Kelli. in real life

The GOSPEL

I have a confession to make. 

I was "this close" to giving up on gospel music. 

I've gotten tired of the "feel good" no scripturally based music, entertainment focused music that has come from the gospel music industry in the last few years. Being that Ive been a background vocalist for 3 major gospel artists, it broke my heart to be disheartened by much of the music I heard from various artists. 

Nothing wrong with expressing one's music ability and versatility.

But the world around us is dying, and we as believers are called to preach, sing, and witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Its more than a melody.

More than a catchy phrase. 

Its the TRUTH that can transform lives. 

This morning, my faith was restored. 

 I met Donald Lawrence when I was a teenager. I was singing with a group led by a singer named, "Keith Dobbins". I was amazed at the raw talent of Donald's singers. I knew all the songs, had the albums, and even thought Donald was cute. ( lol) In other words I've always enjoyed his music for various reasons. But this morning, the music God gave Him RENEWED me in such a way that only music full of Gods word and anointing can. Songs like, "The Blessing is On You", "The Word of the Lord", and "There is a King in You"...filled to the brim with the LIVING word of God. How powerful when we decree the word of the Lord OUT LOUD. Gospel may not be your genre of choice, but do yourself a favor and look into this project. 

Just read a few words from the song the Blessing is on You

"The Lord has made a covenant with you

He has promised that He would bless you

You are in the earth but you live above the curse

You are kingdom you have rights

Blessings come with no struggle or fight

So when recession comes you won't be effected

When sickness comes you'll have good health

The dollar may fail, your wealth will increase

War all around, you'll be at peace"

Dear believer,

Dear friend who knows there is a God but needs to hear His voice.....

Get this cd and be encouraged.....

I dare you to believe

The blessing is on YOU

I Get By With a Little Help From my SISTERS

Meet my sisters.

Up top is "Babe Cooper" and here below is "Babe Knight".

They're not my buddies. 

They're not my friends.

They're not my pals.

They're my sisters. 

Babe Cooper and I have been sisters for 6 years or so. We met when I started singing background for Dorinda Clark Cole, and immediately became close. On the day of my wedding, she was the last person I saw before I walked down the aisle with my father. She cried with me, rejoiced with me, and today is blessed with a wonderful husband and daughter. 

Babe Knight and I have been sisters for less than 2 years, but it feels like forever. Ours was an ironic meeting at a live recording on which we both sang. We didn't keep in touch like we promised, but a year later connected again, and have been stuck like glue ever since. Ours is a spiritual connection; divinely orchestrated.

As fate, or God would have it; Babe Knight and Babe Cooper hit it off right away, and now all of us are inseparable. 

Today I went to Babe Cooper's house to get my hair done. We were on a three way speaker phone call with Babe Knight (who lives in Cali) and I began to be transparent and tell my sisters that I was afraid. I told them how I couldn't stop thinking about the miscarriage in March, and how it was taking everything within me to believe that the baby I'm carrying inside of me now is alive and well. 

Babe Cooper immediately said, "Babe...I believe everything's ok. At church on Sunday I was praising God and thanking Him in advance for this healthy baby you're going to have. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE GOD"

Babe Knight chimed in and said, "You have to speak the word to your mind and tell your mind to tell your body to line up with the Word of God. Don't allow what may be a reality that yes you lost a baby, to dictate to you that you're going to lose this one. We're going to believe that this baby is alive and well and you're going to have a healthy pregnancy."

Then because Babe Knight was at a church function she went into many salutations and blessings with people around her. Babe Cooper and I had a field day teasing her about her "meet and greet". 

A normal conversation. A normal banter of mockery back and forth. A normal exchange of sisterly love and laughter. 

But yet, I drove home with tears pouring down my face. 

I am SO BLESSED to have TRUE sisters, who although not my blood have been joined to me through the covenant of Christ. They wouldn't let me fall today. They didn't pat my back and baby my emotions.

 They spoke the WORD and helped me to stand on it. 

Once home, I grabbed a book I read regularly called "Supernatural Childbirth". I began to read and recite the scriptures listed inside and I came to this ...FEAR is F(alse) E(vidence) A(bout) R(eality).

Everything my sisters had spoken to me today was confirmed. 

I will spend the rest of the day reciting and meditating on Gods promises and thanking Him for sisters who care enough to remind me of those promises. 

We Prepared the Way

Have you ever hiked up a woodsy mountain? Walked on a path of rocks and fallen branches? Or have you ever tried to do something or create something from scratch only to realize you have no idea what you're doing?

A path that has been created by someone prior to your walking on it, or a craft, design, or recipe with instructions and notes is always sure to bring a quicker result than fumbling through it with no direction.

I consider those who have gone before me to be TRAILBLAZERS.

They're not necessarily old or retired. Some of them are just a few years older than me and are continuing to tread the paths they begun in years past. But they're ahead of me. They made a way for me to do what I do, and for that reason I respect them.

I'm big on mentorship. I believe that spiritually and naturally we can gain from those who have learned the lessons that have brought us the wisdom and insight we now consider every day truths.

The more I'm around young people, and endeavor to minister to them and with them in some cases; I've realized there is a plague that transcends genre, occupation, and denomination. There is a lack of respect for the trailblazers.

Recently I read an article which bashed jazz singer Natalie Cole for being upset about famed "REHAB" singer receiving Grammy awards.

"I don't think she should have won. I think it sends a bad message to our young people who are trying to get into this business, the ones who are trying to do it right and really trying to keep themselves together," said Cole, 58. "We have to stop rewarding bad behavior."

The article painted Ms. Cole out as a bitter, "used to be", and even referred to her as a "hater".

I reflected on this article and Ms Cole's thoughts.
Natalie Cole; jazz singer & actress who lost her father at young age, got caught up in hard drugs in her 20's and has been successfully clean for many years. Heartache. Growth. Success. Wisdom.

I'm disheartened that this generation has for the most part been taught that they deserve what they want, when they want it, no matter the consequences or whom it effects. There's only one life; LIVE IT, and step on anyone who gets in your way while you're trying to achieve your dreams.

I think of my grandmothers who worked as nurses and homemakers to help provide for their large families, my mother who went to school and worked full time to better herself, but still provide for me. My pastor growing up; Evelyn Moyer, who ignored those who said it wasn't right for a woman to pastor, and pastored our church during its most fruitful years. I think of those women I dont know who have made a way for me one way or another; Maya Angelou (African American author), Sara Groves (Christian wife, mother, songwriter/singer), Judith McAllister (psalmist and teacher), and so many other countless women I meet, have met, or read about on a daily basis. It would be foolish of me to think that their hard work, their time spent, and their lessons learned have not made the way a bit easier for me to travel on my own journey.

As people of God; leaders especially, I feel it is our duty to never forget those who paved the way for us, and to honor their opinions, wisdom, and insight. We DON'T know it all. We DON'T have all the answers. All the "old" ways of doing things aren't always that bad, and some of them STILL WORK.

I love the new Christian music that reaches the younger generation through multiple styles and genres. But I still love "Carman", Michael W.Smith, The Clark Sisters, Amy Grant, The Winans, and all of those who made a way for gospel/Christian music to be so common and recognized today.

I love the preachers and speakers of today. But I wont ever forget the teachings of Ruth Ward Heflin, Oral Roberts, Iona Locke, and G.E.Patterson.

We can't forget that someone has gone before us.

We must treasure our leaders past and present.

We must teach our young people.

We must respect one another.

We cannot forget.

Here's My Hand

My friends are very important to me.
I've got associates, acquaintances, church family, friends and family.
Most of my closest friends are considered a part of my family.

A few years ago , I moved to Michigan and was separated from some of my closest and dearest friends that I was used to seeing on a daily basis. Now I've got close friends here, and close friends miles away. But I love that no distance and no familiarity changes the connection between us.

One of my dearest friends is hurting emotionally. She's a strong individual, and her faith in God is solid. But we're all human, and when disappointments come it's natural for us to hurt.

On Friday before I even knew what was going on in detail with my friend; I began to weep and call our her name in prayer. It was less than an hour later that I understood why I had felt such a burden for her.

Friendship is one of the most precious types of relationships God has gifted us with. While marriage brings about a connection of romance, sexual intimacy, and the building of a family; even a marriage is quite fragile with out the two individuals ( man and a woman) first being FRIENDS. Friendship is the ability to let down your guard and allow a person to take up space in your heart; the ability to laugh together, cry together, hurt one another, forgive one another, believe in each other, and remain committed without any paperwork or ceremony.

Today I just wish I could hold my dear friends hand as a point of contact.

I'd stand right by her side without inhibition. I'd allow the pure and untainted love of God to flow through me, as I held her hand; saying nothing; just there to be there.

Sometimes no words can heal us like the sense of touch can.

Sometimes we can't even find the words to describe the emotions we feel.

But "touch" transcends even words and feelings.

I just wish I was there to hold her hand like little girls do when they're finished playing dolls, or skipping down a path, or just glad to see one another.

I'd hold her hand, and let her know...."Everything is going to be alright. But until it is.....I'm right here."

The Generation That Will Seek His Face

I have a heart for the young people of today.
High schoolers; late teens, early 2O's...thats my heart.
As difficult as some of them may be to reach, I find much pleasure and literal joy in seeing them come to know Christ as their Savior, father, and ultimate confidant.

Friday night, I heard a speaker preach about the enemy of our souls. I watched as hundreds of young people listened to the knowledge she shared. And although it was quite in depth, it was enthralling and kept their attention. Tears streamed down my eyes as she shared a truth that anyone who knows me well will tell you I have said for years.

"We have not learned how to live victorious in Christ, because we don't know enough about our enemy".

Somewhere around 2000, I felt led to start searching the scriptures about "warfare". The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds...for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.....(2 Cor 10:4, Ephesians 6:12)....passages of scripture I would read over and over and over again. At the time I was a worship leader/minister of music for a church of about 300 regular members; primarily young singles and families around the age of 25-30. I took hold to these scritpures and when preparing for worship, I realized I was in battle as well as a time of worship. But even more than that, a burning to see young people "saved" was birthed in me. I began to realize that this is a generation who has the ability to usher in a revival we have not yet experienced. They are bold. relentless. inquisitive, unbelievably gifted. and sadly alot of them are CONFUSED.

I'm only 30 years old myself, and I consider that to be young. But I've been some places. Seen some things.
Made some silly decisions in high school and college. Didn't take full advantage of privileges given to me that would've advanced my life farther than it is now.

I see this generation, and I want to help. I want to be that voice crying out in the "wilderness" of peer pressure, false religion, suicide, perversion, rebellion, etc. That voice that doesn't "preach" Jesus, but lives him.
I long to usher in a wind of God's presence that brings more peace and love than some young people have ever felt and in turn give their lives to Christ. I want to be used by God.

Friday, I saw young people run to the altar for deliverance and salvation. The Word "pricked" their hearts, and made it soft and ready for change. I've seen it before, and I doubt I'll ever get tired of seeing it.

This is the generation that will seek HIS face........

This is me in real life.....KELLI

I Wish I could Be There......

This is my L.A. sister.
Today marks a culmination of lessons learned, trials overcome, and a birthing of a "new thing" in Christ for her.
Today is her ministerial ordination.

I wish desperately to be there to celebrate this achievement with her today; but finances and other commitments wouldn't allow me.

But I am SO proud.

I type this with tears streaming down my face as I thank God for bringing my sister into my life. People are often amazed when they find out we've only been close friends for a year or so. The sovereignty of God literally brought us together as friends, intercessors, and carriers of the gospel.

My sister was the only person, (outside of my husband) who I could bring myself to talk to the day I lost my baby. After miscarrying here at home I felt unstable and delirious. I needed something I could lean on, something solid, and she was there.

I cried uncontrollably that day. And she listened.
My speech was fragmented. And she listened.
My mind was scattered. And she listened.
She was just what I needed.
When she finally did speak I felt the love of God penetrate my heart, and I knew He hadn't left me.

Today, I wish I could be there just to listen.
Listen to the charge and challenge she is given; to preach the gospel in and out of season, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, to live a sober life, to teach the younger women, to uphold the standard of holy living presented to us by the scriptures.
And when I finally would speak, I'd say this......

Although you are a gift to me; it is now time for the world to experience that gift. Before you were even born, Christ predestined you; to carry the gospel to the nations; to carry the song of the Lord,; to lay hands on the sick and watch them recover; and to prepare the way of the Lord. Your perseverance, and commitment to ministry has challenged me to be a better Christian. I pray that today you feel the overwhelming embrace of God's love as you are elevated to another level in ministry. You'll never know how much I appreciate you.

From the Heart,

Kel

This is me in real life, Kelli.