Trena Williams is an American Author, Preacher, Prophetess, Wife, Entrepreneur, and Mentor. Born Trena Jackson and raised in Coleman, Texas, a small West Texas town with a population of a little over 5,000 people, Trena knew at an early age she wanted to help and serve others. Growing up she knew the power and strength of family. Trena’s father, Ernest Jackson, Sr. and mother, the late Georgette Sweed Jackson – Mayberry were both hard-working parents who set standards for their four children, Fredrick, Trena, Ernest Jr., & Kenya while allowing them to play in sports and have fun with their friends. Trena was and still is an amazing basketball player, sports enthusiast, animal lover and nature lover who loves being in the outdoors. Attending Church was very important to her family and it was in Church she found that she truly loved serving God and others. Her incredible and often comedic personality draws people to her, and she is amazing at making people laugh; but also feel comfortable & important. Such a blessing to everyone she meets.
Trena received a scholarship in athletics and after graduating high school, she enrolled in Howard University in Big Springs, Texas and studied there for 1 ½ years before enrolling in Oklahoma State University, where she attended with a focus on Psychology. She spent 1 ½ years there, but unfortunately her mother took ill and she had to leave college to help care for her.
Having family and friends living in Austin, Texas, naturally she would love visiting the city and did on several occasions. She fell in love with Austin, and before long madeAustin her home. She began attending the Breath of Life Church and through her fellowship and working in the Church, she met Alfred Williams and the two fell deeply in love and were married in 2010. Together they have become a force to be reckoned with and became an unstoppable, unbreakable team, and have attended and worked diligently in the church for 14years, under the leadership of Apostle Robert and PastorSharon Alexander.
In 2011 she founded Kingdom Accessories Clothing, in 2014 she founded Trena Williams Photography where she show cases her talents as a Photographer. In 2014 she created KINGDUM PHOTZ, and as this business began to flourish, she couldn’t sit still and being the strong, Phenomenal woman that she is in December 2018 she became the CEO of the Kingdom Builderz Vendors Event, and in March 2019, her dream of becoming a published author was realized. She authored the book titled “The Sources of My Pain.”In this book, Trena discusses how to deal with pain, how important it is to forgive, plus it’s filled with wisdom and many different ways to help a person find out who they really are and what their purpose here on earth is.
Bio and photo credit: Trena Williams
The book is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle.
I would like to introduce to each of you Gennie, a 13 year old poet who lives in the USA. She started writing at a very young age and is actually very good at it. The pictures of Jonah and the whale were actually drawn by Ginnie and are very good. I love the way she wrote this poem in a way that is easy for readers of all ages to appreciate.
Jonah
Jonah was a prophet from God, His job today would seem odd He rode upon a camel
God’s message to the people Was not taught under steeples But by men like him who traveled
One day when God came, Life would not be the same For the messenger Jonah
God gave him a fright Saying” Go to the Ninevites Tell them to repent”
Jonah’s heart said “No” And Jonah would not go He sailed in the opposite direction
Jonah boarded ship, Fell asleep mid trip The captain would wake him up
“How can you sleep through this? How could you seem to be in such bliss? Go pray to your God for he might save us”
Jonah soon understood the man For the sea tossed the ship like a can Still Jonah did not pray
The sailors were wailing As they were sailing Death they did not want
They soon tossed lots To see if they could spot The one whose fault it was.
From their pagan practice they concluded That Jonah had done something convoluted They asked him what should be done.
“Toss me into the sea And then fine you’ll be.” Jonah answered quickly.
After trying to do their own thing They concluded something alarming They had to do as Jonah said.
For forgiveness they did pray and pray And on the ship Jonah did not stay The tempest immediately calmed
Now there was a very large fish Who had Jonah as his main dish And into his belly Jonah went.
Then did Jonah repent Soon God’s angel was sent To tell him of what was to happen
“Three days must go And then you’ll show The Ninevites back to God.”
After three days the fish had Indigestion that was bad And threw Jonah up.
Smelly and rotten But by God not forgotten Jonah went to Ninevah.
To the people he talked Soon people flocked To repent of their many sins.
Jonah became mad But God was very glad With these peoples’ actions
Out to the desert Jonah went Angered the people should repent The sun soon wearied him through
But God took upon Jonah pity Just as he had done with the city But still a lesson was to be learned
Then again God came To Jonah so he could tame His wild rebellious heart
After God grew a weed Jonah felt good indeed The sun could not reach him
But to his dismay Something ate its way Through his precious weed
Then rage in his heart burned, And to God his anger turned, How could he have done this!
“I made all the creatures And all their features Should I not care about them?”
Now in a question this book ends And this our hearts to God should rend To listen to what God asks.
Do not run away from God For He for sure is not a fraud His power will always sustain you
Next time when to you God comes Do not His holy message shun For you will surely regret it.
Released in 1970, “Patches” was one of those songs you needed a box of Kleenex to listen to. It was so easy to believe Clarence Carter was the little boy he sang about in this powerfully written song about a young boy growing up poor on a farm in the Deep South. Carter’s voice sound like he was reminiscing on every painful experience he endured on that farm and after the death of his father it was, he who had to step up to the plate and work the fields to pay their bills, and continue going to school. If you close your eyes, you can imagine the small shack of a house, the crops, his family and father on his dying bed speaking to his son.
There are songs out there that are skillfully written in a way that brings that song to life in one’s mind. It’s as though you are right there experiencing what the singer is singing about, and Patches is one of those songs.
Patches” was Clarence Carter’s most famous song, but it was originally recorded by the R&B group Chairmen of The Board and released as the B-side to their 1970 single “Everything’s Tuesday.” Chairmen Of The Board lead singer General Johnson and his songwriting partner Ronald Dunbar wrote the song, which tells a heart-wrenching story about a boy who grows up on a family farm in Alabama. Nicknamed “Patches” because his old clothes were patched together, his father asks him from his deathbed to take care of the family, which he does, working the fields while continuing his education.
Carter really was from Alabama, but he didn’t grow up on a farm and never worked the fields. His delivery was so convincing that many listeners thought Carter was telling the story of his life, which was even more remarkable considering he was blind. Carter said that he sometimes felt like a fraud after receiving letters from fans praising his dedication to his family and citing him as an inspiration. Said Carter, “I heard it on the Chairmen of the Board LP and liked it, but I had my own ideas about how it should be sung. It was my idea to make the song sound real natural – I guess I tried a little too hard for some people!”
The song’s co-writer General Johnson wanted the Chairmen of The Board’s version to be released as a single. Though his record company liked the song, they saw no potential for it as a single as it had no beat. The song is very unusual in that much of it is spoken. This turned out to be an advantage, and it punctuated the story and made the song stand out on the radio. The spoken interludes (or “preaching” as he called it) were a staple of Carter’s music.
This won the 1970 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song for Ronald Dunbar and General Johnson.
Carter recorded this song at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The previous year, four of the FAME musicians who played on Carter’s previous work left to form Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, so Carter did this song with their replacements, which included Junior Lowe on guitar, Jesse Boyce on bass, and Freeman Brown on drums. While many Soul classics by Carter, Wilson Pickett and Etta James came out of FAME around this time, their biggest hit of the era was “One Bad Apple” by The Osmond’s.
Clarence Carter, known to his fans as Dr. CC, had a difficult childhood. He was blinded at a young age and attended the Alabama School for the Blind at Talladega. He taught himself to play the guitar by listening to Lightnin’ Hopkins records. Carter had three hits that went gold in the States: “Slip Away,” “Too Weak to Fight” and “Patches.”
While Carter didn’t write this song, he claimed that he could certainly associate with it, since he came from a poor family and knew kids who had to support their families through farm work. Carter’s grandfather died when his mother was still in high school, which also helped him relate to the song.
It was FAME Studios owner Rick Hall who asked Carter to record this song. Carter didn’t want to do it, but Hall convinced him. According to Carter, when he recorded it, he didn’t even know the lyrics, so some stood behind him and whispered them to him when he did his vocal. When the song became a hit, Carter was hoping he could record more Chairmen of The Board material, but Rick Hall didn’t like recording songs written outside of the FAME stable, as they were far less profitable.
Credit: Songfacts
SONG LYRICS –
I was born and raised down in Alabama
On a farm way back up in the woods
I was so ragged that folks used to call me Patches
Papa used to tease me about it
‘Cause deep down inside he was hurt
‘Cause he’d done all he could
My papa was a great old man
I can see him with a shovel in his hands, see
Education he never had
He did wonders when the times got bad
The little money from the crops he raised
Barely paid the bills we made
For, life had kick him down to the ground
When he tried to get up
Life would kick him back down
One day Papa called me to his dyin’ bed
Put his hands on my shoulders
And in his tears he said
He said, Patches
I’m dependin’ on you, son
To pull the family through
My son, it’s all left up to you
Two days later Papa passed away, and
I became a man that day
So I told Mama I was gonna quit school, but
She said that was Daddy’s strictest rule
So every mornin’ ‘fore I went to school
I fed the chickens and I chopped wood too
Sometimes I felt that I couldn’t go on
I wanted to leave, just run away from home
But I would remember what my daddy said
With tears in his eyes on his dyin’ bed
He said, Patches
I’m dependin’ on you, son
I tried to do my best
It’s up to you to do the rest
Then one day a strong rain came
And washed all the crops away
And at the age of 13 I thought
I was carryin’ the weight of the
Whole world on my shoulders
And you know, Mama knew
What I was goin’ through, ’cause
Every day I had to work the fields
‘Cause that’s the only way we got our meals
You see, I was the oldest of the family
And everybody else depended on me
Every night I heard my Mama pray
Lord, give him the strength to make another day
So years have passed and all the kids are grown
The angels took Mama to a brand new home
Lord knows, people, I shedded tears
But my daddy’s voice kept me through the years
Sing,
Patches, I’m dependin’ on you, son
To pull the family through
My son, it’s all left up to you
Oh, I can still hear Papa’s voice sayin’
Patches, I’m dependin’ on you, son
I’ve tried to do my best
It’s up to you to do the rest
I can still hear Papa, what he said
Patches, I’m dependin’ on you, son
To pull the family through
My son, it’s all left up to you
Writer/s: RONALD DUNBAR, NORMAN JOHNSON
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
The 1980s & 1990s were a great time to be a teenager and young adult. There were so many things to discover and music groups were at the top of the list. There was Debbie Gibson, Madonna, INXS. Cutting Crew, Culture Club, Living Colour, the list goes on and on. Here enters the pop group Roxette, with Marie and her blonde cropped hair and powerful voice. Hits like, “It Must Have Been Love,” “Listen to Your Hear” and “Joyride” played a huge role in the teen years of my friends and I and growing up in such a small country town. These were some of our Wonder Years and they were some great years!
Roxette singer, Gun-Marie Fredriksson known as Marie Fredriksson, has died. As part of the Swedish duo, who gained fame in the 1980s and ’90s, Ms. Fredriksson was known for her breathy voice, larger than life onstage presence and her short blonde haircut. The Swedish superstar was not only a pop singer, but also a songwriter, pianist and painter, known for forming pop rock duo Roxette in 1986 alongside Per Gessle. The duo achieved international success in the late-1980s and early-1990s with their albums Look Sharp! and Joyride, and had six top two hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “The Look”, “Listen to Your Heart”, “Dangerous”, “It Must Have Been Love”, “Joyride” and “Fading Like a Flower”.
Early Life –
Fredriksson was born on 30 May 1958 outside the small Swedish village of Össjö. She was the youngest of five children born of Charles Gösta Fredriksson (1914–1981) and Inez Dagmar Fredriksson (née Hoffert, 1922–1998). When she was four years old, her parents sold their farm and relocated to Östra Ljungby, where Charles took a job as a postman and Inez became a factory worker. Three years later, her oldest sibling Anna-Lisa was involved in a fatal traffic collision; her car was crushed by a tanker truck while she was travelling to purchase a dress for her engagement party. Marie explained: “She was 20 – and I can barely remember her today. But I remember the grief, how the family was torn apart. Completely. After that I had to fend for myself. I was only seven years old.”
1989–1992: Roxette’s international breakthrough
“The Look” was issued as the third single from Look Sharp! in Sweden, and was a top ten hit upon release in January 1989. The following month, the track unexpectedly entered the Billboard Hot 100 despite the duo not having a recording contract in the US; the local branch of EMI had previously rejected Roxette as “unsuitable for the American market.” “The Look” topped the chart after just eight weeks and went on to peak at number one in a total of 25 countries. The parent album eventually sold over 9 million copies worldwide. “Listen to Your Heart” was their second number one on the Hot 100, while the album’s final single, “Dangerous”, spent two weeks at number two. Fredriksson ended 1989 performing on-stage as part The Husbands, a cover band formed by Lasse Lindbom and Niklas Strömstedt.
In 1990 she contributed a cover of the Evert Taube composition “Så skimrande var aldrig havet” (English: “The Sea Was Never So Sparkling”) to the tribute album Taube. The same year, Touchstone Pictures approached Gessle to compose a song for the upcoming film Pretty Woman. As he did not have time to compose a new song—Roxette had recently embarked on their first international concert tour a new edit of their 1987 single “It Must Have Been Love” was created, and featured prominently in the movie. The track became their third number one on the Hot 100, and remains one of Roxette’s best-known and most successful singles. The following year, the duo released their third album, Joyride, which remains their most successful release, with worldwide sales of over 11 million copies. The title track gave them their fourth and final number one on the Hot 100, while “Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)” peaked at number two. The album was promoted by the “Join the Joyride! Tour”, their biggest and widest ranging tour
On 11 September 2002, Fredriksson complained of feeling unwell after jogging with her husband. She collapsed in a bathroom after becoming nauseous, with the impact of the fall fracturing her cranium. She then had an epileptic seizure. Scans later indicated she had a brain tumor in the back of her head. The diagnosis led to the cancellation of Roxette’s “Night of the Proms” appearances. After waiting several weeks for the effects of the fracture and resulting concussion to subside, she underwent successful surgery to remove the tumor, which was malignant, and she endured months of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Sadly after Marie passed away on Monday, December 9, 2019 in Djursholm,Sweden at the age of 61. She left a legacy of music and works that will keep her memory in the minds and hearts of many!
Ahmad J. Bell aka: (VICTORIOUS) is back with a new song and video, titled “Broken Heart,” featuring Sean Johnson & Dee Black. These young men are out in their communities talking to others while changing lives, one conversation at a time. They are not afraid to go into neighborhoods and reach out to hurting families, young men who have lost all hope, young females with children who feel as though they have thrown their lives away and it’s too late for them to get an education or even give their lives to Christ. There are many a lost soul out there in this big world we live in, and as Ahmad quoted himself, ” We all are members of one body and our charge is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even though daily events may seem pointless GOD is working a master plan behind the scenes.” #WEAREVICTORIOUS #KMF #Potipharshouse
I am including the link from another post I wrote about this incredible mover and shaker! Let’s all be encouraged and follow are hearts dreams while helping lift others up!
David Soul was a breath of fresh air. I remember his smooth, soft voice. In my teens my friends and I used to love buying the Tiger Beat and Teen Beat magazines. Of course, David Soul could be found on the cover of or in a pin up along with the other greats of the ‘70s. Being a teenager, my friends and I would find a comfortable place to sit so we could open our magazines and smile, giggle and kiss the photos of our favorites and read up on what they were up to. This was our Facebook, Instagram, Extra and TMZ of that day. These were fun years, there were no bad lyrics, just song lyrics magically written that was enough for not only my friends and I, but others around the world to enjoy, fall in love with and continue listening to in 2019.
Don’t Give Up on Us Baby was written by Tony Macaulay, who co-wrote 4 other UK #1s: “Baby Now That I’ve Found You” for the Foundations, “Let The Heartaches Begin” for Long John Baldry, “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” for Edison Lighthouse and “Silver Lady” for David Soul. The song was from his album “Don’t Give Up on Us Baby” which was released in 1976 and was a #1 hit in both the UK and USA.
David Soul played Hutch (the blonde) on the TV cop show Starsky & Hutch. Soul was a singer before he became an actor, and recorded folk and pop singles in the early ’70s without any success. In desperation he sent a photograph of himself to the top New York entertainment agency William Morris. His ploy of disguising his face with a ski mask caught their imagination and he was immediately contracted to become the Covered Man, the resident singer on the Merv Griffin TV show. After completing the first series of Starsky & Hutch, Soul released an album before teaming up with Tony Macaulay and recording this, which became his first hit single. In the US this remained his only chart entry but in the UK he achieved four more Top 20 singles including another #1 with “Silver Lady” and a #2 with “Going In With My Eyes Wide Open.”
Soul: (from 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh): “I made an album in San Francisco for Private Stock but there was nothing suitable for a single. The company told me that Tony Macaulay had some good tunes and he came over and played me Don’t Give Up On Us and Going In With My Eyes Wide Open. Within 10 days, I had leant the songs and recorded them and Tony had mixed them and taken them back to England. They bazoomed to the top and they are 2 songs which have stood the test of time.”
Don’t make the wrong seem right The future isn’t just one night It’s written in the moonlight Painted on the stars We can’t change ours
Don’t give up on us, baby We’re still worth one more try I know we put a last one by Just for a rainy evening When maybe stars are few Don’t give up on us, I know We can still come through
I really lost my head last night You’ve got a right to start believin’ There’s still a little love left, even so
Don’t give up on us, baby Lord knows we’ve come this far Can’t we stay the way we are? The angel and the dreamer Who sometimes plays a fool Don’t give up on us, I know We can still come through
It’s written in the moonlight and painted on the stars We can’t change ours
Don’t give up on us, baby We’re still worth one more try I know we put a last one by Just for a rainy evening When maybe stars are few Don’t give up on us, I know We can still come through
Don’t give up on us, baby Don’t give up on us, baby
Al Green and his sex appeal drove women wild back in the ’70s and his hit songs are still driving women wild to this day. His music was a huge part of my teen years, and I loved each time I heard it played at home on our record player, on the radio, and our school sock hops. You could just feel his voice and instruments deep inside your soul. Green had a smooth charm and soulful, gospel sound that made each lyric he sang sounded like a man in love with his woman and showering her with “Lyric Love” from the depth of his soul… Released in 1972 on the I’m Still In Love With You album. Green has said himself that this song was like mixing explosive chemicals! “Everything had to entered at just the right time and at just the right close.”
Written by Green and guitarist Mabon “Teenie” Hodges, the song was also released as a single in the United Kingdom on London Records in 1973 and in the United States on Hi Records in 1977. It has been covered by Etta James, Al Jarreau, and many other performers.
The song was rated #98 in Rolling Stones’ 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and #861 in Dave Marsh’s The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Soul Train historian Stephen McMillian called it “quintessential Al Green” and “one of the greatest soul songs of all time.” Writing in Vibe, Alan Light called it “perhaps his most perfect song.”
Song Lyrics –
Love and happiness, yeah Something that can make you do wrong, make you do right
Love Love and happiness But wait a minute Something’s going wrong Someone’s on the phone Three o’clock in the morning Talkin’ about how she can make it right, yeah Well, happiness is when, you really feel good with somebody But nothing wrong with being in love with someone, yeah Oh, baby, love and happiness Love and happiness Love and happiness (love and happiness) oh
I have to say Love and happiness (love and happiness) Love and happiness (love and happiness) You be good to me I’ll be good to you We’ll be together, yeah We’ll see each other Walk away with victory, yeah oh baby Love and happiness (love and happiness) Love and happiness (love and happiness)
Hey, hey, hey, hey Make you…
Wait a minute Let me tell you Oh the power Power of love Power of love, power Make you do right, love’ll make you do wrong Ha yeah (Love and happiness, love and happiness) Say love (Love and happiness, love and happiness) Make you want to dance Love and happiness
Love is, wait a minute, love is Yeah, walkin’ together, yeah, talkin’ together Say it again, say it together, yeah Say wanna moans Moan for love, say, hmm Moan for love, hmm Moan for love Talkin’ ’bout the power
Perhaps some day the sun will shine again, And I shall see that still the skies are blue, And feel one more I do not live in vain, Although bereft of you.
Perhaps the golden meadows at my feet, Will make the sunny hours of spring seem gay, And I shall find the white May-blossoms sweet, Though You have passed away.
Perhaps the summer woods will shimmer bright, And crimson roses once again be fair, And autumn harvest fields a rich delight, Although You are not there.
But though kind Time may many joys renew, There is one greatest joy I shall not know Again, because my heart for loss of You Was broken, long ago.”
A LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART 
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