Become a Fan of CAM's Blog in 2011!

If you have liked my blogs in the past, become a fan of CAM's Blog in 2011!

1. Just click the "Followers Widget" in the upper left hand side of this page.
2. And follow the instructions. It's just that simple. You will instantly become a fan.

With your prayers and support, we can expand our message about the good news of a risen savior named Jesus.

I look forward to sharing with you in 2011! And I look forward to you joining me and hundreds of others on The Breakthrough Fast 2011 ( 21 days of fasting, prayer and personal reflection starting January 2, 2011).

The Breakthrough Fast 2011 - Starts January 2, 2011

The Breakthrough Fast 2011 starts January 2, 2011!

Last year, over 100 people participated in The Breakthrough Fast 2010 and were blessed by the experience. This year, our goal is to double that amount.

It is estimated that thousands of Christian people around the world will start the 2011 New Year with prayer and fasting. Starting January 2, 2011 through January 22, 2011, I invite you to join me and The Breakthrough Project on a 21-day fast (The Daniel Fast) to seek God and honor God for the New Year.

Over the 21 day period, I will be blogging about my spiritual journey. I encourage you to read daily with me. Or better yet, send me an email and share your story. You can also visit our website: http://www.thebreakthroughproject.org/ and download our fasting booklet and devotional guide.

I know that God is going to do something special in our lives in 2011! Are you ready? I am!

Merry Christmas from The Breakthrough Project!

Christmas is that time every year when people around the word celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's a time when many of us slow down and focus on what is truly important in life (God, family and friends). And for others, it's the time of the year that we give Christ and in turn God, one last shot.

If you don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, I present to you the baby Jesus. I'm not talking about church membership. I'm talking about a relationship with someone that you can be your true and authentic self. No more pretending. No more masks. Just YOU and a loving Savior.

If you are Starter in your faith, I pray that your relationship with Christ will continue to grow for the remainder of this season and into the New Year. If you are a Returner to the fellowship of believers, "Welcome Home". Just like the prodigal son, the Father is waiting to throw you a party. If you are a Benchwarmer (you go to church but you don't have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ), I invite you to "get in the game" and move from being a "consumer of the Word" to being a disciple of Christ. And if you are a Disciple of Christ, I encourage you to continue to seek God, grow in God's grace and tell people of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Don't get me wrong. Enjoy the Christmas presents. Have fun and laughs with the family. Eat and drink and be merry with friends. But remember...Christmas is more than "Hallmark Moments". Christmas is about a baby name Jesus. The writer of Luke records, "But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord". (Luke 2:10-11)

From My Family to Yours...Merry Christmas!

Your Friend,

Charles Maxell, Jr. (Rev. CAM)

YOU made a difference!

YOU made a difference! Many thanks to all The Breakthrough Project supporters who helped make our recent Atlanta Children's Shelter Holiday House 2010 Donation Campaign a success. Thank you for opening up your hearts this season. Your generous donations of toys and other items are a blessing and will make this holiday special for the children and families in metro Atlanta.

Be sure to visit www.thebreakthroughproject.org to see pictures of the items collected and our Mission to Serve team making the "Santa" delivery.

Merry Christmas! (Luke 2:1-20)

Don't Call It a Comeback...

It’s been a while since I written a blog. But in the words of LL Cool J, “Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years”...

Just a week ago, The Breakthrough Project partnered with the Words of Comfort Ministries, Inc. and ministered to and fed over 200 women and children at the Eden Village transitional housing for women and children in Atlanta, GA. I’m not sure who was blessed more; the women and children or us.

Now we have embarked on collecting over 200 unwrapped toys and other goods for the Atlanta Children’s Shelter (ACS). We are already half-way to our goal but we need your help! We have 7 days to collect 100 unwrapped toys and other goods to hit our goal!

Would you consider posting this link: http://www.thebreakthroughproject.org/ to your blog or Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or other social media accounts? The link (Winter 2010 Community Outreach) will provide instructions on how and what to donate. Or would you consider sending emails to friends and family and asking them to make a donation?

Our deadline is December 3rd, so we need your immediate assistance. Any gift will do. We will even purchase it for you. We can’t get to our goal without YOU!

Open Letter to My Family, Friends and Breakthrough Partners

Dear Family, Friends and Breakthrough Partners:

Today, I stood before the Bishop and the Atlanta North GA Annual Conference and was confirmed for ordination to the office of Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church). This day and the ordination service to follow marks the end of a long journey (14 years) that started at St. James AME Church, Newark, NJ. It was in 1996 that I officially and publicly accepted the call to the ministry. But it was actually in the" manse" as a little boy in Midway, GA and in the crucible of Midway First Presbyterian Church that the seed for ministry was born. Wow! 14+ years to get to this point...Wow! Marvin Sapp is correct, "Never would have made it Never could have made it without you (God) I would have lost it all but now I see how you were there for me..."

This has been an incredible month. First, graduation from seminary after 6 long years of study. Now, full ordination in the AME Church. I wish I could express how I feel...but the words don't seem to flow. Just know...I am happy.

Let me thank God for choosing a flawed vessel like me for ministry. If I was God I would not have chosen me...but that's why I am not God. I pledge to do my best and to be open and amenable to God's will.

Let me also thank my wife (Jennifer Watley Maxell) and my three beautiful children for their patience, understanding, love, prayers and support. Without them, I would not have made it. Let me thank my parents, Rev. Bernese Shaw and Rev. Dr. Charles Maxell, Sr. for their Christian example, their prayers and their love. Let me thank my Step-Mother, Ophelia Maxell and my sisters and nephew, Carmela (Maxell) Martin, Lynn Maxell and Vincent Charles Finona for their love and support. Let me thank Dad (Rev. William Watley), Mom (Muriel Watley), Gran (Marian Watley), my brother (Matthew Watley) and my sister (Shawna Watley) for their love, prayers and support through the years. And let me thank the 211 Crew (you know who you are...Bennett, Rob, Gerald, Ken and Todd)...every relative...every friend...and every Breakthrough Partner...and every person who ever gave me a word of support or told me to keep going. I celebrate these accomplishments with you. And let me thank every Naysayer...who thought, said or wished I would never reach this milestone. Without you...the fire and determination to continue and to not quit would not have been so great.

So now what...good question. I wish I had a good answer. All I know is that I am wiser and more mature than I was in 1996. I am more resolved in my faith and more trusting in its sustaining power. I am ready to claim my destiny and to do the work that God intends for me to do. My goal is to become a successful pastor. Success will not be judged by church membership, book titles that bear my name, or a calendar filled with speaking invitations; but success will be judged by my ability to win souls for the Lord and to lead people to an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

I feel that God has something he wants me to say to this generation. There are significant pockets within the community that do not believe in God’s deliverance and do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They view the Christian church with confusion and disillusionment. They ask what God is doing to stop the number of Black men going to jail, Black woman being affected with AIDS, the collapse of the Black family and to help Black children suffering without relief. They point to the feelings of self-hatred and self-contempt that plague the community; which are perpetuated by stereotypes that attack Black intelligence, ability, beauty, sexuality and character. They ask what is being done to eradicate poverty, homelessness, racism, sexism and to improve education for all people.

I pray that my ministry will affirm to those without faith and to that whose faith is waning, that the God of their past will also be the God of their future. And most importantly, that Jesus loves them... and so do I.

My work continues.

All the best,

Charles Maxell, Jr. (aka Rev. CAM)

The Adversary Is Always Busy

Hello Breakthrough Family.

A lot has happened since the last time we spoke. The day after The Breakthrough Fast 2010 ended, I had a scary car accident on my way to 745A service. I'm OK. But my car was totalled. (Thank God for car insurance!)

In short, a young man was driving too fast on wet pavement, lost control of his car, started tail spinning, crossed two lanes of traffic and without warning...crashed into my car. It happened so fast I did not have time to react. Just before the crash...my spirit told me to slow down a little more than usual. I'm glad I did. For while the young man's car crashed into mine at a high rate of speed...we both walked away without a scratch. Praise God. For just last weekend, two people were killed at the same intersection.

The past two weeks have been challenging for me. The car crash reminded me how precious and fleeting life is. Without warning, I could have been killed. Scripture says, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:36) The crash reminded me that every moment is precious. Every moment is a gift from God. Don't get me wrong. I am not scarred or worried about tomorrow. I acknowledge my fear...but I am not controlled by it. More so, I am just reminded to cherish life's moments and to love the people in my life. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Everyday, God's grace and mercy give me an opportunity to get life right.

It also reminded me that the Adversary is always busy. Just the day before...I was euphoric about the stories I had heard at The Breakthrough Project; about the yokes that had been lifted and the lives that were being healed as a result of our 21 day fast. In my own life, the 21 day fast had centered me and brought me a new sense of peace. However, the past two weeks reminded me that there is a misconception that people have, that the only time they have tough times is when they’re disobeying God. That’s not true. When you’re going through a tough time, don’t automatically assume, “I must be out of the will of God.” You may be exactly where God wants you to be. The fact is God has not promised us a storm-free life. This is not heaven where everything is perfect and where God’s will is perfectly done. People make mistakes, and sometimes people get hurt. That’s why we are to pray, "Thy will be done on earth like it is in heaven."Every day, you have choices. You can believe that God is in control and believe that God is taking care of you. Or you can panic and go around worried, expecting the worse, and wondering if you will make it.

The Adversary may be busy. However, I declare my trust in God.