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Monet and Marcus

Caldwell are living their

version of the American

Dream. Both are gainfully

employed, Marcus as a

detective for Chicago's

Finest, and Monet as a

nurse in the neonatal unit

of an inner city hospital.

They are faithful members

of Reverend Ruth Wilcox's

church, The Temple. The

only thing missing from

their life is a child. Doctors

have been unable to explain

the reason for Monet's

inability to conceive, which

she calls the Sarah

Syndrome.

Then the unthinkable

occurs. Monet is brutally

assaulted. Months later, she

learns the news she has

been longing to hear her

entire married life: she's

having a baby. Monet is

thrilled, but Marcus is

appalled by the news, and

orders his wife to terminate

the pregnancy. Monet refuses, and a cold war of monumental

proportions breaks out in the Caldwell household.

Monet's faith perseveres in the face of great adversity as she holds on

to God's unchanging hand.

4

CEOSherrell Straker-Valdezloqui

Advisor Rachel Moore

Editor Damon Moore

GRAPHIC DESIGN DEPARTMENT

Sherrell Straker-Valdezloqui

Dohn Knowles

Credit for Front Cover Photography

Lameisha Sherrie

Book Reviewer for PPM

Sherrell Straker-Valdezloqui

PPM Contributing Writers

Tony Jones

Adrienna Turner

Shelby Frederick

Tina Kay Hughes

Ruby Owens

Dr. Inecir Matthis

Rachel Moore

Sherrell Straker-Valdezloqui

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contributing writers team. Please send your articles

to submissions@promotingpurposemagazine.com.

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you more exposure, a portfolio build up, as well as

more experience as a freelance writer.

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PPM Staff and Credits

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8

Is. 38:1-5 (KJV)

1In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death.

And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came

unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the

LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou

shalt die, and not live. 2Then Hezekiah turned

his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the

LORD, 3And said, Remember now, O LORD,

I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee

in truth and with a perfect heart, and have

done that which is good in thy sight. And

Hezekiah wept sore. 4Then came the word of

the LORD to Isaiah, saying, 5Go, and say to

Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of

David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I

have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto

thy days fifteen years.

What could be worse than getting the news

that you are about to die? This news comes

despite your best efforts. What would go

through a person‟s mind when they hear bad

news like that? Often times when we are

confronted with news of that magnitude, we

begin to mentally break down that prognosis

of death.

We would naturally ask the questions “why

me and why now and what did I do to deserve

this”?

A person can easily fall victim to the pressure

of deep regret and sorrow.

When some people hear the news of their

inevitable death they, with great sorrow,

begin to make preparations for the

unavoidable. According to the medical

experts they are going to die.

Here we have Hezekiah faced with the exact

same diagnosis.

But instead of falling into the “why me”,

“why now” and “what did I do to deserve

this” syndrome, he did two distinct things

to change his death prognosis, despite what

it looked like, what was said, and despite

how he was feeling he;

Number 1: “He turned his face toward the

wall”

Number 2: “He prayed unto the Lord (with

great Intensity)”

As he “turned his face toward the wall”, he

was giving the modern day Christian a

practical example on what to do when

faced with insurmountable odds. Turning

your face to the wall is an example of what

Christians should do when faced with

situations, trial and tribulations.

Turning our faces toward the wall is

symbolic of Christians today changing their

focus from their prognosis and toward the

mercy of God.

When we turn our face from our problems,

we are eliminating the distractions that

come when we are face to face with our

problems.

Turn and Face the Wall

.

Ministry Material by: Minister Tony Jones Sr.

9

When we turn our face from our problems,

we are eliminating the distractions that come

when we are face to face with our problems.

When we turn our face to the wall we are

purposely, with forceful determination,

despite the emotional attachment to our

issues, turning ourselves to a new way of

thinking, and a different picture of our

tribulation.

We are no longer looking at the problem,

what he said, what she said, what the doctor

says what my employer says, what my bank

account says, what doubters, deceivers and

manipulators say, our only focus is what God

has to say about it.

Sometimes we may have to turn our faces

from the internal workings of our own mind,

the distractions that haunt us, our limitations

that strengthens our insecurities, the long list

of hurtful experiences from the past that

continue to restrain us from believing in the

powerful plan God.

The solution is simple; turn your face to the

wall. Ask God what He has to say about your

situation.

God help me to make the turn!

Do you realize how difficult it is to turn when

all that‟s within you is telling you to worry,

don‟t believe, don‟t fight any more, give up,

quit…you going to lose….what are you

doing!...stop fighting.

We can have the boldness to ask God,

“What do you have to say about this

turmoil, depression, anxiety and fear, this

overwhelming feeling of uncertainty”?

God what do you have to say about that!

God help us to make the turn!

It is difficult to turn your face from what

you can see, to Him who you cannot see.

It‟s easy for us to walk by sight and not

by faith. How can I defeat the enemy of

my mind, when I have my mind on my

problem? God help us to make the turn.

You may be facing the most difficult

decisions in your life. Make the turn

toward God and seek His face. God help

us to make the turn!

We have to make a focused effort to

make the transition to turn our faces

toward God, and not to the obvious

situations that speak so loudly.

God has intentionally allowed some

things to come in our lives so we may

turn to Him in our time of need, so that

He may reveal His glory, his power, and

his majesty to us. Jesus has the final

answer to all of our situations. Trust Him

as you make the turn.

Bro. Tony Jones

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11

Lady Elder Bessie Sims is a multi-talented

teacher, speaker, life coach and contributing

writer to Victorious Living for Moms. Her voice

and prophetic anointing are used by God to blow

the trumpet to end-time believers so they may

hear the clarion call of God across the

nation. Anointed with a true apostolic and

prophetic call her desire is to leave an imprint on

every life she comes in contact with by

encouraging them to come into the knowledge of

the power that worketh in them to do exceeding,

abundantly above all they can ask or

think. Her mandate from the Lord is to travel the

breadth of this country to preach, teach, motivate

and build the Body of Christ with revelation,

prophetic insight, wisdom, knowledge and help

the people of God to return to their first

love through prayer and true worship. God's

powerful five-fold anointing is evidence as she

ministers the word with power and

authority. Restoration, deliverance and miracles

are signs of the power of God in her ministry.

She is a visionary called and commissioned by the

Lord to empower women and help them discover

who they are. As a result of this commission

Lady Elder Sims has launched into ministry for

the furtherance of the Gospel. The first ministry

is Millennium Ministries for Christ, Inc. which

allows her to go out into the highways and hedges

all across this land preaching the good news of

Jesus Christ, to go into home and pray for the

sick, visit women shelters and teach bible studies,

have girl talk, make-up and tea parties to help the

women improve their self-esteem and

confidence. Millennium Ministries feeds the

homeless, and provides blankets and clothing for

those in need. Under the mantle of Millennium

Ministry is Women of Worship also known as

W.O.W. administers the word through Bible-

teaching worship seminars, classes, and

teleconferences designed

specifically to encourage, equip,

empower, and engage women to live a

life of true worship.

These events are structured to help

catapult women into Bible study,

prayer, evangelism, corporate worship,

and a full life of true worship. W.O.W.

understands that worship, in its total

essence, is a RESPONSE TO TRUTH.

Therefore, in every session, the Word

of God is presented with clarity to give

the women the opportunity and the

choice to respond to truth. W.O.W. is

unique in that it provides bible

teaching worship events such as

Women of Worship One Day

Conferences, Blog Talk Radio Shows

(dial-in number 714.868.0714) which

has a special guest every Thursday of

the month at 7pm PST to teach the

Word of God. And every 1st and 3rd

Friday of the month at 5 am PST we

have prayer for women all across this

nation (Dial-in number 605.715.4920

access code 4665785). For more

information visit www.millennium-

ministry.org

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The other ministry is Phenomenal Woman

Empowerment Alliance, Inc. PWEA which

focuses on inspiring, encouraging and

empowering women to understand their worth,

the power within, their passion and purpose for

life to become the Phenomenal Woman they‟re

meant to be! The PWEA is dedicated to

challenging women from all walks of life and

socio-economic platforms to embrace their God

given passion and purpose, cultivate their talent,

and become a phenomenal leader in every area

of their life! PWEA accomplishes this mission

by focusing on education, mentorship and

coaching, and collaboration of women seeking

to advance in leadership, start or grow their own

businesses.This organization characterizes value,

passion, and purpose, and focuses

on networking, and empowerment. And through

the support of the community and different

organizations, PWEA provides and looks to

provide more programs and initiatives

for women seeking to improve their lives and

circumstances.

The dynamic collaboration of energy and talent

provide the foundation and support required to

deliver the prospect of economicempowerment

and advancement of women. WE ARE

PHENOMENAL WOMEN DOING A

PHENOMENAL WORK!! For more

information

visit: www.phenomenalwomanalliance.org

Lady Elder Bessie Sims is also an active

member of Covenant Worship Center in

Berkeley, CA under the Leadership of Lead

Pastor, District Elder K. R. Woods and she

serves with her husband Pastor Jonathan Sims as

Care Pastor, Executive Board Member, Assistant

Outreach Pastor and New Member

Administrator.

She also serves on the District Board of

the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World

District #3as Communications Liaison

Secretary to the Pastors in District #3.

She is also a member of (R)ELIEF Elect

Ladies International Empowerment

Fellowship serving as Communication

Liaison Director under the Leadership of

First Lady Crisette Ellis of Great Grace

Temple in Detroit, MI and First Lady of

Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc.

Lady Elder Bessie Sims is a mother of five

beautiful daughters – three who are

contributing poets in the book Victorious

Living for Moms: Letters to a Mother‟s

Heart will be released on May 3, 2011.

She is the wife of Pastor Jonathan Sims –

the Love of her Life!!

13

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14

Marcia Bolden is a Women of Purpose and

Power. She can be found operating in various

roles including, pastor‟s wife, intercessor,

mother, daughter, sister, mentor and friend.

She is a graduate of Illinois State University

and the University of Phoenix where she

earned her Bachelors of Science Degree in

Social Work and a Master‟s Degree in

Business Administration and Management.

Her response to the call of God is "I will go

where He sends me”. The ministry of

intercession has afforded Marcia to go places

one could only dream of. She is one who

practices the art of intercession and has

dedicated herself to regularly interceding on

behalf of others both domestic and abroad.

In addition to serving in the ministry with her

husband, Elder Henry Bolden, she is the

mother of 2 children Addison and Henry III.

She is the Director of the Women of Faith in

Action (WOFIA), Women‟s Ministry of the

Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ.

Additionally, she is the Chief Administrator of

the Media and Communications Ministry. She

continues to be a visionary leader daring to

tread unchartered waters. Marcia is driven by

her desire to fulfill God‟s divine call upon her

life. She has a heart and genuine concern for

helping the disadvantaged and disheartened.

She is a 21st century leader who makes her

presence known through her relentless efforts

of advocacy and empowerment.

She has been blessed with many gifts as a

business professional, public servant,

community organizer and leader in the Peoria

community, earning her numerous awards and

commendations for outstanding achievement.

Active in her community and church, Marcia

serves on multiple boards and advisory

committees including: the Tri-County (Peoria)

Urban League and Crittenton Centers Board of

Directors.

She is serving her third appointment

as the Legislative Concerns

Chairwoman for the Illinois

Association for Educational

Opportunity Program Personnel

(ILAEOPP) which oversees over 132

federal Trio Programs statewide.

Marcia Bolden is an exemplary

leader in her own right. Receiving

countless awards and recognitions

she was recently recognized for her

professional and civic contributions

by Afra Victoria Magazine, for the

Renaissance Woman of Color.

Additionally Marcia is featured in

the Interbusiness Issues Magazine as

a recipient of the “40 Leaders Under

40 Award” for top area leaders in the

Tri-County Peoria Area. Her

professional accomplishments were

published in Illinois Central

College‟s Role Model: Profiles of

Successful African American

Professionals in Peoria, Illinois.

15

Marcia is the Director of the Women of

Faith in Action (WOFIA) Ministries located at the Pentecostal Church of

Jesus Christ where her husband serves as

the pastor. Marcia can best be described

as true artist. She is an innovative

thinker with a contributor mindset. The

Lord has gifted this daughter in the areas

of organizational leadership, process

management and organizational climate

change. She has the ability to create,

connect and engage others in ministry

through compassion and empowerment.

Marcia has proven to be an instrumental

force of change not only within her home

church and its associated ministries; but

also for other faith based groups and

organizations locally and abroad. Her

gifting and talents have caused her to be

sought out for consultation and insight.

Love for Ministry. Marcia comes from a

legacy of Women Auxiliary and

Missionary leaders. She is the 4th

generation in her family to lead women

both locally and internationally in

ministry. Her love for women’s ministry

was engendered from birth. God has

equipped Marcia to implement programs,

service projects and leadership initiatives

with passion. Her ministry efforts and

focus empowering for inspiring women at

the Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ

can be found within the mission

statement of WOFIA Ministries.

WOFIA ministries seeks to utilize the

gifts and talents of women to the fullest

extent. The WOFIA Ministries honors

biblical truth and strives to provide a

positive gospel experience for families

and community through biblical

teaching, discipleship, empowerment and

sisterhood. The WOFIA purpose is to

reach the broken, hurting, and lost

through faith, prayer and taking action to

meet the need.

The ministry objectives for WOFIA

include:

Self-sustainable program

planning

Creating a culture of

community, sisterhood,

compassion and faith

Promoting leadership through

team work

Growing in faith, prayer,

worship

Creating valuable members

Ministry projects include:

Shoes for Africa International foreign

Mission

Feeding the homeless local outreach

initiative

Sponsoring food and clothing drives for

teenage mothers and families through

local agencies

Implementing academic tutoring and

literacy programs for youth and seniors

Organizing Voting Campaigns

Organizing Women’s Retreat for Pastor

Wives

Ministry Affiliations:

Illinois District Council Minister,

Deacon Wives and Widows Auxiliary

Issachar Prayer Warriors Intercessors

(R) Elect Ladies International

Empowerment Fellowship Advisory

Board

United Apostolic Fellowship Advisory

Board

Powerful Women of Purpose Prayer

Warriors

For more information on Marcia Bolden

Call 309-472-3927 or email her at

Mbold10@yahoo.com

16

Now that 2011 is upon us and we have

passed the Ho! Ho! Hos! and the Auld

Lang Synes, it is time to refocus and

analyze the solution to failed resolutions.

Each year millions of

resolutions are made and never carried

out. However some are, yet most never

reach their intended goal. Even old

resolutions are being cradled over and

over in efforts to pacify them back to

life. Some resolutions are pulled out of

the attic of time past, as far as 10 or 20

years ago, blanked by the dust of failure.

Most old resolutions are vividly

remembered because they were

attempted over and over, year after year.

Because they were unsolved, the end

result was to store them away in the

deepest part of one‟s heart. Year 2011 is

certainly deemed to be as a year of

unexpectedness. However it can be one

of great expectations if intended

resolutions are strived upon and

achieved.

So now it looks as though the problem

lies in this question. How do we go

about achieving resolutions?

Maintaining resolutions takes a firm

decision to get it done and the

determination to carry it through. These

determinations are based upon physical

and mental energy.

It‟s like believing in something and going after

it with all your might. Somewhere and

somehow within one‟s inner self, a made up

mind must become top priority. There is also a

thing called “focus“. Focus is concentrating

attention in your area of concern. You should

also believe in what you are trying to achieve.

One of the main roles of staying on task to

achieve your resolutions is the push of being

determined: pushing yourself against the

barriers of dream killers, negative voices,

procrastination, and any other barrier that may

hinder you.

You must monitor and refine your

mind on a daily basis so that you will not lose

the will to get this thing accomplished. The

mind is a very powerful thing. If it is distorted

into negative thinking it can breakdown the

efforts of achieving dreams, goals and

aspirations. Or if it is consumed with positive

thinking, it can create avenues that sustain

one‟s pathway for a successful life.

Again, it is so important for the mind to stay

focused on its intended purpose. Remind

yourself and consider the latter results, how it

will drastically improve your livelihood as well

as your self-esteem. One day at a time, a

focused mind, along with one step at a time, is

how failed resolutions will be resolved.

Ruby Walker Owens

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Have you ever felt like there was no

way you could live a "holy" life?

Have you ever felt like your past

was so messed up that there was no

way that God could use you for

anything? 1 Peter 1:15 & 16 says, "

But just as he who called you is

holy, so be holy in all you do; for it

is written: "Be holy, because I am

holy."

So what does this mean? 1

Thessalonians 5:23 & 24 tells us,

"Now may the God of peace

Himself sanctify you completely;

and may your whole spirit, soul,

and body be preserved blameless at

the coming of our Lord Jesus

Christ. He who calls you is faithful,

who also will do it." Holiness is that

which is set apart, consecrated,

sanctified for the devotion to the

service of the Lord. Being holy is

not in our dress or our traditions.

Being holy is a lifestyle. When God

CALLS you, HE has the power to

KEEP you!

So often we live our lives without

the help of God. We have our own

opinions, thoughts and ideas of how

our lives are supposed to go. But

when we get in trouble, who is the

first person we call on? GOD!

Many people today run from "being

holy" because of the "requirements"

and "stipulations" that man has

placed on them.

While I totally agree with order,

I disagree with putting any

requirement for salvation and

relationship that the Father

himself has not done. God has

called us to be holy and He lets

us know that if we desire to be

holy, He will keep us.

How do we strive for holiness

in our daily living? 1 Peter

1:13, 14, "Therefore, prepare

your minds for action; be self-

controlled; set your hope fully

on the grace to be given you

when Jesus Christ is revealed.

As obedient children, do not

conform to the evil desires you

had when you lived in

ignorance." It is the continual

process of sanctification that

makes us holy. When we renew

our mind, body and soul daily,

it enables us to walk in our

calling....which is to be HOLY!

Let me encourage those of you

who may have doubts about

living a holy life before God. It

is possible! God would not call

you to something if He didn't

have the power to keep you in

it. Turn away from your selfish

desires and seek true

relationship with the Father

today. Now that you know the

truth, you are accountable.

Father in the name of

Jesus, I pray that

anyone reading this

note, will hear the call,

YOUR call to be holy,

just as You are holy.

We speak to the

captive thoughts and

lies of the enemy that

has invaded the minds

of your people to reject

holy living. May you

give my brothers and

sisters in Christ the

desire to please you, as

obedient children, to

return to You.....return

to Your ways of holy

living. In Jesus name I

pray. Amen!

Remember, you have

been called and kept to

be holy! Will you

respond to the call?

By: Shelby Frederick

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Outreach Ministry, Men‟s

feeding ministry, Covenant in

the Park, Recreation and as a

New Member staff and service

coordinator. He also leads a

team called the Nite Lites who

go out on soul winning

missions in the evening.

In 2005 Pastor Sims was

ordained as an outreach and

care pastor. In his service,

Pastor Sims provides direct

training, mentoring and

motivation to over 300

members in the Body of Christ.

Pastor Sims‟ service also

include guidance and

organization for new member

relations, armor bear, volunteer

service, marital counseling and

crisis counseling.

He equips laymen and ministers

with outreach tools to win souls

for the Kingdom.

His continuing goal is to win

souls for the Kingdom of God

“by any means necessary”. He

is known to many as a

„passionate soul winner for

Christ‟. His life has not been

about religion, but about trust

and faith in God, his personal

relationship with Christ, his

devotion to his family and the

worth of souls.

On February 17, 1991 Jonathan E. Sims

surrendered his life to Christ and was filled with the

Holy Ghost under the ministry of the late District

Elder Henry L. Robinson. Acknowledging the

undeniable call on his life, Jonathan Sims accepted

the call to minister in 1996. At that time he began to

work diligently in the ministry as a Sunday school

teacher, an outreach worker, and even as a choir

director.

In 2002 he was ordained as an Elder in the

Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. He has served

faithfully under the tutelage of District Elder K. R.

Woods as the director of several ministries:

19

He expounds from the Scriptures the

prosperity of God‟s love, inspiring people to

seek a path of spiritual growth which will lead

them to their destiny. He continually

motivates people to be Christ centered by

engendering their desire to serve. This is, and

always has been, his goal.

In 2006, the Lord lead District Elder K. R.

Woods to start a Sunday night service and

Pastor Jonathan accepted the calling to grow

this service for the saving of souls. For three

years Pastor Jonathan preached, taught,

mentored fellow ministers and grew the

Sunday night service in order to fulfill his

pastor‟s desire. In 2010, the Lord has really

given Pastor Jonathan a heart and passion for

men. So he has launched a men‟s prayer

conference call every 2nd and 4th Friday at

5am PST called, Strengthen the Brethren at

213-289-5450 access code 4801431. Here

men are encouraged to call in to pray with

other men and do as Proverbs says, “Iron

sharpens Iron”. This is the hour where the

Lord is calling men to be what they were

called to be and Pastor Jonathan has heard the

call and is encouraging other men to do the

same.

Pastor Jonathan is also a devoted

family man and father. He is married to the

lovely Lady Elder Bessie Sims who shares the

call to ministry with her husband. Together

they have five beautiful daughters Dorienne,

Alesia, Victoria, Aijalon and Nyalah Sims.

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21

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Bubbly, Playful, Insightful, Bright and

"So Creative" are some of the words

that have been used to describe

Lameisha. She is best known for her

infectious smile and laughter, but what

people don't know is that underneath it

all is a woman who's endured hardship

and earnestly strives to be all God

destined her to be.

When Lameisha was small, her dream

was to become rich and famous. She

wanted to grow up and become the

fourth member of the group Salt-N-

Pepa. She thought she could rap, but her

mother could see she had an eye for

detail and was good with her hands.

When Lameisha was ten years old, her

grandmother introduced her to desktop

publishing by teaching her to make

flyers, greeting cards, business cards

and banners on the computer. Lameisha

also liked the idea of making money. A

dear friend of her family said that she'd

make a great entrepreneur. At age

eleven, Lameisha began creating and

selling puff painted t-shirts to a host of

family members and friends. In the

same year, her grandfather trusted her

to start using his camera to take pictures

at various events. With a bright future

ahead of her and a determination to

become rich and famous, one would

have thought life would go according to

plan.

Fast forward to her mid teens to early

adulthood. Though she was raised in

church, growing up didn't come without

heartache or struggle. Feeling neglected

by both parents; her father was on drugs

and her mother had problems of her

own, you can imagine the things

Lameisha could have gotten herself

into.

A lack of confidence, fear of rejection and

abandonment issues hurt Lameisha;

causing her to look for love and acceptance

in all the wrong places. She lied, schemed

and even got caught shoplifting at a local

Rite-Aid Store. Her cry for attention didn't

go unnoticed. In fact, the spirit of God

began wooing Lameisha back to Him while

using several mentors to walk her through

the pain and fear that crippled her for so

many years. Their consistency and

determination to see Lameisha become the

woman God destined her to be was the

support she needed.

One of the women God used to pour into

her life is Rev. Donna Edward, Founder of

The Godly Girls Network -- an

Evangelistic Ministry that Empowers Lives

Advances the Kingdom and encourages

others to fulfill their destiny in Christ --

who gave Lameisha an incredible

opportunity to use her creative talent for

the Lord.

23

Lameisha was hesitant; thinking God

couldn't use her unless she possessed one of

the Five-fold gifts of an apostle, prophet,

evangelist, preacher or teacher. Rev. Donna

believed in her and could see what

Lameisha could not. Her fondness and

persistence gave Lameisha confidence,

reignited her passion for making things

pretty and kept the dream in front of her.

Since 2001, Lameisha has been an

administrator and graphic designer for The

Godly Girls Network creating print

collateral and specialty gifts for the

ministry's programs and annual

conferences.

Over the years, Lameisha's love for God

grew and as their relationship deepened, His

favor also gave Lameisha the privilege of

working as a photographer for The Picture

People ™, becoming Studio Manager for

Kiddie Kandids ™, starting her own

business and earning a Bachelor‟s Degree

from The Art Institute of California.

Submitting her gift to the Lord is how

Lameisha discovered her purpose and began

walking in destiny. Out of it, came even

more opportunities that include a

photograph published in Ebony Magazine,

an internship at American Greetings, and

freelance jobs for Comcast, YAHOO!,

NAACP and Symantec Corporation.

She even taught a photography class to

junior high school students in Oakland, CA.

She's had the privilege of mentoring several

young women and men by helping them to

discover their passion, seek God for

direction in their lives and uses her

testimony to encourage them.

While pursuing a MFA at The Academy of

Art University, Lameisha continues to

design for The Godly Girls Network, brand

local churches and ministries, including

Lady Elder Bessie Sims' Phenomenal

Woman Empowerment Alliance. Her future

plans include writing a book, hosting

empowerment sessions for entrepreneurs,

teaching and opening a school for creative

children.

What does Lameisha think about walking in

purpose and destiny? "Being creative helped

me find my purpose; which is to worship

God by living a life that‟s pleasing to Him.

Using my gift well is the fulfillment of

destiny. Do you agree? What means the most

to me, is knowing that I am a co-laborer with

God here on earth and that He‟s using me to

make a real impact in the lives of others”.

You may view examples of Lameisha's work

by visiting www.lameishasherri.info

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She is a powerful and dynamic speaker, teacher,

life coach, mentor and counselor. She has an

anointed deliverance ministry that truly sets the

captives free from the powers of darkness that plague us in this last critical hour.

She is committed to the call, charge and

mandate to teach and preach the Gospel of

Jesus Christ in all places of the world wherever

God may send her to motivate, strengthen, heal

and encourage others for the work and the

continuance of Kingdom Building.

She has a true heart and love for God and His

people, and continues to teach and present

through divine revelation and prophetic insight

the Word of God, bringing others into a place

of wisdom, knowledge, understanding and

accountability for the preparation and birthing

forth of purpose and destiny in their lives for the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of God.

Dr. Matthis is a Pastor and CEO/Founder of

Passion Ministries, Inc., which serves women,

families and at-risk-youth. She is a Summa

Cum Laude Graduate of Sacramento

Theological Seminary and Bible College where

she received her Master‟s degree in Christian

Counseling/Psychology and Doctorate in

Theology, and currently serves there as staff teacher and Dean of Student Affairs.

She also presides as the Chairperson on the

advisory board for Magnolia Women‟s

Recovery home in the Bay Area, and serves as

a volunteer mental health and substance abuse

counselor at several non-profits for women in

recovery from substance abuse and domestic

violence.

Dr. Matthis is the co-author of a motivational

life story book for women entitled “Stories of Transformation” which was released May 2010.

Dr. InecirMatthis is a firm believer in

serving, giving and pouring into the

community with resources and assistance

that will strengthen, empower and enable

teens, young adults and adults in becoming

successful with their goals, dreams and passions.

She recognizes that many of our

community members struggle with issues

due to poverty, lack of education,

addictions, unhealthy relationships, lack of

family structure, social injustices, legal issues, etc.,

There is an urgent need to serve, volunteer

and give support to our community

members that will help them to truly live

and not just exist in life

The following services are offered:

*Individual Counseling (Christian

counseling, mental health, substance abuse)

*Mentoring

*Healthy Relationships Workshops

*Support Group Session

*Life Coaching

*Personal Development Training

*Biblical Studies

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Passion Ministries, Inc., exists to provide a church, and community environment of peace and harmony for individuals from any economic, racial, age, gender, or social background. To restore broken hearts, minds and spirits, build self-esteem and confidence by equipping individuals with sound biblical teaching, life application skills and principles that will foster, strengthen and encourage spiritual, mental and emotional growth in their knowledge and understanding of God and their relationship to Christ, that will empower, enable and motivate them to exist and operate in their God-given purpose, skills, talents, abilities and destiny within God’s kingdom and their social and community environment.

Vision Statement:

A Church that is Kingdom focused, purpose driven, Christ centered and committed to influence individuals, families and community to experience the salvation of God.

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“Growing up in Oakland, California

since the age of six, I have been

blessed to be around so many

different people that came from all

walks of life. One thing that stood

out the most, was that I was able to

grow up in a home with both parents.

Moreover, my mother was a good

mother: no drinking, no smoking, or

drugs. My mother cared about me,

she chastened me, she cared who my

friends were, my education and

protected my well-being.

My mother gave me wisdom, God,

and taught me to be a lady. She was

there to pray and encourage me.

Well, wasn‟t that the job over every

mother? Didn‟t other girls experience

the love of their mother?

Minister Sharyce J. Huff is an anointed

woman of God set out to encourage, exhort

and esteem women in today‟s society. Her life

has been built on loving others as much as

God loves her. In May 2011, Leaving the

Legacy Ministries will be launched. God has

commissioned Minister Sharyce to bring all

women together beyond boundaries of

denominations, social and economic status,

color and race to give a word to “bind up the

brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the

captives and to bestow on them a crown of

beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead

of mourning, and a garment of praise instead

of a spirit of despair…” God gave her the

vision to provide the forum for women to

speak and create a legacy for generations to

come. Through the testimony of one

woman‟s life, she can speak the words of

encouragement to many, and through many, it

will create change and break generational

curses and advance the Kingdom of God.

Currently, Minister Sharyce resides in

Oakland, California. She is the proud and

honored mother of two sons. In her

professional life, she is an HIV/AIDS

Prevention and Education Advocate and an

Accounting and Finance Consultant. Minister

Sharyce is a co-author of an anthology series,

Victorious Living For Mom‟s, set for release

in May 2011.

Currently, Sharyce is a praise and worship

leader, altar worker, children‟s ministry

teacher and Christian Education Coordinator

(PYPU Northern) and serves in ministry at

Covenant Worship Center under the

leadership of District Elder, Pastor

K.R.Woods in Berkeley, CA.

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As I grew up, I realized there were a lot of

girls raising themselves. I would hear tragic

stories of girls dealing with abusive and

mentally ill mothers, mothers who were

addicted to drugs and who abandoned them

for the love of man. Some girls were able to

survive and be successful and others lived a

rough, hard life, selling themselves to

women and men to feel love and a sense of

belonging, at any cost, even if it meant

dying spiritually and emotionally. I became

overwhelmed when I thought about the state

of women in the Bay Area. We had been

filled with ignorance about ourselves. We

had been beat down with poor self and body

image by media, society and the

manipulations of others. I was fed up and

saddened. I didn‟t want to see another 13

year old girl with an under developed body

stand on the streets.

I didn‟t want to see another woman sitting in

church with baby number three and no

husband. I didn‟t want to see the teenage

girl trying to sit on the deacon‟s lap. I didn‟t

want to hear another woman say she tested

positive and a HIV/AIDS related ailment

would be the cause of her death; no more

lives lost because a woman couldn‟t find a

way out from an abusive relationship. I

didn‟t want to see another girl struggle with

her sexuality because she had been molested

and raped. Enough is enough.

I asked God what I could do to be a voice.

What could I do to change and rebuild

ourselves? The Lord gave me the vision to

show the love of God to women who had no

value or worth or who had given up.

God gave me the gift to

encourage, exhort and esteem

women, so they could begin to

make better decisions for

themselves and their futures.

Leaving the Legacy Ministries

will be launched in May 2011.

Moving forward with the vision,

I wanted to get women together

that normally would not be in the

same place or environment

together to talk, share, listen, cry

and be validated. If I could give

these women the love my mother

and God had shown me through

my life, then I could leave a

legacy and they would leave a

legacy with their daughters,

nieces, and so on. The Lord

showed me generations of

women breaking curses and

building strong relationships with

God, family, communities, etc.

Women have the key to

reproducing, nurturing and

building a better future. Let our

words, our stories, speak for us.

Let it leave a legacy. My purpose

is to really get women to

understand that our lives are not

a mistake that we are here. God

meant it! Our words and our

voice hold power. We should

use that to build each other”.

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Have you ever seen or experienced a

relationship or a business venture that

ended before it ever really got started?

Have you ever seen a family just fall apart

for no apparent reason? You may ask

yourself why? What went wrong? What

happened to cause this? To properly answer

this question, you have to ask yourself

“what foundation was it built upon?” If a

home, business, or family is built upon

anything that is false or unstable things

such as lust, division, lying, deceitfulness,

witchcraft, and false harmony it is sure to

fall and crumble. It might not fall right

away but when it falls, great will be the fall

of it. Read Matthew 7:24-27

Before anything can be established, it must

first be saturated in prayer and seeking the

face of the Lord. This is to include but not

limited to future spouses, moving to or

leaving from your church, and even

financial endeavors. Why go into something

knowing that you haven’t sought direction?

Never rely on your own understanding just

remember that His ways and thoughts are

not yours. Even if you choose to move

forward without seeking the Lord first, he

still will allow it to take place but that’s not

what he has ordained for your life. Doing

anything without God’s stamp of approval,

can cause many years of heartache and

pain. If you seek him first in all that you do

he has promised to lead and guide.

You may be wondering “Well what about

my relationship or business?Itstarted on a

good foundation and now after all this time

is starting to fall apart”?

In cases like this, something

happened where one or all parties no

longer felt the need to stay on that

foundation.Never take for granted that

once a foundation has been established

that will last forever. A huge trap of the

enemy is for you to become complacent.

Just think about a natural home once

it’s built. It still needs to be taken care

of. If you are in a relationship or

business that seems to be in trouble, get

back to the solid foundation that you

were built on. I’m not saying that it will

be an easy task but if the foundation is

solid you can always rebuild. In this

rebuilding process get rid of and

destroy anything that can cause breaks

and breeches within the relationship.

If your home, business, and

even your relationship seem to be

crumbling down, check the foundation.

It may be time to tear down, repair and

rebuild on the solid rock! Jesus Christ is

a sure foundation. Anything that is built

on Him and with Him will last. Let your

foundation be found in His Holy Word

and watch what the Lord will do for

your life.

Peace and Blessings

Rachel M. Moore PPM writer

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While reading Weekend at Camp I can honestly say I didn‟t

want to put the book down. Although, the book was about

teenagers, the foundation was based on situations that

happen a lot with teens. This could include sneakiness,

pride, the curiosity of teens, teens trying to fit in, teen

pregnancy and etc. Author Marilyn‟s story line also shows

and shares the love of God no matter what a person may

have done or been involved with in their past. The book also

shows that even though we have a forgiving God,

consequences may still occur or follow you.

I love how Author Marilyn goes in the depths of what‟s

going on with the characters making the book easy to read

and able to follow easily. Her detail about different events

that occurred in the book makes one feel as though they are

actually at the camp as one of the characters. It also allows

you to feel the emotions each character went through,

because of their situation. Every page will have you

wondering what these teens are going to do next and because

of Marilyn‟s clarity you‟re able to see why from the

characters point of view they react the way they do.

The part that stood out to me the most is the feeling you

receive when you read the parts during prayer or the scenes

of repentance. This will allow the readers the opportunity to

repent as well as picture the move of God in the place in

which the ceremony is taken place in the book.

Author Marilyn is going to touch a lot of youth through her

writing. This book is recommended to both teens and adults.

For the teens because it lets them see that although you may

wait to be sneaky around others, God sees everything and

that sometimes your action causes a reaction. But never the

less it‟s important to repent and move forward in life.

For the adults it takes you into the mind of teens, especially

the generation we are living in. Although we say many times

we know how teens are,each and every day the generation

becomes more different.

Get your copy of Weekend at Camp for our youth to help

put them on the right track!

I am excited for Marilyn and can‟t wait to read more books

by Marilyn Hill.

Reviewed By: Sherrell Straker-Valdezloqui

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Mike Montgomery once lived

the American dream; gainfully

employed, beautiful home, and a

wonderful loving wife. Growing

up in a loving family whose

faith was unbreakable was his

source of strength. Mike's faith

would one day be shaken after

losing the love of his life in an

unexpected tragedy. Mike

thought he would never love

again until he meets Sheila

Lawson. Everything about

Sheila made him want to love

again. Could he risk his heart

again?

ISBN-13: 978-0615334530

Review

4.0 out of 5 starsA Heavenly Love,

By Author O. Wright (Minneapolis, MN USA)

This review is from: Love Found Me (Perfect Paperback)

"Love Found Me" by Vanessa Richardson is very warm and superb. From the eye-

catching title and cover, and throughout all of the beautiful and decorated sceneries of

love and romance, it is a masterpiece of intrigue and suspense interwoven in the grace of

God. Indeed, the tone and organization of each scene is filled with grace, harmony and

balance. The brilliant and skillful mind of the narrator takes you through a litany of

romance and suspense-filled settings leading you to a thrilling and electrifying

culmination of satisfaction and enjoyment. In fact, the dramatic capturing of all the secret

love schemesand plots keeps you enthralled until the end. Certainly, Love Found Me is an

exceptionally good piece of creative work worthy of high recognition and praise. I

recommend this brilliant novel for the whole family.

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