So I'm sure you all are familiar with Time Magazine always choosing a Person of the Year! Based on some criteria that I think revolves around their impact on the world for that year. This year they picked the Facebook creator. (I can't say FB hasn't impacted my world b/c it has greatly! Whew! That's a whole other blog right there! LOL!) Anyway, I thought about it and I thought about who I'd pick, not for impact on the BIG world, but for impact on MY world in 2010. However, before I continue let me include a DISCLAIMER: I cannot list every family member or every friend I have on this list. Even if your name is not here, doesn't mean I don't love ya! Absolutely, family and friends have an impact on my life. But this is about the year 2010 and the people who have (without even knowing it) have caused me to think more deeply about myself, who I am, what I want, and where I am headed from 2011 and beyond.
These are my 2010 PEOPLE OF THE YEAR (no particular order):
Angela M. Hines - Met Angela several years ago and since she turned into one of my dearest friends and Sister in Christ. But it wasn't until the summer of 2010, that I realized why I am truly blessed to know her. Always ready to run for the Kingdom of God, I knew Angela loved the Lord and wanted to do His Will. As a PHD student, I know exactly how time consuming research and school can be. But even still, God's work comes first in Angela's life and she took time out of her life to go on a mission for Christ in the Dominican Republic. With a dissertation to write and a grad. student's budget, she went depending on God to suppy all her needs while she did His Will! Thanks to Angela I understand what sacrificing for God truly is! I needed this lesson!
Dwella Moton Nelson - Met her at a PHD conference in Tampa, FL in a real, random fashion, cried at Secret Life of Bees and found out she was a true Woman of God. But I know many woman of God, here's what I'd like to thank Dwella for, teaching me about A RIGHT NOW prayer! I asked Dwella to pray for me many times during this year as I dealt with different things and she never, ever waited. Nope, Dwella was praying right then and there!!! Her actions really caused me over the course of 2010 to think about my prayer life and how important it is to pray for people when they ask for prayer! It blessed me when she did that more than she'll ever know! It showed she truly cared and at that moment, my request was a priority! If there were to be a definition and picture in the dictionary of A Prayer Warrior, there is Dwella (striking a pose)!
Eddie Goines - Met Eddie during my life and times at NCSU (Go Pack!) and reconnected on FB then Twitter. I knew Eddie was moving from pro football to acting when I ran into him at The National Black Theater Festival several years ago. Since then he's really been chasing his girl "Thespia", maybe yall seen him in Beyonce's "If I were a Boy video", he was "the Boy". Eddie knows what he wants more than anyone I've come in contact with but here's what Eddie doesn't know. His vision and passion for his craft, has really caused me to reevaluate the love for my craft! I know now I must begin chasing my boy, "Author"! That desire, that drive, that's how I want to feel and I need to DO IT!!! Taken from Eddie's Youtube Hit, "I love my girl but she don't love me back!" I say, "Author, I'm not living without you, I don't wanna be free, I'm staying, I'm staying, and you and you, you're gonna LOVE ME! (if you don't get, Author = writing! lol!)
Sequola "Cola" McCallum - I met Cola and we became friends while in graduate school and she is one of the most genuine people I know! But again, I know a few other genuine folks. That's not why I have her as one of my persons of the year. While facing adversity in 2010, Cola has shown me what PEACE in the mist of a storm looks like, "taking lemons and not just making lemonade but opening up a lemonade stand." I've heard many people claim to be overcomers in Christ Jesus but Cola is the gospel in the flesh! 2010 was somewhat challenging for me healthwise but I know I can overcome in 2011, Thanks to Cola, I understand true overcoming and come what may...God is Good! Thus, my favorite hymn, It Is Well with My Soul! has a whole new meaning for me b/c of Cola's humble YET strong Godly witness!
Ron Dortch, Tarra Ellis, and Kitrinka Gordon - Why all 3? These are 3 of the coolest folks on FB! But I know alot of cool folks on FB but these are the founders of "The 24 Hour Praise Party" and "Happenings in the Tre4!" Folks have many reasons for going on FB. Not sure what my initial reason was but I discovered and reconnected with good people and these 3 are among the best! But they took social networking a step further, they decided to use FB to uplift Jesus and uplift the community. Rev. Ron and Minister Tarra use the 24 Hour Praise Party to bring the Gospel to the WWW via FB, Twitter, and other online media! You can find Ron preaching to the masses online every Thursday or expect a God-ordained Word to flow through Tarra via the Praise Party. Kitrinka, (or as I like to call her "Trinkalinka"), Happenings in the Tre4 (aka Winston-Salem, NC for those that don't know what Tre4 is) is more informative than US Today and the NY Times put together. Sharing jobs announcements, promoting local businesses, local events, Happenings is all about community UNITY!!! From these 3 individuals, I have learned that you don't need alot to make BIG, POSITIVE things happen as long as you understand how to make the most of what you have been given!
Often people, without knowing, do things which seem routine to them, turn out to really mean something to someone else. Alot of times, we think only the rich and famous can provide motivaton and influence! But in MY world, it's the little things that often mean so much! While TIME MAGAZINE is trying to tell me that Mark Zuckerberg is the Person of the Year, I say, Thanks BUT No Thanks! I kindly decline because when it really counts, it's the unsung heros and she-ros in my life that mean the most to me. And I wanted these folks to know how they impacted my life in 2010!
HAPPY NEW YEAR BLOG READERS!!! May your latter days be much better than your former ones!
Love, Peace, and Blessings!
Sherry
