Maybe God Is Trying To Tell You Something..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Hello all! Hope you all are having a great holiday season.  Just wanted to send my monthly hello/inspiration letter to all those I care for but might not get to see on a regular basis.  Read Jeremiah 44:15-30. 

Is God trying to tell you something?  Maybe.  One way to answer this question is to ask if there are areas in your life that you refuse to obey God.  Here in this passage, the people of ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Judah traveled to Egypt despite the fact that God told them not to go.  They thought it would be better for them if they went.  Not only did they disobey him by traveling to Egypt, they also worshipped false gods. God urged them to stop their wicked ways and turn to Him, but one again, the people felt things went well for them only because they worshipped and offered sacrifices to the "so-called" Queen of Heaven.  However, things only seemed better for them.  When God was tired of their disobedience and disgusted with them worshipping other gods, He cursed them.  

This made me look at my life.  A wise man, my God-Father, Marvin Frank Thomas, Sr. said, "In the midst of your downtimes, try and find out what God is trying to tell you."  This resonated in my spirit and I decided to take his advice.   All my life I had dreams of becoming an entertainer.  I was extremely gifted in acting, singing, and especially dancing.  When people would see me perform, they would always compliment me on how well my ability was.  I knew that it was a gift from God and I was passionate whenever I was on stage or in the midst of the arts.   However, after a few falls and life circumstances I allowed the devil to convince me that this was not for me and I abandoned it altogether. I didn't want anything to do with the arts at all.  I wanted to get a job and start an entirely new career.  So I quit my job dancing on a cruise ship and returned back to Atlanta to start my self-created purpose. I figured that within a month, I would land an office job and start my journey in Corporate America.  But was this what God wanted me to do?   Needless to say, for the past 9 months I have been unemployed. My plan failed.  I knew I had good corporate/office skills and an excellent personality, but couldn't understand why things were not working in my favor while I was on the search for a job.  I prayed and prayed and believed God for a job, but things appeared not to change.  So I decided to take my God-Father's advice and to see what could God be trying to tell me? 

After much contemplation, while sitting in the final performance of a show that I choreographed, "Handel's Messiah: A soulful Celebration" God finally spoke to me and said, you've abandoned My purpose for you.  And I sat in amazement.  I thought to myself, just because things seemed easier before I decided to pursue this field, didn't mean that it wasn't God's calling for my life.  I reflected on the passage and saw a parallel between myself and the people of Judah; we both ignored God's plans and chose our own paths.  But ultimately neither one of our plans worked the way we intended.  We must realize that God created all of us for a specific purpose.  Jeremiah 1:5 reads, "…before you were born, I chose you…" 

God chose me?  Before I was born, God had already planned a purpose for my life.  So if things get harder, remember God's plan is still the best, you may just have to depend on him a little more than what you may accustom.  When you do, not only will your faith be increased, but you will see that God is definitely on your side.  " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.  God doesn't want to you suffer; he only wants the very best for you!  But the only way we can succeed is when you yield towards His will. 

Yielding towards His will brings Jeremiah 29:11 into fruition.  What was God trying to tell me?  First, not to abandon His will.  Also, to trust that His plan is much better for my life than any plan I can concoct. I will trust God will provide me with a fulltime job that can provide for me as I continue to find performance opportunities and continue to trust Him to lead me in the right path and connect me with the right people in order to pursue this venture fulltime.  The words to the song "His Will" from our church's nationally recording group, Destiny Praise, speaks towards following God's will:

It seem unfair, it's so much stress God wants for you His best. But not until you submit to His Will…
He heard your cry and tears. He knows your sight and fears. He wants to just renew his relationship with you.
Don't be afraid of facing everything inside. Even the guilt… that had been pride. God will step in, but He's waiting until you're in His Will…, you're in His Will…
Don't you give up. Don't settle for less. God wants for you His best. But not until you submit to His Will
Jesus is waiting to reveal His plan for you for real. But it won't help until you start to submit to His Will…

As 2008 comes to a close and we usher in 2009, I encourage you to examine yourself and see what God is trying to tell you?  Ask yourself: a). Are there areas in my life that I am blatantly ignoring God and choosing my own path?  b). What has been the result of my decision to follow my own path?  c). What would have been different in my life if I would have obeyed God? 

Let's pray…

Dear Father,

Thank you for allowing me to live yet another year on this earth.  I know you created me for a specific purpose and starting today I will accept your plan for my life.  Please forgive me for ignoring you and doing what I thought was best.  Order my steps Father and show me what direction I need to go in order to be where you want me to be.  Today starts the first day of the best days of my life.  Thank you for your mercies that are new every morning.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 

I Surrender All

Hey Friends and Family,

It's been a minute since I have written to all of you!!! I wish I could write to you more often, but life happens.  As most of you know I have been out of work for eight months, longer than I ever expected I would be.  I have done everything within my power I can think of, I apply for jobs every day ( that is a full time job), I seek our referrals, I try and live right, but out of all the work I have done, I have not yet to see the fruits of my labor.  Key word – YET.  Well as bills begin to stack up and money becomes less and less to non existent, one cannot help but to worry a bit, but a good friend of mine shared some passages with me, that renewed me and encouraged me to keep faith that God has not forgotten about me!  I figured I would share with you all, especially with an uncertain economy people are losing their jobs, foreclosing on homes, or whatever the situation may be, we tend to turn to worrying, especially if the situation hasn't changed and doesn't look like it is going to get better anytime soon. But I challenge you to trust God!  

Read Luke 12:22-34 and Luke 11:9-10 and then pray:

Dear Most Holy and Gracious Father,

I am excited about today! Something good is going to happen to me today because of the favor you have given me in my life.  Thank you that even though I do not always do what you say that your grace and mercy continues to follow me every single day.  God, your favor will cause people to see something special in me, something that enables me to shine above the rest.   That favor helps to me to defeat the odds in everyday life.  I am an overcomer.  This problem did not come to stay, it came to pass!  I know that no weapon formed against me can prosper.  (Isaiah 54:17).  God is fighting my battles and you said in your word that if you will take care of the birds and flowers then you will certainly take care of me! (Luke 12:24).  I will from this day forward trust that you are in control.  New doors of opportunity are opening. I am going to rise to new heights! I am well able to fulfill my destiny.  The physical realm tells us "you have to see to believe," but your word says BELIEVING IS SEEING.  If we have the faith the size of a mustard seed we can tell a mountain to move (Matthew 17:20).  Therefore, I will no longer dwell on the negatives of my current situation, but from this day forward I will "call the things that are not as if they already were" (Romans 4:17).  I am strong! I am prosperous.  I am the head and not the tail.  I am confident; I am called.  I am anointed. I am creative. I am talented.   Your ways will always work for the good of those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28).  Today I surrender all to you God!  I will no longer worry about the outcome, but will just know that when I put you first, you will add unto me accordingly (Luke 12:31).  "Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). The best is yet to come! I haven't seen anything yet!!!   In Jesus name I pray,  Amen.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4)..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Wassup my friends.  Long time since I have given you and update on me! So, here's another long email! J  Well right now I am back in the A!! That's right, so all my ATL peeps who didn't know, get at ya boy! We need to connect soon!  I have been off the ship since April 1^st! Thank God, so happy to be back in ATL.  Though I am happy to be back, things still haven't been the best in the world.  But one day during my study time with God, He revealed that I was just working out in His weight room and that gave me so much peace that I thought I should share.

Just as we life weights to make our physical body stronger, God gives us spiritual weights in the form of tests to make us stronger.  When you feel the weight of the world is on our shoulder, remember God has you in his spiritual gym and he is your spotter, just have faith and know that He will not let the weight fall down on you.  He is there lifting the weight for you, just push!  He will never put more on you than you can bear.  You have to remember that you are in the fight of your life with the devil. He "comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10a).  But with God you win the battle! You've got the victory, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full"(John 10:10b).

But you cannot win if you have not become of member of God's gym.  You cannot just walk into Bally's or La Fitness and start working out on their equipment.  You need a membership to get access to the equipment that makes you stronger.  That membership is not free and has an expiration date.  The price for one mainstream gym I saw was $650 for a duration of 3 years and $99 each year after that.  Well, to get into God's weight room, you also need a membership card, it' called salvation.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).  There is no membership fee or expiration date, just offer yourself to him as a living sacrifice. "But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14).  To have access into God's Weight Room "confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

When you gain membership to the gym, you will see that you are not in the gym alone, other people are there working out as well.  You are not alone in your struggle, others are there lifting weights, facing trials and becoming stronger.  Everyone in the gym is working out on different machines.  Some are working on upper body, some legs, just arms, some just cardio.  That's because we all need to grow and become stronger in different areas.  "Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers" (Ephesians 4:11).  And God has tailor-made your workout (or tests of faith) to your specific situation.  And as your relationship with grows with God your role may change and then your workout (or tests faith) will also change.  Overtime, your body will become use the weight it was lifting and to become stronger, you will have to increase the amount of weight you are lifting or your body isn't reaching its full potential and getting an effective workout. The same applies with God's weight room.  If God just threw the same old trials at you time after time, then you would never get stronger or grow. 

I heard a pastor once say as your faith increases, evidence decreases.  When you are first working out you are becoming familiar on what equipment does what and how that equipment works. In God's weight room the same applies, when you first accept Him as your savior, you are still learning to recognize his voice, so sometimes there is more evidence to help you see God has not forgot.  But overtime as God stretches your faith, your prayers may not be answered quite as fast as you would like, you feel like you are never going to get out of the situation you are in, you feel you're never get married, you feel I'll never get a promotion, you feel like your big break has been about to happen for the past 5 years now and that you should just loose hope..  Not loose hope, God is testing your faith and he has not abandoned you.  "His sheep follow him because they know his voice." (John 10:4).  God is there, and he sent the Holy Spirit to be your personal trainer to teach and guide you, just. 

So for the past two months and counting, I have been on a more strenuous work-out plan than I have used to doing, but I know that I will be stronger because of it.  Still looking for a job and having bills to pay have really been weighing down on me.  "Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalms 37:25).  Even though I don't have a full time job, God blessed me with a part time job teaching dance (Tues/Fri at www.dance101.org – shameless plug J) and an acting opportunity that pays (I'm in the musical, Chicago www.atlantaprotheatre.com – another shameless plug). So that's gas in the tank and food in my belly.  My gracious God-father blessed me by letting me stay with him rent free until I get on my feet.  Thank you sir! You are truly a blessing!  My mom has helped by paying bills I couldn't pay. Love you lots!  And everything has been taken care of.  I haven't needed for anything.  God has met all my needs.  And as I look back at my life, he has always met my ALL needs, not necessarily when I wanted him to or felt like they should've been, but he met them in His PERFECT timing.   Because God has been ever so faithful in my life, I can face tomorrow and all fear is gone. When I became a member at Jesus Christ of Nazareth's gym, the workouts he put me through made me strong and developed perseverance.   "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:4). 

Hope this has been an inspiration if you are going through! Please keep me in your prayers as I keep you in mine.  I love you all!!

"my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting-- it will happen!" Habakkuk 2:3

Hey Guys!! How is everyone.? Just thought I would take the time to sit and write to you.  It seems like forever since the last time I have written.  Well for those of you who don't know already.  I am dancing in a show on a cruise ship.  It is on the Carnival Paradise that sails from ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Long Beach, California and goes to Ensenada, Mexico and the Catalina Islands.  I perform in three Las Vegas Style review shows.  One show is called "Here's Hollywood" A musical tribute to Hollywood.  It has a Hollywood Icons section (Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Julie Garland), then goes into Chicago, Pink Panther, The Wiz (I'm the scarecrow – lol ), Austin Powers, James Bond, a Horror Section, and a big Finale!  The next show is called "Shout." It's a fun rock and roll, Motown, gospel, 50's and 60's show.  The crowd really loves this one.  Both of these shows are around 1 hour in length and are amazing.  The other show is a shorter show. It's a "Welcome aboard show" where we welcome the guest to the Carnival Paradise. 

The ship I am on does a 3-4 day run. The four day (Monday-Friday) goes to both Catalina Islands and Ensenada, Mexico and the three day (Friday-Monday) goes to only Ensenada Mexico.  Surprisingly, the cruises are actually cheap like in the $300 range.  (Hint Hint) So for those of you thinking about taking a vacation – come visit me !!! :-D  I'm here until June 9^th!

I have had some good days, I LOVE doing the shows! The people are nice (most of the time).  I am in a cast of 17 incredible people, but when you live, sleep in the same place, work, and hang together, you do get tired of them! I have been able to see some incredible places and do some amazing things.  Some of you have seen pictures of my adventures.  Even with all the good times, I have had some really BAD days as well.  It has been a trying time for me here.  Being away from the friends and family I love dearly has been hard, but not so bad because as most of you already know I am a mover, so I am used to going away.  But coming to a place where there are 900 employees (only 25 from the USA) was different.   I am in a cast of 17, but the expression feeling alone in a room full of people – I now know what they mean now.  I haven't really bonded with anyone that greatly.  Also, there are so many rules and regulations that I feel like I am jail. I have a supervisor who has no clue what she is doing and is rude!!! But I just had to pray for her and shake her off, so that doesn't bother me too much.  Then I am the only one in my cast that believes in God.  Which I was blown away!  You hear that people don't believe in God, but when you're the only one it really puts things into perspective.  So spiritually I felt my spirit being weak.  Being able to be fed on a weekly or more basis by a pastor and being able to fellowship with fellow brothers and sisters of Christ is definitely something not to be taken for granted.   I read my bible every day and pray that God gives me understanding on how His words that I read are to be applied to my life. Thanks for anyone who has sent me any cd's or dvd's or church services from back home.  It helps.  But being here has been a great spiritual and emotional journey for me, so please say a prayer for me.  Staying here gets harder and harder every day.

Monday was a really trying day for me.  Seemed like everything was going wrong, tried to call my mom and she caught an attitude with me (which seems to be typical – but this  day it really affected me), my insurance went up, I didn't get anything I needed accomplished done, a creditor called saying I had a bill in collections.  I was like when it rains it pours. I had to stop and think God what is going on?!?!   "What am I doing here?" "Why am I on this earth?" I really have a lot of things in my life that I would like to achieve and I am not getting any younger.  I felt like a failure.  I prayed, "God you're gonna have to show yourself to me." And then he spoke to me through an email forward someone sent to me and low and behold was the scripture, Habakkuk 2:3.  It was almost too perfect to be true.  I had many forwards in my inbox and didn't have time to read them all, but for some reason I decided to read that particular one.  At the time I didn't know why I was compelled to read it, but when I began to read, there was God's answer to my plea and my complaining.  He simply said "my words WILL come true. You can TRUST what I say about the future.  It may take a long time, but KEEP ON WAITING - it WILL happen" and I was just floored...I couldn't do anything but cry and thank God.  I think I cried and had a praise in worship session in my room for about an hour (lol). He answered a prayer in words so plain and clear. He said Jeremy, trust me it will happen. Your time WILL come.   Just keep on waiting.  And faith is trusting in God 110%.  God is not a liar.  So I continue trust God and ask him to lead me in the right way and help me make the best decisions.  And so with that, I was able to continue striving towards the goal I have set for myself as I walk in his glory and continue to do his will.  

So in closing, once again sorry for yet another long update…lol. (come on yall know me! What did you expect J )  When things start to look dim and you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, know that you are God's chosen one!!!  Jeremiah 29:11 says " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'."  God's timing is not our timing. But trust God YOUR TIME IS COMING!  Maybe you have been waiting on that house, that marriage, that job, that raise, or like me that big break.  Whatever the case may be, have faith and know that God has your best interests in hand and your time is coming.  Before we can grow we need some rain.  God said he plans to prosper you!  When you awake every morning no matter if you feel like the world is on top of your shoulders or you feel like you are on top of the world say "Thank you God for prospering me.  I will keep waiting for what you have in store for me, for you promised that if I trusted you, your words shall come to pass! Give me the patience and the strength to wait until that time comes.  And when that time does come, help me always remember that it was you who brought me to that place and to be grateful for it and allow me to be a blessing to others!

Hope everyone is happy a new year.  Love and miss you all.  See you soon.

Jeremy

Lyrics to Kirk Franklin's "Hide Me" off his new album – Be blessed!

"Soon you will cross the ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Jordan River to conquer the land that the Lord your God is giving you" (Deut. 11:31)

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Hello All,

Hope everyone is having a great month. I don't get to write every month like I wish I could but the times I do get the opportunity I would like to check in and personally say hi.  Well things in my life right now are in a limbo.  I have been placed in a situation where I have to fully depend on God right now. My faith is truly being tested as we speak. Well last week I lost my job, mostly to my fault, but how many of you know that "God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him" (Romans 8:28). With that said, I know that even though I have made some mistakes that even God can turn this situation around in my favor. 

Well, what have I decided to do?  I have decided to try to pursuing acting/dancing/entertaining? Crazy right? Well some of you who may know me, would say "no that's not crazy, that's who you are?" Well when you sit back and look at it, the odds are not the greatest. First of all, there a million of people who want to "make it big!" Then it isn't necessarily steady work. You work on projects and when that's over, you have to be on the grind looking for another opportunity. Doing this is really a mark of faith, because you have to have faith that God will provide for you. I am not worried because "I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread" (Psalms 37:25).And as long as I remember this, I can have faith that God is a man of his word because he can't lie and never changes. 

I have been reading about the Israelites journey from Egypt to the promise land over the course of the past few months. Today I was reading and then I realized how their live and their journey has been somewhat of a parallel to mine. When they were in Egypt they were held in bondage – before God delivered me I was in bondage from sin. Then they wonder in the wilderness for a long time – Well sometimes we feel like what I am on earth for, what am I doing here, I am not accomplishing anything! Then today, I was reading Deuteronomy 11 and Moses was telling the Israelites what they must do in order to pass into their "promised land" or destiny. This inspired me to write to you all today! 

He begins with talking about all the amazing things that God has done for them from working miracles in Egypt, making the ground open up in the middle of the camp where Dathan and Abiram lead a rebellion against the Lord to bringing them to the place they are now. As I looked back in my life I can't even list the countless number of things God has done in my life. Take a moment to really look at what God has done for you in the past week, it will blow your mind how much he does for us in just a short time and just think he does millions, probably more a day for you in a day!

Moses continues by saying soon you will cross into the Jordan River to the promised land. The promised land can be described as your destiny!!! He says if they obey the laws God gave them they will "be STRONG enough to conquer the land" (Deut 11:8). In order to walk into our destiny we have to be strong enough to do so because the devil is fighting to keep us from our destiny and will do all he can to stop us! He is trying to stop you this very moment from walking into your destiny!!! Hold steadfast to the Lord so you can be strong enough to fight the devil. If we love the Lord and obey all the laws he will help us defeat our enemies, even though they may be more powerful than us. With God on your side, no one is more powerful than you are.  In my career, basically you have to be the best singer, the best actor, the best dancer, the best looking person, the right look, the right body shape. Well, when God says something is for you! You can walk into an audition or walk into a job interview knowing that someone may be more talented or qualified than you, but God has already promised you this "land." A lyric from a song in my first musical "Charlotte's Web" sticks out "There is always somebody bigger, that's no guarantee he'll win the prize."  

Walk into your promised land, a land "rich with milk and honey…better than the land you had in Egypt where you had to struggle just to water your crops. But the hills and valleys in the promised land are watered by rain from heaven, because the Lord your God keeps his eye on this land and takes care of it all year long" (Deut. 11:9-12). The destiny God has for you is filled with many blessings! Better than before where we had to struggle to pay bills, struggle to feed ourselves, family, children, etc., struggle to find a job, whatever your struggles may be. God is saying it is time to walk into your destiny! Things will not always be perfect, God never said it always would.  What he did say was whether you are in the "hills" – your time of blessing – or your "valleys" – your low points in your life – you are walking in God's favor and He is controlling each situation for your good. 

Moses cautions the Israelites to "watch out! You will be tempted to turn your backs on the Lord" (Deut. 11:16).  This is echoed "Never too busy" by Byron Cage, as you are walking in your destiny, "as you climb the ladder of success, and the blessing begin to pour in, make sure you are never to busy to praise him" (the Lord). 

In walking in your destiny, you have two choices. "Obey…he will bless you…disobey…the Lord will put a curse on you" (Deut. 11:27-28). Plain and simple.    So chose obeying God, so you can experience the wonderful things he has in store for you on earth! 

"Soon you will cross the Jordan River to conquer the land that the Lord your God is giving you. And when you have settled there, be careful to obey his laws and teachings that I am giving you today" (Deut. 11:31-32). This has spoke to me because I feel like I am at the Jordan River right now.  I have been delivered from Egypt, and wandered around the wilderness wondering what the heck I am doing and supposed to do with my life.  Now God has brought me to the Jordan River and is saying it is time for me to cross. Is he saying the same to you?  Am I scared? YEAH!!!!!!! Why?  Well "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb 11:1).  I have faith in God, but right now he is putting me through an experience, that will cause my faith to be increased.  I have never had to depend on God as I do now.  Until recently I thanked God for a job, but then I had a steady income, a "normal" job.  Now I am pursuing a career that many fail in, but as mentioned above I am about to cross in the land he has for me! I hope you will do the same for yourself. A good friend of mine told me, you just have to do it!  Your family may not understand or may not even support you, but just do it!!! So that's my word for you today.  Whatever it is that God has called you to do, whatever has been placed on your heart, whatever dreams you have that you haven't reached for, NIKE (Just do it!).  Well I will continue to update you on my status on my success and failures.  Just pray for me as I pray for you!

Sorry for the long letter, but God placed this on my heart and I wanted to share with you.  Thanks to all of you that take the time to read my messages when I am inspired to send out.  I hope it has been a blessing and a word of encouragement for you! And I hope you can apply this to your life!  For those of you in the Atlanta area come out to my show!!

Aurora Theatre opens their 12th season with this Wild West musical masterpiece. Annie Get Your Gun tells the tale of American pioneer Annie Oakley featuring hit song after hit song: Doin' What Comes Naturally, Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better and There's No Business Like Show Business. The legend of these bigger-than- life characters from the Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show serves as the perfect backdrop for a rootin' tootin' love story.
Annie Get Your Gun
August 9, 2007 - September 9, 2007
Performances are Thursday - Saturday at 8:00PM
Saturday & Sunday at 2:30PM
Tickets $18 - $25
Wednesday Matinee Performances
August 15 & 22 at 10:00AM
All Tickets $14
Reservations: 678- 226-6222

Hello All.  Justwanted to send my monthly greetings to say hi to those I don't get to speak to on a regular basis.  I know I have skipped a month or two.  My bad.  I got the subject of the email from a business card that was given to me last week.  As I read the quote by Milton Berle, I thought, how true a statement is this! How many times in life do we go about wondering when "our time" is going to come?  Well instead of waiting around, have you built the door for opportunity to knock?  Has "our time" not come, because we have not laid the basic foundation for our purpose to come into fruition? 

Since January first, I have joined my church on emabarking on a 40 day Journey of Personal P.E.A.C.E. fast.  Throughout the fast we focused on spiritual empitness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease, and crippling illiteracy.  All these that are destroying our world today!  And let me tell you, this has been a TIME! I have never done anything to this magnitude and I have been struggling, but have enjoyed the ride.  I have to admit, I slipped a few times, but I have gotten back on the horse! Contrary to belief, fasting is not about getting something from God, but it is about the change that is occuring in you!

On Day 24 of our fast we read "A Story About 10 Servants," or some of you may know it as the story of talents ( Luke 19:11-26).  A master gave each of his servants some money and he told them to "use this money to earn more until I get back"(vs 13).  Well the master leaves and comes back and the first servant earned 10 times as much money as he was given.  Another servant earned 5 times as much.  Now there was one servant who didn't earn ANYTHING.   He just held on to the money and did nothing with it.  Now the master was pleased with the first two because they used the money he gave them to build a door for opportunity to knock.  He was displeased with the servant who earned nothing and took the money away from him.  The story ends with the master saying "Those who have something will be given more, but everything will be taken away from those who don't have anything"(vs26).

God has to be able to trust us with little before he can trust us alot.  What have you been doing with what God has given you? I looked at my dance class.  At first I was a bit disappointed when I started teaching at my new studio that only two students came.  Then I asked myself., "should I be treating this class of 2, the 2 people God entrusted me to teach, like a class of 26?"  Well, when I looked at it that way and changed my outlook, my class sized INCREASED to about 13 people.  Though, I am still believing God for more! God will reward us when we take care of what he entrusted us with.

Are there things in your life that maybe you need to change you outlook before things can multiply?  What about your finances?  The bible says the more you give, the more He gives to you! And what are you doing with the money he blesses you with?  Are you investing your money so it can multiply so you can help more people in the future or are you spending it on frivilous things. 

Well as most of you know, my true passion is for the arts.  While I await my Hollywood breakthrough :) I have been building my door for opportunity to knock.  I just finished choreographing "Smokey Joe's Cafe" with Galaxy Music Theatre, ATL.  Thanks for all you who came out to support me!  This was an amazing and talented cast that I loved dearly working with!  I am currently choreogrpahing "Anything Goes" with Theatre on the Main in Acworth, GA.  Besides, that I am also teaching at a number of studios.  I have listed my classes below so those of you who are in the ATL can come take a class or two.  That's the main thing that has been going on in my life.   Besides that, my aunt just died.  Please keep our family in your prayers. 

Well I have talked(written) you to death.  Guess that's what happens when I don't write for months.  I close with the two greatest commandments.  "Love God with all your heart, mind, and strengh, and we must love others as much as we love ourselves.  These commandments are most important that all thesacrifices and offerrings that we could possibly make." (Mark 12:33). Build you door by loving others! Call up an old friend and see how he or she is doing,  Tell a dear friend how much they mean to you, or go to a shelter or hospital with a group of friends and pray for the poor and sick.  I love you all dearly.  It's been a long email, so I am signing off.  Until next month.

Jeremy A. McShan aka Jaye Allen (lol)

DANCE CLASSES

Rhythm and Groove..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Rhythm and Groove combines the groove of hip hop mixed with rhythmic modern jazz dance in an exciting fun filled class that will have you feeling like you are dancing in a music video. This class consists of a short warm up based on hip hop technique and involves stretching, strengthening and coordination exercises. The choreography itself is very much a cardio-vascular workout, but with the artistic integrity of professional level hip hop - moves that are easy to do - that just look hard. Each week a new routine choreographed to current popular music. Taught by Jeremy A. McShan

Dance101.org

Discover – for the Dancer who is curious about dance, but does not have much dance training.  Tuesdays 5pm-6pm.

Beginning – for the dancer who is just starting off or hasn't dance in a while.  This class is a great bridge to prepare you for your intermediate class.  Friday's 7:30-8:30pm.

Hip Hop Fusion
Contemporary hip hop, locking, poppin', and breaking. Classes start off with a basic warm-up. Then breaks the class down with a hip-hop combination. Hip Hop Explosion is for all levels from beginning to advanced.
Where: ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Morehouse College, Archer Hall.  Upstairs in the Cardio room. 
When: Tuesdays at 7:30pm – Classes are FREE!!!!

Come check out my class this Thursday February 8 with Culture Shock Atlanta

8:30pm

Crunch Fitness Parkway Pointe

3101 Cobb Parkway

Atlanta, GA 30339

You do not need to be a member of Crunch to attend. Come out for a fun dance class!

For more information log onto our website: www.cultureshockatlanta.org

Atlanta Ballet (Cobb Studio location) is now offering "Street Jazz" taught by Jeremy McShan.
Street Jazz is a combination of modern jazz dance and current hip hop influences. The result is similar to what can be seen in many music videos today. This class consists of a warm up based on jazz technique and involves stretching, strengthening, co-ordination exercises and cardio-vascular workout. This will be followed by a new routine each week choreographed to current popular music.
Saturday 1pm-2pm (ADULTS)
For more information go to www.atlantaballet.com or call 678.213.5000 for more information.

Wassup Peeps!

 

How are all you all doing?  Haven't sent out an email in a while and wanted to see how everyone is doing?  Me, I am doing good.  I am working on a show right now in ATL, "Smokey Joe's Cafe".  It closes this Saturday.  For those of you in ATL I hope you can make it out this weekend and support me.  It is an excellent show!!! 

 

Other than that, I am just finiding my way.  I started working at a new company called Acsys, Inc.  Hopefully I will be here for a while.  Today was my first day and it seems like a cool place to work.  I am an Associate Staffing Consultant for work in the Accounting and Financial Fields. 

 

I have been thinking about my future and was listening to Steve Harvey talk on the radio and he was talking about how God showed him a glimse of his future.  He said he never knew he would amount to what he has become and if God would have shown him, then he would not have wanted it to happen and that the blessings were so overwhelming that he just could not imagine it.  So I prayed and asked God to show me a glimpse of my future.  Well I have gotten lost in three neighborhoods in the ATL area.  And these are neighborhoods that I never knew existed and the houses were the BIGGEST, most beautiful houses ever.  And then today when I got lost in yet another neighborhood like that, I wondered, God are you showing me a glimpse of my future?  Let's hope...lol.  But stay encouraged in all that you do!!! When things get down and you are not sure of what the future holds for you.  Ask God to show you a Glimpse of your future.

 

Please continue to pray for me! You can never have too much prayer.  But as of right now things are going well.  I hope all of you are doing well. Please, if you are in or nearby ATL, please come see "Smokey Joe's Cafe"  Love you all.  God bless!!

 

Sincerely,

Jeremy McShan

 

JEREMY MCSHAN

 

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Galaxy Music Theatre's production of the hit musical revue, "Smokey Joe's Café - The Songs of Leiber and Stoller," opens this Thursday, October 26, 2006, and runs Thursday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday afternoons at 2:00 p.m., until November 18, 2006.

 

Leiber and Stoller, as much as anyone, virtually invented rock 'n' roll and now their songs provide the basis for an electrifying entertainment that illuminates a golden age of American culture. In an idealized '50's setting, the classic themes of love won, lost and imagined blend with hilarious set-pieces and slice-of-life emotions. Featuring nearly 40 of the greatest songs ever recorded, SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE isn't just great pop music - it's compelling musical theatre.  Some songs include:  Young Blood, Ruby Baby, Dance With Me, Kansas City, Fools Fall In Love, Poison Ivy, On Broadway, Yakety Yak, Charlie Brown, Teach Me How To Shimmy, Treat Me Nice, Hound Dog, I'm a Woman, There Goes My Baby, Love Potion #9, Jailhouse Rock, Spanish Harlem and Stand by Me.

 

Hear what some Critics have said about "Smokey Joe's Café":  "Leiber and Stoller are the Rodgers and Hammerstein of rock 'n roll!"  Cousin Brucie, WCBS-FM.  "Exuberant!  It sails and soars!"  Time Magazine.  "To the baby boomer generation, Leiber and Stoller are as sacrosanct as George Gershwin is to their parents."  New York Times.  "Blissful!"  WABC TV.  "Wildly infectious!"  New York Daily Times.  "First-rate!"  New York Post.

 

"Smokey Joe's Café" is directed by Nat Martin, with Musical Direction by Gerard Reid and choreography by Jeremy McShan.  This show is not to be missed!  Audiences will be entertained by 2 hours of non-stop singing and dancing with some of the greatest ballads, novelty songs and rock and roll hits ever written, and all written by the same composers, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

 

For information or RESERVATIONS, please call 404-658-1460 or email info@galaxymusictheatre.com.   Show performed at Relapse Theatre is located at 380 14th Street N.W. Atlanta, GA 30318

DIRIVING DIRECTIONS
> Take 75/85 to 14th Street.
> Go West on 14th Street.
> 0.4 miles turn left on Mecaslin Street.
> immediate left, for rear parking lot.

 

"Smokey Joe's Café - The Songs of Leiber and Stoller" is presented by special arrangement through R & H Theatrical, New York, NY.