What A Difference A Year Makes! By Queen Diva


Click Here To View Magazine!

Today's Diva's Diamonds..."What A Difference A Year Makes!" Today is my daughter Gabrielle NaShanti aka Clay Madison's Sweet 16 Birthday and I'm so amazed at her growth, maturity, beauty and talents! She actually took the photo that is display on the cover of BBW Beauties Magazine April 2013 issue and I am featured in a four page spread! I surprised her this evening by showing her the credits of the magazine! It's just amazing what a difference a year makes!

One year ago today I arrived back in NYC and was stranded at downtown Brooklyn Atlantic Avenue Subway station with no way to get uptown with all of my luggage because of a musical and business opportunity that was promised to me was suddenly taken away from me without warning once I arrived in NYC from San Antonio by way of Houston, TX. I was devastated because I had trusted and believed in the words of a friend I had known for over 15 years that our partnership in recording, touring and performance would come to pass. I thank God for my BFF #1 Ayanda Sunshine for allowing me to come into her home to regroup and figure out how to get my belongs uptown to stay with my mother in the Bronx.

I was numb and in shock when that happened to me initially and I couldn't believe that it was happening to me because I prayed and prayed for 8 years to move back to NYC after years of living in Texas and to work professionally in the music industry. BUT GOD!!! Everything in life if purposeful and God strips away opportunities for a reason. I eventually got uptown to stay with my mother and daughter, was offered a job to consult my BFF#2, Tonya Lewis-Taylor with her non-profit drop prevention program, slowly began singing in the NYC music scene and then just slowly watched God work things out in my favor!

Queen Diva singing with Tonya Lewis-Taylor on TBN

It's a year later and I've performed at the Metropolitan Room, Sugar Bar, The Pyramid, Toshi's Living Room & Penthouse, Shrine World Music Venue, Sullivan Hall and recorded a live performance on TBN Studios in NYC along with my BFF#2, Tonya Lewis-Taylor who recorded a live Gospel album in December 2012 and is now promoting her single "THANK YOU!" I was so blessed to sing on that recording as a lead and background vocalist on her recording! I am also an Associate Minister at First Step Ministry Church of Christ Disciples of Christ in Brooklyn, NY where I preached/taught my first sermon, "Woman...Thou Art Loosed...A.C.T. Like I.T." and my latest single "Is U In" is in the Top 100 R&B chart on Reverbnation.com! Lately I'm preparing for my Off-Broadway debut performing a tribute, "Strength of a Woman: A Phyllis Hyman Tribute," to the Legendary and Iconic Jazz/R&B songstress Phyllis Hyman on July 6, 2013 at the Metropolitan Room which is Ms. Hyman's birthday!


Click Here for Ticket Information!

I have to say that in the mist of everything falling apart a year ago I never would have imagined that God had all of this in store for me and HE constantly tells me, "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet!" LOL! I'm in awe and just so very blessed to finally begin to see "beauty for my ashes!" I never understood that phrase until the last few weeks! I've felt for the last 9 years of my life that it has been so very challenging and disappointing. I was getting weary and wondering when will my breakthrough for all of the tears and sowing that I've been doing will ever blossom into something beautiful and flourish in abundance! Now I'm beginning to see God answer prayers that I prayed on 5, 10, 20 years ago!!! I can definitely say that God answers prayer, yet not on our time but HIS divine timing!

What a Difference a Year Makes!!! I can shout that out to the rooftops! LOL! I want to encourage those of you who are in the mist of the hardest part of your 2013 to keep going, blessing God, preparing for what's next, staying faithful and immovable, trusting in the LORD all the way and knowing that God's PERFECT timing is all that matters not our own! Glory to God!

Share with me what has happened to you in a year that when you think about all that God has done for you and in your life it surprised you in a mighty way!

Just like a diamond you shine resplendently...Keep Diva's Diamonds close to your heart and know that you are already FLAWLESS!

Love, Laughter & Light,
Queen Diva

Comments

Popular Posts