Voices Of Praise Magazine

JANUARY 2015 ISSUE 1

LINKEDIN TO 2015 CAREERS HOW TO SHED THOSE UNWANTED HOLIDAY POUNDS Pg. 8

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TOp New albums of 2015 GAME CHANGERS Interview with

the Pink Divas

J WINDSOR DETERMINED IN 2015

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Happy 2015 Voices Of Praise Magazine family and welcome to our new publication with you the reader in mind. We are a Christian Entertainment and lifestyle magazine with a focus on ourcommunities. In 2011 Voices Of Praise Magazine was just a dream, and over the years we have grown in industry and notariety.We are a disabled veteran owned company with the heart to get our heroes back to work. With that as our one of our core fundamental principles we have established our family of companies; Eclectic Sound Music Group ,ESMG The Sound ,Thomas Media Group and Mike Thomas Photography.

And with your help later in the year we will be bringing online the M.E.D.I.A National Foundation a Christian academy that focuses on developing our young generation into media giants. We are building a family of companies that will get your love ones back to work and help them to reintegrate successfully. So Join us as we give you the most up to date industry news and lifestyle events. As we enter into 2015 we are looking to expand our brand to airports and book stores across the nation. This requires us as a company integreity and heart we want you to be amazed at what you read, inspired by our content, and informed about thing going on in yout community.

We value you the reader and want to welcome you to the Voices Of Praise family Subscribers to Voices Of Praise Magazine have exclusive online access to many of our most influential columns and content, The Ohio Valley Region In addition to other areas of the nation reading our columns and editorial content have the ability to choose their own track of reading.

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Michael A. Thomas CEO / Editor In Chief

Voices Of Praise Magazine subscribers can also engage with our columnists through video interviews and Web-only postings.

We have advertising packages for the small buisness up to the Corporate entity and we will work with your budget We thanks you for taking a look at our begingings and going with us to our future. Once again Happy New Year...Be Blessed

Downtown Columbus Photo submission by Michael Thomas of www.mikethomasphoto.com

hat t t r a e . h r r a u e o y y e n h o in lpth Waldo Emerson y a d Write it t s Ra be e h t s i y every da

Photo Provided by: Bill Mershon As I Wonder Photography http://asiwander.zenfolio.com/ 6 www.vopraisemag.com

New Year New Hope New You!

By Audrey Davis

Job 14:7-9 NLT [7] “Even a tree has more hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches. [8] Though its roots have grown old in the earth and its stump decays, [9] at the scent of water it will bud and sprout again like a new seedling.

Ever give thought to the things in your life that you once had such great hope in but somehow along your journey they just seem to have “grown old” and even began to “decay”? You know, like the dream you once had which was faced with more challenging obstacles than the Hebrews parked at the Red Sea’s coast line. Or how about that prayer for healing that you prayed yet you never seen it fulfilled? I believe we can all identify with an area of our lives which we seem to have lost hope in. We lose hope that an avenue would ever present itself leading to our life’s dream.

We’ve lost hope in family members who make promises and can’t keep them; a spouse who says they’ll “change” but is more talk than walk; a promotion we’re positioned to get but watch it get handed to the next guy and we’ve even lost hope in a debt free future yet we feel the pains of poverty year after year. So what if it were possible to reverse the “aging process” or “decaying” of our hope?! What if all it took to bring “it” back was one tiny drop of water? What if all we needed to refuel our hope was a new mind?

A new perspective can change our perception. This is not a new concept to consider either! Job’s understanding of the hope in God is unfolded all throughout the 42 chapters of his book. He realized that it wasn’t in his ability to gain

his obvious success counted in the 11,000 animals he owned, or his 10 children, or his many servants or even being the richest in all the land! When it came down to it, once he was stripped of everything down to his very core, he knew it was only his hope in God that was going to take him through his many trials and arrive at peace. Job states that “having hope will give you courage.

You will be protected and will rest in safety” (Job 11:18). There is something about having hope when there seems to be nothing left.

So where does this hope come from and how do we obtain it?

Paul tells us that “God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:3). As one who says they have accepted Christ as the leading source of their life, it would be completely contrary to say that Jesus is all that and not possess hope. Hope is greater than any extraordinary gift we could ever receive or ask God for. It is essential for the believer to have hope at all times!! 1 Corinthians 13:13 says that “three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.” In this reference, faith is what helps us believe in what we can not see but hope refers to a future time of believing something

will come into fruition (Rom 8:24-25).Having hope in God rather than in things or people or promotions or a debt free future will always leave us empty, frustrated, confused and broken. Misplaced hope can leave someone so stuck in an endless season and cycle of unbelief, despair and hatred that they never recover from it. The children of Israel lost hope in God and found themselves wandering in the wilderness for forty years until the faithless and hopeless generation died off. Hope produces the moral fruits of joyful confidence in God! Romans 8:28 says that “we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

It is our hope in God that He will open doors to our dreams that no man can shut and shut doors that no man can open. It is our hope in God that He will touch the heart of our spouse which will have a lasting and permanent effect on our lives. It is our hope in Christ that either grants us the promotion or blocks it for a better or greater blessing. Hope in Christ, the living water, is our source of strength and courage that when applied to the lifeless and dry areas of our lives will bring forth new fruit, new life, a new mind and a new you!! Where will you chose to place your hope?

Voices Of Praise Magazine 7

LIFESTYLE

Shed Those

Holiday Pounds

WITH MICHAEL ALTMAN

help – I did it again. DeW spite telling myself that this year would be different.

Despite telling myself that I was only going to have one slice of pie at thanksgiving dinner or just a single serving of mashed potatoes and gravy…and stuffing…and green bean casserole to go with that Christmas ham. It seems like it’s the same thing year after year and honestly I think I’m ok with it. In reality adding a few pounds around the holidays isn’t really that big of a deal because it’s kind of a tradition to overeat some amazing food and then feel guilty about it. What I really love is how the guilt of Thanksgiving has worn off by the time Christmas comes around and then the guilt cycle starts all over again but this time with added sweets and egg nog to add to the mix. If I had to estimate, which is what I’ll do, I would say that my average holiday meal is in the area of 20003000 calories. Multiply that by at least 2 meals (lets be honest, leftovers are the best part of Thanksgiving dinner) and 8 www.vopraisemag.com

at least 2 days and suddenly you’re looking at upwards of 12,000 calories just over a couple of days. For reference, a pound of weight is equal to around 3500 calories so you’re easily looking at almost 4 pounds of weight gain just from a couple of meals. Now add on the extra drinks, water retention from the sodium, and continual “snacking” and it’s pretty easy to see how you’ve gotten to where you said you wouldn’t this year.

Never fear however; there are some quick and simple ways to start getting your beach body ready.

Water – You need to drink it, and plenty of it. The excessive sodium in most processed foods along with the extra flavor added to the wonderful holiday foods means that your body has most likely gained significant weight in the form of water retention. It’s possible to gain more than 10 pounds of weight just in water.

If you’ve ever heard the term “water weight” this is what it’s referencing. Athletes and fighters use this to their advantage in order to get to a low weight on the scales without sacrificing the extra muscle that helps them perform.

Luckily for you, one of the best ways to shed this weight is to drink more water. It sounds counterintuitive but the science behind it is pretty basic. You flush out excess sodium that’s holding onto the extra water and since your body recognizes that it’s getting fresh water it doesn’t feel the need to hold on to the extra. Additionally, water has zero calories but helps keep your body from getting as hungry. In essence it takes up space in your belly to help you feel full and keep from binge eating. You can also tell everyone that you’re using an organic, gluten free, and calorie free “snack” to help you lose weight.

Exercise – You need to do it, but probably not to the level that you expect if you’re just looking to trim back a few pounds. Like I mentioned earlier, a pound of weight is equal to around 3500 calories. You burn somewhere between 2500 and 4000 calories per day just by being alive. Your body has to have energy to function, including your organs and even your brain. Sheer existence burns calories so you already have a head start. A 30 minute walk can burn an extra 100-150 calories and an intense workout can get you an extra 800-1200 calories burned in a day. Now add those burned calories to your daily expenditure and you can see that those extra pounds you’ve added can start to melt off pretty easily over just a couple of weeks just by adding some simple movement to your day. If you can’t find those 30 minutes for a walk, take more walks for a shorter duration. Take the stairs, not just once but every time. Park farther away from the entrance to work, or

the store, or the doctor’s office…wherever you go make yourself move a little more than you normally would.

Food – You need to eat it. Over the past couple of months you’ve put a lot of carbohydrates into your body. Carbohydrates are a good thing!

They give your body the energy it needs to move and function. Think of carbs like the wick of a candle and fat as the wax. You need the carbs to burn the fat. Unfortunately too much of anything is bad and this includes carbs.

When your body has excess carbs it stores them for future use by converting them to sugar. The sugar is then converted to the most significant power supply the body knows and we call this fat. Fat is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to energy production, which is why your body likes to store it and use it as a last resort for survival in a starving situation. What our body doesn’t realize is that we don’t need all that energy in the world we live in

today. We aren’t hunting and gathering anymore, we’re going to the store to buy nicely packaged meat and as a result our body doesn’t need to burn that fat…so it stores it. Cut back on your carbs and sodium intake and your body won’t keep trying to store that extra energy…it’ll have to actually use the energy stores you have and that’ll equate to fat loss. Carbs can get confusing when you start calculating in fiber so keep it simple. Stick to the outside isles of the grocery store and it’s tough to go wrong.

The easiest way to keep from adding those extra holiday pounds is to not eat as much holiday food but let’s be honest with ourselves and just admit that isn’t going to happen. Having some tools in your belt to deal with the weight you gain is the key to your success in dropping those extra pounds. Take these tips into 2015 with you and be ready for next year’s battle of the bulge!

“The easiest way to keep from adding those extra holiday pounds is to not eat as much holiday food but let’s be honest with ourselves and just admit that isn’t going to happen”

Voices Of Praise Magazine 9

J Windsor

Living Determined in 2015 Voices of Praise Magazine sits down with none other than J Windsor of Eclectic Sound Music Group.

This artist is amazing when it comes to praise and worship he leaves his heart and testimony at the alter.

stylus magazine 11

I WILL RUN Hailing from Atlanta Georgia, Reginald “ J. Windsor” Jackson’s musical journey has taken his fans to deeper worship and pure praise. Cultivating and honing his talents, he has had the honour of singing behind the great Byran Cage and has toured overseas. Recently he signed to Eclectic Sound Music Group of Columbus Ohio in which he was able to release his first single “I WIll Run” Come with us as we talk with J. Windsor about his path to Determined.

VOP: Who are you and where are you from?

J.W: I’m a Husband, Father, Songwriter and Producer. I was born in Jacksonville, Florida.

Raised in a loving military family, who like most went to church every day of the week. Still trying to figure out why we did that.

VOP: Why do you do what you do?

VOP: Who is your favorite Gospel Artist of all time and how did that person shape your ministry view?

J.W: I do what I do because it’s my life. Music is an universal langauage that is understood by many. Singing is a form of communication that touches the very heart of every person

J.W: My favortie Gospel Artist of All time is Pastor John P. Kee. Pastor Kee’s passion and drive to do “real ministry” has impacted many lives. The ministry of Pastor shaped my view of understanding that ministry is completely about being a servant to the people of God

VOP: What’s integral to the work of an artist?

VOP:Describe a real-life situation that inspired you?

J.W: Committment to your craft. Work hard to develop and enhance your instrument, your brand and team. Understanding that longevity isn’t given it’s earned.

J.W: My father and I were in a horrible accident when I was a a junior in high school. A lady ran a stop sign and hit us head on.

The accident crushed several of my father’s ribs, broke his jaw bone and damaged several other areas. Fast forward several years were both alive and well. This life changing event encouraged me to draw closer to God like never before thus the inception of Determined.

VOP: Tell us about your most recent Launch of I Will Run and how that process went with Eclectic Sound Music Group…

J.W: I Will Run is a passionate worship song that talks about the need of God in our lives. As a new artist with Electic Sound Music Group, the production of this record was great. We had a few minor setbacks however, as stated before we stayed committed to the process of delivering quality music.

VOP: What’s your strongest memory of your childhood as it pertains to music?

J.W: My strongest memory as a child as it pertains to music, was receiveing my first keyboard 12 www.vopraisemag.com

at the age of five. It was a Casio. I carryed this instrument everywhere I went literally to church, bathroom and even bed at times.

VOP: Why music ministry?

J.W: I grew up listening to all styles of music from pop/rock, heavy metal, r&b, blues and Christian/Gospel. I attempted to sing other styles of music which actually worked for me temporarily. Once, I dedicated my life to God my desire changed to only sing Christian/ Gospel.

This is not to condemn those who have chosen to sing other genres of music. I believe other styles of music may reach many, however I also believe the biggest impact

INTERVIEW Q&A

DETERMINED

J WINDSOR

J.W: The best advice that I’ve ever been is from my dad. “never start something you can’t complete”. Stay Determined !

VOP: Professionally, what’s your goal? in changing a persons life comes from the word of God. This same impact carries over into Christian/Gospel music that aligns itself with what God has said. No other music genre speaks to the foundation of human existence except for Christian/ Gospel in my opinion. You asked, why music ministry...It’s my calling VOP: What do you dislike about new artist climb?

J.W: Broken promises. Indie artist seek professional guidance and sometimes have seasoned artist provide vain words and actions.

I admonish other indie artist to stay committed to the calling on their lives. Stay focused and Determined VOP: Tell us about your freshmen project entitled “Determined”.

J.W: Determined is musical journey of my life. It will highlight the journey through scripture based songs that will speak to the very heart of the listener. Determined is not just an album,it is the requirement for those who seek the face of God consistently.

VOP:Name three artists you are regularly compared to and why?

J.W: Three artist that I’ve been compared to are Jason Nelson, Fred Hammond and Byron Cage.

The worship stlye of theses artist reach the very heart of God and in return they deliver powerful anointed music for the masses.

VOP: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

J.W: My personal goal is to reach the masses of anointed Christian music. Along with completion of my first book, stage play productions, clothing line and record label.

VOP: Is there anything else you want to say to our readers the floor is yours..

J.M: I would like to invite your readers to connect with me at www. iamjwindsor.com also follow us on social media via Facebook: J. Windsor, Istagram: iamjwindsor and Twitter: IAMJWindsor We at Voices Of Praise Magazine were blessed to sit down with this blessed man God and artist and we look forward to the Determined project. Till next month Stay faithful and continue to lift God up...

Voices Of Praise Magazine 13

Watch Night 2014 First Church Of God Columbus Ohio One night of powerful ministry to bring in the new year.

Photography Credits: Mike Thomas Photo,Columbus Ohio website: http://www.mikethomasphoto.com/

10 TIPS FOR BETTER ByPHOTOS Maykell Aracia

Have you ever seen a photo on the internet or in a magazine that leaves you in awe? Did it make you wonder how someone was able to capture such moment? Here are the steps it takes to achieve a breathtaking image.

When I say breathtaking image, some of your minds may go to the NatGeo photographers that travel around to give us a taste of the pure beauty of nature – a sunset over the Great Wall of China or the majesty displayed by a snow leopard proudly standing atop a rock in the vast mountain range in Central Asia.

Maybe what comes to mind is a portrait of a loved one or a celebrity that looks so amazing it’s surreal. Regardless of what kind of photo you are trying to achieve, the steps are the same. They are not the best kept secret among photographers; you just need to know where to look and who to ask.

Step #1 – Composition None of the photos you see in magazines, galleries and professional photography portfolios are snapshots. Each and every one of those photos have been carefully framed and positioned to be pleasing to the human eye. Composition is what some people call “the eye” for photography. If you don’t know how to use the manual settings of your camera but you have good composition, you can still become a great photographer. You can learn settings, but the eye is something you have or you have to develop on your own over time.

Step #2 – Learn your camera You can have thousands of dollars’ worth of gear, but if you don’t know how to use it that Gear becomes as good as the cheapest camera there is.

Don’t forget the Camera is just the tool; you take the photo not the camera.

This photo was taken with the iPhone 4

ipone photo

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Step #3 – Learn how light behaves An image main component is light, without it there wouldn’t be a photo. So learn how light behaves simply by observing the world around you, and seeing how light changes when is shined through objects or into surfaces.

Step #4 – Seek inspiration Learn from professional photographers online or from photo books. Shape your style and figure out what kind of photographer you want to be.

Remember when God said to Job “Just ask the animals, and they will teach you.

Ask and they will tell you.”

Seek inspiration in God’s creation. the bird of the sky, and they will tell you.” Seek inspiration in God’s creation.

Step #5 – Learn post processing Picassa and Gimp won’t do. Learn how to work with software like Photoshop and Lightroom to give your photos the pop you are looking to achieve. It is common to feel like “you want to be a purist and don’t want to edit any of the photos” – well then unless you find the perfect model, or the perfect landscape your photos will be subpar.

I am not saying that not editing your photos is a bad thing, I am just saying that knowing how to do it can open many doors of opportunities for your photography.

Step #6 – Planning Plan your shot! Visualize what you want to achieve.

Take pencil and paper and draw it! Know the photo before you take it. Great photographers go out to capture one “great image” not a bunch of “alright” ones.

Step #7 – Count the cost Jesus said in Luke 14:28 (NLT): “Don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it.”While you may not need to count the money you need to achieve your breathtaking photo, think of the time, energy, production and postproduction you will need to spend to make you image pop!

NatGeo photographers find themselves in this predicament daily as they have to venture into hostile territories and treacherous terrains to get “the shot.”

They may only have one chance to get it.

Step #8 – Make it, don’t take it! Make your photo, don’t just take it. Spend the time working on the details, working with your model, working on composition, working with your

equipment, observing the light and how it affects your image. Make it count.

Step #9 – Push the trigger Take the photo, take it again and review it. Adjust; take it again and again and again until your vision is complete.

Step #10 – Try again “Try, try again.” Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t give up. One of the things that fascinates me the most about God is His creativity. We were made in his image, and He gave us many of his skills and traits. I like to think that his creativity is one of the traits he gave us, and that is why mankind creates!

Voices Of Praise Magazine 17

Pink Divas Pink Divas, Inc. is a non-profit organization focused on young ladies between the ages of 5-18. The organization was founded in 2013 by Saecilia Jackson with a mission of “Catering to the growth of young women through mentorship and education of social and civic needs within our community”. Our goal is to provide an everlasting group of support for young women and build upon their self-esteem and self-awareness. Through personal and professional endeavors, Saecilia Jackson has been able to go into local community schools and speak with young girls on self-esteem and self-awareness and wants to continue to

INTERVIEW Q&A mentor others not only locally in the metro Atlanta area, but nationally. Pink Divas is vital to growth of young girls within the community because of the external obstacles and environmental factors such as peer pressure that many young girls face. Pink Pink Divas is beneficial for our young girls because it will provide an outlet for discussion to increase awareness on negative issues facing our young girls and provide a positive outlet for them to succeed. For more information, please go to www. pink-divas.org We look forward to partnering with you soon.

1.

How does your organization help Young Ladies? By building self-esteem and selfawareness and educating them on the issues facing the urban community which includes sexual identity and control, education, health initiatives, and moral concerns.

2.

What does your organization do in the community? Workshops geared towards young ladies and young men focused on mentorship such as Upward Bound programs, volunteerism in groups such as Hands On Atlanta and Operation Literacy, Big sister/little sister programs, field trips to educational facilities 3.

Who were the most influential people in your life growing up? parents and one particular career counselor at my high school, along with members of my sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha 4.

How can our readers help your organization grow? Sign up to volunteer and also continue to go to the pink divas site to stay abreast of any events 18 www.vopraisemag.com

5.

What are some events you have coming up and how can anyone reach you to volunteer time? Pink Divas will be having an official launch celebration in spring/early summer, please go to www.pink-divas.org to sign up 6.

What is your need as an organization? Any donations (monetarily or non monetarily) are truly appreciated as this is a non profit 7.

Is there a specific story you can recall of your organization’s doings that you would like to share? This is still a new organization that is continuing to do many upcoming things in the future.

8.

If you could speak to your community what would you say to them? We are all put on this Earth for a reason, find your voice and create your own path to hopefully leave a legacy of positive activism 9.

What can we expect in 2015? Networking with other organizations and more events planned directly by Pink Divas.

Be Shure You Get the Best

Headphones in 2015 With Michael Thomas It might seem a little ridiculous, but quality headphones are extremely important for pretty much any application now. This is more true when you consider that pretty much every mobile device has the capacity to fit your favorite songs or audiobooks, so you could listen to whatever you want, wherever you want. But you understand that there is a lot of variety when you’re choosing a model of earphones that really meet your specific needs and wants.

It’s not just going to take any earphone model to make you happy, no- you want the absolute best you can find without breaking the bank. We understand you’re not worried about spending a little money, but we’re convinced we can find you the best deal anywhere, and we promise you’re not going to be picking up a shoddy, poorly made product that won’t last.

The Shure SE215 is a great contender for the best earphones of 2015 because they’re priced 50% under list price, and they’ve got all the features you need to make your listening experience as enjoyable as possible, with sound isolation and single dynamic micro-drivers, and whole bunch of other features that will make them some of the best earphones you’ve ever owned- perfect for travel.

Shure SE215 Features: -Completely Detachable cable to completely clean the earpieces -Sound Isolation means that outside noise won’t interfere with your sound experience no 20 www.vopraisemag.com

matter what you’re doing- if you’re on the stage or on the go -Ultra light weight, very low profile shape, and optimized to fit perfectly in your ear, unlike models that are straight or simply feature a large padded ear piece- the Shure fits comfortably and securely in your ear -Comes with soft and flexible sleeves to put on the earphones to contour to your ears no matter if you’ve got awkward ears or not.

-Fit Kit includes three sizes of sleeves to fit any ear and give you the best seam.

-Provide protection against 37 dB of ambient noise- or about a third of the sound created with an airplane takes off.

-Detachable cable is made from Kevlar -Gold Plated Connector and designed to keep the wire securely placed over the ear You’ll never need another pair of earphones ever again, and you’ll never miss another lyric or line of your book with the Shure noise reduction earphones. These earphones are highly specialized to fit many various needs- truly for those on stage, those in positions where sound quality and being able to distinguish sounds is more important. Plus, when you get the perfect cushions, you’ll rea-

lly notice exactly how good these particular earphones really are- crisp sound, deep base and surround sound you’ll love- with even better quality than brands like Skull Candy or Beats at half the price.

Negatives of the Shure Noise Cancellation The only problem we see with these headphones is that they might block out too much sound and be slightly unsafe, or create pressure on your ears, so you might want to remove them every thirty minutes and allow your ear to depressurize. They also fit around your ear to give you the best support, but for some, they think it looks slightly silly.

Get the best you can get- be sure when you decide to by a Shure product- we guarantee you’ll get the absolute best quality speakers at a discount price, with unbelievable sound quality. Have a little faith, take the leap, and invest in quality headphones for you or your family, and the next time you need them and you get to enjoy how awesome and high quality they are, you’ll be glad you bought them. Now, if only there was a way to help you remember them the next time you need them.

DENNIS CABANTING, WOUNDED VETERAN

HE LEFT TO DEFEND FREEDOM. NOW HE’S FIGHTING FOR INDEPENDENCE. Wounded Warrior Project® long-term support programs provide these brave men and women whatever they need to continue their fight for independence. At no cost. For life.

Help us help more of these warriors in their new life-long battle. Find out what you can do at findWWP.org. ©2015 WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Voices Of Praise Magazine 21

TOP eight 2015 Gospel Music Albums The amazing, soulful genre of Gospel music is a must for any music collection. The following albums are several music gurus’ opinion’s on which Gospel albums will be successful this year. Most albums here are slated for release in 2015. A couple of albums were released in late 2014, but are also believed to be very popular in 2015.

1. Misty Edwards – Little Bird: Misty Edwards has just released her fourth studio album with Little Bird, Forerunner music is the official label and Little Bird is available now, having been released on the 30th December 2014. erat lacinia sapien volutpat a convallis ipsum rutrum. Nam et pellentesque velit.

Vestibulum ac venenatis nisl. Sed non augue odio. Ut bibendum lorem at sem venenatis euismod.

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2.Various Artists – Now/Next 2015 – released on the 6th January 2015. This collection features the most popular songs being sung in the Church at the moment and songs that are going to be powerful in the world of worship songs.

3. Jason Nelson – Jesus Revealed was released on 20th January 2015.

Jason has been on the Gospel music scene since 2005 and he had an instant impact on gospel fans and worshippers alike. In July, Jason released a single which was planned for this album; Jesus Revealed. “I Am” is a powerful song that is about his new vocation as a bishop and his wonderful vocals.

4 Fred Hammond – I Will Trust – is a twelve track album about faith and victory. Hammond recently went through a painful surgery and a long road back, he has much to share via his music. I Will Trust is available now and was released on the 17th November 2014.

Voices Of Praise Magazine 23

TOP eight 2015 Gospel Music Albums Now you have eight great albums to go out and get in the next few weeks, some are available now and the others will be released soon. The other good news is there are many more Gospel albums on the way, no reviews are available for them yet.

5 L. Spenser Smith – Unstoppable –It has been atime between albums for Spenser Smith and Unstoppable is his highly anticipated album that has been in the works for eight years. It was released on the 14th October 2014 and is available now.

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6. J. Windsor – I Will Run – released on the 22nd of December 2014. This song is an is the production of the new Eclectic Sound Music Group out of Columbus, Ohio. Amazing praise and worship will take you into the inner courts. This album should be a part of your musical collection. Though not an album with this as his presentation to industy his album in the first quarter of 2015 is something we are looking out for.

7. Various Artists - Billboard #1 Gospel Hits – A decade’s worth of Billboard Chart Topping Gospel Songs.

It will be released as a double CD and contains various artists. Release date 13th January 2015. Features: Fred Hammond, Donald Lawrence, Tamela Mann, William McDowell, and many more. With ten years of Gospel hits it is predicted to do very well.

8. Michelle Williams – Journey to Freedom is available now and was released on the 9th September 2014. Michelle’s vocal ability is what makes this album a must have.

Some of the tracks feature Beyonce and Kelly Rowland.

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JASON EHRHART, WOUNDED VETERAN

BECAUSE THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE TO SACRIFICE ANY MORE. Wounded Warrior Project® long-term support programs provide these brave men and women whatever they need to continue their fight for independence. At no cost. For life.

Help us help more of these warriors in their new life-long battle. Find out what you can do at findWWP.org. ©2015 WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

4 Mistakes to Avoid When Using LinkedIn

By Jillian Frost

LinkedIn is a very powerful networking community of professionals. It’s a lot easier to screw up on LinkedIn than on Facebook or Twitter where sharing your child’s potty habits seems to be the norm. LinkedIn though, is not like that. It’s a place to share professional updates and information about your industry, it is not a place to debate politics, or discuss your hangover. With that aside lets go over four mistakes to avoid using LinkedIn.com.

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LinkedIn is a very powerful networking community of professionals. It’s a lot easier to screw up on LinkedIn than on Facebook or Twitter where sharing your child’s potty habits seems to be the norm.

LinkedIn though, is not like that. It’s a place to share professional updates and information about your industry, it is not a place to debate politics, or discuss your hangover. With that aside lets go over four mistakes to avoid using LinkedIn.com.

1. Please Do Not Use a Fake Name LinkedIn.com is a repository for your professional life. The worst thing you can do is try to be anonymous. I know there is a lot of concern about people getting private information about you off the Internet but this is not the time to worry about that. On LinkedIn.com being found is the name of the game. If you do not use your real name, the one you use at work and in business, you will not be found and if people find out later that your real name is different you’ll lose trust.

In addition, you will want to ask for endorsements and recommendations from former colleagues and you can’t do that if they don’t know who you are. You must be the most authentic you that you can muster on the LinkedIn.com network in order to make it fruitful. If you cannot do that, and be yourself, you may as well not join.

2. Avoid Using a Crappy Picture or Posting No Picture Your photo on LinkedIn.com is a graphic representation of your most professional self. It’s perfectly okay if you work at home in your PJ’s, but on LinkedIn, its important to try to capture a good close up image of your face (what you have on won’t matter). People want and need to see your eyes, nose and mouth. It’s how colleagues will recognize you, and how new people will feel trust for you.

You can snap a simple image with your webcam or Smartphone to use on LinkedIn.com but think about it harder than you do other social media networks like Facebook.com. On Facebook it’s common to use different types of photographs and be creative, the same with Twitter. But on LinkedIn the face matters.

So take a close shot of the face, and try to blur out or make the background less noticeable.

Finally, don’t skip the photograph. If you don’t put a photograph on LinkedIn.com people will ignore you completely. You’re not even a person yet until you have a photo on LinkedIn.com. If you’re trying to find a job, or find new clients, or make sales of any sort, you need a good picture, but no picture is worse than a bad picture. You can always improve upon it later, so put up a picture.

3. Do Not Create a Half-Hearted Profile Some people join LinkedIn and are so overwhelmed by the profile that they skip parts or just never finish it. The profile is key to your ability to connect with others, obtain recommendations for work that you’ve done, and to provide the social proof that shows you as the hardworking professional that you are.

Fill out all aspects of the profile that you can and then take note of the parts you’ve not completed. Come up with ways to fill out the profile completely. From your photograph, to how you want people to contact you, it’s all important. The more complete your profile is, the more people will trust it. Remember, you can reorganize the profile to showcase and highlight the most important parts of your profile putting the less important parts toward the bottom.

4. Non Participation Can Kill You One you create your profile and you’ve jumped in connecting with current and former colleagues, it’s important to maintain and active account by participating. Participating in discussions, groups, and by commenting on, “liking” and sharing updates from others is a great way to build trust and promote reciprocity.

Set out a little time a few days a week to spend 10 or 15 minutes commenting, liking, and sharing.

You’ll find it enjoyable, and you’ll get a lot out of the interactions. You can demonstrate your expertise by entering into discussions within groups, or by starting your own targeted group too.

If you spend any time on any type of social media, choose to spend time on LinkedIn participating.

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Turn it Up With Apostle David Fireball Davis Time to get your weekly dive in to the word well join us as we go with Apostle Davaid A Davids study on how to Turn it up in 2015 Scripture: Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

(1 Corinthians 15:58 HCSB) Turn it up: T-Totally, U-Uncommon, R-Radically, N-New God wants us to excel in life. Excel connotes is to be outstandingly good or proficient; to do well or better than previous personal achievement.” To do a common thing is an uncommon way.”

We can’t compromise or minimize but Maximize the Lord’s work.

Turn it up is to be fruitful: Fruit to More Fruit to Much Fruit: John 15:2, 8 We can’t C.O.A.S.T- Conveniently Overlooking Advancing Spiritual Things 1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. We must give the M.O.S.TMaximizing Our Spiritual Task God hates mediocrity: Revelation 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and

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neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Turn it Up Requires for us: 1. Remember where we have fallen short of God’s standard Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen.

Remember means to recall to mind so that recovery is made possible.

Example of the prodigal son’s Remembrance that lead to his recovery: Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

2. Repent: Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent.

Repent means to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins.

“Repentance (metanoia, ‘change of mind’) involves a turning with contrition from sin to God; the repentant sinner is in the proper condition to accept the divine forgiveness.” (F. F. Bruce. The Acts of the Apostles [Greek Text Commentary], London: Tyndale, 1952, p. 97.)

Turning it up is impossible until

you conform your way of thinking to God’s way of thinking. Our standards and God’s standards are two different planes.

Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Turning it up entails that we allow the Word of God to renew our thinking so we can enjoy the rich, full life that God has planned for us.

Ephesians 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

God has a great future plan for you, but you must line up with it in your thoughts!

3. Redo your first works: Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

In the text is wasn’t the fact that the church of Ephesus wasn’t active in doing what was required, but they had lost the focal point of their affection for what they were doing. The focal point of their affection was suppose to be their love for God. So many times we can easily get lost in the work of God, and lose our love for the God of the work.

1 Corinthians 13:1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had

such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Stock Photo Provided by www.stockphoto.com

Turning it up requires for us to Remember or reevaluate where we are; Repent and get the proper mind-set for what are to be doing, lastly Redo it with our affections totally centered on the One who called us to the work of the Kingdom!

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SHANE PARSONS, WOUNDED VETERAN

SOMETIMES THE HARDEST FIGHT COMES AFTER THE BATTLE. Wounded Warrior Project ® long-term support programs provide these brave men and women whatever they need to continue their fight for independence. At no cost. For life.

Help us help more of these warriors in their new life-long battle. Find out what you can do at findWWP.org. ©2015 WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.