What is life without challenges and problems? Everyone faces challenges in life, regardless of age, gender, economic status, etc. Right from a young age up to a ripe old age everyone faces challenge almost everyday in life. The bigger your life’s goal, the greater is your challenge. Facing and overcoming problems require some amount of maturity, understanding and some strategy.

Here are four tips to face your challenges in life:

1. Learn to forget the problem and focus only on solutions – Well, forgetting the problem does not certainly make it disappear! But if you temporarily take your mind off the problem you would save yourself from unwanted anxiety. Unwanted stress would only lead to wasting your energy. You could instead spend that energy on looking for ways to solve the problem. Majority of us just freeze when we are faced with challenging situations. Instead, if we could immediately look for solutions the problem may clear easily. This is not easy but with some self-awareness and positive attitude you would learn to find your way through problems. When you are challenged with a problem the next time, first set aside your emotions, understand the problem and search for a solution right away.

2. Get help by reaching out to friends and family: Sometimes when you just let go of your ego and shame and ask for help you would be surprised at the way people receive you with love and concern. What are family and friends for? These days support groups are available online and in the community for almost every problem. You have support groups for addictions, seniors, single parents, parenting, marriage, education, health and religion… just about anything. When you have a problem do not think you are all alone. When you get in touch with these support groups you would realize that you are not the only one being tested by life’s challenges. You would share each other’s experiences and shoulder each other’s problems through these support groups. You could search for support groups in the Internet or call an expert, look in the newspapers, magazines, talk to people, etc. Support groups give a lot of strength and courage to fight your challenges.

3. Act now! - ‘Now’ is the best time to take on your challenges. Many people think and think and think and talk about it all the while but they would not move an inch towards a solution. What good is that? When you see a challenge, take action immediately. You would waste precious time if you wait around or wait for someone else to start dealing with your issues. Build self-confidence and resilience and start to fight your problems and you would have overcome your challenge before it settles down on you! The faster you act, the speedier the problem gets solved.

4. Practice patience and Perseverance - Nobody is a born professional at solving problems. Each time a problem challenges you it is a new experience. You could act wise by learning to be patient and persistent and practice perseverance in order to study your pattern of problems. This is a good way to draw your strategies and act accordingly. Soon you would be a master at dealing with your challenges.

26th Annual Stellar Award Results (2011)

26th Annual Stellar Award Results (2011)

The winners of the 26th Annual Stellar Awards were announced on January 15th, 2011 from Nashville, Tennessee.Central City Productions, under CEO/ Chairman Don Jackson, produced the event, once again back at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to celebrate Gospel music excellence. It was The 26th Annual Stellar Awards!


Artist of the Year

# BeBe & CeCe Winans
# Fred Hammond
# James Fortune & FIYA
# Marvin Sapp (Winner)


Song of the Year (Songwriter(s); Song)
# BeBe Winans, "Close to You" (Winner)
# Fred Hammond, Calvin Rodgers, Phillip Feaster, Ericka Warren, Michael Bethany and Dynna Wells, "They That Wait"
# James Fortune, C. Fortune and T. Vaughn, "Encore"
# Marvin Sapp, "Best In Me"


Male Vocalist of the Year
# Byron Cage (Winner)
# Fred Hammond
# J. Moss
# Marvin Sapp


Female Vocalist of the Year
# CeCe Winans
# Karen Clark Sheard (Winner)
# Lucinda Moore
# Tamela Mann


Group Duo of the Year
# BeBe & CeCe Winans
# Forever Jones
# James Fortune & FIYA (Winner)
# The Anointed Pace Sisters


New Artist of the Year
# Forever Jones
# Kristina Halloway (Winner)
# Travis Greene
# Victory Cathedral Choir


CD of the Year
# Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable
# J. Moss, Just James
# James Fortune & FIYA, Encore
# Marvin Sapp, Here I Am (Winner)


Choir of the Year
# Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
# James Hall & Voices of Citadel
# Victory Cathedral Choir
# Wilmington Chester Mass Choir (Winner)


Producer of the Year
# Aaron Lindsey, Here I Am (Winner)
# Donald Lawrence, The Experience
# Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable
# James Fortune, Terrance Vaughn and Ayron Lewis, Encore


Contemporary Group/ Duo of the Year
# BeBe & CeCe Winans
# Forever Jones (Winner)
# James Fortune and FIYA
# Trin-i-tee 5:7


Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
# James Greer & Company
# The Anointed Pace Sisters
# The Christian Angels
# The Mighty Clouds of Joy (Winner)


Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year
# Byron Cage
# Fred Hammond
# J. Moss
# James Fortune (Winner)


Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year
# Alvin Darling
# Darrell Hines
# Marvin Sapp (Winner)
# Mavin Winans


Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year
# CeCe Winans (Winner)
# Karen Clark Sheard
# Lisa Page Brooks
# Tamela Mann


Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
# Fredericka Faison
# Lucinda Moore (Winner)
# Shirley Caesar
# Vanessa Bell Armstrong


Contemporary CD of the Year
# BeBe and CeCe Winans, Still
# Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable
# J.Moss, Just James
# James Fortune and FIYA, Encore (Winner)


Traditional CD of the Year
# James Hall & Voices of Citadel, Won't It Be Wonderful
# Marvin Sapp, Here I Am (Winner)
# Shirley Caesar, A City Called Heaven
# Vanessa Bell Armstrong, The Experience


Urban/ Inspirational Single / Performance of the Year (Artist; Song)
# BeBe & CeCe Winans, "Still" (Winner)
# Forever Jones, "Get Ready"
# James Fortune & FIYA, "Encore"
# Marvin Sapp, "Here I Am"


Music Video of the Year (artist, song/CD title)
# BeBe and CeCe Winans, "Close to You" (Winner)
# Kirk Whalum, "Make Me a Believer"
# Shirley Caesar, "Playground In Heaven"
# The Anointed Pace Sisters, "If I Be Lifted Up"


Contemporary Choir of the Year
# God's Little Soldiers International
# Myron Butler & Levi (Winner)
# Youth for Christ
# Youthful Praise featuring J.J. Hairston


Traditional Choir of the Year
# Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
# James Hall & Voices of Citadel
# Victory Cathedral Choir
# Wilmington Chester Mass Choir (Winner)


Special Event CD of the Year
# BeBe and CeCe Winans, Still
# Kirk Franklin, Are You Listening
# Various Artists, CoCo Brother Live Presents Stand 2010 (Winner)
# Various Artists, WOW Gospel 2010


Rap/Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year
# DJ Official, Entermission
# Everyday Process, Outtadisworld
# Sho Baraka, Lions and Liars
# Trip Lee, Between Two Worlds (Winner)


Children's Project of the Year
# God's Little Soldiers International, Soldier Story
# Kingdom Kids Worldwide, Kingdom Kids Worldwide Volume 1 (Winner)
# The Velasquez Family Singers, While We Still Have Time
# Youth for Christ, Thanks In Advance


Quartet of the Year
# Reverend F.C. Barnes & Company
# The Christian Angels (Winner)
# The Golden Wings Quartet
# The Mighty Clouds of Joy


Recorded Music Package of the Year [art credit / album ]
# Cameron Hilson and Mark Neubauer, Get Ready
# Denise Trotman, Here I Am
# Derek Blanks and Ken Barboza, Still (Winner)
# Jeff Gilligan, Love Unstoppable


Praise and Worship CD of the Year
# Darwin Hobbs, Darwin Hobbs Live: Champion (Winner)
# James Fortune & FIYA, Encore
# Phil Tarver, Place of Worship
# The Anointed Pace Sisters, Access Granted