Thursday, May 26, 2011

The Brink of a Breakthrough

Have you ever felt as though you were on the brink of a breakthrough, but you weren't sure exactly what that breakthrough was...or how close to the brink of it that you were? Over the recent months, that's the way I have felt regarding the work of I Shall Not Die (the book) and The I.S.L.A.N.D. Movement (the ministry). A series of things have happened since my last blog entry, and not all of those things have been good. Well...let me rephrase that. All of them didn't fit my definition of good. Despite that, I know that all of them have worked together for the good of the ministry itself (Romans 8:28). There have been some challenges that were (and in some cases, still are) a weight for me. However, if I have learned anything in my 44 years of living, my 32 years of living for Christ, and my 23 years of working in ministry; it is that the strength that we gain along this Christian journey is often a direct result of the weights we come in contact with in the process. But thanks be to God who is our refuge and strength; a very present help in our time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Because of Him, we never have to bear our burdens alone. God is good!

With that said, I am blessed to report that with the help of the Lord, the message of "I Shall Not Die" is still going strong despite every trick that that the enemy has tried to create. A steady stream of books have been sold in hardcopy and in electronic (e-book) format. One hundred percent of the reviews left on Amazon.com have been favorable, and most importantly, hearts and souls continue to be blessed and empowered. I could not ask for more, yet, because the ministry is on the brink of a breakthrough, I know that more is on the way. God is not finished, and I am bracing myself everyday (through prayer) for what lies ahead. No doubt, it's going to blow a few minds...perhaps even my own. :-)

But as I "sit in the waiting room," I am continuing to work toward those things that I know to be in order for I Shall Not Die. And one of those things is the 2nd Bi-Annual I.S.L.A.N.D. Conference. The first empowerment conference launched in October of 2010 at the same time of the book's official unveiling. It was a one-night worship and arts conference that was an awesome move of God. I am still in the early planning stages of next year's conference, but the tentative dates are October 11-13, 2012, and it will be held in metropolitan Atlanta, GA. The location and other specifics will be uploaded to the Conference link of the website as they become available. I hope you will make plans to attend. The conference will include musical performances by Stellar Award winning artists, a prayer breakfast with a nationally known keynote speaker, praise dancing and mime ministry by award-winning artists, a women's empowerment session, sponsored by Gospel Girls Study Group, a vending opportunity (books, CD's, T-shirts, etc.) sponsored by M-PACT Writers, and much, much more. Of course, it will all be capped off with a powerful worship service wherein another renown speaker will feed us with a good Word from the Lord. The early registration discount will be too good to pass up. Even deeper discounts will be available exclusively to VIP's (VIsion Partners) of The I.S.L.A.N.D. Movement. As soon as we have more solid information regarding the venue, registration lines will be open.

Look for more details in the coming months. The ministry and message of I Shall Not Die is on the brink of a breakthrough. To God be the glory!