At the age of 31, Charles decided to join the military, and as many of us would ask, why? “To do my part. To be supportive,” says Charles. He was the first and only member of his family to join the military [the Army] which took his family and friends by surprise.

Seven months after his deployment, Gina experienced the unthinkable. She received a phone call that drastically changed the lives of the entire family. The phone rang at 3:30 in the morning. “It was Charles calling to tell me he was blown up by terrorists; a suicide bomb just outside an Iraqi police station in Ramadi. You don’t expect that to happen to your husband. You know it’s possible, but you don’t expect it. I just thanked God he was alive.

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Growing up in mean neighborhoods on the West side of Baltimore didn’t keep Rufus “Scola” Waller from becoming a shining star.

Music has a rich history in Scola’s family and he credits his love of music to his father’s first cousin, Fats Waller. As a young child, he played the guitar, keyboard, the drums and many other instruments without taking a single lesson, a gift that would enrich his life.

Beneath the stylish clothing and those soulful brown eyes lies a heart of gold. This former member of Dru Hill, one of most successful R&B groups, has a deep love for people and want to see them succeed and it is evident through his social commitment to his hometown. He and ‘his crew’ often visit shelters and distribute toys to young kids who are homeless in Baltimore City. “Whenever I have a little extra money, I do whatever I can.”

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Chef Sean Thomas has made his mark in the culinary world as a dynamic, highly-motivated and creative chef. Originally heralding from Washington, D.C., Chef Thomas, often known as the “business savvy chef,” began his career with Houlihan’s Restaurants, Inc., more than eight years ago.

Willing to start at the bottom and as he puts it, “I asked them if I could peel potatoes.”

While doing whatever he was asked to do, Sean paid attention to what was happening around him – how the chefs were preparing daily meals. “I saw some of the same things Grandma made except they had a professional name to it, like mixing the butter and flour. That’s called rue in the real world. I thought, Oh Yea! I could that! It happened and here I am.

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Should I stay? Should I leave? What will happen if I leave? Will I be safe and free from his or her abuse? Will I pay a heavier price if I leave? These are questions that many women and men ask themselves as they find themselves feeling trapped in abusive relationships. Quietly they suffer at the hands of their mates.

A courageous mother leaves her abusive relationship to save her son’s and her life.

Annette, a loving wife, but a victim of domestic abuse remembers vividly when her husband would go into a rage. Furniture would fly across the room or his fist would hit the walls of their home, dishes would get thrown across the room and broken. No one expects to be on the receiving end of such violence.

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It was the birth of a defining moment – one that changed his life and has affected the lives of thousands of families worldwide. While on a sabbatical from the exciting, yet hustle and bustle of being a marketing executive at Microsoft, John Wood’s life’s purpose would forever change.

While on a trek in Nepal, he was invited to visit a local school in a small village, but much to his surprise he found himself in the middle of poverty, not utopia. – This little detour resulted in a grand detour in his life’s plan. He was invited by the headmaster to see the library, but very few books existed. Amazed at the fact there were only a few books in the library, John instantly made a personal vow to help. The headmaster’s words to John, “Perhaps you will some day return with books” became John’s vision – to make a difference in the lives of thousands of young kids. John returned home with a new vision and a changed heart.

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Antoine Jasmine has the vision and heart to change the world through ministry. At a young age he began molding his life to be a model for today’s youth. As a high school student at Reserve Christian High School he achieved perfect attendance, was awarded most improved student, class favorite and most talented student.

At an early age he knew his life’s calling would be to spread the gospel and today he mentors and ministers to young people across and America and abroad. This shy young kid at the age of 16 received his divine calling while attending a youth camp.

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When we were first asked to write this article, I was reticent. Neither one of us have a ‘Dr.’ in front of our name, we haven’t had years of psychological course. Some would say we’re no experts and from most people’s perspective, I think that’s true. But then we thought about it – what we do have is 27 years of experience. And although someone with 27 years of experience doing anything might not be considered an expert, we decided that we do have advice to share about the challenges that couples face today and how we learn to meet those challenges.

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Ever since I was a small child I would watch my mother and grandmother in our South Carolina kitchen, learning the ins and outs of creating cakes, biscuits and teacakes. When I got older, I entered the military. The scenery changed but my passion for cooking did not.

I started Chantel’s Cakes & Pastries in Leesburg, Virginia, (which I named after my daughter) so that I could be free to unleash my potential and establish a niche in the community that has yet to be filled by other bakeries. From wedding cakes to catering corporate meetings to life’s celebrations, Chantel’s provides cakes, pies, cheesecakes, breakfast pastries, cookies and other tempting creations. Not only does Chantel’s offer traditional treats, there’s also a menu of allergen-free and special dietary selections, including vegan as well as desserts free of gluten, eggs, dairy products, soy, nuts, and sugar.

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