My PASSION Magazine

MY 

PASSION 

MAGAZINE 

Dr. Paulette Stewart 

April 2015 - Issue 1 - Vol. 1 

Cooking 

Corner 

Recipe Inside! 

Networking 

The importance 

of Networking. 

Wellness 

Tips to help 

align your 

balance. 

Opening 

Closed Doors 

"Love your 

neighbors as 

yourself". 

MarkCole 

CEO 

The JOHN MAXWELL Co. 

How to work with a high profile figure ..... 

Dr. Paulette 

Stewart 

The Editor

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5 Note from the Editor 

Dr.Paulette Stewart 

My Passion - Issue 1 - April 2015 | 3 

6 All Shades and Flavors 

Cornelia Brown 

7 Baby Jack’s Story 

Brittany Liberatore 

8 Family to Family 

Johnny Gant 

9 PK's Epic Life Guide 

Karla Dennis 

10 Ladies of Grace 


28 MARK COLE 

CEO , The John Maxwell, Co. 

How to work with a high profile 

figure and fulfilling his own destiny. 

34 So you want to be fit? 

Mohammad Bolton 

11 S.S.S. Brigade 


12 Reaching The World 

Shana Cheeks 

14 Raising Todd 

Dakota Jones 

16 How do you make 

Your Home Green! 

Compliments of the Internet 

17 Crafter's Corner 

Kelly Taylor 

18 Cooking Corner 

Melissa Jones 

20 Opening Closed Doors 

Denise Paige 

21 Wellness 

Dawn Causey 

22 Networking 101 

Chi Chi Okezie 

23 Make Every Vacation 

a PAYCATION! 

Cornelia Brown 

25 Recipe of the Quarter 

Melissa Jones 

26 The Garden Spot 


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Will you fall apart or discover your passion?

4 

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Editor Notes 


My Passion Magazine 

Dr. Paulette 

Stewart 

From the Editor’s desk: 

Everyone has a passion. Everyone 

has a story. Everyone has a voice. 

And everyone wants to be heard. 

Because of this, “My Passion Magazine” 

was birthed. Each article that 

is written on these pages are articles 

from the heart. Stories that needed 

to be heard. Stories that will inspire 

you. Stories that will make 

you laugh, but there may be some 

a little sad. Some will add a little 

understanding to your life that you 

may not have had before. Some may 

add a few calories to your body but 

some will discuss how to get rid of 

them. All in all they are stories of 

someone’s passion. 

Each writer has contributed these 

articles so that others will be encouraged. 

I want to thank each writer for their 

hard work in putting their 

passion on paper. 

We sincerely hope that each 

reader will enjoy this magazine. 

Each quarter we will 

be publishing a new one (so, 

that means – four a year). 

If you are passionate about 

something and want to share, 

please send us your article 

and contact information to 

paulette@drpaulettestewart. 

com. 

My Passion Magazine is a 

free on-line-magazine, so 

please tell all of your friends 

about it. They can contact 

us at the above email address 

and we will put them on the 

mailing list. By the way, 

check out our website: 

www.drpaulettestewart.com. 

Find us 

www.drpaulettestewart.com 

Email: paulette@drpaulettestewart.com 

Blog: http://drpaulettestewart.com/blog 

Like us on Facebook 

Order my book on 

www.drpaulettestewart.com

6 


All Shades 

& Flavors 

Our family is like a box of chocolates you never know what 

you are going to get! Do you remember that statement in Forrest 

Gump? Well, our family is like that! We come in every 

shade and flavor of humanity and we are like heavenly puzzle 

pieces. We are so different in looks and actions, but a part of 

a divine box created by our heavenly father. 

I am sure you agree with me that a 

box of chocolates would be so boring 

if there were no diversity in it. The 

finest chocolates of the world have 

the different blends we love so much 

and even some brand new swirls of 

flavors to excite our taste buds! 

Let’s explore this awesome diverse 

box of chocolate wrapped in Agape 

love! Watch out because when you 

begin to interact with us, each chocolate 

piece has a burst of surprises 

within it. 

The piece may look like one flavor 

on the outside, but there is so much 

more to be discovered. So, do not 

judge the book by its cover or identify 

chocolate by the outside shade 

alone. You will miss out greatly. If 

you engage with us, you will be enriched 

as you allow the entire shade 

and flavor of our family to reveal itself 

to you. 

Let me begin with me and I promise 

it will be interesting. Just because 

you are light doesn't make you all 

white or Caucasian, and just because 

you are brown skinned doesn't make 

you African/American only! 

I am from the Alps in Bavaria, Germany, 

with a Mediterranean influence 

and a historical blend of nations 

from Italy to the Eastern nations of 

Europe and some other nations our 

family has never been sure of. I am 

the light Carmel with white chocolate 

piece and a burst of nutty vanilla 

flavor that puzzles the ones that 

get a taste of it. 

Right next to me is a delicious rich 

pecan colored piece, my darling husband. 

The filling is a blend of white, 

earthy red and deep rich ebony black, 

flavored with blends from countries 

like Ireland, Africa and back to the 

original Native Americans. 

The flavor is masculine strong and 

the filling is firm, yet surprisingly 

pleasing to those encountering 

it! The blend of Nations created a 

definite leader spirit. 

There are multiple Carmel swirls in 

this beautiful box that have all of the 

above mentioned shades and flavors 

in it. Each Carmel/vanilla/chocolate 

swirl has a different depth and mix 

of color. 

Our heavenly Father so magnificently 

blends them that he is surely 

pleased with His new individual creation 

of chocolate. You can taste the 

flavor of many Nations as you begin 

to interact with these masterpieces 

and allow the full flavor to reveal its 

multi-national splendor! 

Now that you know how flavorful 

and colorful each chocolate piece is, 

you should be extra careful to enjoy 

the entire creation and embrace all of 

it, the outside as well as the diverse 

blend of shades and flavors within. 

Cornelia Brown, Author 

For more information visit her on 

Facebook:CorneliaBrown.ILoveIt

Two words that I'd never heard of 

or cared about in my life until they 

were my life. Well, my son's life, to 

be exact. Trisomy-13 occurs when an 

extra DNA from chromosome 13 appears 

in some or all of the body's 

cells. The cause? Unknown. What 

about the prognosis? More than 

90% of children with trisomy-13 die 

in the first year. 

Welcome to what is probably the 

saddest column, ever. But don't lose 

all hope; there are some bright parts 

to this story... 

Ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum…. the baby's 

heartbeat was coming over the 

sonographers’ speakers loud and 

clear. PHEW. Baby? Check. Heartbeat? 

Check. Fall in love immediately? 

Check. There is nothing like seeing 

that little gummy bear wiggling 

around on the screen for the first 

time! It stirred every emotion possible 

within me all at once. Excitement 

- we are having another baby!! 

Terror - we will have a toddler AND 

a newborn at the same time!! Anxiety 

- please let us make it through 

the first trimester!! And then back 

to excitement again. Thus, the crazy, 

emotional roller-coaster of pregnancy 

began. 

Fast-forward about two months 

and we were well in to the second 

trimester, woohoo! We'd shared the 

news. A few days before Halloween 

we found out that our little pumpkin 

was a boy. We were starting to warm 

up to the idea of having two kids exactly 

two years apart, though it was 

still a bit terrifying. 

I was scouring Pinterest for the latest 

DIY projects for baby boys, like 

how to make bow-tie onesies and 

mustache pacifiers. Much different 

than the cutesy, girly things I was 

used to! And I just couldn't wait for 

April to get here. 

And then, at our 20 week ultrasound, 

our happy-go-lucky pregnancy rollercoaster 

crashed to the ground and 

burst into flames with the news that 

our baby boy had trisomy-13 and 

wasn't likely to live. IF he were even 

born alive. 

Anguish…….Heartbreak…..Sadness…….. 

Grief…. Distress. and 

Sorrow. All words one 

doesn't typically associate 

with pregnancy. 

Except us. We went 

from dreaming about 

what crib bedding to 

pick out for his room, 

to praying that he 

would even make it 

home from the hospital. 

It was the most awful 

turn of events to ever 

have to experience. We 

were told statistic after 

statistic...one in 10,000 

babies born in the US 

will have trisomy-13 - 

only 10% of trisomy-13 

babies make it to their 

first birthday - congenital 

heart defects occur 

within 85% of babies - 

median survival is 2.5 

days...If there has ever 

been hell on earth, this 

was it. It was every 

parent's worst nightmare 

come true. And 

it was absolutely horrendous. 

I have called myself a Christian for 

over half of my life. But it wasn't until 

I learned that my son might die 

that it finally "clicked". When the 

grace and mercy of Jesus is all you 

have to hope in, something changes 

in your soul. I managed to keep myself 

from barreling into a downward 


Baby Jack's 

Story 

By Brittany Liberatore 

spiral by walking so closely with the 

Lord that I could hear his sandals 

hit the ground with every step. I put 

every ounce of faith and hope that I 

could muster in to believing that our 

Jackson could be healed by the One 

who caused the blind to see, made 

the deaf hear, and allowed the paralyzed 

to walk. 

What was healing a little trisomy-13 

to the Great Creator? Nothing. I 

knew with every fiber of my being 

that if God could part the Red Sea, 

then He could also heal my baby and 

give him life. What I didn't realize 

when I embarked on this journey 

of faith was that I was the one who 

would receive the healing. 

As my husband and I walked this 

journey, we learned so much. I will 

be sharing with you in the next couple 

of magazine articles about our 

experiences with Baby Jacks.

8 


Family 

to 

Family 

By Johnnie Gant 

Families are very much a part of the divine creation 

that has its origins from the Garden of Eden. It is also 

from that origin that sin entered into to the human race 

and caused all of creation to become fallen and endure 

dysfunction. But, a perfect Creator and designer is not 

without a perfect plan of reconciliation; therefore, restoring 

humanity and bringing the family unit back into 

harmony by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 

It is a fair assumption that the human conditions of the 

first couple influence the outcome of the first children, 

and even initiated the behaviors of the ancient communities, 

thereby resulting in the universal flood, that 

warranted the total annihilation of the human race with 

exception of Noah and his family. 

It is with equal assessment that families influence culture, 

history and community outcomes as did with 

Noah’s family. Therefore, it should be within the best 

interest of humanity to produce balanced competent individuals 

because they will become the leaders of the social 

structure of the world. They will become the political, 

social, religious and economic powers of this world 

in which we inhabit. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in 

the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not 

depart from it (KJV). 

In this postmodern society, it is necessary to embrace 

the relevance of family, and realize that this era demands 

each member of the family take initiative in shaping and 

forming the family structure. Family is no longer defined 

by adoption or bloodlines or marriage. Goldenberg & 

Goldenberg noted, “It is no longer realistic to speak of a 

typical American family, since contemporary life is filled 

with families with differing living arrangements, styles 

of living, and organizational patterns (Family Therapy, 

2013, p.3). 

The family unit offers a range of benefits: love, respect 

and support. Love is the key component, everyone wants 

to love and be loved. It produces encouragement, hope, 

stability, friendship and truth. Respect is earned directly 

or indirectly. Support a multidimensional element; emotionally, 

spiritual, financially (when needed), and socially. 

The importance of family goes beyond the home environment, 

it stretches into the overall community which 

includes religious organizations, social organizations, and 

academia institutions. For example, what kind of family 

does an environment of abuse produce? A family strongly 

involve with abuse (physically, emotionally or sexually) 

will most likely produce unstable, low-self-worth psychological 

unhealthy individuals. 

Research indicate that street gangs are often comprised 

of individuals desiring love and acceptance that is usually 

found within the confinement of a family. It is also 

reported that there are somewhere near two million teens 

homeless in the US alone. These young people are at high 

risk for HIV, Hepatitis B, and for physical and sexual 

violence. It is furthermore recognized that homelessness 

among adolescents are runaways or have been kicked out 

of their families by parents who have relinquish their parental 

responsibilities of care, or those who have become 

too old for foster care. Homelessness affects both gender 

and all age groups; however, the most affected are families 

headed by single mothers.


pk’s 

Epic 

Life 

Guides 

Yeah, you are reading this article! 

Thank you! It’s ever so exciting to 

know that one person might be reading 

this, it’s awesome. 

First let me introduce myself before 

we get started, I’m Pastor Karla and 

I have worked with students and 

their families for over 10 years! Families 

are my heart and passion and I 

am so excited to be given a chance 

to right about topics that can help 

families. 

I have no desire to tell you how to 

parent, but to give you hope, encouragement, 

and a different view 

of things. My overall goal in life is 

to help families be a whole unit, loving 

and fighting together! So let’s get 

started. 

Today, I wanted to share the importance 

of developing a positive and 

healthy self-worth in the members 

of your family. We all know that at 

the beginning of the year we all make 

resolutions to better our lives in the 

New Year. So, here is a great resolution 

for you to make as a family. 

When was the last time you told 

your kids that they are amazing, talented, 

beautiful, strong, or smart? 

How often do you tell them that you 

are proud of them, and that you like 

the person that they are? 

It’s true that there is death and life 

in the power of our tongue. Every 

day can be a new opportunity to 

breathe life into your family. Even 

when a person in your family has 

done something wrong, you can still 

correct their behavior and breathe 

life, making them feel like they can 

still accomplish great things, despite 

their mistakes. 

I’ve worked with and spent time 

with hundreds of kids and teens and 

you can easily see who has a healthy 

strong sense of self-worth and who 

doesn’t. Low self- esteem is a serious 

issue for kids and teens today and it’s 

having an incredible impact in their 

future. One of the hardest things 

that I face is helping teens find their 

self-worth, to believe in themselves. 

The most significant factor in developing 

self-worth in kids and teens 

are their parents! What their parents 

are saying to them; what their 

parents are saying about them; and 

what their parents aren’t saying at 

all. Your kids and teens are smart, 

talented, and have tons of potential. 

They have the ability to change our 

culture, to change a life, even the 

world, but do they believe it, and do 

you believe it? 

So, I challenge you to take on this 

resolution, to make it a priority, to 

help everyone in your family feel 

special, worthy, beautiful, smart, talented, 

and so on. Please use every 

day as an opportunity to build your 

family up, your wife, your husband, 

and your kids. I can honestly tell 

you that by giving life to your family 

through words of encouragement will 

impact your family unit in the most 

amazing ways. You have an amazing 

family, so fight for it, believe in it, 

and most importantly, love it! 

Karla Dennis 

(Pastor PK)

10 | My Passion - Issue 1 - April 2015 

"But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and 

straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on 

toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of 

God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14. 

Over the years serving in a pastoral 

position, I came to a conclusion that 

everyone has some type of passion, 

dream or, as we in the religious arena 

call it, “calling” upon their lives. 

They spend all of their lives not 

living up to their potential. Why? 

Because they do not know how to 

step out into their passion or their 

dreams in fear that they will fail or 

be discouraged. 

I know how that feels because I was 

that person. I had no one to share 

my thoughts and desires much less 

get the encouragement that I was 

seeking. I had this passion burning 

inside of me, but I didn’t know what 

to do with it. I had dreams (and still 

do) that were larger than I could 

comprehend. It took years for me 

to understand how the process to 

progression really worked. I knew 

plenty of people that I could talk to, 

but no one who really understood. 

They were listening with their head 

and not their heart. 

Thus, Ladies of Grace International 

became a reality. I knew if I needed 

encouragement, how many others 

needed the same. 

Ladies of Grace International is an 

organization of women who are 

listening with their heart and head. 

It is an organization of women working 

together to help each other discover 

and develop their dreams. 

Some women are already movers and 

shakers and they are helping others 

to become confident women. 

Some women have already become 

active in entrepreneurship, teaching, 

serving, preaching and some are 

finding their way. But, we all need 

encouragement. Most importantly, 

women need to know the right way 

to develop their dreams. 

Even though women are full of zeal, 

vitality, and excitement they still 

need support. Women need to discover 

themselves. They need to know 

who they are. They need to believe 

in themselves and what God has 

called them to do. They need to be 

confident and unstoppable women of 

God. 

I love speaking at conferences to 

hundreds of women, or speaking in 

small Bible studies or even speaking 

to one-on-one regarding their dreams 

and passion. I like to call myself “a 

curtain puller.” Do I enjoy being out 

on stage and speaking? You bet I 

do. But I get so much satisfaction 

watching someone that I have helped 

or encouraged to fulfill their dreams 

and passions. It is most rewarding. 

When I was writing my book, Ladies 

of Grace, I became excited each time 

my research took me into the life of 

another lady who was fulfilling her 

destiny. Ladies of the Bible, ladies 

of the centuries and the ladies of this 

day and age are all paving the way 

for the ladies of the future. 

We are a force to be reckoned with. 

We must maintain our femininity, 

never forgetting that we are women 

that will not give up but keep pressing 

forward to what lies ahead. 

www.ladiesofgraceinternational.org

S.S.S. BRIGAGE 

Social Security Seniors 


Getting ready to retire? What are 

you going to do? Are you just going 

to sit at home and let the rest of life 

pass you by? 

I hope the answer is “No!” 

I have worked all of my life and now 

it is time to “hang-it-up.” Now it is 

time to do something different. But 

what? 

I am not rich with money, but I am 

rich with wisdom. You might be 

saying to yourself, “wisdom doesn’t 

count for much,” and I would have to 

tell you that “wisdom counts for everything.” 

Just think of the money I 

save by not having to bleach my hair 

white – that is its natural color now. 

Think about it, if anything goes 

wrong, I just blame it on my age. I 

have to make this old age thing work 

for me. 

But now it is time for me to belong 

to the famous S.S.S Brigade – Social 

Security Seniors. I remember when I 

was a small child my dad had a vitamin 

tonic call SSS Tonic. He would 

take a spoonful each morning before 

he left for work. He said that it gave 

him great energy. Later in life, I 

found out why…..it was at least 40% 

alcohol (even though my dad didn’t 

drink the real stuff – this was enough 

to suffice). 

Now that I am a Social Security Senior, 

I feel that I have more energy 

to do what is most important to me 

and I have the wisdom to accomplish 

it. 

The SSS generation has so much to 

live for and still so much to give to 

society. Sometimes, we are forgotten, 

thrown under the bus or just 

plain ignored. But, I refuse to let 

this happen to me! 

I am not old (unless I am playing the 

old-age card – using it for my benefit). 

I am still young at heart and 

mind. I still have a passion to do 

something greater than I have ever 

done before. Why should I sit on the 

sideline and just watch everyone else. 

I am running and I am busy. I have 

too much to give! 

I read a little story on the internet 

the other day I want to share with 

you: 

The Pope, Billy Graham, and Oral 

Roberts were in a plane crash over 

the Atlantic Ocean. Tragically they 

all died and went to the pearly gates 

together. St. Peter was surprised to 

see them. "Oh, dear! We weren't expecting 

you and your quarters aren't 

ready yet. We can't take you in and 

we can't send you back!" Getting an 

idea, he picked up the celestial phone 

and called Lucifer. "I have three gentlemen 

who are ours, but their places 

aren't ready yet. Could you put them 

up for a couple of days? I'll owe you 

one." The Devil reluctantly agreed. 

Two days later, St. Peter got a call. 

"Pete, this is Lucifer. You have to 

come get these three guys that are 

yours. This Pope guy is forgiving everybody, 

the Graham fellow is saving 

everybody, and Oral Roberts has 

raised enough money to buy air conditioning!" 

When I read about this story, I 

thought that is the way I want to be. 

Even when I can’t do anymore, I will 

keep on doing. 

I want to be like the little energizer 

bunny, just keep on going, and going 

and going. I am proud to be a member 

of the S.S.S. Brigade. 

S.S.S.BRIGAGE 

"Helping The Economy" 

In order to help jump-start the U.S. economy, the IRS has announced that this year 

they will stop focusing on illegal aliens, and begin the deportation of retired people. 

It's predicted that this will not only help lower health care entitlement costs, but it 

turns out that retirees are much easier to catch. Plus, they rarely can remember how 

to get back home.


Reaching 

The World 

by Shana Cheeks 

The words Mission Trip evoke different images to so many people. What mission trip means to me is an 

opportunity to share the gospel with people who don’t know Him. It could be locally, in another state or 

even another country. There are things you need to know about mission trips that will make it more successful 

and I want to share a few with you in this article. 

Make sure that this is what God has called you to do. My experience has been that it is a little uncomfortable 

when you step outside of yourself and begin to do what God has asked you to do. It requires work to 

go to the mission field and a strong faith in God. Faith that this is what you are supposed to be doing with 

your life. There will be people who will do their best to discourage you because it makes them uncomfortable 

or they worry about the places you go. 

When you are in the mission field remember you are not there to change their culture. You are there to 

share the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, His love, peace ,joy, hope and so much more. Our job isn’t to 

teach them legalistic religious ways to worship, pray or serve God. Our job is to share the gospel and disciple 

them in the Living Word of God as Matthew 28:19-20 commands us. 

I want to share a few practical things you will need to know before going on mission trips out of our country. 

You want to make sure you have good information and the places you will be traveling have been 

vetted. There are many people that want you to come and minister. However, you need to make sure that 

you are planting in fertile soil and they know how to keep you safe.


Below is a list of things you will need to do as you plan to leave the United States to go overseas. 

1. You will first need a passport. You can get your passport at a United States Post Office. 

2. Next you will need to get your VISA. You can get those by visiting the following 

website.: http://www.traveldocs.com/. 

3. Once you have received your VISA you can begin to purchase your airline tickets. 

(Do not purchase your tickets before you get your VISA back.) 

4. Go to your local CDC clinic (this is usually your local health department, if not they can tell you where 

you need to go), to find out what vaccines or medicines that you might need to take for a particular country. 

Most of the 3rd world countries require Malaria medication, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B & 

Tetanus vaccines. 

5. Be sure and make a copy of your passport, your travel itinerary and information on the people you will be 

visiting (such as phone numbers & addressees) and leave at home for your family member in case it is needed. 

6. People in other countries view citizens of the USA as spoiled, arrogant and that they think they are better 

than others. Be very careful to really represent Jesus wherever you go. Don’t wear expensive jewelry as you 

travel, you don’t want to make yourself a target.


Raising 

Todd 

(Equivalent of the Tasmanian Devil) By Dakota Jones 

Dear Diary: 

My name is Dakota Padgett, soon to 

be Dakota Jones. I’m getting married 

in mid-March and have recently 

moved to Georgia to be with my fiancé, 

Robey Jones. 

Moving was a challenge in itself as 

I have lived in Florida all my life, 

only an hour’s drive from my entire 

family. Leaving the state certainly 

wasn’t easy, and though I’d like to 

credit myself as a brave person, admittedly, 

I was terrified. I left my 

job, my friends, and everything else 

behind. I guess we can blame love. 

My fiancé, Robey, and I have worked 

the long distance thing for nearly a 

year, and we were both excited to 

finally get a chance to be like normal 

people. You know, go on dates, 

watch movies together, and hold 

hands on a daily basis. We got our 

wish! I’ve been in Georgia for more 

than a month now and I love it here. 

I have great in-laws-to-be (even 

though they are Georgia Bulldog 

fans), I’m getting those date nights 

I’ve been craving, and I love being 

with my fiancé every day. There’s 

just one thing I didn’t expect… Todd. 

Todd is a big, mischievous, clumsy 

Australian Shepherd puppy that 

Robey and I decided to get on, dare 

I say, a whim. Note to self: ‘never 

make life-changing spur of the moment 

decisions ever again.’ We named 

him Todd not only because he looks 

similar to the fox from The Fox and 

the Hound, but he acts like him too. 

Diary, our puppy is gorgeous, sweet, 

and Lord knows all kinds of loving, 

but he is hell bent on driving me into 

the nut house before I can celebrate 

my twenty-second birthday! 

We got him at exactly four months 

old, which is a little older than I was 

expecting our new puppy to be. He 

had no basic training, which we were 

not too worried about in the beginning. 

We are both young, and we 

were sure that we could handle the 

challenges of a puppy that already 

weighed close to thirty pounds. 

Boy, were we wrong! 

Todd had never been let into a house, 

and we are almost certain he’d never 

even experienced grass before we got 

him. Therefore, Robey and I, very 

practically, bought ourselves the 

canine equivalent of the Tasmanian 

devil. 

Todd’s first big challenge was “separation 

anxiety.” From the very first 

night we brought him home, Todd 

wouldn’t leave me alone. He would 

follow me everywhere I went, including 

the bathroom, and if I tried to 

leave the house, he’d barricade the 

door like a prison guard. This behavior 

still hasn’t let up. 

His second big challenge was the 

stairs, which I understand can be


The Importance of Prayer 

By Gwen Johnson 

Most of us were taught, at any early age, to believe, converse and pray to our God. As we grew older, we 

thought that by just talking to a God we could not see did not seem so reasonable. So we began to come up 

with different ways to impress people that we were “Godly.” Maybe to some, it was a change in the tone of 

their voice or an expression on their face that we thought denoted a “pious” person. We would spend time 

reading God’s Word without asking for understanding. This would leave us in a place where the word became 

null and void. We know it is the truth, but we have no faith in the God we pray. 

This is not what Our Father wanted. He created us for relationship. He made it possible for us to be in His 

family by giving His Best, (Jesus). Therefore, we should not have a problem with the praise, worship, and 

thanksgiving to our Father God. Prayer is a command. Jesus said in Matthew 21:13, “My house shall be 

called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. Is that something we see today in our walk?” 

He also said in Luke 18:1, “Men ought always to pray and not to faint (Lose hope, cave in or quit).” In Matthew 

6:9-18, He even gave the Disciples a guideline of praying. 

It all started just by talking to the Father. 

Prayer is important! 

pretty terrifying for a puppy, and when Todd is scared, 

he lets you know. He whines, howls, and his eyes get 

almost comically huge. I like to tell Robey that he looks 

like a cartoon character whenever he does this. It took a 

lot of practice for Todd to even attempt the stairs, and 

with paws his size, there were plenty of mistakes. Eventually 

though, he got the hang of it and is now a pro 

that has, on multiple occasions, nearly sent me tumbling 

to my doom as he clumsily flies past me. 

As some people use the term for a manly guy as a 

“man’s man,” Todd is equivalently a “dog’s dog.” I’ve 

owned many family dogs, mind you they were all girls, 

but Todd is the most dog-like of them all. 

water bowl. If an article of clothing hits the floor, it’s 

his new favorite chew toy. We have already had to replace 

Robey’s work shoes because the first pair look like 

they’ve been through a wood chipper. 

Diary, I don’t think we know what we’re dealing with 

here. He’s devious, mischievous, and a walking terror all 

while being adorably cute. 

He’s Todd. If anything, I think we’re in for a very interesting 

adventure. 

Until next time, 

Dakota Jones 

If there is a trashcan in site, Todd is digging through 

it. If the toilet seat is up, he thinks he’s found a new


How do you make 

You Home Green 

Several reasons exist as to why we 

should promote recycling. This helps 

us to convert our old products into 

new useful products. In other words, 

it is good for the environment. Since 

we are saving resources and are sending 

less trash to the landfills, it helps 

in reducing air and water pollution. 

Listed below are few reasons why we 

should all recycle old products: 

1. Reduce pollution 

2. Reduction in Landfills 

3. Conservation of materials 

4. Save Energy 

5. Save MoneyHere are a few general 

bits of information to keep in mind 

when you recycle: 

Nearly 30% of all waste that we 

Americans throw away each year is 

paper. 

Nearly 63% of the paper that was 

used was recycled. 

Nearly 31 million tons of plastics 

were thrown away in 2010. 

Glass, especially food and beverage 

containers, can be recycled over and 

over again. 

When you need to dispose of household 

waste (batteries, paint, oil, plastic 

cups, etc.) look for special collection 

events and container centers in 

your area. 

Put containers in or outside your 

home so that it can be picked up for 

recycling, especially on trash-pick-up 

day. 

Nearly 11.5 million tons of glass 

thrown away in 2010 only about 27% 

was recycled. 

Compliments of the Internet


Crafter's Corner 

Crafters comments by Kelly 

Hello, readers and fellow crafters. I 

wanted to take a couple of lines and 

introduce myself. I am Hobby Lobby's 

greatest fan and customer. I 

frequent that fabulous place so much 

that I know the management team 

and most of the cashiers on a first 

name basis (and it's scary, but they 

know me, too). If I miss a week of 

visiting the store, they are sure to let 

me know how much they've missed 

me and my weekly payment from my 

craft fund, aka: Mental Stability Account. 

I'm sure you get the drift, I 

love to craft, sew, make jewelry and 

don't even get me started on “Modge 

Podge”! 

I can make anything. But, I can 

rarely think of anything to make so, 

“Hello Pinterest.” I basically love 

anything you can find on Pinterest. 

I don't really know how Pinterest 

came about, but it is just about the 

best thing since sliced bread. You 

can even learn how to make sliced 

bread! Gotta love Pinterest. 

I guess you could say crafting and 

sewing are in my blood. While my 

sister and I were growing up, my 

mom sewed many of our clothes. 

One time, she even made her and my 

dad matching suits. Crazy! Right? 

She has always loved to sew and still 

does today. And I have passed this 

passion of mine down the line to my 

daughter and we are working on instilling 

this love into my precious 

little granddaughter, Emma. 

I recently had the great idea to try 

and “fix” a little t-shirt that I had 

ordered online for my little Emma. 

It shrunk in the wash and I was terribly 

sad. I thought there had to be 

a way to fix it, as it was way too cute 

not to wear it. So, I ran to my favorite 

craft super store and bought a 

couple of yards of a pre-made ruffle. 

I cut off the sleeves of the t-shirt and 

carefully pinned (with Emma's help) 

this sweet little ruffle to the sleeve 

site to make a little cap sleeve. Then 

I pinned the ruffle to the hem of the 

shirt. “We” began to sew. She likes 

to count down to start the sewing 

(1,2,3,4 etc. GO!) I start and stop 

the machine often so she can count 

before I sew. We both have fun this 

way. 

OMG!! It turned out so darn cute! 

Even my daughter liked it. 

After it was finished and I was admiring 

my adorable accomplishment, 

I had a flash back. When my sister 

and I were kids and we started outgrowing 

our little home-made knit 

pants and jumpers, my mama would 

sew several rows of “ric-rac” (which 

we grew to hate) around the bottoms 

of our outfits to get a little longer 

wear out of them. And as time went 

on and she would say she could fix 

something, we would say “not the 

ric-rac.” It became a family joke that 

has lasted thru the years. 

AND NOW I HAD DONE THIS 

MYSELF! You know how we ALL 

say we're gonna be different from our 

parents? Or someone says “you are 

just like your mother” and we say 

“oh no I'm not,” when we actually 

are a lot more like them than we realize. 

Well.......I now realize it. I am 

like my mama. Just like her! After 

sharing this little story with my 

daughter. She smiled, but I knew 

what she was thinking......she thinks 

she's not like me. I quickly reminded 

her that she would one day have this 

revelation. She too, is just like her 

mama, ME! 

The moral of this story is not that we 

all eventually turn out just like our 

parents. It's that my crafting gene 

was born from the memory of my 

mother's love to sew. And I know 

how wonderfully, artful and creative 

my daughter is. We are passing the 

love of making something from nothing 

on to our future generations. 

There's just something about the 

feeling you get when you take a piece 

of fabric and turn it into a beautiful 

outfit or blanket or curtains. Or 

a plain piece of wood and make a 

beautiful decoration for your home. 

When you look at your finished 

product and think, “I did that.” It 

really is a great feeling! 

So, if you need a mood booster..... 

make something. Your spirits will 

soar and if it's something that you 

are passing on, you will make someone 

else's spirits soar! 

“All the women who were gifted artisans 

spun yarn with their hands and 

brought what they had spun, of blue, 

purple and scarlet and fine linen.” 

Exodus 35:25 NKJV 

Happy crafting my friends! 

By Kelly Taylor


Cooking

Corner 

with Melissa Jones 

I like to think of myself as a “structured person.” 

Some people may define my “structure” as being 

bossy or controlling, but I CHOOSE to believe that 

my way is just better, lol. I learned a long time 

ago that raising three boys, two dogs, and training a 

husband is not an easy task. In this day and age, 

we’re all super busy. But getting a quick, easy, and 

healthy meal on the table is easier than some might 

think. Organization and prep is the key to your success! 

To help me stay efficient and organized, I make 

the grocery list out before I go to the store. I don’t 

have the time to make 100 trips to the grocery store 

throughout the week, so my family is trained to 

think like this. If you don’t put your needs or wants 

on “the list” before grocery day…then SNOOZE 

YOU LOSE, buddy. So…the night before grocery 

day, I look at our calendar to see what nights we 

will be at home and eating together. I then write 

down what our meal will be for those nights. Next, 

I enter the ingredients needed for each meal into 

my incredible grocery app. Lastly, I get the coupons 

that I need if I have any, and I am ready to go! 

Recipe of the Quarter on 

page 25


Opening 

Closed 

Doors 

By Denise Paige 

prison walls. We work with inmates 

family members as well. 

“Love Your Neighbor as Yourself” 

Matthew 22:39 

I cannot tell you how many times 

I have read this Scripture, but for 

some strange reason, this time I have 

to stop and reconsider what this 

scripture truly states. This second 

commandment of God mandates 

that God holds every one accountable 

for caring and supporting our 

neighbors. 

Just who are our neighbors you 

might ask? Our neighbors extend far 

beyond our own communities and 

neighborhoods. 

“Psalm 117” is a nonprofit organization 

that understands the Scripture, 

Matthew 22:39. This organization 

visits incarnated women in jails and 

prisons in Georgia. 

Since this organization’s inception, 

it has continuously worked diligently 

to help women rediscover their own 

personal relationships with Christ. 

The organization teaches and shares 

testimonies of our own journeys to 

Christ. We are passionate and committed 

about nurturing the spiritual 

needs of the loss, brokenhearted, 

saved, and unsaved souls for the 

kingdom of God, but also, helping 

them to successfully re-enter society. 

Furthermore, the volunteers of 

“Psalm 117” believe loving our imprisoned 

sisters extends beyond the 

The organization is actively involved 

in connecting and rebuilding family 

ties, participating in back-to-school 

drives with other community organizations, 

and hosting fundraiser 

events for the annual “Angel Tree” 

donation through Prison Fellowship. 

As “Psalm 117” continue to listen 

and hear the voice of God, it is their 

prayers to start a transitional center 

to help former inmates become contributing 

and productive members of 

their respected communities, as well.


Wellness 

Have you ever been driving to a 

destination using your GPS and 

you realize that it has taken you 

around in circles? Or you're driving 

your car and notice that the 

wheels are not balanced? These 

scenarios can be related to your 

well-being or "Wellness Wheel" of 

life. You could have a destination 

but it's hard to get there with 

obstacles in the way. 

Sometimes, wellness is thought of 

to be only one component, such 

as mental or physical health. The 

truth is, there are at least seven 

components that make up your 

wheel. Without knowing what areas 

you need to focus on, it would 

be harder to bring your wheel into 

balance. What do you do when you 

find yourself in that situation? I'm 

glad you asked! 

You put together a wellness plan 

and put your wheel into alignment. 

The wellness wheels are 

aspects of who we are and help to 

complete us. 

Components of the wheel are: 

1. Social 

2. Physical 

3. Financial 

4. Occupational 

5. Mental 

6. Spiritual 

Here are some tips that can help 

you align and balance your wellness 

wheel: 

1) Focus on the whole being and not 

just one area. Be sure to do an assessment 

of what component of the 

wheel you should focus on, but don’t 

neglect the others. That's when you 

can become out of balance. 

2) Become aware of where you are. 

There's nothing more frustrating 

than not knowing where you are or 

which direction you're headed. In 

your plan, set the goals you want to 

achieve. 

3) Channel your energy in the right 

direction. Knowing the truth about 

the area(s) you need to work on will 

help move you into the right direction 

towards complete well-being. 

A great tool that I have found to 

do a life assessment is found at 

www.thecompoundeffect.com by 

Darren Hardy, publisher of Success 

Magazine. 

Creating balance to your wellness 

wheel will help your journey in life 

become exciting and your goals will 

seem more achievable! 

Until next time, Be Well and Stay 

Balanced! 

Dawn Causey 

Host of Remarkable Essence 

WebTV & Radio Show 

Founder of The Essence of a 

Woman: Health, Wellness & 

Empowerment Conference


"Networking 101" 

The Importance of Networking 

Chi Chi Okezie 

Believe it or not, we operate in networks. An employee working for a company has a network. Their network 

includes their co-workers, their boss, their clients/customers, their vendors etc. A student at a university has a 

network. Their network is comprised of their classmates, professors, deans, university president and alumni. Thus, 

networking may not be natural, but it is normal. As a matter of fact, networking can be extremely significant, and 

when done properly, can yield amazing results. Listed below are my top 5 reasons why you should jump on the 

networking band wagon (if you are not already on it). 

Networking develops your skills. 

Networking adds value. 

As you are out and about meeting new people and 

attending events, you are developing your communication 

skills. You are improving your presentations 

skills, as well. Networking involves explaining who 

you are, what you do and how well you do it. It 

also involves building relationships and a network 

or support system. This is key in your personal or 

professional advancements. 

Once you determine your purpose for networking, you 

can become an added value. You can actually be a 

solution provider or offer help to others. If you are a 

seasoned working professional, you can be a mentor. If 

you are an investor, you can provide financial support 

to businesses or companies. If you are a certified coach 

or counselor, you can provide advice and direction to 

others. 

Networking provides opportunities. 

Networking is a lifestyle. 

It does not matter which industry you represent, 

networking allows you insight to opportunities. It 

can provide a lead for an interview, an introduction 

to a decision maker or a referral for a potential 

client. Once you have decided your purpose 

for networking, you can create a plan to reach that 

particular goal. 

Networking works best when it is long term. The key 

is to be consistent with it. Your goals and ambitions 

may change as your grow, develop and live life, but you 

should continue to network. As you are incorporating it 

into your habits and practices, it becomes an incredible 

tool for success. 

Networking saves time and money. 

Depending on how strategic you are, networking can 

be time and cost effective. It can provide resources 

and information which can improve your bottom 

line. It can also be an excellent time management 

tool. Many people use networking to find new business 

or professional partners or sponsors for their 

endeavors. 

Contact Information: 

cokezie@snseminars.com 

http://www.snseminars.com


I became a Travel agent for my 

health and well-being! 

It is a known fact that travel and leisure 

time is a must in today's quick 

fast and constant work mode. Most 

people gave up traveling when the 

economy crashed a few years ago and 

increased their work load to make up 

for lost income. 

However, here is what began to happen, 

depression is at an all-time 

high, sicknesses and diseases released 

by depression anxiety and for simply 

being overworked have begun to be 

an additional burden on society. Leisure 

time has been put on the back 

burner, and therefore, stress and 

over exhaustion has taken over today's 

society. People are in constant 

bad moods and anger is poisoning 

the workplaces. Since my husband 

and I are in Real Estate, I felt it myself 

when Real Estate began to take 

a major hit. My husband and I had 

to stop going on much needed vacations 

due to cutting back. 

Thank GOD I serve a loving Father 

in Heaven and out of no-where He 

brought this home based business 

called PAYCATION to my attention. 

This amazing opportunity fit me like 

a glove and I seized the moment. It 

is somewhat of a hybrid in the travel 

industry and joined the traditional 

travel agency side with a network 

marketing side and both are areas 

that I absolutely love. 

An agent can choose to work the 

travel agent side only or recruit in 

the networking side or simply do 

both! How great is that!? 

I am earning a great income, get to 

travel at an amazing discount and 

do what I love -- recruiting people to 

a great new business concept in the 

home based travel industry! 

Fam trips here I come! Cruise ships 

get ready for Cornelia Brown’s inspection, 

and all- inclusive resorts, I 

cannot wait to try out your spas and 

luxury suites! 

Can you imagine having your own 

butler and you receive a call before 

you even arrive at your luxury destination 

as to what kind of scent you 

would like your bed to be immersed 

in -- hmmm -- maybe lavender or 

apple or maybe you prefer an earthy 

cinnamon scent! 

Imagine getting picked up with a 

hummer limousine and your butler 

has your beverage of choice already 

waiting in the vehicle -- hmmm-- 

once again, this travel agent’s opportunity 

must cost thousands of dollars, 

I thought to myself! 

Now here comes the kicker. It is 

only $149.99 to become certified 

and a small monthly fee to remain 

licensed and bonded. I was amazed 

and joined!!!! 

This is perfect if you are retired 

and love to travel. It is perfect if 

you want to learn new things. It is 

perfect for the stay at home moms 

looking for extra income. And it is 

perfect for “networkers” to earn an 

amazing income and travel. 

Oh, did I mention that you get to 

be a part of an incredible travel club 

that enables you to travel to world 

famous destinations like Hawaii or 

Paris at majorly discounted pricing? 

You will have access to over 5500 resorts 

and condos all over the world 

and the discounts are mind blowing 

to say the least! 

Last, but not least, you will feel 

healthier, rested and more joyful 

in your daily activities if you have 

something to look forward to! 

Are you thinking, “this sounds too 

good to be true.” Well, it’s not. 

Please email me or go to my website 

for more information. See you at the 

sunny shores! 

www.travelurdreams.paycation.com 

email: cornelia.brown@yahoo.com 

Santorini,Greece

B 

R AI N TEASER 

S 

Word 

Scramble 

NEFDIR 

(buddy, pal) 

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 

AELNCRE 

(fresher, not dirty) 

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 

IPNOTRO 

(part, piece) 

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 

LITSEHO 

(not friendly) 

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 

EWOHRS 

(sprinkle) 

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 

ENDCOS 

(not first) 

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 

Answers can be found on www.drpaulettestewart.com 

TRIVA 

What do you know? 

1.What game title literally 

means To Grope Frantically? 

(a) Scrabble (b) Tangled Knot 

(c) Atom 4 

2.He climbed a tree. 

(a) Jehu (b) David (c) Zacchaeus 

3.The literal translation of what 

character’s name is "pine eyes"? 

(a) Sherlock (b) Rudolph 

(c) Pinocchio 

4.Boston Massachusetts was originally 

called what? 

(a) Portsmith (b)Trimontaine 

(c)Tehoe 

5.What kind of wood was Noah's 

Ark made from? 

(a) Pinewood (b) Oak 

(c) Gopher wood 

6.Which member of lily family is 

from Greek for sprout? 

(a) Asparagus (b) Celery (c) Kale 

7.What flower translates from the 

Greek as Water Vessel ? 

(a) Lily (b) Stella (c) Hydrangea 

8.In the bible - Leviticus - what 

was lapidation? 

(a) Death by drowning (b) Death by 

burning (c) Death by stoning

Recipe 

of the Quarter 

SLOW-COOKER MEATBALLS 

IN SPAGHETTI SAUCE 

MEATBALLS 

2 lbs ground beef (OR ground turkey) 

1 cup bread crumbs 

2 eggs, beaten 

2 garlic cloves, minced (OR ½ teaspoon garlic powder) 

½ teaspoon dry mustard 

½ teaspoon onion powder 

½ teaspoon pepper 

1 teaspoon salt 

***OR use 1 large bag, or 2 small bags, of frozen meatballs 

by Melissa Jones 


SPAGHETTI SAUCE 

1 can (28 ounces) stewed tomatoes, undrained 

½ cup chopped basil (OR 1 teaspoon dried basil) 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 garlic cloves minced (OR ½ teaspoon garlic powder) 

2 cups ketchup 

1 teaspoon sugar 

Salt and pepper, to taste 

***OR use 2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Combine all meatball ingredients. Form into walnut-sized balls. Bake 

meatballs in the oven for 20 minutes. Transfer to your slow-cooker. 

(SKIP THE BAKING STEP IF USING FROZEN MEATBALLS. 

JUST PUT THEM RIGHT INTO THE SLOW-COOKER.) 

3. Combine all sauce ingredients in medium bowl. Pour sauce over meatballs, 

stir to coat. Cover; cook on LOW 4 to 5 hours OR on HIGH 3 to 4 hours. 

(IF USING YOUR FAVORITE JARRED SPAGHETTI SAUCE, JUST 

POUR OVER THE MEATBALL, STIR TO COAT.) 

4. Adjust seasoning, if desired. Serve over spaghetti. Garnish with cheese, if 

desired. 

***Freeze the left over’s and use on another day for meatball sandwiches or 

even stuff them in jumbo pasta shells and top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 15 

minutes…YUMMO!


The 

Gardening 

Spot 

Hydrangea 

Striking, large blooms of white or pink are the 

main characteristic of the Hydrangea. Give the 

correct conditions, the blossoms can even turn 

blue. 

This year I have decided to plant several hydrangeas 

in my yard. So I have started studying this plant and 

I have really become intrigued. 

The hydrangea, with its rounded white, pink or blue 

flowers is an attractive and decorative plant in the 

greenhouse, window, terrace or planted in the yard. 

The bush grows wild along the rivers of China and 

Japan, and was brought to Europe by plant collectors 

in the 1800’s. 

in January to the lowest pair of buds and move it back 

into the warmth. Water sparingly until the first flower 

buds appear. 

Most people think of the hydrangea as a garden shrub, 

often planted in acid soils alongside Rhododendrons. 

It blooms in the beginning of April and will continue 

flowering right through September. 

When you buy your plants, look for bushy plants with 

large dark green leaves and stiff stalks. Thin weedy stalks 

will not be able to hold up the flower heads. Cut it back 

every year and enjoy its beauty year after year. 

It has a love of water and humidity. The most wellknown 

variety is blue. This is probably because of 

the colors of its flowers. They are basically white 

but can turn blue in acid soil and pink if the soil is 

alkaline. 

Three or four plants together make a lovely sight when 

placed together in clay pots on the patio or sunporch. All 

water loving plants are basically sociable and grow best 

when they are together with their friends. 

The hydrangea will live for many years if treated 

right. Cut the flower heads off just after they have 

finished flowering and move the plant to a humid but 

not too warm place. Better still, plant it out in the 

garden in a sunny and airy spot in some acid soil. 

If you are keeping the hydrangea in a pot, water the 

hydrangea regularly and do not let it dry out. Bring 

it in before the night frosts creep upon it and ruin 

your work. Keep it in a cool spot inside. Cut it back


Why Not Cruise beyond 

your expectations... 

Monthly payments possible with deposit! 

Call your cruising specialist today! 

Cornelia Brown: 404-786-0873 

www.travelurdreams.paycation.com 

My Moment 

By Sandra Schock 

I like to get up about 30 minutes early in the mornings and have ‘my moment’ with my first cup of coffee, all 

by myself. I like to use this time to read my Bible, thank God for what He’s done for me and just “sit, sip 

and think.” It’s amazing how much you can think of and pray about before your mind gets so clogged up with 

STUFF all through the day. 

Take a Moment! 

Our bodies and minds gets so stressed out 

with all the things we do each day. 

This helps to relieve that stress from stuff 

that seems to always get in the way. 

Try it in the morning and your day will be better! 

EVERYONE NEEDS THEIR MOMENT!


Mark Cole 

CEO 

The JOHN MAXWELL Co. 

Since this was my very first magazine, I wanted to interview 

someone who started at the bottom and worked 

hard to be in the place that he is at today. Someone 

who understood that even though God calls, we still 

have to do our part. We still have choices to make. I 

wanted to interview someone who had a voice and knew 

when to use it. 

with. I came away from his office encouraged 

and elated. 

Here is how our conversation went….. 

Dr. P: How does it feel to work with a high profile 

figure? 

I wanted to interview Mark Cole, CEO of The John 

Maxwell Company. I have known Mark for many years, 

but I was so nervous when I went into his office. His 

assistant, Beth (who is just wonderful), told him that I 

was nervous. His reaction to me was, “Now that I know 

that you are nervous, I am nervous too.” He was just 

teasing, but it did put me at ease. 

Mark is a man that exudes kindness and self-assurance. 

He is the kind of man that can fit into any circumstance 

and make everyone feel as ease. He was such a joy to be 

Mark: One of the greatest things is to find someone 

with a vision much bigger than themselves. John 

has this statement, “I am in over my head.” When 

you are in over your head, it does not matter how 

deep you are, you are still over your head. If you 

are going to be the second man or woman in an organization, 

you have to find someone with a vision 

that is much bigger than your own. You don’t want 

to attach yourself to someone who, within their own 

power, can accomplish their vision. It has got to be 

much bigger than that. If they can accomplish it


within themselves, they really don’t need you. You are 

just a temporary fixture in their life. 

Working with John Maxwell feels great, not only because 

he is affirming, but I also feel like he needs what I bring to 

the table. Therefore, I still have my own sense of identity 

by being a part of John Maxwell’s dream. It has its challenges, 

being with someone who is high profile, because 

when you are a man or woman who is second in an organization, 

the temptation is to believe that your identity is 

wrapped in that other person. This is not good. Everyone 

needs to be their own person. So, I do need John. God 

has been very good to me to clarify that I am called to his 

vision and I need to stay in that and not make it all about 

me. So, I love it, but it does come with its complications. 

Working for John is very secure in itself. I have never seen 

anything like it when somebody has that much image to 

protect, that much authority globally and is that comfortable 

in what he does. Because he is so comfortable, for 

those that are on his team, it breeds confidence in our own 

self. I am very comfortable that I am not the stage guy. I 

have spoken on stage many times in my life. I have spent 

a lot of time around a microphone and I know how to use 

one, but in this current role that is not my strength zone; 

that is John’s strength zone and it makes me feel very 

comfortable. I don’t feel that aspiration that I have to be 

behind the microphone, that I have to be the stage guy or 

that I have to write a book, because I am very comfortable 

that I am bringing value to the table in what I do. That 

is what working for someone who is in their “sweet” spot, 

comfortable in their skin, breeds so much security and 

confidence in the teammates, that it helps them to achieve 

their dreams. I learn that literally on a daily basis with 

John and I do my very best to attempt that. 

Dr. P: Do you feel that you are fulfilling your destiny? 

Mark: Absolutely. 

Can I go side bar with you for just a moment? One 

of the most pivotal moments in my life was at the age 

of 32. Someone told me that I needed to have a personal 

growth plan. I had a plan on how I wanted to 

grow, but everything “pre-30 years old” was accidental 

growth. I just grew because of this natural ability to 

lead and a natural desire to grow. However, at 32 I 

needed to get really intentional. I went away for two 

and half days and did an annual review. I call it an 

annual review but that was really my first review so 

there was nothing to review – I call it an assessment of 

what was going on in my life. 

I began to put plans around what I believe were the 

intentional areas of my life that I needed to grow in. 

The very next year, my 33rd year, I went away again 

because for me (and I know that everyone reading this 

may not be a person of faith), as a person of faith, I 

really needed an answer from God. 

MORE>>> 

As my role as CEO of John Maxwell Company, I must 

be comfortable in this role, that I will breed comfortable 

security in the lives of those people who are working with 

me and for me.


First, I identified the five areas that 

I wanted to grow in with intentionality. 

I started doing an annual review 

every year since then. In the middle 

of that second annual review, a very 

spiritual moment for me, I was given 

a gift of a clearly, articulated life 

plan. And it was when I developed 

this intentional life plan, that the 

previous 33 years made sense. I still 

draw from that clearly, articulated 

life plan even after 12 years to make 

life decisions in every area of my life. 

The gift of that life plan was probably 

the most pivotal thing that has 

ever happen to me outside my expression 

of faith in Jesus Christ. It 

was a true life changing moment for 

me and has help me to be intentional 

with relationships; it has help me to 

be intentional with business decisions; 

and it has led to the incredible 

privilege of leading a leadership 

organization. 

When I really got intentional on the 

things that I was going to access in 

my life, I was able to capture my 

life in this statement “I exist to 

motivate and inspire people to 

reach their full potential.” This 

is my life’s mission. Therefore, I 

make future decisions based on that 

understanding and I make sense of 

previous decisions based on that 

life understanding. The collision of 

those two – my past and the future 

into this present statement – gives 

me a lot of time to reflect on previous 

experiences. Some people call 

them mistakes. Some people will call 

successes. I call them neither one. 

They are experiences that should 

collide with the present that leads to 

future success. And that all came to 

me at 32 and 33 years of age. 

Dr. P: Do you ever think about 

writing a book on “Second in Command”? 

clarity that I needed to catch the 

mantle of John Maxwell’s leadership 

and spread it to the organizations. 

I work for a guy that I do not believe 

will be replaced or succeeded. 

I think that his leadership status, 

his influence, and his creditability in 

his multi-streams of influence in the 

world will not be replaced. I think 

that some will replace him in the 

church community and some will replace 

him in the business community 

as communicators and thought leaders. 

I do not believe that anybody 

will be able to replace him as being 

so diverse and impacting in so many 

streams of influence. And I certainly 

don’t believe that about me. 

Therefore, and I am asked a lot, will 

you come speak, will you write a 

book, and even when I am doing an 

interview, I do it with this in mind, 

“will this allow me to live out this 

passion of being available to John 

and in approximation to "John". I 

believe through this article right 

now, I will extend an influence of 

John and not extend of Mark. 

Dr. P: How do you make time for 

your family? 

Mark: John was mentoring me about 

eight years ago and he gave me an 

incredible lesson (this was before I 

started traveling). He said, “Mark, 

when you are in the presence of family 

always create memories and give 

them something to hold on to and 

show how much you care for them.” 

The way I do this with my family 

is, when I am home and when I am 

around, we do crazy, fun things. We 

create memories. We probably don’t 

save as much money as we could 

or should because we are taking 

the incredible blessings of the Lord 

through John Maxwell that he has 

given me and we create memories. 

Mark: She doesn’t. As I was telling 

you a few moments ago about 

the depth of that calling, one of the 

greatest favors every given to me was 

the belief and buy-in of the exact 

same calling with a separate experience 

and a separate confirmation 

from her. She gives me that support 

at home because she feels just 

as deeply about it as I do. The ones 

that do not get to choose are my 

daughters, Maci and Torie. They are 

a recipient of the consequences of our 

decisions as adults. So, what I do, is 

sit down with them each time that I 

leave and I say, “Guys, this is where 

I am going, this is what I am going 

to be doing, this is what I am trying 

to accomplish and you guys need to 

be in prayer and mindful of me while 

I am doing it. When I come back, I 

will tell you all the results of what 

happened.” So, they are engaged 

with me in every meeting, every time 

I leave and they hold me accountable 

when I am gone. So, this little piece 

really helps, especially for my youngest, 

Maci. 

Dr. P: What do you do to relax? 

Mark: What do I do to relax? I 

don’t know what that means. I don’t 

relax because I am just so “on go” all 

the time….I don’t know if that is the 

healthiest thing in the world…….what 

I do for fun is golf. But I don’t relax 

because I want to be a lot better 

than I am. So when I get out there 

and play bad, I have this tense anxiety 

thinking I should be a pro or 

something. I enjoy golf, but it does 

not relax me. I also love snowmobiling 

and snow skiing. But both of 

these don’t relax me because I want 

to go the fastest that I possibly can. 

So I am never relaxed. I am always 

trying to get to the next place. So, I 

enjoy golf, skiing and snowmobiling. 

……I don’t know how to relax. 

Mark: Five years ago, I had a very 

spiritual experience. God gave me 

Dr. P: Does your wife and family 

mind that you travel so much? 

Dr. P: What do you see in your future?


Mark: I told you a little about the 

process I went through when I was 

33. I love to do sessions and seminars 

on intentional growth plan or 

life plan. But at 33 I developed a 

one-year, five-year and a twelve-year 

plan. My twelve-year plan took me 

to the age of 45 (that is this year). 

By the time I was 45, I had 42 things 

that I wanted to accomplish. Now 

remember this is in deep reflection 

and prayer, so I believe that these 

things were inspired by God for me. 

I wrote down 42 things. But let me 

say this first, at this time, I was a 

telephone salesperson for John Maxwell. 

I would be on the phone trying 

to get people to come to Catalyst. 

John and a guy named Andy Stanley 

was doing an event called Catalyst. 

When I came up to my yearend 

review, I said, “In twelve years 

I want to be the CEO of a leadership 

development company.” I did 

not say John’s leadership company. 

I didn’t even know if John’s would 

be around. But I wanted to be a 

CEO. I wanted to be the leader. 

I wanted to co-own an organization 

that helped develop people. I 

wanted to start a non-profit organization, 

and if at that point, I was 

not married, I wanted to be married. 

I listed including earning potential 

goals almost ten times my salary at 

that time. 

I just did my 12 year-end review 

plan. The Lord has helped me to 

accomplish these things: 86% of the 

42 things I have been able to check 

off. So, I feel like that I have been 

really blessed to accomplish some 

things that were lofty for me at one 

time. 

I think, where I am currently, is to 

be as effective as possible at the 

areas of responsibility that I have. 

That is a given. That does not feel 

like future tense. That is making the 

most of what I have been given today. 

But a big goal of mind, and it sounds 

really simplistic, but it is very hard 

to do, I want to live out what John 

teaches. I want to be the demonstration 

of John’s leadership principles. 

I don’t want to communicate 

them, but maybe I will one day. I 

don’t want to write about them, but 

maybe I will one day. I want to live 

them out! 

When you open the dictionary and 

you see the word “great communicator” 

or “world-renown leader,” you 

will see a picture of John. If you open 

the dictionary and you see the words 

“who is the guy that most lived out 

what John teaches regarding leadership 

and what he should look like,” I 

want that to be my picture. 

One more thing for all your readers, 

I have had the privilege to hang 

out with some incredible leaders not 

just John Maxwell, but I have hung 

out with some world renowned leaders. 

I have hung out with Mikhail 

Gorbachev. I have hung out with 

presidents of countries, the president 

of Paraguay, the president of Guatemala, 

meeting with presidents and 

heads of states all over the world, not 

just the US, great athletes like Peyton 

Manning and others. 

Two of the most impacting times 

that I have had was with a guy name 

Andy Stanley and with John Maxwell. 

The questions were asked of 

Andy, “How do you have one of the 

largest churches in America and one 

of the most influential churches in 

America?” Very similar questions 

to John were, “How did you become 

this leadership guru? What was the 

incremental way that you set goals 

to accomplish this?” 

Their answers were very strikingly 

similar in two different contexts. 

They never heard each other, but 

they both said, “We never set a goal 

to accomplish these things. We set a 

goal to be the best we can be in the 

moment and live out the most effective 

way we can our purpose in that 

moment and the results is what we 

accomplished. The results is not the 

accomplishment of a goal.” 

I grew up in an era where it was said 

to set lofty goals and the more discipline 

you are in trying to achieve 

those goals, the more successful you 

will be. However, these two men in 

very different fields, very much successful 

in those fields, say just the 

opposite: “Don’t set the lofty goals. 

Set the goal of being the best you 

can be today and tomorrow will 

take care of itself.” So that is what 

I strive to do. 

Dr. P: Do you believe it is the favor 

of the Lord where you are today? 

Answer: I firmly believe in the favor 

of the Lord. 

There is a scripture that says, “Some 

water, some plant but God gives the 

increase.” I think that we as humans 

think our works have qualified us or 

helped us to be successful or helped 

us to be saved. We have missed the 

incredible understanding that any 

success of significance we have is because 

of others, and in my case, it 

is because of my God. However, let 

us not forget that we have to plant; 

we have to water; we have to do due 

diligence. 

Continue Reading on page 35


Alzheimer’s Association 

Early Detection Matters 

Know the 10 Signs 

What is Alzheimer's? 

What is Dementia? 

Alzheimer's is a disease that attacks 

the brain. It is the most common 

form of dementia. 

Dementia is a general term for a 

decline in mental ability severe 

enough to interfere with daily life. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing 

memory loss or behavioral 

changes, it’s time to learn the facts. 

Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease 

gives you a chance to begin 

drug therapy, enroll in clinical studies 

and plan for the future. 

Here are 10 signs of early detection: 

1. Memory loss that disrupts 

daily life. One of the most common 

signs of Alzheimer's is memory 

loss, especially forgetting recently 

learned information. Others include 

forgetting important dates or events; 

asking for the same information over 

and over; increasingly needing to 

rely on memory aids (e.g., reminder 

notes or electronic devices) or family 

members for things they used to 

handle on their own. What's a typical 

age-related change? Sometimes 

forgetting names or appointments, 

but remembering them later. 

2. Challenges in planning or 

solving problems. Some people 

may experience changes in their ability 

to develop and follow a plan or 

work with numbers. They may have 

trouble following a familiar recipe or 

keeping track of monthly bills. They 

may have difficulty concentrating 

and take much longer to do things 

than they did before. What's a typical 

age-related change? Making occasional 

errors when balancing a 

checkbook. 

3. Difficulty completing familiar 

tasks at home, at work or at leisure. 

People with Alzheimer's often 

find it hard to complete daily tasks. 

Sometimes, people may have trouble 

driving to a familiar location, managing 

a budget at work or remembering 

the rules of a favorite game. 

What's a typical age-related change? 

Occasionally needing help to use the 

settings on a microwave or to record 

a television show. 

4. Confusion with time or place. 

People with Alzheimer's can lose 

track of dates, seasons and the passage 

of time. They may have trouble 

understanding something if it is not 

happening immediately. Sometimes 

they may forget where they are or 

how they got there. What's a typical 

age-related change? Getting confused 

about the day of the week but 

figuring it out later. 

5. Trouble understanding visual 

images and spatial relationships. 

For some people, having vision problems 

is a sign of Alzheimer's. They 

may have difficulty reading, judging 

distance and determining color or 

contrast, which may cause problems 

with driving. What's a typical agerelated 

change? Vision changes related 

to cataracts. 

6. New problems with words 

in speaking or writing. People 

with Alzheimer's may have trouble 

following or joining a conversation. 

They may stop in the middle of a 

conversation and have no idea how 

to continue or they may repeat 

themselves. They may struggle with 

vocabulary, have problems finding 

the right word or call things by the 

wrong name (e.g., calling a "watch" a 

"hand-clock"). What's a typical agerelated 

change? Sometimes having 

trouble finding the right word.


7. Misplacing things and losing 

the ability to retrace steps. A 

person with Alzheimer's disease may 

put things in unusual places. They 

may lose things and be unable to go 

back over their steps to find them 

again. Sometimes, they may accuse 

others of stealing. This may occur 

more frequently over time. What's a 

typical age-related change? Misplacing 

things from time to time and retracing 

steps to find them. 

8. Decreased or poor judgment. 

People with Alzheimer's may experience 

changes in judgment or decision-making. 

For example, they may 

use poor judgment when dealing 

with money, giving large amounts 

to telemarketers. They may pay less 

attention to grooming or keeping 

themselves clean. What's a typical 

age-related change? Making a bad 

decision once in a while. 

9. Withdrawal from work or social 

activities. A person with Alzheimer's 

may start to remove themselves 

from hobbies, social activities, 

work projects or sports. They may 

have trouble keeping up with a favorite 

sports team or remembering 

how to complete a favorite hobby. 

They may also avoid being social because 

of the changes they have experienced. 

What's a typical age-related 

change? Sometimes feeling weary of 

work, family and social obligations. 

10. Changes in mood and personality. 

The mood and personalities 

of people with Alzheimer's 

can change. They can become confused, 

suspicious, depressed, fearful 

or anxious. They may be easily upset 

at home, at work, with friends 

or in places where they are out of 

their comfort zone. What's a typical 

age-related change? Developing very 

specific ways of doing things and becoming 

irritable when a routine is 

disrupted. 

If you notice any of the 10 Warning Signs 

of Alzheimer's in yourself or someone you 

know, don't ignore them. Schedule an appointment 

with your doctor. 

With early detection, you can: 

Get the maximum benefit from available treatments – You 

can explore treatments that may provide some relief of 

symptoms and help you maintain a level of independence 

longer. You may also increase your chances of participating 

in clinical drug trials that help advance research. 

Have more time to plan for the future – A diagnosis of 

Alzheimer's allows you to take part in decisions about care, 

transportation, living options, financial and legal matters. 

You can also participate in building the right care team and 

social support network. 

Help for you and your loved ones – Care and support services 

are available, making it easier for you and your family to 

live the best life possible with Alzheimer’s or dementia. 

Alz.org/10Signs 

800-272-3900 

Alzheimer’s Association


Camp Meeting 

A Mini Old Fashioned Camp Meeting 

April 25th, 2015 

Starts at 2:00 p.m. 

Giving My Best 

To You Lord 

Location: Anointed Word Life Center 

1802 Connally Drive , East Point, GA. (75 north to Freeway166 East Point, exit onto Stanton Road, turn left 

onto Stanton Road, keep straight to second traffic light, church will be directly across the street on your left hand 

side in white building.) 

So You Want To Be Fit? 

by Mohammad Bolton 

Do you have what it takes? Are your ready? Before you begin a workout, please consult your physician to find out 

if you are healthy enough for exercise. Understanding the elements of physiology, kinesiology, and genetic make-up 

of your body plays a role in your wellness. Making adjustments within your lifestyle improves your wellness. 

SO, ARE YOU READY? 

The important thing you want to remember is your body type as it relates to what you want to improve. Cardio is 

important, no matter what area you are trying to strengthen, tighten and tone. 

LET’S START OFF WITH WHAT WE CAN! Walking is great, if you can do more, walk further or jog or power 

walk. Try one mile, then increase the distance. Everything begins with conditioning. 

In our next article we will go deeper into the next phase of exercise, but first, let walking become a lifestyle for you. 

You Know You Can Do More. Get To It!


We have to put forth what we know to do so that it can be blessed. So when 

we talk about favor, I can tell you, I can claim favor all day long, but if I 

had not done what it took, served and carried John’s bags for many years, 

I would never have been able to carry his financials. If I had not traveled 

with him to small town America, I never would have been able to go Dubai. 

If I had not been willing to meet with a “no name pastor,” I would not have 

never been able to go to New York and meet with Donald Trump. 

Those small things that we do, absolutely leads to the amount of favor that we are going to enjoy. 

Dr. P: You may not be ready for that book, but I am and I am sure our readers feel the same. 

Thank you for the honor of this interview. 

Available at www.drpaulettestewart.com

404-919-9422 

Join Us us again for more great stories at 

www.drpaulettestewart.com 

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