My Vision - The Overcomers Foundation

I know I have been gone awhile and for me to explain that would take way too long. The important thing is that I am back with a renewed commitment to giving my blog more of my time and attention. The name of this posting is the name of my God-given vision that is now more of a reality than when I first received it in 2007. To briefly give that history I will say that it was a time in my life when I was going through an unexpected storm. Of course, like all storms, God allowed it to turn into a blessing, so don't think I am complaining. The moment the name of the vision came into my head I got right to work, developing a mission statement, purpose and all the other necessities to help it become something tangible. This exercise in creativity allowed me to come through that storm with so much ease until I forgot that it was one. My son Jesse took on the task of creating a logo for me and it turned out so beautifully. It is a symbol that I am very proud to own.
Today, The Overcomers Foundation has a Facebook page, business cards, refrigerator magnets, a few clients and is growing day by day. I pray everyday for the diligence and commitment to continue doing what it takes for it to continue growing, and the compassion for those in need to continue drawing them in to help them in any way I can. I am sharing the latest creation from my organization's Graphic Arts Consultant Bro Jesse Muhammad and want to encourage readers of my blog to visit the Facebook page and leave comments. I need all the encouragement and support from everyone willing to give it, and most of all the continued support of those who are already doing so.
I plan to keep in touch with readers on a consistent basis and look forward to responding to any questions or requests for speaking to any person or group that asks.
Peace & Blessings to you all!

Feeling Like a Celebrity!

Talk about ironic! On this exact date, one year ago, I posted a blog titled "I'm Baaaack" which explained my long absence from blogging. Well, I guess I will call this one "I'm Baaaack Again", because I have not blogged since March! I must do better in the coming year.
I gave this post that title because I just completed an interview with the editor of H2H Magazine, and I felt like a celebrity. After all, she has done interviews with some very famous people. I have been a contributing columnist since it's inception and feel very honored to be one of the feature stories for the December issue. I always consider it a blessing to share my life story and experiences, simply because it may help somebody else. But this time, it has a special and personal meaning for me. I have watched this e-zine grow and become a positive force for bringing important information to the internet. I am also so very proud of the editor, my adopted daughter, Sis. Ebony Muhammad. She is an inspiration to me and I am sure to many other women. To witness her determination to succeed with this endeavor is something that I will take with me in pursuits of my own. Thanks Sis Ebony, and keep up the great work!!

Just Sharing!

It's amazing to me how time just flies when you get "busy", and that said, it's been way too long since I posted something here. Well, I just wanted to share something, so here's my column from this month's H2H Ezine's 1yr. anniversary issue. Enjoy!!
EMPOWERMENT
Q: What comes to mind when you hear the word "Empowerment" and how does it tie into your life as a LCDC? How do you feel when you give back through your practice? Describe what happens when you see those you served as clients out and about doing well and the things they express to you.
A: This question is one that gives me great joy to answer, because it really plays an integral part in my life as an LCDC. Let me explain. When I hear the word empowerment, I immediately think of God because He is the One that empowers me to be effective in my work and in my life. You see, being an LCDC is not just about doing a job; it’s about living a lifestyle that represents that empowerment to those I serve and whose lives I touch. Without the feeling and knowledge of being empowered, I could not efficiently deliver the services that I am called to provide. That feeling comes from without and most importantly, from within. I believe, without a doubt, that I am in this profession because it is my purpose, and that God has empowered me with the skills to be successful.
When I give back through my practice, the feeling is one that defies description. It is a fulfillment that I know I could not obtain from anything else. To be blessed to witness someone come out of the dark into the light, is a privilege that can only be granted by a Higher Power. It is very similar, I suppose, to a physician witnessing a patient overcome a life-threatening disease or illness; in fact, that is exactly what takes place. The disease is addiction, and it is mental, emotional, physical and spiritual in nature; which consumes the entire being of an individual. Giving back what was so freely given to me is as much a gift for me as it is for those who receive it.
When I see those I have been blessed to serve as clients doing well, that is what I call THE BIG PAY-OFF. Seeing the work that I do manifest itself as a factor in someone changing their lives for the better is priceless. There is not any amount of monetary value that can be placed on what happens when I see that miracle, and I am always in such awe when I think about the fact that God uses me to help perform it. I see and hear from former clients all the time, some have maintained, some have faltered and recovered. But the main thing is that they still keep in touch with me and let me know how they are doing. One of the most critical aspects of maintaining any major life change is support, and I always let clients know that my support of them is ongoing just like their recovery. I have a former client who texts me a daily meditation every morning, another who recently faltered and recovered, and still another who has gone on to fulfill his dream in life. In my eyes they are all doing well, because they are doing the best they can do. They always express tons to gratitude and say that if it had not been for me they would not be where they are. I politely thank them, and then direct them to give all the praise and thanks to God. I thank God every day for allowing me the privilege of helping others to become healthier, more productive people, and pray that I will be empowered to do so for many years to come.

The Most Important Thing

Greetings and Happy Holidays to all! I pray that you all had a Merry Christmas and will have a safe and prosperous New Year. The highlight of 2009 happened for me on Saturday, December 26, when I was blessed to be with my entire family. Me, my five (5) children and eight (8) grandchildren (+ one daughter-in-law) gathered at MacGregor Park to do our first family photo shoot! It felt surreal and it felt so fulfilling. This is an event I have been wanting to take place for quite some time, but one of my granddaughters lives in Dallas and I could not schedule it until she was in town. The idea of doing it without her was not an option, because the picture would not have been complete. Well, God allowed her to come for the holidays and that was just perfect. It was the best gift I could ever receive and the meaning goes so deep I can't hardly describe it.
The purpose behind this endeavor was to instill in my grandchildren ( and my children too) the phenomenal importance of family. I know better than anyone just how critical family support is, and have been blessed with it most of my life. When everybody and everything gives out, family will still be there for you. I am very grateful to God to have been chosen to bring forth the five wonderful human beings called my children, and I thank him profusely for my grandchildren because they are the joy of my life. My youngest son Victor wrote a song titled "Ain't Nothing Like Family" and it tells the story quite well. I wish for everyone to have the opportunity to experience this awesome blessing and pray it will light up their life just like it did mine. After all, the most precious commodity we have is our family. Peace to you all.

Being a Part of Something Great!!!

November was a great month! Aside from the usual blessings of being allowed to see all 30 days of it, I was graced with some awesome events that occurred.

The first and most profound was the premiere of my son Deric Muhammad's documentary "Raising Boys: Tips for Single Moms, Pt.1. It took place on November 5 at the Angelika Theater in downtown Houston. The documentary included interviews with single moms who are raising boys, including myself, and provided pertinent information from Bro Deric on coping with the challenges involved. There were testimonials from two boys (my grandsons) about being raised by a single mom that brought the audience to tears and to cheers. The turnout was fantastic and the support was awe-inspiring. The documentary itself created a huge buzz on all the social networking sites as well as the community at large. The producer was Lawrence Moody of Moody Entertainment and without him it would not have come to life. It was attended by City Councilman Jarvis Johnson, State Representative Sylvester Turner, our next City Controller Ron Green, and the CEO of the Black Broadcasting Network, Entertainment Attorney Ricky Anderson. There were also family members, friends and constituents of Deric's present for this auspicious occasion. I was honored to be the Mistress of Ceremonies and thoroughly enjoyed the entire evening. It was a bit surreal to watch myself on the screen, but I felt like a real star! I am posting some of the pics and look forward to the next chapter. (DVD's are available, contact myself or Bro Deric for info).

More of November to come!! Stay tuned!

I'M B A A A CK!!!!

OMG!!!! I have had a heck of a miscommunication with my blog! As you can see, I haven't posted anything since September and have a little catching up to do. I have to say that the problem wasn't that complicated, but you know us humans, we manage to complicate the simplest things, which I did. After consulting with my blog specialist, (Thanks, Bro Jesse), it was suggested that I try the simplest thing, and (bam!) it worked. I am so relieved and really missed blogging, so from now on I will be more regular than I was before. You know, one of those "don't miss something until it's gone" things?!

Not a whole lot took place in October, but I did have a couple of firsts. One was I took my first ever Defensive Driving Course online and it was quite painless. It was 6 hours long, but it had breaks and everything so it wasn't so bad. Besides, it was worth it to keep my driving record clean. Another first was a belated birthday gift from my son Jesse and daughter-in-law Shareefah, which was a FULL-BODY MASSAGE! That was a fantastic experience and I vowed to treat myself to one as often as possible. It was very relaxing and I learned a lot about my body which is always a plus. The final first I had in October was going to the Kemah Boardwalk with my son Deric, Sis Oni, her mom, her aunt, my son Edward and his date Tammy. We had dinner in this cool restaurant that looked out over the water and boy was it nice! The company was great, the food was good and the conversation was enjoyable. Incidentally, it was Halloween so we got to see people dressed up in all kinds of costumes. Overall, I had a blessed and healthy October! Next post will be about exciting November!! Comment and tell me how much you all missed me!LOL Peace

New Beginnings-Rebirth of My 31-yr old Son

Greetings all! I have not blogged in a while, but this topic was a true motivation for me to do so. As you read in the title, it's about a new beginning and a sort of "rebirth" of my 31-year old son Jesse Muhammad (he's the tall one on the left in the pic). Allow me to share the details. Immediately after his 31st birthday on September 4, my son told me that he set a goal of finding out who his biological father was by his next (32nd) birthday. You see, he had presented me with the question of his lineage a while back and I had to honestly share with him that I was not sure. In the past while he was growing up I named the man I was in a relationship with when he was born as his father, however, after much soul-searching and recollection I recalled getting out of another relationship and quickly getting into that one. Long story short, my son set out on his mission for answers. One man is deceased, so God allowed us to contact the other one, who consented to do a DNA test. If I tell you God gave my son immediate answers, believe me it was so! It was just like the scripture says in Matthew 7; Ask, Seek and Knock, and God will give you what you want. The test results proved that the deceased man, Joe McCray is the biological father of Jesse, not Earl Rideaux, the one I had initially tagged. The weird thing is that, up until the day he died, Joe insisted that Jesse was his son, and loved & provided for him like a father.
I gave this post that title because it describes this momentous event perfectly. It is a new beginning for my son as well as myself. We have been blessed by God to not have to question his lineage anymore and for me it is like giving birth to him all over again. What a beautiful process it is, and this time it wasn't physically painful. LOL I had to share this blessing with you all and may God show favor on anyone else who embarks on the journey of knowing who you are! Peace.