediately followed by an action plan for police reform.

In a pointed opinion piece published on FoxNews.com, Jakes says now is the time to put in place a response with buy-in from community leaders, clergy, police unions, the U.S. Justice Department and elected officials.

The plan must address longstanding issues like the implementation of de-escalation training and the lack of standardized hiring practices for the nation’s 18,000 police departments. It must also include tough measures such as cutting or eliminating funding for recalcitrant police departments.

“The ongoing demonstrations around the nation offer a glimpse into what the future looks like if nothing is done,” Jakes writes.

“Doing nothing will destroy our society,” adds Jakes, pastor of the 30,000-member The Potter’s House located in Dallas. “Mutual antipathy between police and the black community further exacerbates racial tensions in the country at large. It generates outrage not only domestically but also internationally, making a mockery of our professed commitment to stated ideals of liberty and justice. Further, it gives comfort to our enemies abroad who are eagerly awaiting opportunities to exploit our nation’s biggest Achilles heel: racial strife.”

Jakes says Christians have a moral imperative to take action instead of doing nothing. He quotes the words from the prophet Isaiah: “Learn to do good: seek justice, correct oppression.”

Pastor Sheryl Brady, whom I recently interviewed about her book “Don’t Miss the Moment,” wrote an open letter to President Trump which was published on her Facebook page. Read the letter below.

 

Any thoughts?

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The Top 10 Blog Posts and or Magazine Articles for Black Christian Women in May 2020…

Hello World!

Happy June…Despite ALL that is going on in the country, which I won’t go into right now, black Christian women continue to make an impact.  So I’m back with my monthly roundup of blog posts and or magazine articles for black Christian women. Below is my Top 10 monthly roundup of blog posts and or magazine/newspaper articles for black Christian women for May, but you don’t have be a black Christian woman to to check them out. As usual, let me know if you like my list! Enjoy and share!

1.”Black Woman May Have Discovered Cure to Coronavirus” by Stacy M. Brown

Excerpt: The coronavirus pandemic has ravaged most of the world, but no one has felt the wrath more than African Americans and communities of color. Now, it might just be an African American woman who has discovered a desperately needed and life-saving drug to defeat the virus. Darnisha Harrison, founder, and CEO of Ennaid Therapeutics in Georgia, said scientists working for her company had found a drug that is showing promise in laboratories at blocking the continued spread of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.Based in Atlanta, her company uses its artificial intelligence, or AI, drug-discovery platforms to develop antiviral drugs. See more at: washingtoninformer.com.

2. “Column: Ida B. Wells, Awarded a Pulitzer Prize 89 Years After Her Death, is as Relevant as Ever” by Dahleen Glanton

Excerpt: Ida B. Wells was awarded a Pulitzer Prize on Monday, a symbolic gesture that cemented her place in history as a great American journalist. With or without public accolades, she has always belonged there. Wells’ fearless pursuit of justice during an era of mass lynchings set her apart from other journalists at the time. But like the issues she so passionately wrote about more than a century ago, recognition was not deemed urgent. See more at: chicagotribune.com.

3. “Dancing in the Street: Elaine Welteroth Got Married on Her Brooklyn Stoop, Then Threw a Virtual Block Party” by Alexandra Macon

Excerpt: Elaine met Jonathan through church when they were both around 12 and growing up in Northern California. (Their moms still sing next to each other in the choir to this day.) There wasn’t a romantic connection until they were reunited as adults in December 2013 when Jonathan came to interview for jobs in New York City, where Elaine had been living since 2008. See more at: vogue.com

4. “Black Journalist Launches Newsletter to Keep Black People Informed About the Coronavirus Pandemic” by Zack Linly

Excerpt: “As a black woman and freelance journalist passionate about writing stories for us, I’ve been desperately brainstorming constructive ways to lend my writing skills to help suppress the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and pandemic,” Peck wrote. “At the same time, for a *long* time, I’ve been wanting to write more original stories independent from any publication, for my own audience, and to start a newsletter as a way of practicing that. So I decided to combine all of these ideas and dedicate my newsletter SpeakPatrice to highlighting coronavirus news for black folks, both stories written by other journalists and by me, Patrice Peck.” See more at: theroot.com.

 

5. “Meet the First-Ever Mother-Daughter Duo to Graduate Med School Together and Become Doctors” by Njera Perkins

Excerpt: This mother-daughter duo is making history together as the first-ever to graduate from medical school at the same time and match at the same hospital. The University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS) reports that Dr. Cynthia Kudji & daughter, Jasmine, both matched at LSU Health in Louisiana after receiving their medical degrees–Cynthia in Family Medicine and Jasmine in General Surgery. See more at: afrotech.com.

6. Black Woman Entrepreneur Now Manufacturing Her Own Line of Hand Sanitizer

Excerpt: Gwen Jimmere, founder and CEO of Naturalicious and the first Black woman to own a patent for a natural hair care product, is making history again as one of the first to launched a Black-owned hand sanitizer brand. See more at: blackbusiness.com.

7. “Who Is Joyette Holmes, The New Prosecutor in the Ahmaud Arbery Case?” by Sarah Rose

Excerpt: Earlier this month, Holmes recorded a video for the Cobb County “12 Hours of Prayer” event. In it, she cited her spirituality as a tenet of her life. “I am grateful that in these times of uncertainty, I can lean on my faith and my ability to fellowship with others,” she said in the video. See more at: gpbnews.org.

8. “Vanderbilt’s Candice Lee Becomes First Black, Female Athletic Director in SEC history” by Sam Cooper

Excerpt: History was made at Vanderbilt University on Thursday.  The school announced that it has appointed Candice Storey Lee as its full-time athletic director, lifting the interim title she held since February. Lee, who will also hold the title of vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs, is the first woman to hold the AD title at Vanderbilt. More significantly, she is the first African American woman to lead an athletic department in the history of the Southeastern Conference. See more at: sports.yahoo.com.

9. “MIT Elects First Black Woman Student Body President in its 159-year History” by David Williams

Excerpt: About six percent of undergraduates at MIT are black and 47 percent are women, according to the school. MIT students had to leave campus in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, so Geathers campaigned online and through social media from her home in Miami, Florida. Students voted online. See more at: cnn.com.

10. “Georgia Woman Celebrates Turning 103 Years Old!” by  Adrianne M. Haney

Excerpt: While family had to hold a drive-by parade in her honor Saturday – keeping their social distance – she said she felt grateful for their love. “It brings tears of joy,” she said. “I can’t help but think how grateful I am to have friends to come out at a time like this. I appreciate it.” See more at: msn.com.

If you know of any black Christian women bloggers and or writers, please e-mail me at jacqueline@afterthealtarcall.com as I’m always interested in expanding my community of black Christian women blog, magazines and websites. As I noted before, while this is a roundup of interesting blog posts and or magazine and newspaper articles for black Christian women, you don’t have to be one to appreciate these pieces  🙂.

Any thoughts?

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It’s First Lady Friday Featuring…Kendra Norman Holmes, First Lady of Deliverance Revival Church in Warner Robins, Georgia!

Hello World,

Editor’s Note: I temporarily paused this feature while promoting my debut novel Destination Wedding, but as of this month, First Lady Friday is back!!! Read. Enjoy..Share…

During Women’s History Month 2019, I’ve launched a new interview series featuring First Ladies! In thinking about my mother who was the First Lady of Central Christian Church in Atlanta, Georgia for 38 years before my father retired in 2017 and after reading Kimberla Lawson Roby’s final Rev. Curtis Black book “Better Late Than Never” which explored Charlotte’s desire to not be a typical First Lady, it dawned on me that I should feature First Ladies, which are revered positions particularly in the black church. Everyone is always talking about what the pastor of this church and that church is doing, but First Ladies are equally as important as the pastors to whom they are married! So once per month, on a Friday of course, I am featuring a First Lady. So if you know of a First Lady who should be featured, please e-mail me at jacqueline@afterthealtarcall.com because I’m looking for notable First Ladies to feature!

So with that being said, let me present to some and introduce to others the First Lady of Deliverance Revival Church, Kendra Norman Holmes…

Below is her biography followed by my interview with her. Again, read, enjoy and share!

While born in the thriving metropolis of West Palm Beach, Florida, national bestselling author, Kendra Norman Holmes (previously writing as Kendra Norman-Bellamy, now writing as Kendra Norman) spent most of her formative years in the southern rural town of Dixie, Georgia; a city so small that it can’t be found on most maps. She was raised the daughter of Bishop Harold Norman Sr. and the late Mother B. Francine Norman, two preachers who raised all five of their children in a staunch Christian home where biblical principle was both taught and lived. Kendra received her call into the ministry more than 25 years ago and currently serves as Pastor of Deliverance Revival Church in Warner Robins, Georgia alongside her husband, Dr. Michael Holmes.

An alumnus of Valdosta Technical College (now Wiregrass Technical College), Kendra also received her Doctor of Divinity degree from St. Thomas Christian University and is currently enrolled at Light University where she is pursuing credentials as a Certified Relationship Coach. She currently serves in the capacities of news writer, editor, reporter, and columnist for Houston Home Journal newspaper in Central Georgia. The Holmes have two adult daughters (Brittney and Crystal), one adult son (Dominique), and six amazing grandchildren (Travis III, Jordan, Kennedi, Kyndal, Melody, and Harmony). Like her mother, their firstborn, Brittney Holmes Jackson is also a national bestselling author.

1. How do you feel about the term “First Lady” and is Deliverance Revival Church the first church where you have served as First Lady?

Being that I grew up in the church, the term is one I’ve heard my entire life. My former husband, who went to be with the Lord several years ago, was also a pastor, so I held the position of first lady for several years until his passing in the mid-90s. Although technically, I currently hold the position of “Lady Holmes” at Deliverance Revival Church, very few people reference me in that manner. My husband and I jointly serve as lead pastors of the church, and not only are we both ordained ministers, but we’ve also both been jointly named as successors to the founder and Bishop of our organization. Because of that, we are both referred to by the ecclesiastical titles of either Bishop-Elect or Elder.

2. What is the “job description” of a First Lady? Has being a “Preacher’s Kid” helped you to step into your role as a First Lady?

I’ve actually never seen a “job description,” for the position. The term doesn’t even appear in scripture, so we don’t even have a biblical example to go by. Truth be told, the only requirement to being a first lady is that you’re the wife of the pastor. One would hope that the woman in that position would be a “worker in the vineyard” and take a leadership role in spearheading programs that build the kingdom of God; especially programs that are geared toward women. However, that’s not an obligation to hold the title. In some churches, the pastor’s wife doesn’t take on an active lead role at all. That definitely hasn’t been my testimony though! When I served in the capacity in the 90s, I was very hands-on in the church; mentoring, teaching and organizing. Today, as both “Lady Kendra Holmes” and “Elder Kendra Holmes,” I do all that and more.

Being a “preacher’s kid” didn’t necessarily prepare me for the role but being a “pastor’s kid” most definitely did. Being that my dad was also the pastor of our family church, my mother was the first lady. I was being raised by a first lady. I lived with a first lady. And in my opinion, she was the perfect model of who and what a pastor’s wife should be, so yes; I believe my parents played a huge part in grooming me for the role.

3. What is the best part and what is the worst part about being a First Lady? (Has any of that changed during the COVID-19 pandemic? Has the church been meeting online? If so, when do you plan to return to regular services?)

The best part about my role is being married to my husband. I can’t think of anyone on earth that I’d rather be taking this kingdom walk alongside. Michael and I function together excellently in ministry, and I’m grateful for that. Speaking for myself only, there is no worst part. Pastors’ wives are typically held to a high standard, and when you’re a pastor as well as a first lady like I am, the standard you’re held to is even higher. That’s a sore spot for many women in my position, but I have no qualms with it. No human being can hold me to a higher standard than I hold myself. That pretty much goes for every walk of my life: wife, mom, pastor, first lady, writer, journalist … the whole nine. Colossians 3:23 tells us that in everything we do; we should do it like we’re doing it for the Lord. I strive every day to walk in excellence both inside the walls of the church and outside, because I believe as people of God, that’s the way it should be.

COVID-19 has changed a lot of things about the way we live in general. Using wisdom, Deliverance Revival has heeded to the state mandates and guidelines for helping to stop the spread of this deadly disease. We began doing ministry virtually at the onset of the shelter-in-place ordinance passed from our state governor, and the online services have been a tremendous blessing. When churches were given clearance to convene again, we decided began having services in the sanctuary on first Sundays only. We did that for May and will do it for June as well. Our plan is to resume our regular schedule in the month of July if conditions allow it.

4. What are some misconceptions that people have about being a First Lady?

Sadly, some first ladies have left bad tastes in the mouths of congregants. The attitudes of some pastors’ wives have given people the misguided preconception that first ladies are unfriendly, unapproachable, or even insanely jealous and/or petty. That’s not the case with all first ladies—not by a longshot. I dare say that it’s not even the case with the majority of us. But unfortunately, when it comes to church, people are very quick to judge all people in a certain position by what they only know about one person in that position. Those of us who are genuinely walking according to the will of God just have to outlive the lies.

5. You are known as a novelist with several books under your belt, what made you want to explore journalism as a budding reporter at Houston Home Journal? So far, what do you prefer – writing as a novelist or as a journalist?

The journalist position at Houston Home Journal wasn’t something that I searched out, per se. I’d prayed and asked God for employment in corporate American that more closely matched my divine purpose, which is my ministry of writing. The open position at HHJ literally just popped up in my timeline on my computer. I applied on a Thursday, received a call on that Friday, was scheduled for an interview that Monday, and got hired the same day. I don’t know where this divine assignment will ultimately take me, but this was certainly a step ordered by God. News journalism and creative writing are vastly different ways of composing stories. I enjoy both, but creative writing will always be my first love. I’m working for a highly respected company with some very friendly people, so I feel very blessed to be getting this awesome experience as a news journalist.

6. Additionally, I see that you and your husband, Pastor Michael Holmes are now relationship columnists for Houston Home Journal. How did that happen, and what do you hope to communicate to readers of your column?

The seed was planted shortly after the shelter-in-place ordinance was announced by Governor Brian Kemp. News stories began to break about how divorce filings had skyrocketed because couples couldn’t stand being at home all day together. It was an extremely sad commentary. My husband and I have a coaching business called Royalty Relationship Coaching. In an effort to help couples in our area, we launched a special wherein we offered free one-hour virtual coaching sessions to married couples in crisis. My manager asked me to write a feature column in the paper that announced the service we were offering. That column got nice responses from readers, and a conversation sparked between my manager and myself that lead to the opportunity to become a regular columnist for the paper. I talked it over with my husband, and he agreed to join me. Our column is biblically based and relationship driven. Each week, we pray that what

God inspires us to write will plant a seed that results in the strengthening of bonds shared by husbands and wives. We want to communicate God’s will for relationships—specifically for marriages—through our weekly W.A.R. Room Chronicles.

7. I see that you have The Writer’s Cocoon coming up next month. Can you tell me more about this workshop?

The Writer’s Cocoon is a prose clinic that God birthed through me in 2005. The name of the seminar was inspired by Dama Riles, a minister who was the first person to ever call upon me to teach a writing workshop to a group of aspiring creatives. Dama’s ministry was called “God’s Butterflies.” Because butterflies resulted only after being in a cocoon, The Writer’s Cocoon was the name the Lord dropped in my spirit. At that time, it was only intended to be a one-time training, but God had other plans. I’ve facilitated countless workshops since that time wherein I walk aspiring writers through the entire process of getting their book written, published, and marketed. I’ve been favored to be the God-ordained “midwife” for many men and women who went on to become not only published authors, but successful, bestselling authors of both fiction and nonfiction books. While the seminar isn’t limited to those who wish to write faith-based material, because of who I am and what I do, my classes seem to appeal most to those with that intent.

The Writer’s Cocoon is normally a one-day, four-hour workshop held in a classroom setting. Due to COVID-19, I’m offering it virtually, via Zoom, for the first time ever, and it will be broken up into four Saturdays wherein each session will be one-hour in length. I’m excited about the upcoming June class. I’m exited to see where God will take the registrants as they fulfill their purpose.

Again, if you know of a First Lady who should be featured, please e-mail me at jacqueline@afterthealtarcall.com because I’m looking for notable First Ladies to feature! And if you would like to have conversations about faith, relationship, pop culture and more, please click on this link to subscribe to my blog 🙂!