STELLAR AWARDS

2009 Stellar Award Winners Announced

DIVINE Magazine was there to bring you all the news & photos!

Photography by Courtney N. Long.Memorable Moments Photography www.memorablemoments1.com

Gospel music’s brightest stars arrived in Music City on Saturday, January 17, 2009 for the 24th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards. The Grand Ole Opry house in Nashville, TN overflowed with talent with powerful performances by Kirk Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s. Hosts were Dorinda Clark-Cole, Sinbad and Donnie McClurkin.

STELLAR AWARD WINNERS:

Artist of the Year- Marvin Sapp; Thirsty
Song of the Year - Marvin Sapp /Matthew Brownie "Never Would Have Made It"
Male Vocalist of the Year -Marvin Sapp
Female Vocalist of the Year - Dorinda Clark-Cole; Take It Back
Group Duo of the Year - Jonathan Nelson featuring Purpose; Right Now Praise
New Artist of the Year - Jessica Greene; 4 The World; Habakkuk Music
CD of the Year - Marvin Sapp; Thirsty
Choir of the Year - Ricky Dillard & New G; The 7th Episode: Live in Toronto
Producer of the Year - Aaron Lindsey; Thirsty
Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year - Jonathan Nelson featuring Purpose;Right Now Praise
Traditional Group/Duo of the Year - The Canton Spirituals; Driven
Contemporary Male of the Year - Byron Cage; Live at the Apollo: The Proclamation
Traditional Male of the Year -Marvin Sapp
Contemporary Female of the Year -CeCe Winans; Thy Kingdom Come
Traditional Female of the Year -Beverly Crawford; Live From Los Angeles
Contemporary CD of the Year - Jonathan Nelson featuring Purpose; Right Now Praise
Traditional CD of the Year -Marvin Sapp; Thirsty
Urban/ Inspirational Single / Performance of the Year- Kirk Franklin;"Declaration:

(This Is It)"
Music Video of the Year - Marvin Sapp: “Never Would Have Made It”
Contemporary Choir of the Year - Ricky Dillard & New G; The 7th Episode: Live in Toronto Traditional Choir of the Year - Bishop Paul Morton & The Full Gospel Baptist Church Choir; Embracing the Next Dimension
Instrumental CD of the Year -Angélla Christie; The Breath of Life
Special Event CD of the Year - The Clark Sisters; The Best of the Clark Sisters Encore
Rap/Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year - Da’ T.R.U.T.H; Open Book
Children’s Performance of the Year - Kaira Miller; In God’s Time/It Ain’t Over
Quartet of the Year - Lee Williams & The Spiritual QC’s; So Much To Be Thankful For
Recorded Music Package of the Year -Michelle Lukianovich (art direction/design); Keith Major (photography); Thirsty (Marvin Sapp); Verity/Zomba Label Group
Praise and Worship CD of the Year - Shekinah Glory Ministry; Jesus
Congratulations to all of this year’s Stellar Award Winners!

BACKSTAGE AT THE STELLARS

STELLAR AWARD NODS (Up & Coming Artists)

STELLAR PRESENTERS & PERFORMERS

FOR MORE BACKSTAGE ACCESS INCLUDING PHOTOS OF

SINBAD, TYE TRIBBETT, KEITH WONDERBOY JOHNSON, SHIRLEY CAESAR & MORE!!!

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Children In Need of Mentors

There are so many children in desperate need of mentors. I teach 8th grade English at an inner city public school and my students and I have the most memorable moments when we just get to talk. These magical moments don't occur when I'm making them write a 5 paragraph essay or forcing them to understand subject-verb agreement. Only on the days when we have a little free time, which isn't too often thanks to standardized tests week in and week out, but every now and again we have these moments. Today was one of those days, I had a young lady to hit a young man and so he with all his might he proceeded to hit her back. So instead of sending them immediately to the office I decided to just talk to them both seperately and then collectively. Their exploratory class was cancelled so we had a little free time to talk while the other students either eavesdropped on our conversation, were on the computer or were leisurely reading. After talking to the boy and girl seperately I made them come together and both tell each other what they had learned from our one on one conversation. So the young man shared with her that he had learned that it's not okay for anyone who calls himself a man to hit a woman, that men are naturally physically stronger and that he could've unintentionally but seriously hurt her, he also learned that when he aggravates people he risks the chance of them retaliating and that he must learn not to aggravate so much,etc. The young lady informed him that she learned that she should keep her hands to herself because her stingfire slap could cause a young man to seriously injure her from a hit that comes out of retaliation. She learned that she shouldn't assume that all young men will resist hitting back and she also learned that all young men do not have someone at home telling right from wrong. So the conversation went on for a little while longer but ultimately ended in them both admitting where they went wrong, how they can handle the situation better in the future and with two heartfelt apologies.

I said all that to say that rather than send those two to the office with an end result of suspension, it had a much greater effect to call them both together and mentor them for a few minutes. I realized that so many of our young people need someone to help turn the light bulb on in their heads and especially about social interaction, what's appropriate and not appropriate in society. We can't assume that all children have mentors in their lives. When an opportunity presents itself where we as adults can drop a nugget of wisdom into a young person's life, we should jump at the chance!

Do you have an example of a time where you changed a young person's life? Do you know of any good mentorship programs?

Setting Goals for 2009

My pastor (John Seibeling) recently delivered a message about setting goals. I was very impressed by his instructions on how to set goals and want to share them here with you.
He suggested that your goals be:

• SIMPLE
• SPECIFIC
• MEASURABLE
• ATTAINABLE

Also meditate on Psalm 90:17 in regards to your goals. 3 goals is sufficient and refer back to your goals throughout the year. Stay encouraged!!!

With these ideas in mind what goals have you set for 2009?

2009: THE YEAR OF DIVINE

It's a new year and there are so many wonderful things in store for us. People all around me are being greatly blessed with jobs, finances and blossoming relationships and/or making major transitions in life to progress their business, career paths and so on.

DIVINE Magazine is also being blessed by being a blessing to so many people. We will be celebrating two years in publication at the end of this month and the road to this point has been trying but amazing.

I encourage everyone to really press in this year to follow your dreams, to go somewhere you've never gone, do something you've never done and to be a blessing to someone in the process.

I have coined 2009 as the year of DIVINE not because I don't believe that every year hereafter won't be rewarding but because I feel that many of the seeds sown in 2007 and 2008 will come to fruition in 2009. I believe that this year will be one that many lost souls will be saved through reading something in DIVINE. I believe that God will allow DIVINE to touch many more people and that hundreds more will have access to DIVINE.

I believe that this blog will be one of the many outlets to reach more people and that this blog will provide a place for people to share their thoughts, fears, dreams, accomplishments, needs, wants, etc. So make yourself at home and share your testimony:)

What are you believing God for in your life? What seeds did you plant in 2008 that you believe will come to fruition in 2009?