Several years ago I was inspired to create a radio show called The Bridegroom Songs. The show features songs, scripture and exhortation around the theme that Jesus Christ is our Bridegroom and He is coming back again. I have often shared the testimony of where the inspiration for this show came from over the airways. Now I would like to share it with the Haven Highlights. Sometime in 2008 I was at work preparing for a music segment that followed Bishop Todd’s Tuesday Morning broadcast. As he closed the message he began singing “For you I am praying, For you I am praying, I am praying for you.” It was an old song, but I knew it because I had heard for many years at Greater Refuge Church (32nd & Montgomery Ave). Normally for that music segment I would just grab the nearest gospel music CD in the studio and put it on, but that Tuesday I was led to find “like minded music” to follow Bishop Todd’s closing song. As I scanned my pile of music, my eyes fell on a complimentary CD I’d received in a registration packet at a conference in New Brunswick two years earlier. The name of the CD was The Bridegroom Songs Vol. 1. It was produced by Bishop Moses E. Butler and the First Church of the Apostolic Way, PAW in Columbus OH. I put the CD on. The rest is history. Each week after that first Tuesday, I played songs from that first CD. Early on I requested permission from the station manager to launch an official music show in that time slot. He said yes. That was the birth of The Bridegroom Songs Radio Broadcast. Then I went online found out that Bishop Butler and his church had produced a second CD, The Bridegroom Songs, Vol. 2. I ordered it and began playing those songs. Next I discovered that the organization to which I belonged at the time, COOLJC (Church of our Lord Jesus Christ) had a recording from a live concert called Vintage Apostolic Worship & Praise. I ordered that CD and began airing those songs as well. God continued to bless me to find “like minded music” both traditional and contemporary. He also blessed me to expand the show to include scripture readings and exhortation as well as music. Over the years, as churches changed their time slots to better suit their ministries, the length of broadcast grew from 15 minutes to a full hour.
Who but God knew that a few years after that first broadcast I’d be a member of Christ Haven and Bishop Todd would be my pastor? Coincidentally, the first time I visited Christ Haven was in August of 2011. The sermon that morning, preached by Elder Fraser, was The Bridegroom is Coming. Isn’t that something? From that first Tuesday until now God has truly blessed this broadcast. It has become one of our “staples”, and serves as yet another clarion call to remind all who tune to get ready and stay ready because Jesus Christ is our Bridegroom and He is coming back again. And it all started with the song “For You I am Praying” ministered by my pastor, Bishop Todd. To God be the Glory Pat Middleton, Morning Host, WTMR 800 AM Poetricia Publishing © 2013
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Life lessons sometimes come in the most unexpected ways. One morning my left contact lens split in half as soon as I put it in my eye. I got the larger piece out, but the smaller piece floated under my eye lid, instigating a rather peculiar game of hide and seek. After praying off a major panic attack, I closed my eyes and focused on slowing rolling them around and around (the fact that I've mastered eye rolling over the years was a major help – LOL). As I continued rolling my eyes up, down, and sideways, I could see flashes of light outside my lids. Finally, I felt the plastic particle float down to the corner of my eye. When I opened my eyes, it came out with my tears. Moral of the story: When something rips apart in your life and you’ve tried all you can to get the unwanted pieces out, panicking won’t help, but praying, crying and rolling your eyes upward will. Sooner or later those unwanted things will wash out with your tears. “I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 Poetricia Publishing © 2013 QUESTIONS FROM A YOUNG WRITER
An Interview with Patricia Middleton by Nathan Aponte, 2012 NATHAN: What is your definition of success and what determines whether or not a person has achieved that level of success? PATRICIA: "The meaning of success for me has changed over the years. When I was younger, success meant a high paying career, no financial woes, receiving love beyond measure, and my name in lights. Today success means setting and accomplishing personal goals, having a reasonable portion of health, giving love beyond measure, and most importantly walking in the purpose for which I was created." NATHAN: What influenced you to become a writer, and who are your current influences? PATRICIA: "I first began writing poetry at the age of fourteen, the same age I began keeping a daily diary/journal. I grew up in very tumultuous household and reading and writing poetry became an escape for me. It was a safe place where I could be calm, confident and comforted. My greatest influence then was Nikki Giovanni. As I grew older and my faith became the central focus of my life and my writing, my influences changed to Helen Steiner Rice, James Weldon Johnson, and the Holy Scriptures." NATHAN: Are there any other forms of writing that you enjoy doing, such as journalism or technical writing? PATRICIA: "In addition to poetry, I write song lyrics, workshops on biblical principles and inspirational messages. I also really enjoy editing and proofreading for other writers. Journaling also continues to be something that I enjoy, although now instead of daily journals written in a 'Dear Diary' fashion, I have several different on-going 'theme-based' journals." NATHAN: What was your background before you became a published author? PATRICIA: "I spent over twenty years working for a Verizon and five years working as an administrative assistant for a non-profit agency that mentored children of prisoners. Since 2007, I've been working as a Traffic Manager and Morning Host of WTMR 800 AM, a local Christian Radio Station in Camden N.J." NATHAN: What was the determining factor that led you to the decision to leave corporate America, start your own business, and subsequently pursue the true American Dream of the Free Enterprise System? PATRICIA: "My department was declared surplus, and we were let go. When I left, I had large and lofty dreams of become an overnight success in the literary world. That fantasy was quickly challenged as I discovered just how much work goes into pursuing your dreams. Re-entry into the work force continues to challenge just how much time and energy can be poured into my small publishing company, but I have learned that faith and patience are my strongest weapons in continuing to pursue and accomplish my dreams." NATHAN: What obstacles and challenges have you had to overcome to get to the level of success you are at now, and do you view your adversity as something that pulled you down or something that helped you and made you stronger in the end? PATRICIA: "If you had asked me this question ten years ago, I would have said being a struggling single parent, being a woman, being African American, maybe even being a Christian. But now I know that my greatest obstacle and my largest challenge is one word, and that word is fear. Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, even fear of success. Realizing that my greatest adversary wasn't a particular set of circumstances, but rather something from within was half the battle. Discovering what weapon to use was the other half. Faith became that weapon. Not only the set of beliefs that make up my faith, but faith itself: faith in God, faith in myself, faith in my dreams, faith in my writing." NATHAN: What are your ultimate goals in life not, just in regards to your poetry, but general life goals as well? PATRICIA: "My main goals in life will always be intertwined in writing. To use my gifts and talents to express myself, to share my life experiences, to portray the love of God, and to encourage mankind." NATHAN: How did you get published and who is your publisher? PATRICIA: "Poetricia Publishing: It's who I am and what I do. I decided long ago that I would self publish. Back then I didn't know what that really meant. It has been an exciting, educational, encouraging, and expensive journey, but I wouldn't have it any other way." NATHAN: What advice can you give to other aspiring writers/entrepreneurs that wish to reach your level of success and accomplishments but have limited resources? PATRICIA: "I would say that as you discover, develop, and display your natural gifts, talents, and abilities never forget that success takes time. Read the autobiographies of those you most admire. You will see that for many, that is the common denominator. I'll say it again: success takes time. I am no where near where I desire to be in terms of success. Also I would add the following: learn how to rid yourself (and your life) of hatred, anger, jealously, greed, unforgiveness and low self-esteem. Carrying these poisons (and being closely associated with others who carry them) will delay your progress and stifle your gift. If you think this cannot be done, think again. It can. Trust me, I know." Nathan Aponte is a poet and author. He wrote and published OPEN BOOK in June of 2008. It is available on amazon.com. Poetricia Publishing © 2012 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Proverbs 18:21 It was such a simple gift. A bookmark. But it’s the perfect backdrop for this month’s blog, SPEAK LIFE. My sister gave me this bookmark to celebrate a new chapter I had just began in my life. After 21 years, I accepted an early retirement package from Verizon. Leaving the company was something I had been planning to do for several years before. I always said that when my children graduated from high school, I’d leave ‘Ma Bell’ and pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a published author. Little did I know that five months after their graduation (they’re twins), the company offer would offer early retirement packages to everyone in my department. I accepted, and the following April I was gone. Wouldn’t it be great if this paragraph began ‘My first book was published six months later’? But, life doesn’t always work like that. I spent the remainder of that year traveling and setting up the perfect home office. Not your traditional shopaholic, I must stay, purchasing office equipment was exhilarating. Every purchase filled me with glee - from my glass top desk from Ikea to small my metal mesh desk set (and matching trashcan) from Staples. Talk about Christmas in July! My first trip that year was an adventure. I rented a car and drove from Philly to Richmond, VA to Charlotte, N.C. to Charleston, S.C. Each stop I stayed with family for three or four days. My last trip that year was to a writers’ conference at Sandy Cove Christian Retreat Center in North East, MD. What a joy! Even now I get chills when I remember how one workshop leader had everyone in the room stand up say “I am a writer!” over and over until we believed it. I left that trip with all the tools I needed to publish my first book. Or so I thought. Life has a way of teaching us things we didn’t realized we needed to know. I went back into the workforce, first in an administrative job, then later in broadcasting. (Something else I always said I wanted to do.) I left Verizon in April of 2002. Six years passed before I actually began writing my first book. It was published almost two years later. My first book, A Time To Write, was published on March 20, 2010. Poetricia Publishing © 2010 Camden Welcomes in the Spring With New Author Patricia Middleton Saturday March 20, 2010 was a beautiful day. The sky was bright and sunny and the temperature reached 72 degrees in the Camden / Philadelphia area. It was the first day of a very welcome Spring after a winter of record breaking snow storms. Never has the first day of a new season been more welcome. But March 20th was also the first day of a new season for local poet Patricia Middleton. It was the day she chose for the book release of her first collection of poetry, A Time To Write. "I chose the date before the venue was even secured, something unheard of in the rules of event planning. But that prior November as I looked over the calendar for the coming year I realized that the first day of Spring was on a Saturday. That's when I knew March 20th would be the day. It fit perfectly with the subtitle of my book, "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven" (From Ecclesiastes 3:1). I felt that nudging in my spirit that we sometimes feel when God is trying to tell us something. So I set the date and that was that." Patricia felt that same nudging a few years before when she first visited the Walt Whitman Arts Center in Camden, the location where she held her book release celebration. A church member had invited her to an open mic night at “The Walt” in downtown Camden. "It was on a week night in early 2007 and the streets were deserted. The complete opposite of Center City Philadelphia, where I'm from. There wasn't much traffic and I didn't see any people walking around. But when I entered the building and walked around to take my seat I felt something. As the various spoken word artists came out on stage to perform, I started looking around at the stage, the walking area, the seating, the balcony and said to myself 'I'm going to have something here one day." Later on that year I briefly attended poetry group meetings at “The Walt” and became more familiar with the building and the area. I was even more sure that some day I would sponsor something there that had to do with poetry." That was three years ago, but the seed was planted and that feeling became a reality on March 20, 2010. Patricia first called the Walt Whitman Arts Center in early December of 2009. As she suspected, the date was available, and she had no problems reserving the first floor for her book signing. The unorthodox method paid off. She had already set the date, but the venue was available just like she knew it would be. "Anyone who really knows me knows I'm very particular about dates and I truly believe that there's something to be said for things that are “meant to be”. Nothing can change something that’s meant to be, and I believe those things are the divine will of God, things that God himself ordained and they cannot be altered or destroyed. For me, having the book signing on March 20th was one of those things. I'm very thankful to Pattricia, Mildred and the entire staff at the Walt Whitman Arts Center. They were all pleasant to work with and it was a great experience all the way around." The day went on without a hitch. There were bouquets of dried flowers, touches of bright green here and there, and warm welcoming smiles everywhere. Friendly hostesses greeted you when you arrived and pointed you around the room. First stop, the book sales area, where along with your book purchase you received a goodie bag. Next the author's table where your book was personally signed and if you liked, you could also have your picture taken with Patricia. The last table was the snack table, everyone's favorite. There, assorted italian cookies, chilled bottles of spring water and a variety of soda was yours for the asking. Once you visited each table, you were invited to settle in the auditorium with your copy of A Time To Write until Patricia's next reading. Some chose to read the book, others watched the ongoing slide show presentation, and some listen to the live music and guest poet performances until Patricia made her way to the stage. "There's a saying "It takes a village". Well, my family helped tremendously with this event. After listening to me pour out my heart about my dreams for years and years (and years), they didn't stop there. They manned the tables, took pictures, offered advice. They gave there time, talents, and money. My son couldn't be there because he was healing from recent surgery, but when we went to see him afterwards, there he was in his hospital bed, bragging about his mother who just wrote a book to all the nurses who came in his room. My daughter, who's also my business manager, put the day together with grace, style and beauty. Her excellent overseeing of this project made it the success it was. It was her suggestion that we do the day in "rounds" so that no one would have to wait too long for a reading. So there were three "rounds" of selling, signing and reading, so our guests could come in, get their book, have it signed, hear a reading, and then get back to their Saturday errands and appointments. By this being a family friendly occasion and such a gorgeous day weather wise, several guests purchased their books and went outside to sit on the benches of the spacious green lawns of the Walt Whitman Center and read their newly signed copy of A TIME TO WRITE." Patricia is very comfortable on stage standing behind the microphone, expressing herself through poetry. Currently she works in radio, and is behind the mic on a daily basis. Her station, WTMR 800 AM (Where the Master Reigns) serves the Camden / Philadelphia area. She’s the creator and host of an on air poetry radio show called Poetic Praise where weekly she interviews authors of inspirational poetry and occasionally reads her own poetry as well. And she has a lot of material to choose from. She's been writing since she was 14 years old, and performing poetry in front of audiences even longer than that. "The church I grew up in, Greater Refuge Church of Christ in North Philadelphia, had an awesome format for Sunday School. Each Sunday after we learned our lessons, all the classes would come back together and each class would have to go up to the front of the church, in front of all the other classes, and one by one, each student had to stand up straight, speak in the microphone and say something about the lesson. For some of us, that was the beginning of our lessons in public speaking. Then, every Easter and Christmas, we were given holiday 'pieces' to memorize and recite during those special holiday services. My Sunday School teacher, Sister Ellen Pittman, always gave me the longest poems to memorize. That was the beginning." Patricia’s voice is both soothing and powerful as she moves across the stage reading selected poems during her book signing. Each "round" of reading from her book, she shared personal testimonies and "the story behind THE RHYME" of the poems she selected. One highlight for her was actually reading the wedding tributes in chapter 4 of her book to two couples in the audience both married more than fifty years. "It's always an honor to be asked to write someone's wedding poem. Whether I know the couple or not, I always ask them to tell me their story. How they met, how God bought them together, how they knew they were God's choice for one another. And then I pray. I ask God to give me the words, and He always does. I've written over a dozen wedding poems, but the two written for couples married over fifty years are my favorites, especially in this day and age. They are a living testimony that it is possible to have that lasting union called holy matrimony, and they are an example to those of us who've never been married to wait for God to bring you someone, don't try to do it on your own. I really enjoyed reading their poems to them. It was truly an honor." Many guests compliment Patricia on the design of the book, the color choice and the cover in particular. They are surprised and impressed that she is both author and publisher. Many didn’t realize that she’s been an entrepreneur since 2002. Back then she formed her company, I WRITE THE which consisted of three tiers were Inspirational Poetry, Motivational Workshops, and Administrative Consulting. There were plenty of opportunities with administrative consulting and workshops but Patricia wanted to pour all her energies into poetry. So, in 2009 she revamped the company, changed the name to Poetricia Publishing, and directed all of her focus on her passion: poetry. She's received many compliments on the name Poetricia, as well as many inquiries into how she came up with that name. "There's a funny story behind that discovery. It was around May of 2008 and it was time for me to renew my New Jersey vehicle registration. I decided I'd also like to get a personalized license plate, so I began doodling with the words poem, poem and poetry. I finally settled on Poetess, but I really didn't like it that much. It sounded too much like Prophetess, and I didn't want anyone to read anything into it. I kept doodling, and I really can't remember what made me write my name down, but as soon as I did, in the midst of all the variations of poet, poetry and poem, I just took the 'a' out of my name and put the 'oe' in, and BAM! There it was: Poetricia. I love it so much, and my only regret is that I didn't discover this name earlier. But, there is a time and a season for everything. I like to say Poetricia is 'who I am and what I do', sounds corny but it's true. And you'll find everything from workshops to original poems to poetry cafe's to publishing consultations at Poetricia Publishing." As the day came to a close, many were asking Patricia what's next. Three churches have already invited her to come to their locations for book signings and readings, and she's very excited about that. It is also her desire to see her book on the shelves of bookstores both here and abroad. "I have always imagined walking into a bookstore and seeing my own books on the shelf. For me that would be another dream come true. But I have so many people to thank for this dream coming true, beginning with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without him I am nothing. But with him, I am a published author. To God be the Glory! I also want to thank my family, friends and fellow church members for their your love, support, prayers, fellowship and encouragement. I pray that God continue to bless all I put my hands to do for His Kingdom. Poetricia Publishing © 2010 "I thank God for my every remembrance of you."
Philippians 1:3 Two things have always been constant in my life: my faith and my poetry. For more than 25 years, I have been a featured poet, lecturer, and workshop leader for a wide variety of poetic events for civic, community, and faith-based organizations. In 2005 a close friend of mine who happened to be the Program Director of a transitional home for HIV+ homeless women asked me if I would come read poetry to the residents during one of their group sessions. I quickly declined. Every so often she would ask me again. Each time I said, “No.” The next year, 2006, I had a change of heart. Mostly because of much my friend believed in me. She would say things like, “You can do it. Your poetry heals. They’ll love you.” I had written her wedding poem just a few months before and her confidence in me was stronger than my own. I finally said, “Okay, I’ll do it.” To say that I was terrified is an understatement. At the time, all I had was common a knowledge of HIV Aids and even less knowledge about homelessness. I felt very inadequate. But then I remembered everything that poetry had been to me, and its benefits to mankind throughout history - from the Psalms, to Shakespeare, to the Early American Poets, to the Harlem Renaissance, to the Beat Poets of the 60’s, to the influence poetry had on the birth of rap and hip hop, to the powerful Spoken Word Artists of the new millennium - poetry has inspires people of all ages and all backgrounds. With all of this in mind, I got ready for my first poetry reading outside of the church walls. This was four years before I published my first book of poetry, so at the time, all of my poems were typed and categorized into 3-ring binders. I grabbed one and headed out. When the hour was over, I was on cloud nine. I remember whispering a little prayer right there in my car on a little side street in South Philadelphia, “Lord, if I could this every day for a living, I would!” That was the beginning of me connecting my gift of poetry with volunteering for community service and I have never looked back. Each year I look for a new organization to work with. I still accept engagements within the faith community but I’m always careful to carve out some time for volunteer work and God has blessed that I have never had to sacrifice one for the other. I have learned that there is enough time in the day to do both. I am forever grateful to my dear friend, Sue White, for allowing God to use her to bring me in to her facility. It was the push I needed to launch out into the deep, to minister beyond the four walls of the church, to truly, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15) I just happen to do that through poetry. |
About This BlogThis blog is inspired by my first book, A Time To Write: Inspirational Poetry for All Seasons. Thank you for visiting! Archives
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