FlavaChordz

New Blog

2011-06-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! My new blog relaunch is coming soon. Staaaay tuned!

Spring

2011-03-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Spring is officially here! This is a a new season and an opportunity for new beginnings. Take advantage of this great opportunity to continue striving to meet your goals. And if you've forgotten about your goals, kindly take a moment to remind yourself of your goals. If you have to, reshape those goals...but don't give up! Continued blessings!

Oh yes! My wife's women's retreat will be held this Fall, September-22nd-25th at Chateau Elan Resort in Braselton, GA. For more information, be sure to visit http://retreatsbyinspiredsistah.yolasite.com/.
Continued blessings!

Jessie
http://www.flavachordz.com/
www.twitter.com/flavachordz

Hang In There

2011-03-06T20:16:00.000-08:00

We're already in the third month of 2011. Time does not wait, so we have to make the most of every opportunity. In case the year is not going the way you had expected, be encouraged. Don't waste energy on things that you cannot control. And don't waste energy on things that you CAN control either, but do the best with what you have. And by all means...Hang In There!

Also visit me on:
http://www.flavachordz.com/
www.twitter.com/flavachordz

What Do You Have To Say?

2011-01-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

So…what DO you have to say? You may ask “What do you mean Jessie”? Well, if you are compos mentis (of sound mind…you know…you got good sense, etc), then at some point ( usually every day) you have something to say (of value) that can enrich those around you. Just because you don’t have people packing stadiums, civic centers, auditoriums, conference rooms, gyms, churches, etc. (to hear and see you) does not mean that what has been placed in your heart and spirit is any less significant than those who do command huge crowds. True. Everyone has not been given the same measure (gifts, talents, abilities). There are some people (and many of you have met them) who not only have MANY gifts, but also have enormous AMOUNTS of those gifts. For example, let’s say your gifts are only 2 in number: singing and mathematics (nice combo huh?). Be and do YOUR best with those talents. No need to “hate” on those who not only have those same talents, but also are AT LEAST twice as good as you are AND have 5 more and are as equally talented at those…while you struggle to get some shine with your whopping 2 talents. Looking at what others have and ignoring one’s own talent(s) has caused many a person to shortchange his or her own impact and significance. When God designed you, trust (Him)…He knew what He was doing. On the surface, it can seem unfair. But just know that if your portion was 2 and someone else’s was…7, don’t hate…cultivate (stir up your gift(s)) and impart to someone else the wisdom you’ve been given/developed. If it’s 500 people… 5,000 people or just 5 people…inspire, encourage, empower, share. You have something of value that the world is waiting for (even if that particular world consists only of a handful of people)…so say it!

http://www.flavachordz.com/
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Speak To My Heart--Part 1

2010-12-27T17:31:00.000-08:00

Remember To Stay Thankful

2010-12-23T19:40:00.000-08:00

Greetings! This year (2010) is almost over. What worked for you? What would you have done differently? Did you achieve all of your goals? Well, whatever the answers to those questions are, rest assured that 2011 will be a new year and with it will come new opportunities disguised as problems and challenges. Maybe you didn't do everything you could have or should have, but you made it this far...so be thankful and begin planning your next move(s). You already know the saying "If you fail to plan...then you're planning to fail." BUT. You're going to plan, AND you're going to plan well. That doesn't mean that you won't encounter occasional (or frequent) obstacles; but always and in every circumstance, give thanks to God who causes us to triumph. So if it's unhealthy relationships...make a plan. If it's an undesirable job/career...or the lack thereof...make a plan. If it's unwanted weight (yours)...make a plan. And Be Thankful because it could always be worse. Peace-n-Blessings!
***Celebrate Jesus Every Day***

http://www.flavachordz.com/
www.twitter.com/flavachordz

Inspired Sistah Sept 2010 Retreat Promo

2010-09-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

It's almost here. Inspired Sistah's Fall Retreat 2010. Ladies you don't want to miss is awesome time. And be sure to visit me: www.flavachordz.com

Go On What You Know

2010-08-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

Don’t worry about what your situation feels like. Go on what you know is true. God’s word is true. Sometimes our situations may cause us to have fear, or even doubt the presence of God in our lives. This is just what the enemy wants. If we accept a defeatist attitude, then the enemy’s job is effortless. But we shouldn’t relinquish any mental real estate to anything that’s ungodly. So when those ANTS A (automatic) N (negative) T (thoughts) come to you…kill them, by quoting God’s word, believing it, and applying it. We can’t just wish away bad thoughts. We have to open our mouths and confess the word of God. Be encouraged.

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Don't Stop Growing

2010-08-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we in the Body of Christ become uninterested and unenthused (L-A-Z-Y) about our relationship with our Savior. And it’s not that we don’t love the Lord, but sometimes we just don’t feel like reading those extra scriptures (if at all). Sometimes we don’t feel like praying those extra minutes (if at all). And sometimes we don’t feel like fasting those extra days…….(if at all). In order to keep growing though, we have to do these things. God is ALWAYS speaking to us through His written (logos) word and rhema (spoken) word. The rhema word can from someone else to you and/or directly from God to you. But the only way for us to “hear” from the Lord (Jesus) is to make ourselves available to Him. The way we make ourselves available to Him is not just by simply saying “Lorrrrd, I’m Available To You…….” We have to invest the necessary time to develop the sensitivity to be able to hear what is being spoken to us. Watching countless hours of TV is not going to build a strong relationship or affinity for God.

If we want to go up to the next level in our lives, and have continued growth, then we have to do next level things. Embracing AND applying those aforementioned fundamentals (reading, praying, fasting) will without a doubt facilitate our going up to the next level. As we apply these fundamentals, we will be better equipped not to run from our development. Because of fear and selfish inclinations, we tend to want to run away when the marriage gets tough, or when people on the job are being difficult, or if we’re not having the success we thought we deserved in the other areas of our lives. God does not violate our will (He gives us free choice), but He does allow circumstances to develop us. We just have to embrace those challenges, stand and act on God’s word and the victory will eventually come.

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www.flavachordz.com
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A Nation AT Praise--2010 Praise & Worship Music Conference

2010-08-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Praise & Worship Music Conference (July 29 & 30) @ World Changers Church International was awesome! Guest speakers were Pastor Steve Ingram, Dr.Earl Johnson, Pastor (yes) Ben Tankard and the pastor of World Changers Church International, Dr. Creflo Dollar. All of the speakers were awesome. For me, it was a time of reflection and confirmation and I received a lot of encouragement from having heard their own personal testimonies about some of the challenges and expectations in music ministry….and how to meet those challenges and expectations. And get this…I have been a huge fan of Ben Tankard's music for 20+ years….and I never knew what he sounded like. I’m not talking about on da keys. Dude can straight kill on keys. No. What I’m talking about is his voice. I had NEVER heard Ben Tankard speak…not just from the pulpit. I had NEVER heard him utter a single WORD. As I write this, I find it to be pretty amusing. I’ve listened to this guy’s music for 20+ years and never heard him speak before. Well, God is so awesome. Since we’re talking about a music conference, I thought “Wow…Ben gon’ ripp them keys.” But as it turned out, he did not play a single note. Funny how that worked out. He was there to minister…but not on the keys. He brought a very powerful and uplifting word AND shared his testimony about the industry, about music ministry in the industry, and many other salient points. It was so amazing to be at a music conference where the Holy Spirit was so in control,that Ben Tankard did not have to set behind a keyboard to flow in the Spirit and minister. Again, it’s funny how that worked out: I’ve listened to his music for 20+ years, but never heard him speak. He comes to a music conference and ministers through the spoken word…ONLY. God is truly amazing. The other guest speakers were also awesome. It’s just that I’m more familiar with the music ministry gifts of BT.

Throughout the two-day conference, themes of character, integrity, purpose and discipline were echoed. Musicians sometimes have a lot of unnecessary and distracting issues, simply because of bad choices and bad attitudes. Musicians are in ministry to assist the pastor, not to be prima donnas. Sometimes these ‘monster musicians’ are the direct result of pastors not addressing the issues head on, especially if they are very talented. They (pastors) don’t want to risk upsetting or God forbid loosing the musician. If that musician is not submitted to the shepherd , then he or she should leave or be dismissed..Lucifer had to go, and if the musician has HELL in his or her heart and does not have the love of God, then HELL is what he or she is going to give the pastor. Music is a very powerful force. The only force more powerful than music is love. And to really use music effectively, we have to let love continue to abound in our hearts. Peace n Blessings!

Be sure to visit me:
http://www.flavachordz.com/
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Gospel Piano/Keyboard Lessons

2010-07-27T20:50:00.001-07:00

Gospel Piano/Keyboard Lessons, originally uploaded by FlavaChordz.

Pic of me from a previous DVD signing.

Marriage Ain't for Wimps! Series: Don't Start Nothing, Won't Be Nothing

2010-07-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

Today's Guest Blogger, Tangie Henry of InspiredSistah, LLC (http://www.inspiredsistah.com/) shares her wisdom on marriage.

Oftentimes, I talk to married people who are less than fulfilled in their marriages. They’ve settled into a lifestyle with their mates that includes work, kids, basketball practice, mortgage, car notes, sometimes vacations…and sometimes sex. Five to Seven years into it and they’re wondering “What in the world is going on? How did we get here?” Lately, the first response has been that they’ve “grown apart” and have “irreconcilable differences.” They then start making decisions that leaves a bloody trail of broken hearts, bad credit and dual-custody. But let’s take a minute to examine the road that got them there and look for a detour.

The institution of marriage is inherently filled with “opportunities of growth and development”… to put it nicely. Those “opportunities” are designed to help you grow out of your stage of selfishness and learn how to love someone unconditionally. It’s tough and not many of us like going through tough times. So there’s a tendency to shy away from those “opportunities.” You can get into a pattern of what I call, “Don’t start nothing, won’t be nothing.” That phase occurs when you two are avoiding the “white elephant” in the room and tip-toeing around the issues you have. As a result, you fall into The-Hole-of-No-Communication where you’re not arguing, but you’re not having constructive conversations, either. Your dialogue is riddled with talks of bills, work and kids. Day after day, month after month, year after year of this non-confrontational lifestyle leads to the demise of your relationship. You “suddenly” wake up 15 years in as strangers begging for a way out. One person told me that the reason he and his wife got a divorce after 30-something years of marriage was because they stopped “maintaining the care of their relationship.” Well said.

So here are some tips to avoid slipping into the hole:

1. Understand that good marriages are not automatic. They don’t become good or stay good without daily maintenance.

2. Know that although avoiding a topic altogether may seem like a good idea, it will only hurt the union in the long-run.

3. Before broaching a touchy subject, think about what you want the intended outcome to be and formulate your conversation with a positive result in mind.

4. If need-be, agree to disagree, but be mature enough to try and understand the other person’s viewpoint and work toward a common-ground.

5. If you feel like you’re just at an impasse, care enough about your marriage to seek professional assistance—not your single, best girlfriend or your boy from college, unless, of course, they’re trained professionals.

Marriage is, indeed, one of the most difficult challenges you will have right up there with raising children and walking on hot coals! LOL! Seriously, even if you’re going through a rough patch now, know that you don’t have to stay there. You can actually go THROUGH. Realize that if you navigate those murky waters with skill, smooth sailing is a wonderful luxury that will be yours to enjoy. So be courageous enough not to fall into The-Hole-of-No-Communication and avoid the trap of “Don’t Start Nothing, Won’t be Nothing!”

Please feel free to send your comments/questions to Marriage@MarriageAintforWimps.com or follow us on Twitter @MightyMarriage.

To Marriage...With Love,

Inspired Sistah

Prayer Changes Things, But We Gotta Do More Than Just Pray

2010-07-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

Summer vacation is still in full effect for most students. But is it me or are the days just zooming by like a flash? July is almost over…but what happened to the rest of it?

I wanted to share a few thoughts on education. Public schools, for the most part, are a reflection of the larger society that we live in. There is a lot of social management that goes on in schools everyday, a lot more than when we (I turn 40 in a few months) were in school and on a much broader scale. While it is an unfortunate aspect of life, when homes and communities are broken, it is very difficult for public schools NOT to be broken. When large numbers of students come from these backgrounds and are placed together in large numbers in classrooms, then that is what’s going to be predominantly modeled/expressed, whether that’s on the street, at school, at the mall, or wherever. Most teachers are qualified and effective to be classroom teachers. But because of the social problems that are so prevalent in society, unless they (the teachers) have some training in counseling, psychology or social services, their job is going to get increasingly more difficult, because students are going to school without proper nurturing at home. Students who attend private schools are truly blessed because for the most part, their parents are more proactive in regards to education and academics and are able to mitigate many of the distractors that cause public school students to be behind. Also, these parents tend to have higher expectations of their children in the areas of accountability, work ethic, etc. And when you have large numbers of THESE students together, it is much easier for the teachers to focus more on teaching and learning. There are schools that do overcome the social issues and problems, but they are the exception. It is very important to keep in mind that ALL students have God-given talents, skills and abilities and that ALL students are important and deserve our best. By all means…keep praying.

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Walter Hawkins

2010-07-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Walter Hawkins (May 18, 1949 – July 11, 2010) writer, arranger, singer, pastor, brother, and friend to many. Bishop Hawkins became an ordained bishop in 1992. He died at his home in Ripon, California, from pancreatic cancer. Keep his loved ones in prayer. This is one of my all-time favorites:

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Are You Addicted?

2010-07-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's 2010 and it's a new day. Several years ago, a rap group popularized the acronym C.R.E.A.M.: cash rules everything around me. We could substitute the word convenience for cash. Cash has enabled many things to occur, both good and bad. Sufficient cash allows for convenience to survive and allows convenience to flourish. Convenience is the life blood of modern society. Cash is one of the tools that enables this. Convenience in and of itself is not a bad thing. The thing with convenience is that it can be addictive. We all crave better and more efficient ways of doing things. Convenience is most often at our beck and call, and doesn't hesitate to cater to our every whim. Convenience loves to keep us company: it knows that once it comes around, it will be back ad infinitum. Convenience also knows that it stimulates the pleasure centers in our brain, and causes us, in varying degrees, to release pleasure hormones, a la drugs and sex. Again, convenience in and of itself is not a bad thing. But once we become "hooked", convenience makes us only crave it more. And once we become hooked, convenience affects every aspect of our lives: from the food we eat and to how we eat, to where we go and how we go, to our degree of intimacy (or lack thereof), to our degree of patience with others, to how we take care of ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Spiritually. Hmmm. As Christians, we take care of ourselves spiritually by reading our bibles, praying, fellowshipping with other believers, fasting and meditating on God's word. Taking care of ourselves spiritually may or may not involve some convenience. But sometimes when it's time to pray, read our bibles and fast, it may not necessarily seem convenient. Praying is not as fun as watching our favorite sports team or favorite TV show or movie. Doing without something for a period of time when we can choose not to? Well, in this modern era that we live in, most people do pray (even if it's just a few words mumbled just before eating). Building a relationship with God requires more than that. It even requires more than just going to church. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love us just because we only give Him 5-10 minutes every week. Yes. God's love is unconditional. Relationships don't just happen on their own, even with God. We have to spend quality time with God to build a relationship. Just calling His name and doing things in His name is not building relationship. Quality time. How much? How much time do you spend building human relationships? If you're like me, you probably don't keep a record of how much time you spend around the people you enjoy. So the quantity of time is not important, but it certainly takes more than 5-10 minutes weekly. And this time is not limited to just being on our knees. We can talk to God anywhere. We can also meditate anywhere. And what about the "F" word? F_ _ _ (ha). Fast. Fasting requires us to bring about the antithesis of convenience: sacrifice. Although when fasting we're abstaining FROM something, we're also DOING something in it's place (reading our bibles more, praying more, etc). Convenience and sacrifice don't go together. When our Savior died on the cross, it wasn't convenience, it was sacrifice. And in this modern era that we live in, spiritual warfare requires that we also make sacrifices. Convenience can be a good thing....as long as we don't become addicted to it.

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Sunday Best

2010-06-21T06:15:00.000-07:00

Surprise surprise. Leandria Johnson is the Sunday Best 3 Winner. Outstanding job. Elder Goldwire McClendon ( loved that hop skotch/ gospel crip walk he did) also repped the Kingdom very well, as did all of the contestants. The music production was stellar and I thought the show flowed very well from scene to scene and music set to music set. And there were several nice praise breaks as well. Kudos to BET on this one and kudos to all of the behind-the-scene contributors, judges, mentors, and artists who performed/ministered through music. The only thing they were missing was me on < them > keys…..hey BET *wink wink*…call me. This is what Leandria had to say after winning:
“Wow Wow and Wow again” I am so overwhelmed! This is unbelievable. I would first like to thank God for giving me the strength to follow his instruction. I would also like to thank My parents, Bishop Gregory and First Lady Sharon Johnson for their continued support and covering, and for never giving up on me. I would like to thank my siblings, and the rest of my entire family! You guys are the best. To my 3 Beautiful children, I thank God for you and Mommy loves you very Much! To Elder Goldwire, You are such an inspiration, and you have taught me to NEVER GIVE UP, and Always follow my dreams! Can’t wait to see your name in lights! To the rest of the Sunday Best Contestants, I would just like to say Congratulations and this is just the beginning for us all! Let’s Make God Proud. To my church family in Orlando, FL. HQ Ministries, Thank you for your everlasting support! It means the world to me, and I don’t know where I would be without you! To my voters, I am so appreciative for every single vote that came through on my behalf! You don’t know what this means to me. You play a major part in my dream coming true! THANK YOU! And Last but Not Least, Thank you BET for for creating such a wonderful platform for people, such as myself, to help spread the Love of Jesus through song! I am so excited to be crowned your new Sunday Best, and I commit myself completely to continuing to build the kingdom of God!"

Well said Leandria.

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http://www.flavachordz.com/
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What If

2010-06-17T21:31:00.000-07:00

What if we were to get just as excited about Jesus as we do about sports, especially championship games? When our favorite team scores points, we rave and celebrate. Our emotions ebb and flow. What if we had that type of zeal in ministry? Imagine the souls that would be saved. Wow!

Be sure to visit me:
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Join Tangible Concepts, LLC

2010-06-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

Atlanta Summer Social Media Workshop Tour

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Appreciate Your Gifts...You Have Them Too

2010-06-15T09:40:00.000-07:00

Many people are challenged with having to figure out what their gifts are and what their purpose is. This can be very frustrating, especially seeing others "walk in their measure." But don't allow the satisfaction and zeal of others make you feel like you are less significant. You also have gifts. So what if your gifts are different from the gifts of others? YOUR gifts are still special. Why? Because they're from God. If you have not figured out your purpose and/or your gifts, spend more quality time with God (praying, meditating on His word, AND fasting). Remember. When God was passing out gifts, He did not forget about you. You have them too. Blessings 2 ya!

Be sure to visit me:
http://www.flavachordz.com/
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2010-06-10T23:46:00.000-07:00

Learn to play the piano with my 2 hour gospel piano dvd.

Social Media Work Shop

2010-06-10T23:39:00.000-07:00

Join me on Monday, 6-14-10, in Riverdale, GA as we discuss social media--the new way to communicate. This is a FREE event!

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How Sweet The Sound

2010-06-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars. Verizon's gospel http://www.howsweetthesound.com/ competition is back. It's good to see that gospel music is on such a prominent stage. There is concern that gospel music should not be mentioned or associated with competition. However, competition is not always a bad word. And maybe, just maybe, there may be those who decide to yield their lives to Christ, as a result of experiencing this event. If you are a praying person, pray for God's favor to shine upon this event, and that He will be most glorified. Blessings 2 ya!

Be sure to visit me:
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