WHAT'S NEXT LORD

​I wanna share something with y’all that I hope will be helpful to you in some way. 
​

an unexpected difficult season

Back in, I don’t know, 2014. I was working for and under the worst boss, I’ve had in my entire working career. This environment was very toxic.
​
This company I worked for did not do a lot of hiring, but. Whenever new hires were hired, they did not stay very long. At this point, during my time there, most of the seasoned and experienced staff had left or were in the process of leaving. This employer was only operating with a hand full of people. So, those who remained, and I was one of them – had to carry more responsibilities than we normally would. It was tough but doable.
​ 

a challenging season
​

For the most part, the new working challenges weren’t too bad or big of a deal because I was accustomed to working for employers that eventually required or asked me to cross-train for other roles, in several departments, for the sole purpose to be a backup if they ever needed the additional support in critical areas or departments. So, I often had to be ready to temporarily step to either help or fill in for other departments' essential roles to get my employer through a specific need or difficult employment season.

But this employer that I worked for in 2014 was quite different from places I’ve worked before. I mean I have had some questionable bosses in the past. But the CEO of this company. He took the cake if you know what I mean. Let me provide you with some background.

This company I worked for was based and headquarters out of London in Europe. In my role with them, I worked directly under and reported to the CEO at their local Charlotte, North Carolina branch. But I often was in direct contact and had regular communication with department heads and executives at the headquarters in London to cover communication for my CEO because he was out of the office a lot due to his work travel schedule.

The problem with this setup for me was that the leadership in London seem to have a better understanding of some of the main issues at our Charlotte office than my boss who supervised this location. So, some of the executives from the London office would give me direction to do XYZ to help the CEO be more efficient and effective in doing his job as well as to bring the temperature down in our working environment as it related to some of the issues and or concerns with our business vendors and customers until the headquarters could come up with more proper solutions.

Now, the executives at the London office, for whatever reason, did not communicate to my local boss, the changes they were requiring of me to help keep certain things at bay and to maintain some level of peace, order, and structure until they can either make some adjustments or provide a more permanent solution. So, assuming that my boss and the London headquarters' executives were talking, I naturally alter my normal work schedule to incorporate London’s needs and balance out my work day to the best of my abilities.
​
But it wasn’t until much later that I learned the London office had failed to inform my boss of some changes they had made in my role. This was critical for me as an employee because the standard to which my boss was holding me to was no longer feasible since the London office was requiring me to carry so much more due to his lack of presence to address many issues at our local Charlotte branch. 
​

The problem
​

Here’s where the problem lay for me personally and professionally. My boss, the CEO at my local branch was gone a lot to trade shows, local and abroad meetings, and back and forth to London a lot. So, his time was limited at the local office. Hence why certain executives from the London office were communicating with me on a regular and providing me with some direction to help keep things afloat.
​
Now, I don’t know whether my boss was CRAZY as he was (for a lack of a better word) because he had an extremely demanding role and a stressful work schedule. And that was what made him a HORRIBLE boss. Or, if he had some unresolved personal issues, mommy or daddy issues, or really bad love experience(s) that made him the way he was. 
​

SIDEBAR: Which by the way, I did share the above thoughts with him in a respectful manner on my last day of work (and LORD knows I really had to pray before I approached him). I told him he was the worst boss I ever had. Not because I wanted to hurt him or because I was being spiteful or vindictive. I strongly felt he needed to know how his behavior was so destructive for himself and those around him and it was truly hurting his company. And if he really wanted a better working environment for himself and his team, which a part of me believed that he did. Then, HE WAS THE ONE THAT NEEDED TO GROW UP AND CHANGE. Back to my point.

Either way, at some point, the toxicity of my boss was beginning to take a toll on me. I will admit, I started doing job searches and applying for roles with different companies, which I went to quite a few interviews for. So, other options were slowly opening up for me.
​
But before I could take another role with another company, things had gotten so bad, especially with the behavior of my boss, it was like someone had come into that place and turned off all the lights. There was no light there whatsoever. JUST DARKNESS. The atmosphere was filled with complete darkness. Some of y’all know exactly what I’m talking about. 
​

the turnaround
​

One day, as I was driving to work, I reached a point of tears because I had come to a bad place where I hated that job. I hated the environment. And I was starting to hate my boss. It was that bad. I just did not want to go there. I wanted so desperately to quit. Just turn around and quit.
​
So, I’m praying to GOD all the way to work. Actually, I was doing more complaining than praying. Any rate. I remember at some point yelling at the top of my lung to GOD. 
​

“WHAT’S NEXT LORD! WHAT!!

​I did not know it at the time but this was a very critical and pivotal point for me in my walk with Christ and in the Spiritual realm. At this point, I had made so many changes in my character and the way I was living. And for the first time in my life, I had formed a solid and intimate relationship with Christ. I had grown a lot and had given up a great deal of my worldly pursuits and desires to get to where I was at that time. To only fall into a pit of hell in my workplace.

I don’t know. Maybe it was because of my immaturity at that time as a believer combine with the misdirection far too many church leaders were teaching young believers to believe. Out of ignorance and naiveness, we somehow were taught and believe that once we start really serving GOD and living for Christ that everything changes for the better. How far from the truth. Well, at least in the way too many leaders were presenting this Bible truth to the masses.

Maybe somewhere in the back of my unconscious mind, I really believed that my life was going to magically become perfect overnight now that I was really serving Christ the RIGHT WAY. Yes, there is a right way to serve Christ.
​
Well, that never did happen. In fact, at times, my life seemed to have gotten worst in certain aspects during certain seasons, both inside and outside the church. That’s another story. But at the time, I did not realize the man-made doctrine that I had grabbed hold of because it came from trusted leaders in the church because it sounded good, but it was the complete opposite of the way Jesus taught it, and attended us to understand it. You feel me? At the time, I just did not understand nor was familiar with the context behind such Scriptures as
​

MATTHEW 10:21-22
“… A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers….”
​
1 John 2:15-17
“… Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave….”
​

But now I realized that I didn’t know and understand the depth of these things THEN. That I was certainly being tested at my job, by my boss and his ridiculous and unprofessional behavior.
​
So, anyways. As I was saying. I was on my way to work. And I yelled out to the LORD. “WHAT’S NEXT LORD!” And immediately, the atmosphere in my car shifted. I started to hear this melody playing in my head and I began to hear myself sing this new song.
​

These soul soaking lyrics pour out of me from the depth of my soul. A beautiful but intense melody and lyrics.
​
As I was listening and singing, I immediately grab a pen and pad and start to write the entire song, I Need You, that morning. That song changed everything for me that day. It gave me the strength I needed to continue to endure that place, the toxic environment my boss created and was causing. That song gave me what I needed to stay in that place where I did not want to be until GOD finally called me out of there. And called me out HIM did to a more respectful role, working environment, and a thriving workplace. This song brought me divine peace in a crooked environment. 
​

when god pours out his authority and power on it
​

Eventually, I shared this new song with my ministry and songwriting partner, Felicia. She agreed. She was feeling the lyrics, the overall power, and the authority of the song. The arrangement. The flow. Just the song itself was speaking volumes to her.

So, at some point, we decided to pitch the song to one of the recording artists we were working with. After Felicia learned this new song and got it in her. She was teaching this artist the flow and direction of the song. Well, let me share an excerpt from their studio rehearsal of what the recording artist said about the song. You can listen to it by clicking here or by clicking the YouTube video below.

Y’all I can’t wait until when GOD gives us the green light to fully turn our focus to Newford Music and we begin to really start building the vision GOD has given us for Newford Music. I can’t wait to see the real and solid men and women GOD pair us with, in the faith, to partner with to produce this Album I have been telling y’all about off and on – TOTAL ACCESS. (Some of the possible songs are listed below).
​

​Most of the songs are written by Felicia and I have written a few tracks on there as well. These songs reflect the journey that is required of all Christians to gain TOTAL ACCESS TO THE FATHER WITHOUT ANY HINDRANCE OR LIMITATIONS. My GOD!!! HE just dropped that in my spirit just now as I wrote that. GOD IS GOOD. HE really is.