In my most recent post,
"Project of Passion: My Gift ...Your Testimony ...Their Breakthrough!," I introduced the launch of a NEW project that I believe will make a HUGE impact in many people's lives around this world. For details concerning the particulars of this project, please visit the post and see how you can get involved by telling your story. We all have a testimony because we have all gone through something that GOD has brought us out. And some of us are currently being tested. In the end, though, people who hear about people going through similar things can be encouraged and empowered to endure the PROCESS that God has them in.
It is my esteemed honor to present to you our first story... the testimony of a close friend of mine who fought a long HARD battle with Osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of CANCER. My childhood friend and fellow church family member, Justin Izlar, 25, wrote his testimony some time before he went home to be with our Lord, in January of this year. Just WON his battle with cancer...because he completed his God-given assignment and God was pleased! You ask me how I know? I'm glad you asked. When you get some time, visit Justin's tribute website called,
www.JustinTouchedMe.com. There you will find numerous stories submitted by the many people who Justin touched while on this earth. Following the story below, you will find the poem I wrote that was featured in his obituary.
"The Fight of my Life"
by Justin Izlar
Dealing with cancer is one of the hardest things that I’ve ever had to do. Just hearing the news about it was shocking like ‘wow, can this be true?’ I couldn’t believe I had to deal with something that I thought older people get. Something where your suppose to just sit back, relax, and see other people with. Something where you go visit people in the hospital to show them that you’re there and then you go back to live your own life, in your own home, without a care not once, not twice, but three times I had to deal with this.
Wasn’t sure if I would survive, so sometimes wanted nothing more than a kiss. Just something simple to say, "I love you", you’re not going through this alone
And just hold out a little while longer and you’ll be on your way home. I’ll be honest; the first time I cried hard, cause it was devastatin’ I cried eight times just on the way home, sometimes thinking I did something that God was hatin.’
Second time I got very mad, cause now it was just frustratin.’ Why I gotta suffer when I tried to do right, but there’s others outside right now crap playin’? During all of this, I began to have a reality check. I wasn’t being punished, but the devil knew God had a plan that hasn’t happened yet, so the third time it got a little funny, and I just laughed a little bit at Satan telling him that I’mma do Gods work regardless man, you need to stop hatin’.
You might as well keep it moving, because I know that I’m gonna be fine. I aint leaving this world no time soon, at least not until I know Gods will and mine are aligned. You need to go find new business, cause messing with me is just asking for trouble. All you are doing is wasting your time. I’m not about to complete your little puzzle.
I beat you up the first time, and I beat you bad the second. You would think that somebody would finally learn his lesson, but it’s obvious, since you’re still coming, that you’re not that clever. This time, I’m going for the knock out, cause I’m stronger than ever. If it’s a war with me that you really want to be in, we can go head to head. Because I know that as long as God is on my side, all of my enemies are already dead.
He himself bore my sins in his body on the tree, so that I might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds I have been healed. ~1 Peter 2:24
The Lord forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. ~Psalm 103:3
Anointed For The Assignment
By. Christoph Jenkins
“The size of the anointing matches up with the size of the assignment!”
~Bishop Michael V. Kelsey
I was assigned an assignment before I even knew what it was | I say this because…initially, my mind wasn’t in alignment with the one who assigned the assignment | At the time when the assignment was assigned, my mind was blind to the fact that God had a plan for my life | So I mistook the assignment for confinement | I was confined to a life of tests, studies, and treatments | I thought to myself, “This must be a lesson because how could this be a blessing? | I’m wrestling! | I’m wrestling with my purpose so I pray for realignment” | And as time went, God began to realign my mind with His | His mind was revealed to me …this was no confinement!” | This was an assignment and I was anointed for it | My assignment blessed others, my sisters and my brothers | I remember when Bishop uttered, “The size of the anointing matches up with the size of the assignment!” | That was about the size of it | And because my mind was in alignment with His, I could receive that | Therefore, I felt honored to carry out such an assignment | I grew stronger as the time went | And when the time came…I was at peace and I was content | My assignment was complete because the people I was assigned to reach were reached | And greatest of all, God told me Himself, “I am pleased!”
Until next time... testify and shame the devil!
"If my words have the ability to develop wings of encouragement, I hope they take flight in someone's life." ~Christoph Jenkins
This week has been a week like never before. My life has been been somewhat redirected in someway. And this redirection has nothing to do with MY WILL. I truly believe that God has taken control of my life's compass. I never would have thought that I would be standing in the center of hundreds of people on 14th & Park Rd. NW, Washington, DC in Columbia Heights, advocating for a justice through my poetry. One can't just conjure up events like this and say they're going to make them happen.
This took place this past Monday, two days after I spoke in front of thousands of people in front of the Wilson Building, in downtown D.C. at Freedom Plaza, on Pennsylvania Ave. The authorities had to literally shut down several blocks for safety precautions. When I arrived, there were cars passing through like it was a regular Saturday afternoon. Moments later, people started to come in droves chanting, singing, causing traffic to build. Then the police began to assemble and started blocking off the streets so no vehicles could pass through. 
I'm just being transparent with you right now. I'm being very honest, when I say that I had to simply say to God, in prayer, "If you want me to complete these assignments (because that's what these events/experiences are; assignments from God), I'm going to need YOU to give me the tools and resources to get the job done. I can't do what YOU"RE asking me to do with what I have. If I have it already, I need YOU to reveal it to me because I don't see it."
Life has become more and more perishable as of late. It's beginning to seem as if our friends, family members, and public figures are transitioning on at younger ages. R.I.P. Whitney Houston & Don Cornelius. Just this year, as new as it is, I've experienced the loss of a GREAT friend, Justin Izlar (read his story), who I grew up with in church. We were on the same church step team as pre-teens. Justin found out he had cancer at the age of 18, during his freshman year at Coppin State University. Despite the rigorous and trying trials cancer brings along with it, Justin still persevered with the help of his family, church family, frat brothers (Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.), and God, Himself. He accomplished one of his greatest goals before he passed; he graduated college and EARNED his degree while battling cancer.
I'll say this again ...I DISCOVERED MY PASSION FOR WRITING because I witnessed, first hand, how many people Justin touched through out his life. Not one of the stories were written out of pity because he had cancer. You could feel the sincerity and fallen tears in their writings. 
