WSSN Stories

What it Do Inland Empire! This week I want to highlight an individual whom I’ve had the opportunity to see grow and blossom into an amazing artist. Can I get an “Aye Doe” in the words of LUE Productions recording artist Dada Doe.

Dada Doe whose real name is Barbra Martin is what I like to call the female Pee-wee Herman. Born and raised right here in the I.E., her love for singing, dancing, writing, and rapping made her want to become a performer. Currently a member of the Turnt Up group, Speaker Junkiez, Dada Doe felt it was time to work on her solo project. Last week fans, family, and friends had the pleasure of attending her EP release party for her project entitled “Dada Said” which includes songs such as “After Hours” featuring Mack Pepperboy; “Legend” featuring LowLa Scott; and “Pop Star”, featuring Paul Douglas. The EP includes exclusive beats from hot up and coming producer Shawn Mattison also known as SFresh, who is based out of Dayton, Ohio. With this being her first swing at it, I think she hit a home run. I’m not just saying that because she’s under our management company.

We also want to congratulate Dada Doe for receiving her first endorsement contract from “100 Proof Energy Drink Company”. From her swag, to her colorful attire, along with her lyrics and dance moves, it’s no wonder why she’s loved. Watching her perform does something to your spirit. It puts you in a happy place. Honestly you can’t say that about many of these artists. This is just the beginning I tell you. So please make sure to keep your eyes and ears open for I.E.’s female Pee-wee Herman. Download her EP on Reverbnation at www.reverbnation.com/dadadoe. Until next week, L’s Up!

Solomon Montague

By Naomi Bonman

When we hear of our young Black men and teenagers deterring in the wrong direction, we give them the wrong response by turning our heads and ignoring them. They need solid advice and a positive, but raw message from someone, preferably another Black male, who has been where they have been and has or is experiencing the consequence. This will showcase as an eye opener and wake up call for many.

In lieu of making this happen is through a media platform entitled, Gangster Chronicles. Gangster Chronicles is geared towards giving current and ex-convicts the ability to share their stories, put an end to mythologies by unveiling hidden stories and reach the youth through literature.  The roster consists of men who were leaders of well-known gangs, such as the Vicelords and Black Mafia, and even a man who inspired a character on the popular HBO series “The Wire.”

Solomon “Chessmon” Montague was one of the core leaders of Chicago’s Vicelords street gang with the rank of a “Five Star Elite.” Now sentenced to life plus 30 years in federal prison, his main objective is to positively uplift the gang culture through his literature.

What was your life like before you got locked up?

My life before this long prison sentence was like a roller coaster ride. The highs and lows were very dramatic. I had rose to the top of gang life with a reputation that even I couldn’t believe! LOL!!

With the life style of being a gang chief, drug dealer and an all American criminal, the streets had created a monster that lived inside of my conscious. Everyday became a battle. I fought demons that tormented my soul when I slept. I had a gun planted in every room of my apartment (even in the kids room). I slept with a gun under my pillow.

 When I was moving in the streets, I always had the feeling that imaginary enemies or police were out to kill me. My head stayed on a swivel and my mind was going a thousand miles per second! I was never big on using drugs or alcohol; however, I started smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol to slow down my mind. This went on for about a year before the feds got me.

What led you to a life of crime?

I believe the thrill and the challenge led me to a life of crime. When I was younger, I would steal from my mother and other family members, then I started stealing from stores. I loved to watch gangster movies and I always rooted for the bad guys. I would go outside and watch how everybody respected the criminals. They were treated like royalty! When I became a gang member, in my mind, I was already a seasoned criminal.

What have you learned about yourself since you’ve been in prison?

What I learned about myself in prison is that I don’t have to be a criminal or a gang chief to be respected! And that I’m a child of GOD and a servant of His will and work.

How long have you been writing and how many books have you written?

I started writing in 07, and I’ve written four novels.

Who are you books geared for and what do you want them to take out of them?

My books are geared towards the gang culture, their families, and people who interact with them. I want them to become conscious and aware of the evils of that lifestyle and to flip the tables and fight against the traps and pitfalls of gangs, drugs, and criminal activity.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Listen, there are times in life when we “need” to be warned that we are in a dangerous situation and that we “need” to listen up or face some pretty devastating consequences. God calls each of us to become messengers of His love and truth to each other and to our world. I am just a voice; a mouthpiece for God… Don’t Hate the Messenger! Understand that because our needs are great and varied God has to send messages of encouragement, correction, and direction fitted to us and to our needs through a messenger. Instead of being hateful or take offense we should be grateful and thankful that God loves us so much that He will send a messenger with a message for our mess instead of wrath. You know, God told Ezekiel to tell the people of Judah, “Jerusalem will be destroyed, and you’re staying in Babylon till it happens.” The Israelites had made a mess of their relationship with God. Whether they cared about spiritual matters or not- a close connection with God was the only way for them to avoid an eternity in Hell. So God told Ezekiel, “You go tell them what I said.” Some of us are chosen by God to be a spokesperson for His purposes. We are called to proclaim His Word to His people, to lead them to Christ, to mature them or direct them into God’s Will for their lives. This is not new; He has been using man to declare His message since creation. But today the responsibility is up to us… I choose to be used by God! Just as Jesus was God’s mouthpiece and Moses was Jesus mouthpiece we all have been called to be the mouthpiece of God in the world in which we live. Don’t Hate the Messenger! It may not have looked like the lives of the people of Judah in Babylon were a mess but their relationship with God was a mess. It needed repair or they would have been messed up forever. The thing for us to realize is that in this world we have messages from God and if we have disrespect for anything that has the Mind of Christ in it we do it to the peril of our own souls and the souls of those who we love. I tell you one of the greatest joys of being called to be one of God’s messengers is that I don’t have to worry about what to say; I don’t have to make things up; I don’t have to guess at what people need to hear.  All people need to hear the same thing.  All people need to hear about the mess their lives are without God and all people need to hear the message of the Savior’s life and death so that they won’t ever be without Him.” Don’t Hate the Messenger!

You know, the Apostle Paul was God’s chosen mouthpiece for Divine Revelation concerning the Truth of Christ and the Church. But many of the people at Corinth had said, “You are not an Apostle. You are not from God.” So the Apostle Paul warned them about speaking so about the servants of God. And in the Old Testament times God said to the people of Israel, “Touch not My anointed and do My prophets no harm.” They were God’s mouthpiece. There is a warning here because the Lord defends His servant as His mouthpiece, His witnesses. He always does! In the Book of Numbers, chapter 15, God struck Miriam with leprosy and Aaron with judgment because they spoke against Moses. Not that Moses in himself as a human being was any better than anybody else. The main thing is Moses was God’s mouthpiece. To have disrespect for God’s servant was to have disrespect for God’s message and for the God whom he represented.  The same thing operates today. We know people who have no respect for true servants of God. Well they had better read this chapter and read it very carefully because they are God- called people in the world today who are speaking God messages and they must be heard. The messenger doesn’t matter but the message is everything and the Giver of the message who is God. Careful! You Are Threading on Dangerous Grounds! We may resist people coming in and condemning us in an area that falls short of God’s standard – but does that say more about us than anything. I’m just saying….Don’t Hate the Messenger!

To those who have chosen to allow the Lord to use you as His mouthpiece, as God warned the prophet Ezekiel in regards to his vocation as messenger and mouthpiece of God. God says, “There are no variables when it comes to being His faithful messenger.” Speak the words that God gives. He gives them for a reason and they need to be heard. You may say people may not like you. They may not like what they hear and then they’ll take it out on you.” Don’t worry God replies, “Look if they persist in their sin they will die. They will suffer the eternal death of Hell. I don’t want that to happen which is why I send you to speak My Word to them.  It doesn’t have to end this way.” So as a messenger of God speak the words given. God’s says, “If you don’t tell them what He gives you to say: if you choose to try and play nice and have everybody live under some false pretense of peace they will still suffer the eternal death of Hell only now you will be held accountable for it. But if you are faithful and you do the job God gives you and they reject you thereby rejecting Him also they will die and it will be their own fault. You didn’t send them to Hell. They chose to send themselves to Hell.” Are we clear? You see God’s truth is not dependent on human response. God would not judge Ezekiel for how well others responded to his message but for how faithful he was in presenting it {Ezekiel 3:17}. Listen, it  is your duty as a messenger of God to carry the message whether it is welcomed or not; the consequences of receiving or rejecting the message lie solidly in the hands of those who hear it. The Bible shows us that Ezekiel got it, understood it, as did the faithful men of God who came before and after him. They were hated for it by their fellow man but they were faithful to God and their calling. If you disagree then that’s on you. I’ve done my job. I’m at peace. May God grant you this same peace that surpasses all understanding; a peace that is known and recognized only in the offense of God’s all-redeeming cross.  Now for those of you who may be wondering- did someone say something about her? Well, if they did, it is unbeknown to me. Besides, that ain’t my business, that’s God’s business.  What I want us to understand is that when someone is in covenant with God we have to speak well of them because the hand of God is on their life. Mess around and curse them if you want, they don’t have to raise one finger, God fights for them. You better know that you know… Besides how the Lord’s people ever came to expect one to declare the riches of God’s Word without offending wrong-doers is beyond me. It cannot be done. “Offenders will take offense.” Remember that! “Don’t Hate the Messenger!”

Rudy Williams

By Naomi Bonman

When we hear of our young Black men and teenagers deterring in the wrong direction, we give them the wrong response by turning our heads and ignoring them. They need solid advice and a positive, but raw message from someone, preferably another Black male, who has been where they have been and has or is experiencing the consequence. This will showcase as an eye opener and wake up call for many.

In lieu of making this happen is through a media platform entitled, Gangster Chronicles. Gangster Chronicles is geared towards giving current and ex-convicts the ability to share their stories, put an end to mythologies by unveiling hidden stories and reach the youth through literature.  The roster consists of men who were leaders of well-known gangs, such as the Vicelords and Black Mafia, and even a man who inspired a character on the popular HBO series “The Wire.”

The first of three young men that I want to introduce is Rudy Williams. Williams was a notorious gangster from Baltimore who is currently serving 130 years plus life in prison for operating one of the most violent drug rings in the city’s history. During his 20 years of incarceration, Rudy has devoted all of his time to reading, writing and teaching youth that crime is a genocidal trap and not the answer.

Below are a few questions and answers from an interview conducted via email.

What was your life like before you got locked up?

My life was a bubble and a constant target of angry cops, judges and prosecutors. Having achieved the drug dealer’s twisted version of “The American Dream”, a false reality in itself from the git-go, I foolishly believed that I had insulated myself within my own tiny world of glitter, privilege and pleasure.  I had to always be on my P’s and Q’s and never got caught slipping.  One crucial mistake and it’s all over with, in either the penitentiary or the graveyard.   So make the right choice,  now! 

I went to so many funerals that upon being introduced to someone I would look into his eyes and wonder if he would be the person who would kill me or vice versa; however, because I loved my mother, my wife and children so dearly, I always kept them in mind and conducted myself in a manner that all but eliminated the possibility of them having to bury me and come to my funeral, especially for some stupid s–t, like making unnecessary enemies.  

I was extremely courteous and I always had to be at least one step ahead of others.  Most of the time one step was enough, but not always.  I was smart but not smart enough to quit while I was ahead.   Thus, one day in the blink of an eye it all came tumbling down on me and the end result was a sentence of Life plus 130 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Prior to 1995, Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary averaged 16 murders a year. Half of them occurred on B-Block.  If the Bureau sent you to Lewisburg, the Feds wanted you dead.   If you was put in B-Block, they had a priority on it.  I was assigned to B-Block for 2 years.   My life is not one you should want to live. DON’T SELL DRUGS.

What led you to a life of crime?

I was lured into crime by poverty, boredom and adventure.  I stole the things that I couldn’t afford; because school was boring, I played “hooky” and got sent away at age 13 to a juvenile facility that was actually a crime school.  When I got out, I was a “real” criminal.  Besides not going to school and shoplifting, I stole cars and did burglaries.  I thought I was cool; I wasn’t cool.  I was stupid.

What have you learned about yourself since you’ve been in prison?

In spite of racial discrimination, if I had given myself a chance, with the right guidance I could had accomplished more legally than I did illegally.

The Universe is a perfect sphere because every point on it is the center.  No point is more important than others, and since every point is equal, no matter where you are, you’re always in the center of the Universe and the Here and Now is always the most important Time and Place.

The happiest people are not those who have the most, but those who make the most out of what they have.  The worst disease is misery;  the best medicine, happiness because the life of this world is short and will be over before you know it, enjoy the Here and Now while you can.   Don’t let anything stop you from being happy. I have never seen a sick happy person.  Have you?

What advice do you have for young boys and men who get trapped in the drug or gang war, and think it’s their only way out?

The Federal Government took over the so-call drug game long ago.   They control it completely.  They will let you make alotta money and then bust you so that they will look good on t.v. and in the newspapers to get promotions.  By releasing  snitchers back to the streets, they keep “the game” alive.  Nine out of 10 persons dealing drugs are working for the cops.  They have a government license to do what they do.  When they get caught, they get a DO NOT GO TO JAIL PASS.  The drug game is just a death trap to fill up the prisons and graveyards with poor people, especially  Blacks and non-white Hispanics.

You don’t have to sell drugs to achieve your goals or to get the things that you want out of life.  Money can’t buy happiness.  If you don’t enrich your mind first with knowledge, money will become your worst enemy and your worst nightmare.  You’ll be the constant target of larceny, jealousy, envy, flatters, con artists, and gold diggers; and of course cops, bandits and killers. No matter how smart you are, you will get caught and do big time unless you become a rat and snitch on your family and friends for a GET OUT OF JAIL FREE PASS.

The Feds will not let you beat it continuously and make it look foolish and incompetent. It will lie and cheat to put you in prison for a LONG, LONG, TIME, or you will be murdered, probably by a friend; however, if you truly believe in yourself, and give yourself a chance and work long and hard at something you enjoy, you can do anything you put your mind to.

I can name a billionaire rapper and 10 more who are close to it, but not a single billionaire drug dealer outside of Mexico or Columbia, so think about that the next time before you go make a drug deal.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Sunday, March 1, co-publisher of the Westside Story Newspaper, Josephine Allen, a long with Lou Coleman presented a wonderful 70^th birthday party for Wallace Allen IV, publisher and owner of WSS News. The celebration was held at 777 Community Warehouse in San Bernardino where several of Allen’s friends, family, and close business associates gathered to acknowledge Wallace on his special day. Street Motivation Magazine and Freddie Washington of LUE Productions captured the moments of the event throughout the day through photography. There were also special performances from Anthony Garcia, a birthday debut from Allen’s grandkids, mother, and his daughter’s friend. Last but not least, let’s not forget the food that was prepared by several people who wanted to make sure the event was a success and that people’s stomachs were satisfied.

Photos by Freddie Washington. Contact him at  (714) 833-3196, by email at fw4photo@yahoo.com.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Many of us don’t understand why things happen in our lives. Often we get discourage, we feel like God has let us down – or so it seems… Some of us in the past have had some very negative things and extremely hurtful things happen to us, leaving us wondering why would a God who is so just, loving, and kind allow such a thing to happen to me. I want you to understand that God has a divine plan. Ultimately He knows what it will take to get us into the place that He would have us. Therefore He allows those unpleasant things to come in our lives because He is just trying to perfect and direct us {1Peter 5:10}.Paul said that “everything that we experience in this life; all the struggles, pain, frustration, heartaches, disappointment, and suffering; that all things work together for the good.”  You see, we don’t know our future, we don’t know how the events that happen in our lives will affect us later. But God knows our beginning as well as our ending. Your end was already set before you began. Let me say that again. Your end was already set before you began. I am reminded of Joseph in the Old Testament of how God was using all the events of his life to get him where He wanted him to be. Joseph went from the pit to the palace. Your end was already set before you began. Do you hear what I’m saying? You got to go through to get though. Joseph had to go through to get through. Besides, all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.

Listen, I want you to know that you are not the only one who felt that God had let them down. Jeremiah felt deceived by God. Jeremiah felt that God had lured him into the ministry only to make him a laughingstock. He felt ridiculed and offended. His voice was not making a difference. He was crying out for the people to repent, yet they continued toward destruction and judgment. The people of God in Isaiah’s time felt the same way too. They were worried about the future. Other nations seemed to be dominating and oppressing God’s people in Israel: God’s people began to wonder was God still in control? Can God still be trusted? I want you to know that God spoke to his discouraged and despairing people through the prophet Isaiah. They needed reminding of God’s awesome power. In Isaiah chapter 40, Isaiah said, when you feel weary, remember that God is incomparable as the mighty King over all the creation. He holds the whole world in His hand. You can trust His enthroned, ruling supreme. What a helpful perspective for us when we’re weary knowing that the Lord is still in control. He’s ruling over all with His mighty power. We can look to Him and trust Him.  I tell you Father knows Best! We shouldn’t give in to our doubts that God has left us high and dry. Jeremiah realized that he wasn’t alone {Jeremiah 20:11}. He came to understand that He was not on the losing side. He was going to win because the Lord was with him like a mighty warrior. Often in our discouragement we look inward – to our problems, our frustrations, and our situation – when we need to look upward to a God who has not abandoned us. He is with us.  He is a present-tense God.  Can I tell you that Jeremiah’s despair turned to joy, his defeated attitude turned to triumph, and his dismay to courage.

I tell you, it is  so easy for us to acknowledge that God knows what is best for us when things are going well for us, but as soon as times get tough, it is so tempting to start to question whether God knows what He is doing. I want you to know that a big part of faith is trusting God when you don’t understand it. The God who created you loves you so much that He continuously acts in your life and in your world so that you and I and all persons can have wholeness of life. This is Good News! Everything about our life is calculated; we may not understand it, but it’s because we’re not God. God has a reason; every door that’s closed God had a purpose for it closing. We sing all the time, “Order My Steps in Your Word dear Lord, Lead Me, Guide Me Every Day.” But what I want to know is do we mean what we say?  If we are asking God to order our steps, let’s not try to figure out everything that happens along the way, let’s just trust Him. Right now we can’t see it all clearly, but one day it will come into focus, and we’ll look back and say “Wow, God you are amazing! You had it all figured out, all lined up. You closed the door on purpose so your perfect will would be done.” I tell you don’t’ fight your closed doors. God knows what He’s doing. He can see the big picture for your life. Those closed doors were not an accident that was God directing your steps, just as you asked Him too. Not only that, the reason God closed them is because He has something better in store. If you’ll have this perspective and not only thank God for your open doors but thank Him just as much for your closed doors, you’ll pass the test. You’ll see the exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond future that God has in store. I tell you, God is doing a work in us for His Glory.  Every situation is known by God and is accomplishing something in us all.  Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me you will obey what I command.” God’s will for you and me is that we come to that place in our lives where we learn to depend on Him and trust in Him for everything. This is a hard lesson to learn, but a lesson we must learn well if we are to have a close and meaningful relationship with God.

For me, the truest satisfaction in life comes from being in the perfect will of God, doing His work, living according to His choosing. God’s best is not something to fear, He not only knows what is best for us, but He wants us to have His best!  And one thing that we need to understand; one fundamental truth that is spoken throughout all Scripture: God never explains himself. He rarely gives reasons. What we need to grasp is what faith believes? Faith believes that God is too wise to make a mistake. The God of the universe has a plan for our lives, and He is busy enacting it. But it is not easy to discern. It is often above and beyond us. But I say to you, trust Him without explanation, logic and reasoning. Trust Him because He is God. When I look back over my life and think about all the events in my life up unto the present time, the good as well as the bad, the bitter, and the sweet, I can see how God was working it out and how sometimes “rejection is God’s protection.” Say with me, Father Knows Best and He is working it out for my good.  Amen!

Maurice Smith

CHICAGO, IL- Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) today named Maurice Smith as President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL). Smith succeeds Karen Atwood, who was promoted to a new position over service and technology for HCSC’s multi-state operations.  He will report directly to Colleen Reitan, Executive Vice President and President of Plan Operations, HCSC.

“Maurice brings to this role a broad perspective and deep understanding of our business and operations rooted in more than 20 years of experience across corporate finance, treasury, business development and subsidiary management,” said Reitan.  “His track record of leading multi-stakeholder teams, along with his strong connection to the Illinois business and civic community will help position BCBSIL for continued success in this fast-changing health care environment.”

Smith previously led HCSC’s treasury department and corporate development initiatives, including mergers, acquisitions and the formation of strategic partnerships.  He focused on capital deployment initiatives in support of the company’s overall strategy, including the acquisition of two health plans in other HCSC states.   He also oversaw HCSC’s subsidiaries, and served as the chairman of the board of directors of Dearborn National Life Insurance Company, HCSC’s largest subsidiary.

“Expanding access to affordable health care coverage is an imperative,” said Smith.  “I look forward to working with health care providers, employers, and communities in our state to make a difference for our members.”

Smith is the Chair-elect for the Chicago Sinfonietta and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Roosevelt University in Chicago.

By Sonya Muhammad

777 Community Warehouse, a 501(c) (3) Non-profit Public Benefit Organization is located at 777 South Allen Avenue, Suite A., in San Bernardino, California. The CEO/Director of Operations, Mr. William C. Walker, Sr., one cold winter day in 2012, stood outside an empty and completely bare 5300 sq. ft. warehouse and had a vision of this warehouse being developed into a community resource center. There is a large photograph sitting on a tripod at the entrance to the warehouse that verified these humble beginnings to be true. Mr. Oscar Easley, businessman and business partner at that time, joined Mr. Walker in this vision which is also reflected in the photograph at the entrance, with both men wearing heavy overcoats and sitting on wooden crates, as they discussed the future potential of the warehouse.

We are living in a new day and it requires new mindsets and new ways of being in this world. And through the graces of Omniscience God, the team at 777 Community Warehouse understands this and is committed to contributing to the expansion of community peace, cultural awareness, artistic expression, educational enlightenment, and consciousness building for personal and collective growth.

To date Mr. Walker has transformed the warehouse into the community resource and event center that he envisioned, presenting to the community a beautifully furnished art deco environment for community members to experience and enjoy. 777 Community Warehouse is designed to accommodate conferences, meetings, business and social mixers, performing arts presentations, visual arts presentations, religious services, educational seminars, musical concerts, wedding receptions, quinceaneras, and other events that support the needs of the community in a spirit of excellence.

Every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Food and Clothing Ministry of 777 Community Warehouse is open to the homeless population and anyone in the community who is in need of clothing and food. This service is also available during other days of the week based on emergency needs and county agency referrals. Other family support services are available upon request.

Members of the community are encouraged and welcome to stop by and visit the facility at any time by call (909) 567- 5824 for an appointment. We look forward to serving you.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Everywhere you go in life there are warning signs. There are signs along the roadway that point to danger that lies ahead. There are warning signs that our bodies give us from time to time. There are warning signs that our minds send out when there is a problem. Then, there are spiritual warning signs. Times when we slack up in our commitment to the Lord… When we forsake the assembly of the saints… When we don’t pray and when we don’t give as we should. Times when we harbor bitterness and un-forgiveness… We hold onto hurts and have hard feelings toward others. Right now, lights are flashing “Approaching Danger” because there is some stuff that you are walking in that ain’t the way that God has told you to walk. There are some things that you are doing that God hasn’t told you to do. Flirting with sin; messing around in areas where you have no business being…  “Do Not Pass Go… Do Not Collect $200”….This is serious… It could be the difference between life and death!  Take heed to God’s warning or you will suffer the consequences.

Listen, warnings are meant to help, not to harm us.  They are meant to protect us from doing something foolish and harmful in our life. Warnings are an act of God’s grace. Unfortunately though, there are many today who are not good listeners, and they only hear what they want to hear, because just like the opposing Jews of the first century, their hearing is dull and their vision is blurry. I tell you we are remarkably oblivious to the obvious. We can see absolute concrete signs that something is so, and yet, we don’t listen, we don’t believe; we don’t pay attention.  How many people have been killed because they went around a railroad barricade? Lights flashing; bells ring; barricade in the way, nah, those don’t mean anything right. Next thing you know, death has swallowed another one up… Do not ignore the warning signs. Read the writing on the wall and heed God’s warning because “Warning Comes before Destruction!” Do not be like Samson who manifested all the signs of a man who was headed for trouble in his life {Judges 14:1-9} yet, he ignored every one of those signs and traveled ever farther down a road that brought him dishonor, defeat and death.  As Samson took his first steps down the road to ruin, he had no idea where his path would ultimately lead him. He had no idea how bad things would be at the end of the way. Had he heeded God’s warning signs, Samson could have avoided many of the problems he faced later in life. Even Israel, God longed for them to repent. But instead of growing closer to God, they were getting farther away. God had sent His Word, but she had refused to obey. He sent correction, but she only hardened. He invited her to trust Him, but she chose to place her trust in man. He desired for her to return, but she drifted farther and farther away. Don’t do it… Don’t ignore God’s warnings. You know Zephaniah chapter 3 verses 1-7, was written to the backslidden nation of Judah, but they offer some valuable information for us today. When we find ourselves headed in the wrong direction, there is only one intelligent thing to do: Turn- around! The Bible calls that repentance; or changing our direction.  Imagine for a moment how Samson’s life would have been different if he had recognized the warning signs and turned his life toward God. Imagine now what God could do with us if we would simply recognize the warning signs that present themselves in our lives.  If you can see evil desires, disobedience to God’s will and deception in your life, the time to change is now. It may not be too late to avoid catastrophe in your life. You know the starting place is what the rich man in Hell acknowledged, that you must repent of your sins, and change the direction of your life.

True- Story. “Many years ago a young man violated some traffic laws, and was involved in a hit and run traffic accident. He was chased by the police, but made a desperate effort to get away. He attempted to get on the Turnpike at the interchange. And when he saw that the entrance was lined with cars, he went off the entrance drive, around the pay stations, and sped onto the Highway. The police followed the speeding car, and telephoned ahead. Roadblocks were quickly set up in an effort to stop the person from his mad rush to a likely accident. But he was able to dodge the roadblocks, one after another. Sometimes he simply ran them down; other times he crossed the median strip and went into the other lane of traffic, and then turned back again. Finally, in a desperate effort to stop the young man, two huge trucks were placed across all four lanes of traffic. Red flares were set up at intervals several miles ahead, to warn the driver of approaching danger. Everyone was sure this blockade would stop the mad driver, but as he approached the roadblock, he looked in his rearview mirror; he saw the police behind; he looked straight ahead and saw the two trucks, but instead of stopping, he kept moving at one hundred miles per hour, and crashed headlong into the trucks, hurling his soul into an endless eternity. His car went under the trucks, and came out on the other side, a smashed, mangled, twisted bundle of steel…” Listen, just as the policemen did everything within their power to stop the speeding boy and even gave him warning signals ahead, so God is doing everything possible to keep us from continuing on the path that leads to Hell. It is God’s desire that every human being should repent, believe the Gospel, and live a new life of obedience to Jesus Christ, walking daily under the control of the Holy Spirit.

I hope that each of us will keep our eyes and ears open to the warning signs that are given to us in the Bible so that we can live a life that will be acceptable before God and so that our souls will be saved in the end. Let us believe God. Let us see His grace in His warnings concerning His wrath against sin. Let us not deny the truth, but warn people to flee from the wrath to come. Let us make sure that we ourselves have repented and hidden ourselves in Christ alone, so availing ourselves of the one and only escape from God’s wrath, faith in Jesus Christ our sin bearer. Let us make sure we respond to God’s trumpet call of warnings and obey His commandments that we might live. Surely, if anyone who reads this message ends up in the place of outer darkness, you will go there over the love of God, the warnings of God, the cross of Calvary, the prayers of God’s people, and the teaching of the Gospel.  Do Not Pass Go… Do Not Collect $200!

By Naomi K. Bonman

It’s always an exciting affair to have the pleasure of covering one of the largest and long standing film festivals within the Black community. On Sunday, February 15, the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) closed out an amazing two weeks of panels, international films, and workshops with the highly anticipated film, The Man in 3B, based off of the book by world renowned Black author, Carl Webber. The premiere of the film took place at Rave Cinemas 15 located at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles. It was preceded with a red carpet and followed by an exclusive after party.

The film is directed by Trey Haley; produced by Princess Monique, ND Brown, Veronica Nichols, Tracey Moore, Jeffery Dumpson, and Walter Nixon; and the film features an array of incredibly talented actors which include Lamman Rucker, Christian Keyes, DB Woodside, Brely Evans, Kellita Smith, Nefessa Williams, Billie Dee Williams, Jackee Harry, Marla Gibbs, Robert Ri’chard, Anthony Montgomery, and Olivia Longott.

Man in 3B is a romantic thriller following the story of Daryl Graham (Lamman Rucker) who just moved into a Jamaica, Queens apartment building, and his neighbors, female and male alike, can’t stop talking about him. From his extreme attractiveness to his undeniable swag, Daryl is the man every woman wants to be with and every man wants to be.

After the screening there was a Q&A session with the cast and crew. During the session each actor gave a few pointers, tips, and advice to those who want to break into the industry. Some of them were to “continue working hard, network at film festivals such as PAFF, and to be a pleasant spirit because no one wants to work with an individual who becomes a headache.” They also mentioned how each of them started with several littles roles which then opened the door for their big break. So as long as you keep working hard and NETWORK, NETWORK, and NETWORK with the right individuals, your goals and dreams will unlock.

The production crew has been blessed to receive several offers regarding distribution and screening of the film for the future. Be sure to keep an eye out for the film to hit your local theater and/or department store. Please visit www.tridestined.com for updates regarding the film.

Photos by John A. Castro & Naomi K. Bonman