Editor-in-Chief
Friendship BY SHARON E. LOCKLEAR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The word friend is mentioned 53 times in the King James version of the Bible. In scripture a true friend shows love, no matter what (Proverbs 17:17). A true friend gives heartfelt advice, bringing joy to the heart (Proverbs 27:9). A true friend rebukes when necessary, but the correction is done in love (Proverbs 27: 5-6). A true friend will stay with you even when life is rough (Proverbs 18:24).
summer of 2020, they recognized that they needed support.
With the number of times friend is mentioned, a true friend must be a valued commodity. True friendship is not associated with Facebook or people who are really acquaintances. True friends are a Blessing and are in our lives for purpose. God wants us to have true friends.
The five women used Zoom to meet two times per week to talk and support each other during the COVID Pandemic. They shared their faith, hopes, dreams, challenges and fears. Sharing allowed them to become more genuine and led to transparency. They shared all aspects of their lives, nothing was off limit.
The Pandemic changed our lives in many fundamental ways. The Pandemic tested our friendships, the lack of in-person social connections was a painful and prolonged process. Isolation was difficult for most people. Not engaging with friends face-to-face reportedly permanently damaged and ended some friendships. On the other hand, the Pandemic strengthened some friendships. The Lovely Sisterhood was formed during the Pandemic. The Lovelies is a group of five Christian women who reside in different areas of the United States and were acquainted before the Pandemic. During the
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All were working from home and represented diverse industries: government, tech company, non-profit organization, education and business owner. They shared a love for God and a commitment to each other through a self-help group.
The Lovely Sisterhood agree that their relationship deepened and became a true friendship. The level of trust, understanding and love grew exponentially within the group. There was never ridicule, judgement or condemnation. The acceptance within the group was overwhelming. The women attributed other positive improvements in their lives to the support and love received in their group. True Christian friendship exists and flourishes within the Lovely Sisterhood.
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departments Founder and Editorial Director Verna V. Nickelberry Editor-In-Chief Sharon Locklear Art Director Rushun Wiseman https://creavolutionarts.com Contributing Writers Vanderbilt Brabson Jeanette Chestnut-Chester Paola Tennon Photographers Kimberly Taylor Kendall Elem “Advertise With Us” Please Contact Us At (770) 7670649 O.P. Magazine Mail 2624 Santa Monica Dr, Atlanta Ga, 30318 (770) 767-0649 http://ordinarypeoplemagazine ORDINARY PEOPLE MAGAZINE is a quarterly publication and is distributed in Atlanta, GA, Memphis, TN; Knoxville, TN; Matteson, IL.
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contents JUNE 2022
02 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ON THE COVER 08 12 JUST TO ENCOURAGE YOU IN THE SPOTLIGHT 18 Sharon Elizabeth Locklear
How I Learned to Let My Light Shine
22 GOSPEL MUSIC/ARTISTS Gospel Recording Artist Ellen Hayes
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FOR YOUR HEALTH Proper Nutrition, a Choice for Life
All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without the founder/editor’s consent is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the positions or views of the editor. The publication of any advertisement in the issue does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s products or services by the publication. © 2022 Ordinary People Magazine VeMaShe’ Enterprise LLC
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36 CONSIDER THIS 40 SMALL BUSINESS CORNER 46
MIRACLES AND BLESSINGS Thank You, Mother Part 2
Sticks and Stones
Self Acceptance and Self Esteem Braiding Camp
51 INSPIRATIONAL WORDS FROM WITHIN... 53 Verna V. Nickelberry
18 08 26
36 40
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In The Spotlight
HOW I LEARNED TO
LET MY LIGHT SHINE BY CAROL NEAL “I don’t ever want to do THAT again!” That’s what I said after my first networking event. I had been to a lot of specific industry events for my employer where I felt comfortable because they had format and structure, but the first time I did open networking was to help a friend. He was a financial consultant, and asked if I’d help him by manning a goldfish bowl to collect cards at an open networking event while he “worked the room”. It was held at a large, noisy bar with about 200 people squeezed into a space meant to hold 50, with everyone trying to talk “at” each other and push their cards on as many people as possible. I was young and totally out of my depth and I absolutely hated it. I’ve always been an introvert, and I decided right then that if THAT was networking, networking was not for me. Fast forward a few years and I had started a side business with PartyLite candles and décor.
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I’d started it not so much to make money, but because I LOVED the products so much and my distributor said I should join the company to get lots of free product. My co-workers, friends, neighbors and family had been very supportive, but there are only so many parties a person can host…and I soon knew that I had to expand my client and hostess base. In 2008 I saw a flyer about a Joy of Connecting meeting posted on the board in my local Curves. That was the same Curves where a few months later I would meet Tracee Randall, who would become my business partner in many ventures and my sister-in-spirit. The flyer said the meeting was for women only AND it had a structured format, including dinner, so I felt it wouldn’t be as traumatic as the bar experience a few years prior. I was still nervous about preparing a 3 minute presentation. I remember I practiced and
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practiced before the meeting showing one piece that could be used several ways, and I was delighted when the presentation was a hit! The leaders and other guests were supportive and welcoming, and put everyone at ease right away. I went home that night and knew right then that hosting that type of meeting, where women were made to feel COMFORTABLE and building relationships was easy, was something I wanted to do. I met the Founder, Bonnie Ross-Parker, and told her I was interested. I couldn’t become a Leader right away because Joy of Connecting licenses were assigned by territory, so I spent the next two years on a waiting list, visiting other JOC locations, meeting more and more great women, and watching and learning from the JOC Leaders. When Susan Hendrix stepped down in my neighborhood I immediately stepped up and launched JOC Alpharetta/Milton on June 28, 2010! As a Leader I had access to incredible coaching and mentoring from Bonnie and received a whole inventory of excellent training materials, plus I now had the support and coaching of my sister Leaders. My first year as a Leader I placed first in the nation in the direct sales company I was in at that time, earning a sizeable commission and a special luncheon at conference with the company founders, as a direct result of leads generated from hosting my own JOC meetings. I continued to lead for a couple years on my own, then Susan came back and joined me as co-Leader. We had four great years together and then I was joined by Joanne Mahoney for two years and then Sarah Shapiro for two years and now I’m co-leading with Amanda Johnson…I have been blessed to partner with such fantastic, talented women who also became great friends! And I continued to learn more and grow more as a leader from working with every one of them. Along the way Tracee Randall and I also became great friends and partners in several other direct sales businesses, and I really got introduced to network marketing, in all the right ways. In addition to Bonnie I was now learning from other giants in the industry. In 2015 Tracee and I launched Atlanta Business Spotlight, publishing
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3 book collaborations, coaching entrepreneurs individually and through workshops, and putting on event after event for all sorts of causes and industries. If we could dream it, we did it! The majority of our clientele and event participants were the women of Joy of Connecting, which by then had become Xperience Connections when Bonnie rebranded it in 2013. The format however remained the same…women coming together over a meal to network and build relationships in a safe, comfortable atmosphere, with each participant getting a roster of the attendees and 3 minutes to share. In 2016 I had a secret dream fulfilled when I became the Xperience Connections CEO (which I call Chief Empowerment Officer) when Bonnie Ross-Parker took a step back and Tracee and I took over XC as a subsidiary of Atlanta Business Spotlight. Tracee became our CMO (Chief Motivation Officer) and it continues to be a perfect partnership. We were honored at the trust Bonnie placed in us when she asked us to take over her legacy, and we have kept the same basic format that Bonnie created, although we have added virtual meeting options during the last two years due to the pandemic. My mantra has always been “Let Your Light Shine”, and XC has allowed me to do just that. I have learned so much along the way, made so many great friends, worked with a fabulous XC Leadership team, created wonderful memories, found out about and used amazing products and services, and been extremely blessed to be part of such an inspiring sisterhood! I can even credit my current day job to a connection made through XC, and because of XC I was named the Atlanta Business Woman of the Year at the Woman on Fire Awards in 2016! Hopefully I have been able to pay it forward and promote, inspire and empower many others along the way. And it all started from stepping outside my comfort zone and calling a number on a flyer on a bulletin board. I thank Verna Nickleberry for the opportunity to share my journey here and hope it will inspire others who aren’t sure about networking. Verna too was an XC leader for several years! I encourage any woman who is interested in
expanding her business and meeting some amazing women to take these first steps: 1. *Join our Xperience Connections Open group on Facebook at www.tinyurl.com/ XCOpenGroup. 2. *Check out our website at www. XperienceConnections.com. 3. *List yourself in the free online directory under “Connect” and find a meeting in person or online that you can attend under “Calendar” or “Locations”,
expand to other areas where women need an opportunity to experience the difference of relationship-based networking. Bonnie Ross-Parker started us all on this journey in 2002, and we will celebrated Xc’s 20th Anniversary on August 20th 2022! Please consider ordering the recording of the three powerful speakers and the amazing workshops by contacting me at the number or email below. Carol Neal 678-457-1557 carol@xperienceconnections.com
4. *And if you’re interested in finding out more, fill out the no-obligation application at the bottom of the “Lead” page and let’s have a conversation about what becoming an XC Leader can mean for you and your business. We currently have locations in Florida and Georgia and would love to
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