BeVOCAL Campaign on WAOK 1380 Radio

WAOK 1380 Radio Interview 

Yalanda P. Lattimore of DryerBuzz asking me some candid questions about my battle with Prostate Cancer.

Take a look at my video speaking and encouraging others!

"Adam, Where are you?"

At a recent book signing, actually one of my very first (for the ‘You Are Victorious’ book), I realized how Adam and Eve must've felt in the garden when they first realized that they were naked. "Adam where are you?" God called out to them. When Adam came to God, he was covered with a fig leaf and said that he was afraid because he was naked. God said "Who told you you were naked?" That is a really good question because there really was no one who told them. It was their own failings and sin that made it apparent. Writing a book has been a very vulnerable experience but one of the best of my life. Sharing your life story, especially a very difficult season in my life, was, as one of the youth so eloquently put it, like letting people read your mind. "It was like reading your diary." She said. "I felt like I was reading something I wasn't supposed to read."

I guess it was then first that it hit me that I'd share things in my book, personal things, that I really don't talk to a lot of people about, if any at all. My own mother said she feels like she now knows me like she had never before. Now, its one thing for your mother to read your intimate thoughts but to realize that complete strangers and even worse people who know you are going to be reading them was for just a moment very frightening. So now I'm at a book signing and people were actually buying the book and telling me they're going to read it...that is when realized I was naked.

"Where am I with that?" I could almost hear God ask me. "Where am I with the idea of people officially in writing knowing how imperfect I am?" Of course that is no surprise...none of us are perfect and all of us have sinned, erred and made mistakes. Not just "preachers of L.A."...But like so many of us, for most of my adult life, I have tried to cover how flawed a person and pastor I am. Actually in retrospect, the hiding was worse than any sin or error I ever made and feeling I needed to be perfect was a great bondage and hindrance to authentic high impact ministry.  So "Where am I?" ...I am free, I am empowered by no longer hiding behind the fig tree of the lie of perfection which was never required of me by God. I am so thankful God has called me to seek a holy, righteous and perfect God striving to be my best. But He alone is God- He alone flawless. I encourage you to be the best mother, father, preacher, man woman, husband or wife you can be but do not try to pretend that you are perfect. You aren't...You're Victorious which means you can overcome your imperfections and continue to win every day!

The Power of Prayer!

The Power of Prayer!

Today, as a part of my IMPACT Project work, I was taking around banners and promotional materials to stores and businesses that are observing The National Day of Prayer (NDP) which falls on the first Thursday of May every year. Wayfield Foods and other companies in Atlanta take the NDP as an opportunity to encourage their associates and customer to acknowledge God through prayer. I am a witness that prayer makes a difference in your life and draws us closer to God. I was pastor of a church here in Atlanta for 25 years and have been a Christian all my life it seems but I must admit it wasn't until I was diagnosed with Cancer in 2009 that I realized where my prayer life and relationship with God was and was not! It wasn't where it needed to be. I imagine I'm not alone.

Sometimes we think we are relying on God and are trusting in the Lord Jesus, when we are really trusting in ourselves. As probably the most frugal person known to man and a tenacious saver, before cancer, there were not too many issues that could arise that I could not simply "cut a check" to resolve. But there is no amount of money that can heal you when you have an incurable disease. Some of us trust in our relationships with people. But I have found that people will let you down even if they have good intentions. Many times when trouble comes, people are nowhere to be found.

Recently in 2013, I had a season of severe pain to which it seemed like there would be no end. During those months, I found out that only a relationship with Christ and prayer can be relied upon! I hurt so badly for so long that year.  I prayed like I never prayed before day after day and yes, Jesus delivered me from the pain. But more importantly, what remained once the pain was gone was an attitude of gratitude that moved me from prayer of supplication ( Oh Lord supply my need) to prayer of thanksgiving (Oh Lord, I thank you that you that there is nothing too hard for you)!

I want to encourage you today to pray throughout the day and every day! Pray until it turns into praise! Our God is faithful and He is able to deliver you out of every horrible pit. I still have the underlying problem that caused the pain in 2013 and I still have the Cancer that caused the problem. But what's greater is I still have the power of prayer! My God is able to heal and deliver me from all of the above! What a privilege it is to carry (as the old Christian hymn says) everything to God in prayer!  On the first Thursday of May, I will join others around the country praying for our Nation. But let us determine to make every day a National Day of Prayer!

Victorious Every Day! Do You Remember Your First Pet?

It's amazing how our childhood pets stay with us for a lifetime. Before "my dog" Smokey (our beautiful German shepherd who made the move with our family from Ohio to Philly in 1983) there was Brownie.

My Dad got us "boys" Brownie before I was even born in 1968 in Atlanta. He was part of our family in Ohio where I grew up until just before I turned 12 in 1981.

When he died my parents were out of town and I'll never forget my older brother Mike (MJ) trying to explain to me that "Brownie is gone". That was one of the saddest days of my and all of our young lives in Ohio. Early the next year, the day after the Cincinnati Bengals lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl (As many of my friends and family know, I connect life’s memories around major sporting events) we got Smokey as a puppy. Smokey was mainly my responsibility (which got me ready for Cierra and Chucky many, many, years later). I had to clean up after him as well as walk, feed and otherwise care for him until I had to leave him and my parents in Philly to attend Morehouse College in 1987 (he died my Sophomore year). I still miss Brownie and Smokey ...I see them often in my dreams.

BELOW: From right to left in our family room in Columbus, Ohio in the early/mid 70s- Stephen, me looking at David, Michael and David. Between me and Dave is our beloved first dog Brownie.

My book, You are Victorious! Winning in the "Sport" called Life is now available on kindle/Amazon books and will be published by IMPACT Books in July! For more information visit DrJVictorious.com.

Victorious Every Day! Back to the "Future" is next year!

I was at the corporate office of one of my clients recently and we were all debating what year it was when Michael J. Fox traveled to the future. Of course being an avid time travel movie lover,I was correct in telling everyone that it was the year 2015 that Fox's character "Marty" traveled to from 1985. In the first film he travels back to 1955 but in the sequel he had to travel into the future to catch Biff in 2015! I remember when I watched that movie in 1985 as a 16-year-old sophomore at Overbrook High School in Philly, that I thought that 2015 would certainly have the flying cars that the movie promised us all! It seemed that 2015 was an unreachable date, 30 years ago but now it is just one year away! I realize now why if its a time travel movie, you can count on me being there. First of all, I love the concept of being able to see the past or to go into the future. We all love the paradox of time travel stories which of course also makes it impossible. For example when Christopher Reeves character went back in time in the movie Somewhere in Time, he took a watch and gave it to Jane Seymour's character, who had actually given it to him in the future. The question always is raised "Where did the watch come from?" If he left it in the past and she gave it to him in the future, whose watch was it? Similarly, in the movie The Butterfly Effect,another great time travel story, the smallest detail altered in the past drastically changes the future and so those who travel inevitably end up regretting their trip in time. No matter how many times they try to get it right, being human, something in the future always goes wrong! The so called 'butterfly effect' is a reference to the theory that the flutter of a butterfly's wings 2000 miles away, can affect weather patterns on the other side of the country ( how somebody would prove that is another question). Nevertheless, we all know from the evidence of our life, that small details of our life drama have caused great changes in our present and thus our future. That is the second and secret reason that I love time travel stories. They give me a moment to escape reality and fantasize that I could go back and change some of the many mistakes of my life. Like I imagine it is for all of us, there are some years that I would like to get a do-over in life! Wouldn't you? I'd go back to 1996 but then so many wonderful blessings (at least two I know by name) might nit have cone to pass! In 2009 when I was diagnosed with Stage Four cancer, for awhile I did not think I had a future anymore. I was trapped for a long time in negative thinking always looking back in time regretting and wishing some of the choices that I made would have been different. But when I learned through Christ how to think victorious thoughts, I stopped living in the past and started looking again to the future. I want to encourage you today that we all do time travel. Every day you wake up is a new day and the decisions you make this morning will change your afternoon! You and I are time traveling right now...its called living! We are all here for a purpose and what I learned and detail in my book entitled, You are Victorious!Winning in the " Sport " called Life (shameless plug), it is a waste to look backwards, when you know that God has so much in store for you in the future! The best is coming must be your faith! I believe that now and hope you do too. Don't waste a minute of a Day in doubt, regret or fear! The very fact that next year is the year that Michael J. Fox ( Marty McFly) should be showing up in his Delorean is proof that time travel happens every day! You are living in the future of yesterday in the present and today is tomorrow's past! (Hope I didn't lose you there! LOL)...The exciting thing is that you and I in Christ can make our present and future awesome! What is it that you desire to have 30 days, 30 weeks, 30 months or even 30 years from now? The decisions and actions you choose right now will determine it! I encourage you again , don't go back, go forward... your future is waiting! No Delorean required! Dr. Charles H. Jackson

Bumped to First Class

Bumped to First Class

I was traveling recently , as I often do, from Atlanta to BWI airport to spend as much time as possible with my two children who unfortunately live in Laurel, Maryland now with their mother who quit her job in Atlanta and moved them hundreds and hundreds of miles away from their father to be closer to her mother and father. I miss my children like air (as Robin Williams so eloquently expressed in the movie Mrs. Doubtfire when he played a divorced dad who in a desperate attempt to spend time with his children dressed up as an old British woman so he could be nanny to his children). "I can't live without air ", he told the judge. "And I can't live without my children." I try not to cry when I watch that movie but I almost always do. Now that I find myself in the most unenviable position of being separated from my kids, that movie isn't as funny as it once seemed when I watched as a single man attending Morehouse College. Life has a way of throwing you curve balls. Something can seem to be the best decision you've ever made (coming out of the pitchers hand) and then suddenly reveal itself as being your worst choice ever but only after you've swung your bat!

Even worse than the shame and hurt I experienced striking out in my marriage and announcing our divorce (especially while being a pastor) to my congregation in 2009, is the daily condemnation I fight now because since the summer of 2013, I dont see my son and daughter every day of their life. I wonder if you know what I mean or have ever felt that way?

Condemnation seeks to make you feel unworthy, a "second class saint" in the family of God. You're not! Condemnation has the same demonic intent whether it comes from others who feel they can sit in judgement of you (as though from the very seat of God they have looked low and know what you have been through) or whether condemnation comes from within- you're condeming (which means to throw away someone as disqualified and having no further value) yourself. I want to encourage you and myself today, that in Christ Jesus, you are not condemed! You, despite your errors, mistakes or sins are forgiven and a child of God through His finished work on the cross! Dont beat yourself up nor let others beat on your esteem and please, if it applies to you, get out of the judgement seat of God in your own mind. Don't beat up on people. There are no second class saints or people in the sight of God!

I was reminded by God of this truth again that day when I was traveling to BWI to see my children. I dont know why but one of the Delta attendants that I had the privlege to speak with that morning must have bumped me from coach to first-class! I may never know who did it without telling me they did it or why I was bumped to first-class. They didn't have to do it. There were plenty of seats in coach. I certainly didn't pay for an upgrade but I guess someone decided that day, "This genleman is riding in first-class!" Likewise, today I want you to know with confidence that Jesus Christ has paid for your upgrade. You and I will never fully understand on this side how much or why He loves us. But I encourage you to just rejoice that He does and never live beneath the first-class child of God that you are. Enjoy your flight!

Romans 8:1 inspired this blog post and I hope it inspires you too!

Blessings to you, 

Dr. Charles H. Jackson Sr 

"Dr. J"

Stage Four at Forty!?!

"My Wake Up Call"

 Dr. Charles H. Jackson, Sr.  Author of You are Victorious!  (Winning in the "Sport" called Life)

Today as I reluctantly got out of bed after receiving a "wake up call" from one of my nurses in Kaisers Infusion/ Oncology Department, I decided to start a blog to encourage you and others (including myself) facing challenges on a daily basis. I want you to know that you are victorious. Sometimes little frustrations of the day can be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Mine came early. As soon as I saw Kaiser on the caller ID, I knew it was either a robocall reminding me of an upcoming appointment or more likely a live person telling me that either I had missed or I was running late for yet another doctors appointment. It was the latter. But instead of letting it frustrate me into singing the blues, I decided to just laugh and reschedule.

Since 2009, my life has been seemingly one endless stream of doctors appointments, follow up appointments, pre-appointment lab appointments,specialist appointments,bone treatments, chemo treatments, hormone shot appointments and oh yeah my regular doctor appointments! Whew!!! I get tired sometimes just trying to keep up with my medical appointments not to mention the symptoms from the actual disease. As those going through similar challenges know, it can get discouraging. But as anyone who knows me will tell you, I refuse to allow it or anything (especially not Stage Four Prostate Cancer nor the appointments and symptoms related to it) to stop me! I Corinthians 15:57-58 has settled for me that in all things, through all things and over all things, thanks be to Jesus Christ...I am Victorious!

When I got knocked down by the Joe Frazier like left hook that exploded on my jaw five years ago (September of 2009) when I first learned the news that I had Stage Four Prostate Cancer, I was down but not out. On the contrary, it was a wake up call! I had just turned 40 and as I detail in the book You are Victorious! Winning in the "Sport" called Life, I thought I was ahead of schedule getting screened at that age. But when you have a family history or symptoms ( like frequent urination) it's wise to get checked early. What I did not know at the time is that I not only had some symptoms but I had a family history that was hidden from me and the rest of my family by my father. I learned too late that he had prostate issues at the very least and cancer at the very worst, about 6 years before I learned of my diagnosis. The reasons I wrote my book and why I am doing this blog is two fold. One, that people can specifically overcome prostate and other cancers through early detection and sharing your medical history with your family. I write secondly that persons in general can realize that no matter what you or they face in life, we are victorious! The key, the wake up call, is realizing that we all have a date with mortality, an expiration date if you will, but the good news is we also have a divine purpose. Life is not how long you live but how well you live! When you find your purpose, your own mortality is no longer your primary concern. I want to encourage you today not to focus on your mortality but rather on your purpose from God. Wake up! Don't miss or be late for your divine appointment. Don't let straws pile up and break your back...focus on the positive. Focus on your purpose. Remember, it's never in dwelling on your past; your purpose is always in your present and your future. I hope you will believe with me every day that your best is coming. Be encouraged that it's ahead of you and not behind you.