From Blues to Evangelism: Dr. Mable John - Her story

One Last Call-and-Response Song With Ray Charles
Led to Lead Backup Singer Heeding God’s Call

By Shekini Jennings, MMS News

Beating the tambourine was nothing new to Dr. Mable John. She had done it for years growing up in the Pentecostal church. But something extraordinarily supernatural happened the last day she did it as the lead backup singer for Ray Charles in 1976.

Following Charles’ famous closing call-and-response song, “What I Say” he ended with the line she’d become accustomed to answering for nearly 10 years: “Baby, let’s go home.” She and the other Raelettes would always answer him with a rousing and melodious repeat, “Baby, let’s go home.”

But this night while exiting the stage she heard an audible voice that was louder than the instruments, singing, and cheering crowd. God boomed: “Let’s go home. I have work for you to do.”

“I told the group and they thought I’d lost my mind,” said the 77-year-old Louisiana-native who now lives in California. “They said, ‘We’re all going home, Mable.”

The three months following this pre-Christmas calling from God in the late 1970’s would prove to be among the most difficult of her life. She had been a devoted Christian since childhood, and had sung Gospel and secular music professionally for more than two decades with the support of her equally devoted family.

She’d sung with some of Gospel music’s most famous people, made her mark as Motown’s first female recording artist, and had written more than 52 songs with Ray Charles. But now she had to make a choice to stop everything in order to understand clearly what God wanted her to do with the next phase of her life. Unbeknownst to her at the time it would include pastoring and novel writing. (She is the author of Sanctified Blues and Stay Out of the Kitchen published under Random House)

So, in March she had a tearful meeting with Ray Charles to tell him she could no longer be his lead backup singer and director of the Raelettes. It was difficult to leave the group of women for whom she’d served as a protective second mother. But it was even tougher for her to feel like she was abandoning a man who’d already endured a life of tragedy.

“I didn’t know how (Ray) was going to take it,” John said. “Everyone else he was close to … either died or just left. I didn’t want him to take it as abandonment. But, he took it just as I prayed he would. He supported my ministry until he died.”

While she was relieved to have Charles’ support, the sibling of famous Blues Singer Little Willie John wasn’t sure how she’d be received by others. She wasn’t even sure that she wanted to totally yield to God’s plans.

“I didn’t want to (be a preacher),” said John who owns Fourth House Music and Otis Music Publishing Group and administers 20 other music publishing companies. “I didn’t like preachers because I’d seen too much dirt from preachers who say one thing and do another. And, I was worried that people wouldn’t accept me because I sang the blues. The older people said Blues was the Devil’s music and if you sang it you were going to Hell. But God told me to tell people about Him, not about me.”

So, that’s exactly what she’s been doing since the late 1980s as an ordained minister for Joy in Jesus Church in California with a doctorate in counseling, and through her leadership of Joy Community Outreach to End Homelessness.

She’s also spreading God’s word through another source she never expected: novels. She is co-author of Sanctified Blues and her newest co-publication, Stay Out of the Kitchen, which is loosely based on her life told through the character Albertina Merci.

“I never intended to write a novel,” John said. “I only wanted to do one book to tell my family story. But David Ritz said the way I explained the Bible and handled people he had a vision that I was the spiritual Angela Lansbury of Murder, She Wrote because I solve the mysteries of the heart. So, he wrote the first book and heard from the publisher within six hours when we originally thought it would take six months.”

Three months prior John had baptized Ritz, a Jewish man, in the presence of 70 other Jewish visitors and pop star, singer Janet Jackson.

So, looking back, she doesn’t regret the tough decision she made more than 30 years ago to obey God’s audible voice on stage with Ray Charles. She has also kept the promise she made to her mother during her years singing secular music.

“My mother knew the singing gift (whether Gospel or secular) came from the Lord,” John said. “She just said she prayed I didn’t go into the world or go crazy and to just hold on to the teaching and training she had given me. She knew I knew the Lord. She just didn’t want me to stray from Him. I never did drugs, smoked cigarettes, or drank alcohol even though I was in the midst of everything that was going on. God kept me that way.”

For more info on Dr. Mable John go to www.mablejohn.com

For more info about the book (Stay Out of the Kitchen) or to get the press kit online: go to www.ministrymarketingsolutions.com (press kits)

Dare to DREAM BIG

Life is too short to be too little. Dream big in 2007. Expect more in 2007. The one thing that separates those who make things happen and those who don’t – is action.

Step out of the boat. Leap – and the net will appear! Believe and trust God. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.

Dreams can come true. Nothing is impossible with God. You’ve seen it happen for others. You’ve read their stories. Saw their movies. Heard about those who have gone from “rags to riches.” Think about Fantasia (American Idol winner), Chris Gardener (author of Pursuit of HappYness), and Ken Brown (author of From Welfare to Faring Well). All these folks worked hard and believed God.

What else did they have in common that made their dreams come true? Consistent persistence! Great things happen for people who let their dreams be the springboard for great actions.

It’s a spiritual principle: Faith without works is dead. It’s not enough to have a dream – you have to have a plan and work your plan!

This year dare to chart your course. Reignite your vision and be consistent in your persistence in your pursuit. In 2007, incorporate these 7 steps to get your dreams fulfilled:

1. Commit. Make a decision to follow your dreams that the Lord put in your heart no matter what others say. Know with absolute certainty that you will see the vision come to pass because you’re determined and God showed you. Psalm 37:5

2. Be Prudent. Don’t make decisions before knowing all the facts. Work smart and you won’t have to work hard. Prov. 27:12
Be Prepared. Don’t wait until there is an emergency or a deadline before you get moving on project. Successful people plan ahead. Haste makes waste. Prov. 21:31

3. Be focused. Get clear on what you want and don’t get distracted. If something doesn’t put you closer to your goal, drop it. Clarity is power. Prov. 29:18

4. Be diligent. Finish what you start. Remember the end of thing is better than the beginning. If it worth starting –finish it! Prov. 13:4

5. Be Teachable. Don’t refuse good advice and accept instruction. Get all the help you can. All successful people had mentors and role models. Prov. 13:18

6. Be persistent. Be relentless. Tackle every task that God puts before you and expect a blessing. Quitters never win and winners never quit. Press toward the mark. Prov. 24:10


The number one reason most people don’t achieve their dreams is that they don’t have clarity. There is power in focus and visualizing what you want, confessing what you want and doing what you know to do!

As Teresa Hairston of Gospel Today magazine says, “Make your vision vivid.” Write your vision, make it plain and keep the momentum no matter how hard it gets – with God, all things
are possible.

Pam Perry, www.myspace.com/pamperryprcoach

Official "Born Grown" Site

In Born Grown, ordained minister Mary Edwards tells her personal story of struggle and victory with honesty, compassion, and courage. She speaks of how she missed her childhood due to abuse and teen pregnancy. She chronicles a failed first marriage that paved the way for her successful 21 year marriage to Rev. Eddie Edwards, Founder of Joy of Jesus Ministries and the powerful ministry partnership that helped revitalize communities and bring spiritual deliverance. She goes on to sensitively describe his passing and the inspiration that led her to continue and expand her ministry to families, women, writers, and now specifically to widows.

Most importantly, Mary explains, using the example of her own family, the devastating effect of generational curses-and encourages all who labor under them with hope that they can stop the damaging cycle and begin a tradition of generational blessing.

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
Availailable at God's World - Detroit, MI
Dickson's Bible & Bookstore - Highland Park, MI
Globe Bible Bookstore - Detroit, MI

This dynamic life story is over 200 exciting pages! You may also purchase online at
www.borngrown.com


For more information, call (313) 341-4487
Click for more information & purchase details
Now Playing..."You Are An Heir" by The Tri-City SingersCompliments of: ATLGospel
Meet Minister Mary at one of the following events...
Saturday, June 16, 2007
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Booksigning at The Upper Room
23821 Grand River
Detroit, Michigan
(313) 531-5100



Monday, June 18, 2007
6:00 PM

Booksigning at Greater Grace Temple
Conference Room E/F
23500 West Seven Mile Road
Detroit, Michigan

About the Author
Minister Mary Edwards is probably best known for her community revitalization work alongside of her late husband Rev. Eddie K. Edwards. Together they founded the Joy of Jesus Ministries, which is located on the eastside of Detroit near City Airport. This work earned them the 107th Point of Light Award from former President George W. Bush, Sr.
Minister Edwards was the founding director of Camden House, the family life center of the ministry. As a result of this successful outreach, she was chosen to serve as a consultant to the advisory team in our nation's capital commissioned to study the "Root Cause of Substance Abuse." In 1996, Minister Edwards retired from Joy of Jesus and began new initiatives. These include:
· His Lovely Wife Ministries, a support group for women in spiritual leadership.
· The Called and Ready Writers, a Christian writers guild presently consisting of over 55 active writers.
· Widows With Wisdom, her latest ministry, established to help widows make the adjustment to living alone following the loss of their spouses. WWW is an outreach of His Lovely Wife Ministries.
She is the radio show host of "Widows With Wisdom" heard every Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. over Radio Station WLQV (1500 AM). In addition to these ministries, Minister Edwards is the author of seven books, including her autobiography, Born Grown. A significant testimony from her autobiography appears in the very first "Chicken Soup for the African American Soul book released on September 16, 2004. She is an international author and speaker.
Minister Edwards is the mother of two sons, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. You will often hear her quote the scripture from Prov. 13:22, "A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children; and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." Minister Edwards believes in leaving a legacy behind.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Minister Mary EdwardsP O Box 211018Detroit, MI 48221Email: MinisterMaryEdwards@yahoo.com

Where am I? by Raquel R. Robinson, author

One sunny afternoon my children and I were driving down a familiar road on our way home. Much to my children’s alarm, I slammed on the brakes. Startled they both said, “Mom, what are you doing?” Before I could respond, they along with the other drivers on this four lane road could clearly see why I stopped so abruptly. There was a huge swan stomping and flapping in a frenzy back and forth across the road.

We are accustomed to seeing swans in the lake near our home. There are several man made ponds that they frequent as well. However, I had never seen a swan in the middle of a busy street. I watched this swan feverishly flutter around and disrupt the flow of traffic I imagined he was saying to himself, “Where am I?”

Like that beautiful swan, we often find ourselves out of place and on the wrong path. Sometimes we don’t know that we are out of place. But those around us can clearly see that we have missed our moment of transition, change or even promotion. Usually a swan seems so elegant, graceful and beautiful. However that day, the swan was awkward, a nuisance and in danger. When we remain out of place and on the wrong path we jeopardize all the things we have worked so hard to create in our lives.

It’s Awkward

You know when you have overstayed your time in relationships, partnerships and employment. Something just doesn’t seem to flow the way that it should. During these times, even a very self confident person may begin to second guess their abilities and competence. This may be an opportunity to inventory your skills. If you find them intact, the awkwardness may be a gentle nudge to consider moving to the next level in this area.

You become a nuisance!

When you are out of place, you become a nuisance to other people. People around you try to patiently wait for you to “get it”. But, in the meantime your complacency, apathy, confusion, depression and procrastination (how ever it manifests) becomes annoying. Like a house guest that stays one night too many, people are ready for you to move on with your plans, dreams and vision. It’s frustrating to associate with people who are settling for good enough when living their destiny would improve life for them and the people around them.

It’s Dangerous

When you stay in a place of apathy, complacency and fear, it becomes dangerous. When you fail to get into position you risk missing opportunities. When you stay in a failing relationship, you jeopardize meeting the right person. Being paralyzed by fear will cause you to lose your focus and when you come to your senses, like that swan, you may find yourself out of place and staring into four lanes of oncoming traffic. Sometimes the life and death of your dream all depend on you being where you are supposed to be at the right time.

As I watched the wayward swan and waited for it to cross the road, I noticed how enormous it was. I was shocked to see its’ wing span. Although we were annoyed and frustrated with the jaywalker, everyone stopped to let the bird regroup and pass by. While the swan was out of place, we all slowed to avoid it because of how big and powerful it was. Hitting this bird would have destroyed the front end of most cars. Even out of place, the bird maintained its’ power strength and even beauty. So do you. Ask yourself, “Where am I?” Based on your vision, goals and abilities are you in the right job, relationship, church, business partnerships, organizations, school, etc. If the answer is no, work to regain your focus and develop a strategy to get back on track. We all wander in the wrong direction from time to time. The key is to recognize the wrong turn and quickly make the adjustment. Stop holding up traffic, get out of the road and get headed in the right direction! Your destiny is waiting!


####

Raquel R. Robinson is CEO, Life Strategist and Coach with Making a Change LLC. She is an inspirational speaker and author of Renew, Refocus and Recover! A Road Trip to the Life You Deserve. You can reach her at www.makingachangellc.com.

Building Kingdom Millionaires by Shekini Jennings for MMS Newswire

Catherine Eagan Dedicates Her Life to
Leading Christians to “The Wealthy Place”

Many people in the country are wringing their hands trying to figure out how to survive in the current struggling economy. But, Catherine Eagan is trying to help people become part of God’s thriving supernatural economy.

It’s a revelation that Eagan received in God’s perfect timing as retiring baby boomers are trying to figure out how to manage their wealth, younger people are just beginning to learn about finances, and others are discovering for the first time that retirement is no longer an option.

“In this time, people are going through a lot of different challenges,” said Eagan, a member of Word of Faith Christian Center. “It’s important to have a kingdom objective. We’re getting more in debt. The message of building wealth challenges all of us to build wealth so we can have financial the wherewithal and establish the Kingdom of God whether you’re young or old.”

Eagan is an entrepreneur, ordained minister and a former Vice President and Private Banking Officer, with a 25-year financial background.

She said the foundation for tapping into God’s economy includes giving and receiving, purpose, seedtime and harvest, tithes and offerings, and God’s principles. This opens the door for budgeting, debt elimination, credit repair, insurance planning, investment planning, and estate planning to affectively fall in line with proper instruction that can be found in Eagan’s book, “Dominating Money: Tapping Into God’s Supernatural Economy.”

“From a Biblical standpoint God wants us to provide for our family, our children, and our children’s children,” Eagan said. “There’s a difference between riches and wealth. Riches can come overnight through the lottery, but that doesn’t mean you know how to sustain it. Wealth is for the kingdom of God and … the greater good of humanity and society. Henry Ford wanted to provide a vehicle for people to ride in and came up with the process of mass production. When people meet the needs of others on a mass scale it lends itself to wealth.”

Eagan has been doing this in her own life through a balanced combination of informational clubs, books, and other merchandise and services that she sells, in addition to a 40-city Wealthy Women Seminar Tour and weekly teleseminars that she has offered for free. The tour has blessed more than 3,000 women across the country and the teleseminars draw 100 to 200 participants each week as far away as Canada and the Caribbean. She wants to make sure there is no excuse for Christians to not reach the “wealthy place” where they have successfully learned to dominate in the areas of business and finance.

Other books she has authored with her husband, Dr. J. Victor Eagan, include “How to Discover Your Purpose in 10 Days,” “How to Determine Your Motivational Gift,” and “The Character of Success.”

Eagan’s reason for doing everything she does is so that God’s people realize that wealth is for them, despite their current or past financial situation. Even someone who doesn’t have any money can go from 0 to wealth.

“John Johnson asked his mother to sell her furniture,” Eagan said. “She sold it for $500 and he started Ebony Magazine. John Rockefeller was a high school dropout, but he pursued business. Oprah Winfrey had nothing, but … now she owns Harpo production. God’s raising people who are going to be world changers.”

More life-changing, kingdom-building principles will be disclosed at the Kingdom Millionaire Intensive and Vision Gala in Boca Raton, Florida. For more information, or to register, call (561) 338-0009 or log onto www.catherineeagan.com.

# # #

Christian Fiction & African American book clubs are booming - says Denise Stinson

Denise Stinson, founder, Glory Girls (Walk Worthy Press)
Christian Book Club is Largest in the Country

In less than three years, Glory Girl™ has become the largest African American book club in the country with nearly 2000 members in 40 states as well as Germany – and they only read Christian books!

In the Amplified version of the Bible, Hebrews 12:214 directs Christians to be involved in "noble activities," said founder Minister Denise Stinson. "How noble are trashy movies? How noble is sexually explicit music? How noble is reading books that don’t glorify God?"

"I love to read good books and I had become frustrated that there was not a book club for those of us who wanted be involved with other Christians in fellowship around books that told good stories and lifted up the Name of Jesus. I began thinking about it in 19999 but it was not until 2000 I was given an assignment in bible school to create a church ministry that I really began to concentrate on how it would work."

In November 2001 Glory Girls: Reading Groups for African American Christian Women Who Love God and Like to Read made its debut with a simple purpose:

• To honor the Lord with what we read – and have a good time doing it!
• To provide and atmosphere where readers can seek fellowship with other book lovers while encouraging them in the choices they make in Godly reading materials.
• To offer readers fresh, contemporary, and entertaining yet scripturally sound fiction and nonfiction by talented Christian authors.
• To assist believers and nonbelievers in discovering the relevancy of the Bible in our contemporary, everyday lives.Every other month groups of three to 12 participants (persons of all races as well as men are welcome!), who along with a facilitator, have registered with Glory Girls™ online get together in homes, libraries, bookstores and homes to discuss a chosen book.

There are no membership dues and Glory Girls™ is careful to choose books that can be found in libraries so that anyone who wants to glorify God with what they read can participate.An important part of the Glory Girls ministry are the reading group questions found on the website, www.glorygirlsread.net.

Although each questions is relevant to the story there is also a biblical citation that leads the reader back to the Word of God. The questions, say Stinson, help readers stay focused no on the problem or situation the character is in but on the Word of God."This is ministry," says Stinson.

"We try to make it clear that although we may be considered a book club there is nothing exclusive or "clubbish" about us. We have gotten dozens of emails from women in these groups who joined not knowing anyone else and have been prayed for, spiritually supported and encouraged to find good church homes. Several have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior during a meeting. One group in Atlanta that meets at a restaurant even led their waitress to Christ!"