For those who may not know, N-to-U wasn’t originally birthed as a Christian magazine, but then again, neither were we. The vision of a magazine had always engulfed my mind since I had my first taste of writing for a local magazine in Cleveland, Ohio at the age of 21. As time went on, the dream rested and life got in the way. It reared its head a few times with failed attempts but without a dedicated staff, I feared my dream would rest forever. Years went by filled with mistakes, bad choices and running to God only when I was in need. Don’t get me wrong, I always knew God; my father and grandfather were both preachers. But life sometimes takes hold of you and everything else seems to become priority over praising God.

In late 2004, the dream emerged once again, this time with a supportive partner, a striving staff and an awesome graphic designer; thus the birth of N-to-U. We started out as a pocket-sized magazine, something unique to the Jacksonville eye and fits in your pocket! The focus was still to uplift and honor small business owners and residents doing something positive. With both my partner and I working full time jobs, getting ads were the hardest part and the biggest struggle. For the early readers, you began to notice changes toward the end of our first year in circulation. There were some staff members no longer with us and new ones coming aboard. The You Should Know went from one paragraph talking about healthcare to one paragraph with a Bible verse and inspirational thoughts. The models of the month went from wearing swimwear to wearing suits and gowns.

Yet and still, we’d have a full page ad about the 2 for 1 drink specials at hottest night club. The one year anniversary of the magazine was a celebration as well as the peeling of old dead skin.

Faced with trials of tribulations, the owners of NtoU both re-dedicated our lives to Christ at different times. Frustrated with the struggles of the first year and on the verge of giving up my dream, First Lady Narlene McLaughlin (The Potter’s House) spoke these words to me, “Sometimes you have to let your dream die and allow God to resurrect it into something great!” As painful as it was to face, I had to let N-to-U die for a few months while God began to work on us. When God felt we were ready, he placed into our hearts to re-invent N-to-U and give it all to God! As I look back on it now, God was slowly weeding out the things that didn’t “belong” – and rebuilt NtoU with a larger size, a different logo, a greater determination and an even stronger staff.

God has blessed us from the moment we decided to give this magazine to Him. We are well into our 4th year in circulation and growing more and more each issue. We don’t just cater to Christians, but to the non-Christians as well, trying to win over souls to Christ. Always remember, as long as you make God a part of your dream, it will work itself out beyond measures. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!