When the movie Black Panther released in the theaters, people showed up to show support, week after week after week. No one knew what to expect. Yet, there was much excitement in the air. Some children went as far as dressing up as Kings and Queens. The community showed up in full force. Something old became new again.
Like the movies, music also contains the power to transport us back in time. At the same time, it also has a transcending power. Think back to centuries ago when chamber concerts were reserved for a palace. Only the elite had the privilege to experience the ensemble saturating the atmosphere with sounds of joy.
When music and visuals are combined prepare for a journey.
Karin Banks is a musical master—over 20 years of classical music training. In collaboration with a team gifted in the arts, they will be bringing music to life. The aim, to leave her audience saying “Wow!”
This season Karin Banks and her Ensemble sets out to reintroduce the classics but with a twist. She’s calling it Fusion —a smorgasbord of classical music, jazz, dance, the spoken word, and even improv opera. It’s an evening to remember the past while inspiring the audience to impact the future.
The debut kicks off with Metamorphosis: The Expression of Life on October 7th. Through the arts, they will present the cycles in the life of butterflies and explore how it relates to human evolution. “Metamorphosis is necessary, says Banks, so people can become all they were meant to be.”
Then the journey continues with The Expressions of Love on February 17. The performances will transport the audiences through every possible way love is given and received— from agape to passion and to the love for a child.
L’Esprit de la Danse on May 4 features world concepts with an assortment of music from different parts of the world. It promises to culminate music and other art forms into a masterpiece.
This is not just entertainment. It most certainly not just for the elite. All who attend will experience their own metamorphosis, like the butterfly transforms from a caterpillar. Through sight & sound anyone stuck in the minutia of his or her own life, says Banks, will leave with a drive to make a difference in the world.
Community, friends, and partners you’re invited this Sunday to experience the wonder and the wow of magical music awakening. If you believe in the transforming power of music and the arts, then you, my friend, must be in the room.
If you cannot make it, gift a child a ticket. Need a date night? This evening will transport you through nature, the Middle Ages and spark your imagination to recreate your own future. Come on out dressed up like nature or royalty!
LOCATION:
Meet the magical musicians
Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 5:00pm
Emory Performing Arts Studio
1804 N. Decatur Rd. Atlanta
Tickets are available here, click Fusion Concert below to order:
This picture was taken when I was a toddler. I don’t really remember it, but from the look on my face and my father, we looked happy. He’s looking at me with adoring eyes. I have the biggest smile. Then somewhere life got really complicated. I didn’t see him that often.
In fact, throughout my childhood I never celebrated Father’s Day. I cannot even remember one single Father’s Day memory.
And I know I wasn’t the only one. Many girls struggle with this disconnect. In our all girls high school in Jamaica, out of a class of 21 girls, maybe 2 had a father in the home. Others like me had mothers who migrated to America. That meant their grandmas or aunts raised them. With many fathers uninvolved, it became the norm for women to wear many hats–breadwinner, protector, and caregiver.
Women were front and center from home to school. At one point while growing up, I remember thinking it was standard for women to raise children alone. I didn’t really have the marriage dream–where I’d meet Prince Charming and ride off into the sunset. Instead, I expected to have a son, but never imagined a father in the picture. Crazy how kids adapt to their experience.
One of my friends from high school, celebrated and still does, her mom on Father’s Day. She argues that for pulling double duty, she deserves the credit. Who can blame her?
For me, I left the door of my heart opened for sometime and when the distance grew greater, one day it just slammed shut. Decades later after I became an adult, Dad and I had a “where were you” cleansing conversation. He explained that his lack of money kept him away. His dad taught him that money makes the man. If you have no money, then you have nothing to offer he reasoned. I explained to him that from my vantage point all I wanted was a connection, a regular phone call, us spending time to get to know each other, him passing on his wisdom to me. All I valued was his presence, not his possessions. I saw the light turn on in his eyes.
That conversation pivoted our relationship from flatline. I’m not saying that it miraculously fixed everything. From the conversation, I realized that his explanation didn’t match the stories I told myself for years. Stories like:
He’s not here because he doesn’t love me.
I am not important, to him.
I am the forgotten child
Now, I just have to make a conscious effort to continue those conversations and work on it. Since that conversation, he’s never missed calling me on my birthday. Baby steps right!
In my book, I write about my unusual childhood. It’s not from the vantage point of male bashing. It’s a daughter’s account of wading through early life without a father. But it also explores research validating the major significance of a father in a child’s life.
Dads, if you think it’s all about the money, you’re mistaken. You add value to your children, by sharing yourself, your essence, your wisdom, your experiences, with them. Fatherhood is the only time you get to pass on who you are, to them. Time is ticking, start now!
Prayer:
Dear Lord, we have one life to live. I pray for fathers. Give them the courage to share their lives, their ideas, their essence, with their children. Give them the courage to be open, vulnerable, so they can connect on deep level with their children. Strengthen the bond between them and remove negative thoughts that separate them in Jesus name.
ACTION Challenge:
When was the last time you called your child and asked him/her about their day?
Examples of questions to ask:
Setup: I want to get to know you more and I’ll start by asking your about your day, then telling you about mine. I apologize for not being around but can we pick up from today? Are you ok with this?
Get to know you:
Describe your day to me?
What was your favorite part of your day?
What was the worst part of your day?
What was your lunch menu? What did you pick?
Share your day
Here is something about my own childhood…
Here is what I liked about school…
Here is a lesson I learned later…
Three favorite things I like to do…
Making an effort, always brings a payoff. You have one opportunity to make your mark. Don’t delay. Start today.
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Cherish their memory
When your loved one transitions to the other side, the loss is like nothing else. A myriad of emotion floods in, it’s a confusing time. Whether sudden or expected, life is never the same. Then comes the funeral preparations, and that’s when it suddenly gets real. Logistics from planning the day to celebrate their life, to getting all the family members and friends together.
In this Cherish their Memory Package, RTV will create a beautiful heart-warming slideshow, to take you and your guests down memory lane. Together through the images, you can celebrate their life, love and legacy. To top it off, I'll write your eulogy, simply fill out the form and I'll frame your words into a masterpiece
When I was engaged to be married, an Italian co-worker schooled me about the 7-year itch.
Yet 7 under God means the complete opposite.
It is a number of perfection. God’s perfection.
In 7 days He planned the logistics and created a world with mini me versions of Himself.
So I hoped for some level of God’s perfection for year 7 of marriage.
Perfection with imperfect people, might have been a bit of a stretch.
Especially since building life together comes with a diversity of challenges.
Reality isn’t meeting Prince Charming and riding off into the sunset.
It means accepting both the beauty and the beast of a mate.
It’s having mercy and giving pardon after both of us have been unlovely.
It’s forever collaboration when life throws us a curveball.
It’s forgiving the imperfections, insensitivity, dropping the ball, & lack of adaptability.
It’s changing, growing, trusting in God instead of figuring it out.
It’s praying for my King’s wellbeing, protection, leadership, wisdom and prosperity. Sometimes fasting too.
Now here we are year 14. Doubling that 7.
Let this be our double portion year!
For all our trouble, I declare double portion blessing.
From today accelerated favor, wisdom, knowledge and faith.
For our lives targeted purpose with results.
A continued unified front, and victory in every area of our lives.
US GROWING TOGETHER
May love find you too like it did me.
MY BELOVED
A lover expressing passion to her beloved from the scriptures.
My First Love
Before loving a man or boy I learned to love from the author of it all. His essence, his name, his reason for creating me, all began with his deep love for me. He loves me beyond the love of parents, especially a mother who has just given birth to her baby. He loves me beyond my wildest imagination. In fact his love for me is far above what I could every ask or think. He loves me to the depths of my soul. He loves me body, soul and spirit. What a love! What a commitment! What a God… My God… The love of my life.
In my latest book, I write about how his love carried me during a difficult time in my life. See how he did it and the reason I’ll never let go of that love, nor his hand.
AUTOGRAPHED BOOK!!!
MY GOD: More than a belief, An Experience, invites you on a Caribbean journey with a supernatural twist. Through the memories of a girl growing up in Jamaica with a radical grandmother, you will experience an emotional and spiritual encounter like never before. Her story of an unconventional family and the ups and downs of growing up with long distant parents will inspire you to dare to participate in seeking a real divine connection, despite distance from those you love.
Get ready for a roller coaster adventure in the amusement park of island life.
GET YOUR COPY TODAY!
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“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 1:2 )
Have you ever read the above verse and knew beyond the shadow of doubt, that God wants you to prosper? I do, in fact it makes me so happy about the prosperity of the Lord. When I begin to think about it, and visualize the prosperity, I can’t help but make some winning affirmations.
I am victorious
I have more than enough
I have unlimited resources and I have no limits.
I am not living from paycheck to paycheck but abundance, Yes Freedom!
I blessings pressed down, shaken together and running over
I am a money magnet.
I am living in the overflow
I am surrounded by God’s favor & peace
I have goodness and mercy following me, all the days of my life
I am saved and healed
Can you envision great things for your future? Can you see yourself succeeding? Go ahead smile, victory is in yours today! I know it makes you happy.
But understand there is an adversary and it is his job to excavate the seed of the word before it gets planted in our hearts. Have you had the experience where in one minute, you receive a word from God about greatness, prosperity, resources, wealth and in comes the enemy. He is in business to sidetrack your faith. He wants to convince you that God is not for you! So instead of prosperity–you begin to see extreme lack, instead of an abundance of clarity– darkness and confusion. Instead of walking in power and victory–situations arise that don’t make you feel like you are the head, but the tail.
That my dear is called a Lying Vanity. By definition a lying vanity is an affliction from the devil, sent to distract you that what God said about your life is NOT true. It’s frustrating when the Lying vanity comes against you because instead of you seeing your win, all you see is things getting worst. And so you by very nature it is like a tsunami of doubt, frustration, and alternative facts, designed to kill and uproot God’s seed before it begins to take root. Only seed planted can bring a harvest. What results naturally is that instead of you watering the seed with praises & thanksgiving, your spirit is frustrated and miserable because you’re more focused on the lie.
So when next you see this Lying Vanity reveal its self, take note, dig your heals in and rejoice, that God’s prosperity and restoration is near. Also give the enemy notice, tell him I see your lies and I am not convinced. I reverse your attacks against my prosperity and my family. Get thee behind us!
FATHER’S WEEKLONG CELEBRATION!
Fathers we HONOR you, everyday this week. No one is stronger, no one more influential, no one more capable of protecting our families. We are so blessed by your presence, your leadership, your wisdom, your unique power to lead our homes. Your wives and children respect you! You’re a mighty good man!
My King’s birth week
This week is my King’s birthday. Celebrate this wonderful man with me. He is the most teachable man I’ve ever met. He is selfless. He can fix any thing. Thank you Lord God for this gift to lead our family. May double portion blessings overtake you. May you grow from glory to glory and strength to strength. May you have all your needs met. May peace and abundance flood you like a river. Your family adores you!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!
YOU ARE AMAZING! YOU ARE FAITHFUL! YOU ARE WISE!
MY FATHER’S DAY TRIBUTE TO THE ONE I LOVE
I wrote this to my King in 2011. I still feel the same. He deserves to be celebrated!!!
IF YOU DIDN’T GET YOUR COPY OF MY BOOK… YOU STILL CAN.
AUTOGRAPHED BOOK!!!
MY GOD: More than a belief, An Experience, invites you on a Caribbean journey with a supernatural twist. Through the memories of a girl growing up in Jamaica with a radical grandmother, you will experience an emotional and spiritual encounter like never before. Her story of an unconventional family and the ups and downs of growing up with long distant parents will inspire you to dare to participate in seeking a real divine connection, despite distance from those you love.
Get ready for a roller coaster adventure in the amusement park of island life.
GET YOUR COPY TODAY!
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Thanks for your support!
This blog is a bit longer than usual. Please bear with me, I am taking you somewhere very important. I love this poem check it out.
For me, the most vital relationship in my life is not physical in nature. In fact, it’s a close-knit connection with a spirit. For some people, the idea of “a spirit” may lead them to assume that I am writing about a ghost. Keep on reading you’ll soon find out. This relationship although spiritual in nature is one that I hold near and dear to my heart. It’s a relationship that I cannot live without, the same way air is essential to life.
Do this exercise. Try holding your breath. Keep holding it. If you can, continue to hold it a little while longer. There comes a point in this process, where holding your breath becomes unbearable. Unnatural, it brings discomfort from your chest to your throat. Your mind begins to wonder, “Can I get fresh air now?” The longer you hold it, makes you feel like you’re going to die.
Now, go ahead and take that breath. A real deep breath. Feels good right? Awwww.
Look at this video of people trying to hold their breath. You can see the agony. Like they felt they were going to die without it.
In the same manner, I cannot live without the spiritual connection that I mentioned earlier. For me, living every day without that spiritual breath is like going on a road trip with no gas. You get nowhere. On the other hand, with GPS, a map and gas, no matter how long it takes, you will find your intended destination.
Here’s why. The GPS has all the plans uploaded. For example, last month, I traveled to Jamaica and I got around effortlessly because of google maps. Those maps are global, and they make getting from point A to Z easy.
Yet, navigating life isn’t always crystal clear. Especially when it comes to taking great risks and putting the right pieces of life’s puzzle together. Most of you struggle with things like these:
How to clarify life’s purpose.
How to easily select the right people to include in your life
How to maintain healthy relationships.
How to find complimentary partnerships.
How to lead the next generation by parenting.
How to push yourself to grow during periods of stagnation.
I could go on and on. For me, it’s just too much at stake to leave to chance.
But the good news is, you are not without an ultimate navigator. It is He who has the plan for every single human being on the planet! The same way google maps can plot out directions. However, there’s an added feature. “The voice” guides the driver step by step, to their destination. Whether it’s the path to your divine purpose, or the path to prosperous partnerships, connecting with our Divine Father/GPS, is vital. It is the only way to find the roadmap to a pre-planned life.
Let’s evaluate. After reading the following questions, answer yes or no.
Do you have a close friendship with God?
Are you in tune with Him that your spirit downloads His spirit?
Has he revealed to you a day plan or life plan?
Has your heart become so entwined with His, that you wake up in His embrace?
Are you genuinely truly happy that you catch yourself humming songs?
Do you feel such a deep love for Him that you must express it?
Do you find you simply cannot get enough of Him?
How many of these questions could you say yes to? Four or more means you have an intimate relationship with the spirit of God. Zero means you need Him.
Bottomline, the ultimate question is this, do you have an intimate relationship with the Lord, your creator? Not just a distant belief that you heard from your parents. But one that you personally engage with for yourself.
I can guarantee that when you begin to open the door of your heart to His spirit, it’s like you will gain a 6th sense. The process of engaging in a relationship with Jesus will leave you wondering “Why was I doing life my way without His guidance? Why was I trying alone and existing without this deep true love?”
But before you can tune in to this channel, it is you that must allow Him access. That access can be granted by a simple verbal agreement that is coming up later in the post. When you do, you will experience such a tender love, beyond what any man, woman or child can offer.
For me, His love is tangible, like goosebumps coming up on my skin. It’s a pure love that brings tears to my eyes. Sometimes it’s audible and sometimes it’s understood. In His presence, I’ve felt my knees buckle, that I could no longer stand. My speech and thoughts completely silenced because He visited me. I’ve heard His personal messages and He has given me directions. I’ve seen visions of where He wants me to go and warnings when I should change my usual driving route.
The Lord desperately desires a one-on-one partnership with each of you reading this blog. He loves you so very much. I hope you can stop right here and just embrace that love.
In my latest book, My God: More than a belief, an Experience, I write about experiencing His healing in the midst of hurt. He revealed His spirit to me when I was a little girl. The most memorable encounter I had was when I asked Jesus to show me that He was real. That request had an unexpected result. It made me aware that although I have a physical body, and live in a physical world, that is not all there is to this life. There is also a spiritual side for you to experience, reserved just for the creator and revealed to His chosen.
More than anything else, I pray you seek a deeper relationship with the Lord. I pray for your heart and spirit to be opened to His love. I pray no hurt, brokenness, rejection or disappointment from flawed human beings will block you from accepting His best plan for your life. You deserve love like His. You deserve the best life He has for you. You deserve help. Will you accept it? If so pray this prayer from your heart…
Lord Jesus, I desire real love now. Not the man-made version but please reveal the original love that you have for me. Open my heart, and spirit to receive it. Where I’ve been hardened from exposure to a counterfeit version of love, soften my heart. Where I have sinned and broken your heart, please forgive me. Can we start over Lord? I turn over the control of my life, body, and spirit to you. Come into my heart and bring divine order to the rest of my life. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
If you’re in Georgia and need a church, come on down to Hope & Life. Summer promises lots of activities for family and especially kids.
Happy re-birthday! You have joined my spiritual family. In fact, Angels are now rejoicing over you. The best way to start this new relationship is by reading chapters or watching videos in the Bible App. It will help you to get to know Him and develop your own spiritual appetite.
I can send you daily devotions if you’d like. Sign up here.
If you’re interested in reading my childhood journey to faith, feel free to get a copy of my book here. The book is filled with island memories, stories, some of my favorite scriptures, poetry, and devotionals.
Spiritual Awakening
A warm embrace of spirit to spirit,
Love so deep, it’s never ending
Connection to divine purpose and the greater good
In His presence where I’ll never feel misunderstood.
Complete acceptance, for my God, adores me,
Forgiven for all I’ve done wrong
Starting life anew with His intentional plan.
Complete protection from the evil one.
Brand new faith, new mind, and a new everlasting purpose,
I have a good relationship with my mother now, it wasn’t always that way. Growing up, she was the most loving person I knew. In fact, she expressed lots of love and affection towards me, whenever she was around.
My mother was the breadwinner for our family and what that meant was she traveled from Jamaica to work in America. What that also meant was she came twice per year and spent a few weeks with me. Those times were amazing, we traveled the island, enjoyed the beach, it was magical. But when she left, I suffered from severe breakdowns. Crying for hours on end, because all I wanted was my mommy.
This back and forth was until I became a young adult. By the time I came to live with her in America, I could not understand why she had left me for so long. For the first year living with her, the person I adored, seemed like someone completely different. It was a confusing time for me. My mommy felt like a complete stranger.
So we butt heads, and experienced growing pains, because honestly this was the first time she was not a visitor in my life. I spent many days just fuming, I felt she completely failed me. I was angry. Looking back I truly needed therapy. We both did.
It took a very long time to get to know her. In fact, when my kids were born, I saw the nurturing mama, the present mama emerge, it was part of my healing. Then two years ago when she had a major surgery, I had to take care of her. That’s where the talking began and so did the revelations. I learned about her secrets, her fears, her mistakes and realized the immense level of love and sacrifice that she embodied. In writing my book, I discovered even more and realized things are never as they seem face value. I encourage you to talk, but even more listen to your mom’s journey and try to do it without judgement. It will bring a new perspective to your pain.
My friends whether your mom is in your life or not. Whether you feel she let you down or not. Let us honor that woman. God chose her as the vessel to bring you here.
I honor the one who wears many hats including provider. A British trained nurse, migrant, single, regal and tiny lady. I honor her for her sacrificial love. Join me, as I applaud and celebrate my mom. Do it for yours before you can’t.
And to all the moms, mommies, mama, I honor you! Happy Mothers Day!
Lord for those estranged from their mothers, who cannot even find the path to accepting and loving the woman that brought them here, I pray for a healing of their pain. I ask that you will bring them understanding and reconciliation. Jehovah Rophe mend broken relationships between mothers and their children. Help them both to see and focus on the love, more than the disappointment. We commit your children into your hands in Jesus name Amen.
QUOTE (My God: More than a belief, an experience)
The strength of mind it takes
for a woman to transform herself
when parenting alone is nothing short of a miracle.
The power to assume the role of mother and father …superhuman.
Childhood can expose many people to trauma! Some of it intentional, majority of it is a product of life happening. Things like unexpected absence, adults lost in their own world, or stuck in ignorance, can expose a child to pain and suffering of epic proportions.
Some kids implode, some stutter, some try to find a way to soothe themselves. For me, I faced my own personal trauma and thank goodness, I had a supernatural influence in my life to help pull me out when I imploded. As a teen, I didn’t always listen to my guardian and too often went off the reservation but before all of the rebellion and self searching, my grandma laid a solid foundation of faith.
It is my first days with faith that I explore in my latest book. It is the lessons that I learned to anchor me for today and create a strong spiritual connection. We all must go through pain and suffering at different points in our lives. But if you seek the creator in your space of brokeness, you will find a force waiting to heal that broken inner child. It is the only way you will be able to move forward as an adult, instead of staying stuck.
Come with me on an adventure through the island of Jamaica, where my unconventional family and My God, walked with me and helped me during some of the darkest moments of my childhood. If you have ever doubted that God is real, I give you my practical life experiences of when He personally took the time to Father me.
And if you love traveling but you have never been to Jamaica, you’ll get a tour of some of the landmarks as you immerse yourself in the story. This book will take you there.
Order your copy here
TATTOO SCRIPTURE
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted
PRAYER
Lord so many adults are trapped in brokenness and pain of the past. People close to them have betrayed them and alienated them. And it hurts. Bind up their broken heart. I proclaim liberty from past pain, emotional shipwrecks, and deep devastation. Lord, send your healing power. I command restoration of hearts and minds. Rebuild what has been ruined, for your name sake. In Jesus name.
Hello friends. I am sharing part of chapter three of my new book. I wrote this chapter for those like me, who grew up without a father present in their home. But first watch this video.
3 DIVINE DADDY
What is the role of father?
How can a girl from a fatherless home
know what his role is if he is scarcely a part of her world?
Daddy’s Presence and Presents
In the beginning, he came to visit me but honestly everything before my 10th birthday is very foggy. From that time period, I vaguely remember a really tall man, more than 6 feet tall, exuding confidence. His oval face had two outstanding features, tiny lips, and a prominent nose. Mom called it a pug nose, meaning it was larger than normal, but with his tiny lips, he smiled a lot. He had long arms that would scoop me up and that made me so happy. There is a picture of him looking dotingly at me, as I sat on the top of his light blue Ford Cortina. I had the biggest smile and so did he.Although Kingston was where I was born and raised, my father did not live in the same house with me. In fact, my parents never got married. My dad lived almost 150 kilometers away in the town of Falmouth. Falmouth is the capital of the parish Trelawny. His home was located up a hill facing the sea in the community of Hague. If I went to visit him or he came to visit me, the drive took almost two hours.
It is obvious that as a toddler I loved my papa. I guess all little girls are their daddy’s girl at birth but something happens with the connection when absence comes into play.
My happy memories of him are when he came bearing gifts. He would always bring my favorite treat, a bag of peppered shrimp. I looked forward to eating those yummy hot and spicy snacks. He got them from street vendors who caught the fresh shrimp, seasoned them to perfection with spices and bagged them for sale. They were deliciousness to the 10th power. My mouth waters even now thinking about them.
His visits for me felt like Christmas, it was like Santa Claus was coming to town, his rare presence brought the same level of warm excitement children have at Christmas. This baby girl loved the presence of her papa. As time went on his visits became farther and farther apart. He made promises to visit me but many of those promises ended up as no-shows. The one excuse I remember clearly was in patois.
“Mi cyar nuh fix, mi cyan come.”
Those words shattered my heart into a million tiny pieces. Translated, it meant his car broke down, so he had to cancel the trip. On other occasions, he promised to visit, never showed up and never called. What started as broken promises, for me turned into an “Expectation of Disappointment.”
If you grew up without your Father or know a little girl that did, this book is for you. To continue reading more…
As many of you know, yesterday I released my eBook on Amazon, My God: More than a belief, An Experience. It still feels surreal. But your outpouring of support has had me in tears from 4 this morning. Why?
Well, that’s when I discovered this!
Whoosah! Here comes the tears again. Breathe girl.
So for starters, THANK YOU! How you love me so, it’s bigger than I could imagine. But isn’t that just like God? He always exceeds our expectations.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. (Ephesians 3:20)
Next, thank you grandma for the life lessons that you have passed on to me, so that I can share with my readers. Our story is truly not about us, but all about those we can inspire. Friends, I’d love to introduce you to the star in my crown.
I am blessed today and thankful for you and you and you! Feel free to encourage others to get a copy if you’re so inclined and don’t forget to leave a review. Sending a big hug, back to you.
I have produced documentaries for CNN for more than a decade. Storytelling is in my blood, born in Kingston Jamaica, when I was in high school I devoured Sidney Sheldon’s suspense novels.
It’s not until doing research for this book, I discovered that he was a television writer and producer, just like me, but at fifty years old, he leaned into his passion for storytelling started writing novels. That is what made him famous.
I am following in his footsteps, not for fame but I have a passion for telling stories and it is never too late to start pursuing new dreams. If you are reading this and thinking,
“I am too old. It’s too late. I should be further along in my life.”
Here is some breaking news! That is a limiting belief, press pause on that thought and resurrect those dreams today.
Looking back at my high school years, I could have never imagined becoming a producer for a national American network. Not because I didn’t have a dream, but simply because I was not exposed to that career option in the islands. Growing up in Jamaica the more visible career options were doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, pastors, accountants, business owners, sales reps, bankers, and secretaries. I planned to be a pediatrician.
But that changed when my high school—Merl Grove High, sent me to intern at a start-up TV Station. CVM Television was right next door to my school. That experience turned into a bachelor’s degree in Television and Radio from Brooklyn College when I migrated to the United States. Eventually, my passion led me to produce profiles of Caribbean immigrants living in New York and finally here… CNN, wherein these past few years I have produced more than 300 interviews and b-roll shoots with more than 20 top name correspondents and hosts, from Don Lemon and Dr. Sanjay Gupta to Soledad O’Brien and Jada Pinkett Smith. Great accomplishments that were all divinely orchestrated and I believe the best is yet to come.
But before all of that, starting back on the island of Jamaica where I grew up with my beloved grandmother or as the locals say in patois, “Yuh grow wid yuh granny.” Translated you were raised by your grandmother. My parents were away. Mom overseas and Dad out of touch, although he lived on the island. Two strikes, I was a child of migration, who had an absentee father.
Throughout my childhood, I suffered from abandonment, disappointment, rejection, and brokenness that left me feeling shipwrecked. The question is not if these broken experiences will come, but when?
But my island granny gave me spiritual tools and a road map to find the faith to move forward, after a mental, spiritual and emotional crash!
If you have experienced shipwrecks in your life, and I’ve had quite a few, this book is designed with you in mind. Abandoned, broken and crushed—we all get a taste of this ABC cocktail at some point in our lives.
Through the vehicle of my own childhood with my grandma in Jamaica, I share stories of faith, love, and restoration to help you rebuild the ruins of your life. You will discover the joys and the pains of island life without parents. You will go on a journey to exquisite locations all across the island. You will gain the tools to tap into a supernatural force that will rescue you from the prison of brokenness and life’s darkest hours.
This book is filled with inspiration, memories and a message to help you move forward by completely shifting your paradigm.
When the storms of life have broken you and left you on its shores half dead, you can bounce back and use these experiences to become a better version of yourself.
Isaiah 61 from the Holy Bible is my motivation to share this book with you. It simply states the following:
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD GOD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE THE LORD HAS ANOINTED ME
TO BRING GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO COMFORT THE BROKENHEARTED
AND TO PROCLAIM THAT
CAPTIVES WILL BE RELEASED
AND PRISONERS WILL BE FREED.
Welcome to the journey where God becomes more than a belief… He becomes an all-out experience.
