CHANDLER
MOORE
FROM COUNTRY BOY TO KINGDOM
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Contents 68 54 TABLE OF
ON THE COVER
DEVOTIONAL
20 CHANDLER MOORE
50 GOD YOU'RE TAKING WAY TOO LONG
God's goodness is not contingent upon our behavior or background. He's able to turn a country boy into a Kingdom Rockstar.
HEATHER LINDSAY teaches us how to wait on God with grace.
MIND, BODY, SPIRIT
FOOD & TRAVEL
60 MIND
56 SHOP, PREP, DINE
Manna for the Mind by TARI COX, M.A. shares the experience of transitioning from religion to relationship with the ultimate father.
SHANIKA GRAHAMWHITE shares the joy of cooking and an easy savory dinner recipe.
54 BODY
STYLE & GRACE
66 BEAUTY
QUIANNA LASHEA our fitness columnist dives into how to be SUMMERTIME FINE.
LEANNE DLAMINI our international contributor shares "The MANual: The Men's Guide to Self-Care."
70 SPIRIT
68 DESIGN
MARQUITA MOORE highlights "The Many Faces of Strength."
TAMARA BRADSHAW, Design expert and fashion enthusiast shares the deets on how to organize your home.
42 FASHION
RODNEY HOWELL shares fashion tips for men and wardrobe essentials every man should possess. + A SPECIAL CONVERSATION WITH ELVIN ROSS. Mindblowing Magazine | 5
THE LORD’S
PRAYER Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. MATTHEW 6:9-13
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DeaR ReaderS,
I love when the time comes around to celebrate our “Men of God”; this special men’s edition means so much to me. “Why?” you ask. Because it’s so important as women that we pour God’s unconditional love into all our men. Yes, they appear to be exceptionally strong at times, even when we expect them to be the most vulnerable. Men have a way of always keeping it together and not showing too much emotion, so we may not always show our appreciation. This issue is a beautiful dedication to our men and our way of saying “we love and appreciate you.” We also love how God continues to AMAZE us!! It seems He delights in giving us mind-blowing gifts that cause us to
praise Him. Presenting singer, songwriter, Grammy award-winning artist Chandler Moore as our cover feature! When I tell you tell you this article moved me to tears, please know I was blessed and helped in areas I didn’t even realize existed. I felt Chandler was somehow speaking to me personally as the powerful statement this article highlights, “Nothing Is
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Wasted,” is a message I humbly live by: Romans 8:28. So powerful! Glory be to God! And if that’s not enough, our “Let Your Light Shine” article features composer and filmmaker Elvin Ross. In fact, all the testimonies in this edition have been shared by strong and powerful men who will enlighten your heart and feed your soul. I just want to express “a very special thank you to every contributor and man featured; your contributions will bless many and leave lifelong imprints on everyone who took the time to follow your journeys.” Believe me, I laughed and cried through each page turn, completely amazed by all the transparency and love shared. I hope and pray that through their stories, God will gently lead you to find the best love of all, that found in His Son, Jesus Christ. No matter what we are going through and the obstacles we face daily, He is still on the throne sitting at God’s right side, interceding for all of God’s children. May you find your heart inspired as you read, all to His glory!
StacySSorell-Moore EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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GOD'S FAVOR
MYAMMEE Her name says it all. Up and coming female Gospel Rap & Christian Hip-Hop artist Myammee hails from Miami, Florida, and is still best known for starring in the VH1 reality TV shows, like Flavor of Love. Since her days on reality TV, she has become a successful entrepreneur and an HIV/AIDS advocate in memory of her mother and twin brothers whom she lost to complications of the disease. But, now she wants to be known to push the envelope in Gospel music by enlightening the world. Her favorite thing to say is, “Who said who can't praise and worship God.“ On her journey, she realized how much God has been a major key to have in her life. Myammee wants the world to know how much God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit mean to her and how important a relationship with God is to a Christian. Also, she reminds people that the focus should be not on judging a Christian by their book cover but on their relationship with God and others. Being a Gospel Rapper, which she refers to as being a "Jesus Praiser," is the vehicle she wants to use to influence, inspire, encourage, and help build more God’fidence (confidence in God) in others. Creating the "Faith Soldier" mentality is also the goal she wants to accomplish within her music and through her Christian lifestyle brand, Endorsed by God. The goal of her music is to increase God’fidence and trust and to spread the message of God's unconditional love to the masses. Myammee has made a big impact in the Christian Hip-Hop genre already since pursuing her artistry full-time. The release of her first solo single, "Pray N Slay," in June 2021 helped land her the title of Miami's Best New Gospel Artist.
@_Myammee_ @_Myammee_ @_Myammee_ Myammee TV WWW.MYAMMEETV.COM
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A SECOND
CHANCE
TWO BARBERS, ONE GOD by TARI COX, M.A.
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MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN
H
is thoughts aren’t our thoughts, His ways aren’t our ways.” When standing in the eye of unforeseen
soothe despair, tragedy, some may find themselves clinging to this paraphrased version of Isaiah 55:8–9. They may also find themselves jubilantly professing these words as their heart rests on a fulfilled promise that finally came to pass, realizing that God hasn’t forgotten them, even if their minds deceived them into thinking so, just for a moment. The truth is, our ability to comprehend the supreme power of God to restore or redeem a situation can cast only a shadow of accuracy. And we have a finite ability to think of the possibilities of outcomes that He may craft using the unique details of our stories.
However, after over two decades of separation following a tragic incident that changed their lives forever, two men of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, came to further understand the veracity of this promise: His ways are so much higher and greater than we can ever hope to imagine. Ricardo “Richie Razors” Cruz and Tyrik “Joel” Jackson met in their early adolescent years in a group known as SFC (Skaters for Christ), a Bible study led by Tyrik himself. Specifically, Richie was intrigued by the skateboarding component of SFC and became acquainted with its members, but only for a brief period of time.
faced with a decision that would lead to the end of his time not only with SFC, but with many others for a while as well. “I said, ‘So you’ve got to make a decision. You’re going to hang with us or you’re not.’ And we ended up trading a skateboard for a bicycle that I wasn’t riding anymore. And we didn’t see him. So it’s kind of like he made his decision...” —Tyrik Richie became acquainted with another group after the cessation of his attendance at SFC. And a few weeks later, Tyrik stumbled across the tragic news that Richie was involved in a fatal shooting, costing the life of a young woman. “I was only 12 at the time … and this group was the complete opposite of Tyrik's group. And I came into that group and again, a point came where I did something to try to prove my worth to this group ... I went with them to resolve the problem that they were having. And unfortunately, someone was accidentally shot and killed. I had absolutely nothing to do with it.” —Richie Richie was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole at the age of 13. And in the early part of his sentence, he took every advantage to educate himself by way of courses and certificates, keeping in mind he would spend the remainder of his life there.
In his efforts to gain their acceptance, Richie stole a cutting-edge skateboard that they were admiring at a local skate shop. He was later confronted about his behavior after revealing the skateboard to others, including Tyrik.
Burdened with guilt from his and Richie’s last interaction that required Richie to make a choice, Tyrik pondered on the possibility that he could have saved him. Therefore, he channeled his regretful thoughts into using his mentorship skills for the future of adolescents and sharing the significance of choices.
“When we get back to my house, Richie pulls the skateboard out, and he’s like, ‘Look what I got.’ And I look at it, and I’m like, ‘Man, how did you get that?’ He said, ‘What you mean?’” —Tyrik
Both Richie and Tyrik turned their experiences into resilience and a greater means of service to others. And further for Tyrik, he discovered his passion for barbering during this segment of his life.
“And so it was like, I knew you guys wanted it, so I brought it to you. Now, who wants it?” —Richie After accepting an agreement offered by Tyrik to return the skateboard in exchange for a bicycle, Richie was faced with a decision that would lead to the end of his time not only the skateboard in exchange for a bicycle, Richie was
He was introduced to the barbershop atmosphere one evening after receiving the kind gesture of a man who offered him a ride home after his high school talent show. To express his gratitude, Tyrik paid weekly visits to the shop and assisted with cleaning, eventually receiving haircuts for his help. After exploring diverse hobbies, he
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from my
CLOSET to yours by RODNEY HOWELL
I’m Rodney Howell, and I have the awesome opportunity to be the men’s style assistant for MB Magazine. I’ve encountered a diverse group of men, with a wide range of different styles. I’d like to share with you some fashion essentials and style tips. Fashion is a form of self expression … whether you like someone’s style or not. How important is fashion to men? The answer can vary from man to man, but fashion is very important. First impressions are lasting impressions. If an individual doesn’t know you, the first thing they do is look at your appearance. Yes, you are being judged on your appearance, like it or not. A job interview, your first date, applying for credit at a bank — oh, yes … fashion is very important. Just like cooking or shooting free throws, dressing well is a skill that can be learned. I’m a firm believer and say all the time, “Fashion you can buy, but style is something that one possesses.” Either you have it, or you don’t! Now, some men have a metro vibe, known for their interest in fashion and refined sense of taste, while others are just your average, everyday guy who can take fashion or leave it. Some men think that some trends or haute couture fashion for men are considered highly extravagant. Some fashion is just beyond one’s comprehension. Fashion is not always your average church suit and a tie … It’s just someone’s expression of their style. Like the Met Gala for instance; it’s a fashion event with a theme where the looks are opulent and ostentatious. It gives you Mindblowing Magazine | 60
STYLE & GRACE an opportunity to express your entire style, and tends to be over-the-top fashion. You never want to limit yourself when it comes to fashion. Whatever your style is, possess it, own it, and be confident in your swag. As a stylist, I’ve been asked many times, what are some must-haves in a man’s wardrobe? Let me share with you some men’s fashion essentials: 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑 𐆑
Navy blue, single-breasted suit Single-breasted, black suit Black leather jacket Blue or beige trench coat Dark blue jeans Khaki pants Black tie, blue tie, and black bowtie White shirt and white undershirt Black loafers Black and blue socks Black belt White low top sneakers All purpose hoodie A pair of sunglasses A classic watch And always a decent, clean pair of underwear
RODNEY’S FASHION TIPS:
Solve 90% of your style problems by getting the right fit. Fit is the most important thing when it comes to great style. When clothes don’t fit properly, they throw off your body proportions because of excess Shine your shoes … It shows you pay attention to detail. Focus on classic styles first before you try trends. It’s okay to wear colors; however, if you’re not sure, stick to solid and neutral colors. Use apps like Pinterest for style examples. And always remember, don’t be afraid to have fun; they’re only clothes.
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PRAYER OF
SALVATION Father, I admit that I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe He died for my sins and You raised Him to life. I turn from my former life and believe that inviting Jesus Christ into my heart and my life now that I am now born again. I want to trust Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do Your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer for the first time, scan the code for a special messae from our family. Mindblowing Magazine | 66
For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom with His blood. COLLOSIANS 1:13-14, nlt
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