BLOG 2023
DECEMBER 2023 | BLOG
Q&A w/ M.King: M.King Says Goodbye to 2023
In this month's Q&A, we talked with M.King about 2023 and how he feels about saying goodbye to our 10th Anniversary celebration.
I guess since it's Christmas time I can ask you, Did you get everything you wanted in 2023?
M.King: You know it's funny to be asked that question because this month has been a month of ups and downs but, when I look at the last year do I feel I got everything I wanted.....? Yes and no.
I mean for starters we filmed the 100th Motivate Moment which was a very lengthy and large production file and time-wise, We filmed Ultimate Q & A w/ M.King which answered a lot of questions people never knew about me and M.King Media and we also debuted a new website after a summer of work and effort. Those are some of the things from this year along with more people coming to our website due to the Google Grant.....so yeah this year was a good year..... I can't complain.
So when it comes down to 2023 what are some of the challenges you encountered and overcame?
M.King: You know I think when you establish a celebration in your mind, when you think about what you expect, you sometimes get met with surprises. You know some things this year didn't come to pass. We intended to launch a new show, we filmed it and everything but the only problem was we couldn't get the videos (all 70 or so of them) transferred over without facing some serious circumstances behind the scenes, so we felt it was smarter for now to abandon the project.
This year we also launched our 1st Anniversary Auction and we didn't get the response we were expecting but, we will continue, take notes, and keep moving.
You know, even when it comes down to our marketing switching from media-related marketing to more cause-related marketing, that's been a challenge with us moving away from a streaming mindset to a more non-profit mindset. I mean we are gonna have to talk with the marketing team in January 2024 in hopes of getting them on board with the different approach.....so yeah we've been through it in 2023 but the greater of God's glory is still before us.
So when it comes down to 2024 what do you see in the new year...what do you see coming down the pipeline?
M.King: You know I see 2024 being a year where God moves us to the next level. The Bible says God takes us from Glory to Glory and I believe we are entering into the next decade of this ministry's life. While it's tough I believe that by 2033 we won't be in the same place. We will have more subscribers, we will have more Hope-filled and encouraging media and social media posts. We will be more cause-related in our approach to our ministry as well as with our marketing. I see us moving on from where we've been and the 10th Anniversary, for better or worse has been the seal to end one decade and begin another.
NOVEMBER 2023 | BLOG
Q&A w/ M.King: M.King Shares a Testimony in His Newest Devotional
In this month's Q&A, we talked with M. King about an incident that took place in his life that involved him getting injured, we asked him if he was okay and we asked him what he learned from his experience as he documented this all in a new devotional.
First off, are you okay? Have you completely healed from this incident that took place involving your heel?
M.King: Well to kick things off, thank you for asking. I am slowly recovering from my heel injury. It certainly was something that caught me off guard, it certainly was something I didn't see coming but, I am day by day, step by step (no pun intended) slowly healing from this incident.
Wow so involving this incident 1.) When did it take place and 2.) How did it take place?
M.King: So first starters, the incident took place in early October. To answer the second question, I was sleeping and I had my foot off the bed. My foot was hanging off the edge of the bed and it was turned at an angle that wasn't right for it and I ended up I guess bruising my heel.
Wow so you bruised your heel, How did you manage to deal with this and write a devotional at the same time?
M.King: (Laughs) You know I can't say it was easy but, it's starting to make me realize with the last two devotionals that sometimes God will have you go through challenges and bring you through them, and in my case, I'm still recovering so sometimes he won't bring you through 100% healed or 100% blessed or however but, interestingly, God will sometimes use you to go through a situation to kind of provide a spiritual roadmap (if you will) for other people.
Okay, so last question. When do you think you're going to be completely healed and what do you hope people learn from this devotional?
M.King: When am I going to be completely healed? Let's see if I can look in my crystal ball and find a date (Laughs) It would be wonderful if I could say honestly when but, I think people should learn from this is the fact that God has healing for you. I think a lot of times about the woman with the issue of blood, how she spent 12 years and spent all her money and went through the trials and tribulations that she had to go through before she touched the hem of Jesus's garment and got healed. I think what we need to understand is that God has healing for you, you need to believe it and receive it through faith and sometimes it's not when you want it or how you want it but, you have to stand firm and remember....God still has it in store for you.
Side Note: M.King's 7th devotional "The Serpent Struck My Heal" will debut in December of 2023.
OCTOBER 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King: A Hopeful Spin Comes to the News
In this Q&A with M King, we talk with M. King about a new project that has been 5 years in the making
So this project has been 5 years in the making?
M.King: Actually I feel like it's kind of been longer than 5 years. I've always had a desire and an interest in news, I think over time it's just something that's kind of grown in me, but to go back to the question, the original pilot for Cross First News did happen in May of 2018. It was a little over 5 years ago.
So what made you want to pursue this as a project to celebrate 10 years?
M.King: Honestly, it was really something that God put on my heart. I've been watching Christian news a lot more and honest to goodness God just pushed my heart to go after this. I think it's ironic that He had me take vacation about the same time that this media project was going to debut so it's really been a challenge working on this thing, as well as working on a monthly media project, as well as continuing the organization's ongoing operations.
So I think the question that begs to be asked is, do you see this becoming a weekly thing, do you see yourself being able to do this or do you see it being a challenge?
M.King: You know if it's one thing I've learned it's that when God calls you to step out and do something He's going to give you the grace and mercy to do it. We've already developed a format, we've already developed the slide deck, we've already developed a way it's going to be accomplished. We're starting to get times down as far as how long it takes to do something like this weekly. It's going to happen, I really believe it ties into the next chapter of M.King Media's history.
So last question, do you find this a hopeful experience doing Cross First News or is it bringing you down?
M.King: You know I really feel like God has blessed me to be able to look at a situation and to find a hopeful view, so that's kind of how I'm approaching the news. It's not really something that's bringing me down, it's helping me to become more informed about the world around me, and it's also helping me to be hopeful to the viewers that are watching.
Note: Cross First News debuts officially on November 3, 2023
SEPTEMBER 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King: Motivate '23 Is in the Books
This Q&A with M King we talk with M. King about this year's Motivate 2023 event
So the theme for this year's Motivate is "Rejoice", does this tie into the 10th anniversary?
M.King: Actually it does, thinking about this year's Motivate it really seemed like the best thing to do. God has been good to us for the last 10 years as a ministry and Motivate started in 2016, so it really just seemed like a good year all around to just celebrate what God has done so, "Rejoice" did seem like the best way to go about it.
How does it feel to have another Motivate event in the books?
M.King: Honestly it feels good every year putting this event together, I really do enjoy it, I really feel like a lot of people get blessed by it so it feels really good.
I'm already starting to think about what we're going to do for Motivate 2024
So looking back at this year's Motivate, what was one of the hardest things you dealt with.... was there anything?
M.King: You know it's funny every year I always stay up late getting this production wrapped up and uploaded. Every year as hard as I try it really takes about a month to put this thing together, and every single year I always stay up late on Friday night (the night prior). This year I didn't get a whole lot of sleep but you know what...? It was worth it.
AUGUST 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King: Motivate Moments Looks At #101 and Beyond
M King is working on the 5th season of Motivate Moments. In this Q&A we're going to sit down and talk with him about what this 5th season entails
So when we last left you we were working on the 100th Motivate Moment now, we're getting ready to move into the fifth season, so tell us a little bit about what's been going on behind the scenes since then?
M.King: Well it's actually kind of funny because I've been working on the 5th season of Motivate Moments before we film the 100th episode so I think we got a lot of good motivate moments in store and I think we have a lot of variety for the first five or so motivate moments.
So concerning the fifth season can you share with us a few things that we're going to hear about?
M.King: So I know one of the Motivate Moments that we're going to be doing is actually kind of funny. It was funny to me thinking about it but, it kind of talks about the 90s and talks about a little rat tail that people would do with their hair. I had one of those and so it kind of goes into my experience with a rat tail and, it just kind of asks an important question that I think doesn't hurt for the church to think about....I'll leave it at that.
Lastly, what do you want to leave people with as close out the Q & A?
M.King: You know I think we as Gods people think that the moments in our life are just for us or are sometimes a waste of time. Listen... One of the things God has been sharing with me lately is that there is no wasted seed in Gods kingdom. No matter what you go through or have been through, God was there, is there, and will always be there. Nothing is wasted for God, whether it turns out good or bad, nothing is wasted.
Side Note: Motivate Moments season 5 will debut in September 2023
JULY 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King: 3 Things You Didn’t Know About M.King
In this Q&A with M King we are going to ask questions that did not make it into the final cut of "Ultimate Q&A with M King"
So my first question is what was your least favorite job as an adult?
M.King: I would say my least favorite job was in corporate America when I was a background check specialist. I sort of did that for a year and the job was not my favorite. I had two screens in front of me, I was drinking a lot of coffee, and to top it off I had a partner and we didn't necessarily gel very well and he wasn't necessarily helping me to improve in my job. So long story short, I ended up getting fired....(laughs) so yeah.
If you could describe the last 10 years of M.King Media in three words what would it be?
M.King: (laughs) This is why these were dropped.
I would have to say humbling, creative, and thought-provoking
(M.King laughs) wait can I say that......there is a dash in between, so it still counts right? (laughs)
The last question I wanted to ask was, you have been known to do different voices during various media productions, can you do any impersonations?
M.King: (laughs) So yes, over time I have been able to do impersonations. While I was in school and even at the age of 13 I would do various impersonations to make friends (and some classmates) laugh.
So I can do Yoda, Darth Vader, a Scotsman, Mother Klump from 'The Nutty Professor' and even sound effects and various other voices. Today I enjoy doing them randomly at work (laughs) to the amusement and sometimes bewilderment of my fellow security coworkers.
Side Note: Ultimate Q & A w/ M.King is now available
JUNE 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King Goes Ultimate!
In this Q&A with M.King, we talk about how this blog is doing something special to mark the 10th anniversary of M.King Media.... by going ultimate.
Ever since you started doing Q&A with M.King has the blog ever done something like this; a live special?
M.King: No not to my knowledge we started this thing in 2016 actually after the first Motivate, that's when we started doing a Blog. It wasn't until later that year I think that it become Q&A but, no we haven't really done anything like this before, which really made it kind of exciting and kind of nerve-racking.
So this being Ultimate Q&A what made this so nerve-racking compared to a traditional Q&A?
M.King: Well for starters, what really made it interesting was the fact that I had to speak to the camera and do a Q&A at the same time. You know, it's kind of weird because the questions that we have are very personable so, we tried to do a mix of personal and then kind of sprinkle some fun M.King Media facts in between but, I think that's what kind of made it nerve-wracking as well. You're trying to figure out what's going to be interesting to everybody about yourself and what's going to be interesting about M.King Media...... yeah it's a lot to do.
So in the end what do you hope people are going to get from this special? What was the goal of Ultimate Q&A?
M.King: You know in the end, I really just wanted to create something fun to continue the celebration of our 10th anniversary. It's just something God put on our heart to do an Ultimate Q&A but, I really hope people understand that every time they see me in front of that camera, you know as much as I tell about myself, I'm a real person. I've been through the ups and downs of life as a Christian and I just want people to know that I've been there, I've been through trials and tribulations, I know what it's like you know, I didn't get here on flowery beds of ease, it's been a challenge but, it's very much been a blessing.
Side Note: Ultimate Q & A w/ M.King premieres July 2023
MAY 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King: M.King Media Turns 10 Years Old
In this Q&A we talk with M.King about his thoughts on M.King Media turning 10.
How does it feel for M King Media to be turning 10 years old?
M.King: You know when I look back on everything that God has done over 10 years, it has been very tough but, it has also been very rewarding. I feel blessed and honored to have been able to build this organization up, cast a vision for this organization, create the various projects and now be able to look back at all that God has done and give God glory for it………. It's really a blessing..
Concerning the 10th anniversary of M King Media, what did you do or what do you have in the works to commemorate such a milestone?
M.King: Well for starters we're doing a lot to celebrate 10 years. For our e-mail subscribers we're doing this retro “Did You Know” campaign where we're going back and looking at some awesome milestones for each month. For example, in the month of June, we're going to go back and look at all the milestones for that month and share them with our email subscribers.
Another way we're celebrating is through special media projects. We just got through doing “100 Motivate Moments” and in June we're going to start production on “Ultimate Q&A with M.King” It's a playoff of our blog title and we're going to be pretty much answering some of the top questions concerning just M.King Media and delivering fun facts.
Any final thoughts you wanna leave our readers with?
M.King: Hmmmmmm, You know when I look back certain things come to mind. One is the fact that God was always there. No matter what he called me to do he was always there to encourage me to be with me he never put me down he was always there to lift me up. Two, God never let me stay where I was, he was always encouraging me to grow myself as well as grow the media ministry, and that's how we ended up being where we are today. And lastly three, God has given me a vision beyond today. Right now we're preparing "M.King Media 2.0", it's going to take M.King Media from 2023 into 2033 which will be our 20th anniversary. No matter what God has always called me to do he's always giving me vision and he can do all this and more for you.
Side Note: M.King Media turned 10 on May 20th, 2023, and will continue to celebrate 10 years until the end of 2023
APRIL 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King: A Motivate Moment To Not Be Missed!
In this Q&A with M.King, we talk with M.King about the preparation for the 100th Motivate Moment debuting in May 2023.
Let's ask the first and most obvious question in the room, How does it feel to reach 100 Motivate Moments?
M.King: To be honest, it feels surreal I mean to look back and realize it has been almost 100 Motivate Moments. I mean wow it's incredible to look back at all the moments God has allowed me to share with others, it really makes you come to grips with how good God is.
So for those who don't know, what exactly are Motivate Moments and how did you get started with them?
M.King: Motivate Moments came out of the fact that in 2018 we totally didn't do anything for that summer, and we paid for it. We paid for it by losing followers on social media. So the next year a decision was made to start doing Motivate Moments. We wanted to do something that would bring people back, we also wanted to promote our yearly event Motivate. We felt Motivate Moments would remind them that God has a moment for them in time to celebrate and just rejoice over and that God is full of motivating moments.
So where do you see Motivate Moments going from here?
M.King: Well I can tell you as sure as day Motivate Moments isn't over yet. We do have more moments in the works long after this celebration is over, so we'll see what God does, I mean we have 4 years left until we celebrate our 200th Motivate Moment hahaha.
Side Note: 100 Motivate Moments debuts on May 13th, 2023
MARCH 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King: M.King Is Still in the Fight
In this Q&A with M.King, we talk with M.King about the month of March 2023 and how he has been healing from surgery, and what is next as he recovers.
For starters, how do you feel after spending the last month healing from surgery?
M.King: We'll for starters, thank you for asking. To be honest, I'm starting to feel better, I actually got the remaining stitches taken out today after a month of having to deal with that but I can say that while the stitches are gone I still have some slight soreness where the gum graft was done.
So for those who are not clear on a gum graft, what does that entail?
M.King: So a gum graft is a dental procedure done for receding gums. They take skin from the roof of your mouth and stitch that skin over your gums that are receding in order to reverse the recession and bring your gums back to normal. So for me, I had 2 teeth that needed it so, yes they did take skin from the roof portion of my mouth and stitched it over my 2 teeth, both on opposite sides of my mouth.
Oh my gosh, so it must have been hard to function especially since you need your mouth to make media projects?
M.King: You know to be very honest for me, I really believe it was a time of change, cuz I had to alter my diet because of my mouth and then two it was a time to really be still and know that He is God. It was really hard to have to sit back and realize that all your plans and your deadlines are all on hold and you have to sit back and trust the Lord through this process and come to the conclusion that God has a setup for every setback.
So lastly how long do you think it's gonna take for you to get back in the swing of things?
M.King: You know as far as the surgery goes the periodontal assistants were telling me complete healing from this can take anywhere from 6-7 months so I'll be eating an altered diet for some time, but you know I needed a change in my diet.
So as far as the ministry goes I hope it doesn't get me back in the swing of things, I hope God uses this as a setup for the media ministries' next chapter, whatever that may be.
Important Note: The 3rd special report, "Roosevelt, Truman & The Jews", debuted on April 3rd, 2023
FEBRUARY 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King: Looking Back at a Troubling Past
In this Q&A we talk with M.King about his 3rd Special Report looking at how two Presidents handled dealing with the Jews as leaders of the USA
What made you want to look at such a crucial time in the nation's history?
M.King: To be very honest I became very curious about this when I was watching a documentary about how Truman said "I am Cyrus", as in the fact that he was the one who helped the Jews get into the homeland. I thought about that and I began to wonder about Roosevelt and how he felt about the Jews. Then I found out that he was not too particular to the Jews and I started to wonder did God have a hand in all this.
What was the most interesting thing to you about this special report?
M.King: The fact that it was interesting that if God allowed Roosevelt to stay in office, history could have been very different. Roosevelt rejected the ship of Jewish immigrants trying to bring some 900 or so Jews to the USA. Some say this was done in order to protect National Security with the looming threat of World War II. It's interesting to see how God allowed Roosevelt to die and allowed Truman to take office. I'll be it not a great time for him but, a great time for the Jewish population who was being rejected and killed all over the world seeking a homeland of their own
Do you think because of this people are going to see history in a different way?
M.King: I hope that people step back and really dig into history and really understand that God is not absent in time. He was always there and He was always moving and never forsaking His people as the word says.
Important Note: The 3rd special report, "Roosevelt, Truman & The Jews", debuts on March 14th, 2023
JANUARY 2023 | BLOG
Q & A w/ M.King: A Beautiful Animation About Jesus and the 12
In this Q&A we talk with M.King about his latest animated story "We The 12th Disciples"
Q: So this animated story was like a double project for you with the artwork as well as the narrative?
M.King: Yes it was, for starters I've always wanted to make artwork revolving around the Last Supper. I've always seen all these great pieces and I've always wondered, what would happen if we made our own artwork that would revolve around the Last Supper, what would it look like? The second thing was, trying to create a narrative that brought the same amount of emotion and the same amount of beauty that the artwork brought. I tried to focus on looking at the disciples in contrast to Jesus. How Jesus reacted and how the disciples reacted in situations and difficulties.
Q: So when it came to this story what were some of your inspirations that you used in order to help you get the Last Supper the way you got it?
M.King: I ended up using three different images, one of the images of the Last Supper is by an artist named Ben McPherson. His interpretation of the Last Supper is probably one of the most modern ones I've seen today. That artwork really helped me along with the other two to understand the way the table looked during the Last Supper. I really felt comfortable with having the communion cup and the bread, which really personified the Last Supper. One of the things I noticed in all three of them was that there was a white table cloth so that was one of the reasons why it was good to have three interpretations of the Last Supper.
Q: So in the end, when it's all said and done and people have listened to the commentary and watched this beautiful production, what do you hope people walk away with?
M.King: In the end, I hope people marry both the Last Supper and the narrative together. I hope they come to the conclusion that Jesus still called the disciples and knew everything wrong with him and everything right about them even Judas. He knew Judas was going to kill himself and he still called Judas to be one of the 12. I think that is so incredible and I think that is so powerful when you think about it. I hope people understand that God is no respecter of persons, He can use you in his kingdom to further his mission of making disciples.
Important Note: 'We The 12 Disciples' 28th Animated Story debuted on January 30th, 2023