In 2000, my mother died and I was devastated.  I believe God knew what He was doing because I would have followed my mother in death if He had not intervened.  I went to jail from 2000 to 2002 for things I am still very ashamed to talk about.  My brother was killed on memorial day in 2004; his death ended my temporary sobriety from drugs…

My name is Anita Newton.  I was born in Illinois but moved to Arizona in 1970.  Twenty five years later I moved to Texas and have been here since then.  My parents had three children and I am the only girl and the baby of the family. 

My parents were both alcoholics.  It was not long before my brothers started using drugs and commenced the journey to many jail houses.  All this shaped my desire to get out of my parents house and be on my own.  I did not have anyone to direct me so I took action by myself.  I got married when I was 17 years old.  I did it to escape all the chaos that was going on at home.   By 1990, I had been in three marriages, was divorced and a single mother of three precious sons that had a drug habit and then homeless.  I checked into a rehabilitation facility because I knew I needed help. 

In 2000, my mother died and I was devastated.  I believe God knew what He was doing because I would have followed my mother in death if He had not intervened.  I went to jail from 2000 to 2002 for things I am still very ashamed to talk about.  My brother was killed on memorial day in 2004; his death ended my temporary sobriety from drugs.  I did not see why I should come clean if my beloved brother was no more. 

Despite all that was going on in my life, I was fighting the devil in my own way by trying to break the hold drugs had on me.  When I had the strength, I checked into rehabilitation

In 2007, I learnt that I had been sexually abused by my big brother and his best friend when I was seven years old.  This kicked me out of my sobriety once again and I wallowed in a lot of pity parties.  As I got older, it was getting harder to stay sober for more than 60 days.  Each time I found myself in trouble, I believed it was God that put me there in other to save me from pending disaster I was heading for.  God never gave up on me.  A few people in my life seemed to think I am favored.  They were right!

I was put behind bars for the 4th time on May 12, 2008. By this time, I knew I was tired of living a reckless life.  After I completed my sentence, I stayed for a 21 days residential treatment program.  I completed the intensive outpatient program and was released to a women’s shelter called The Maxey House which is located in Garland, Texas. 

At this point in my life, I am convinced I have finally found peace within my self and most especially in Christ.  When I got to The Maxey House, I kept going to my outpatient program and my church and by the grace of God, my life has changed for the better.  I have been clean for more than ninety days and on August 25th, I started fulfilling my dream of furthering my education; I began college.  I received a Pell grant and all the glory be to God.  I have purpose today and a chance to be accountable.  I am blessed with lots of loving people in my life today. 

God has given me my life back and I am on my way to being everything he intended for me to be.

Their journey together began in January 1957, when Dr. George as a 19-year-old evangelist was preaching a series of revival services in a small Assemblies of God Church in Abilene, Texas.  During the first service, he met what he terms “the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, 17-year-old Gwen Rogers.”  They married five months later in that same Abilene church.

One of the most renowned pastors of the mega churches in the Dallas area is Dr. J. Don George who has served many years as both pastor and evangelist.  He is known by his all nations congregation and outsiders as a very transparent pastor who is color blind to race, full of love for God’s creations and enveloped by a huge blanket of humility that provokes respect wherever he goes.  Dr. George has impacted the lives of many people around the world through his gift as a visionary and his active role in winning souls at all costs. 

He went into ministry as a teenager.  His first pastoral ministry along with his beautiful wife and First lady Gwen, began in Plainview, Texas, in 1960 at the First Assembly of God Church.  After traveling as an evangelist for seven years, he held pastorates in Plainview, Texas and Fort Worth, Texas, before becoming Senior Pastor of Calvary Church in Irving, Texas, in 1972.

In September of 1972, when Dr. Don and Gwen George moved to Irving, Calvary Temple was a church of approximately 60 people on West Grauwyler Street.  Under Dr. George’s leadership, the church soon began experiencing phenomenal growth.  The sanctuary, seating 150, was soon replaced by a larger facility on the same site.  Then in 1985, Dr. George led Calvary Temple in a $10 million building program on 17 acres of property at 3000 W. Airport Freeway.  In 2004, the congregation moved to a new, state-of-the-art $20 million facility on the edge of Las Colinas, changing their name at that time to Calvary Church.

Dr. George is a graduate of Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas.  He has done additional studies at Louisiana State University and the University of Texas at Arlington.  George also holds the Doctor of Divinity degree from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In August 2001, Dr. George was elected to the 13-member Executive Presbytery of the Assemblies of God, Springfield, Missouri.  Known for his compelling, passionate preaching, is in much demand as a speaker at conventions and conferences throughout the world.  He has conducted evangelism outreaches in Europe, Africa, Asia, The Middle East, Latin America and South America. 

Dr. George is a member of the Irving Chamber of Commerce, the Irving Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Irving Las Colinas Rotary Club.  He is past president of the Irving Ministerial Association, the Greater Dallas Assemblies of God Pastor’s Association and the Irving Las Colinas Rotary Club. 

He currently presently serves on the following Ministry Boards:
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary; Springfield, Missouri
Southwester Assemblies of God University; Waxahachie, Texas
Equip (John Maxwell Ministries); Atlanta, Georgia
Global Pastor’s Network; Orlando, Florida
General Council Assemblies of God (Executive Presbyter); Springfield, Missouri
Reaching International; Nashville, Tennessee
International Charismatic Bible Ministries; Tulsa, Oklahoma
Network 211 (George Flattery); Springfield, Missouri

Aside from being a good shepherd to the sheep God has entrusted to his care, Dr. George is known for being an exemplary family man.  With a marriage of over fifty years to Mrs. Gwen George, and an impressive background of parents on both sides that were married for at least fifty years, many look up to the Georges as an authority in the area of matrimony. 

Their journey together began in January 1957, when Dr. George as a 19-year-old evangelist was preaching a series of revival services in a small Assemblies of God Church in Abilene, Texas.  During the first service, he met what he terms “the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, 17-year-old Gwen Rogers.”  They married five months later in that same Abilene church.  Their home is blessed with four precious children, Valerie Jones, Roger, Rodney and Vanessa. Vanessa passed away in 1972, at age seven, following a cerebral hemorrhage.  The Georges have six grandchildren.  Dr. George is the son of 95-year old Reverend Roy George of Plano and Jimalee George (deceased); and Gwen, the daughter of 94-year-old Nute Rogers of Irving and Mildred Rogers (deceased).   

In the past 50 years, the Georges have traveled around the world to preach the gospel.    For the past 35 years Dr. George has served as pastor of Calvary Church in Irving, Texas. 

Calvary Church televises its Morning Worship Service, Calvary Life, weekly on local KTAQ-TV, Channel 58 and on the Promise Land Television Network.  Calvary Church is located at 4401 North Highway 161, at the corner of Walnut Hill Lane, just east of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport, in Irving, Texas.  The physical address is 4401 N. State Hwy 161, Irving, TX 75038.  You can call the office at 972-261-1919 or visit them on web: www.calvarychurch.cc.

Years later, a business encounter with Dr. Tony Evans led him to attend a service at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, where he heard the parable of the rich man hoarding his fortune in barns, who with a very short notice and no time to change, died and left it all.  He knew he was that “rich man” living his life more for pleasure and greed than Godly standards. 

Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que has been famous for its outstanding food and smoky flavor for over three decades.  During that time, the restaurant has become just as noted for its aroma of awe inspiring ministry served with lunch each Tuesday.  Owner, John Reaves sitting alone while reading his Bible in his restaurant began to draw attention and stimulate conversation.  No doubt others knew of the changes made in his life since he chose to leave the lucrative nightclub businesses he owned in partnership with Drew Pearson and Harvey Martin, famous former Dallas Cowboys, and the other businesses that no longer complimented his life in Christ.
    

With the help of his wife Gloria, and family taking care of the business, Smokey John eventually realized that he should and could set aside time to have Bible study for the growing number of people who seemed to frequently drop by for “a sandwich and a scripture, and prayer with potato salad.”  The “Tuesday Special” Bible study has grown to standing room only.  Smokey John and friends are looking to expand to a larger space next to the restaurant to accommodate the crowd and serve as a ministry and community service center.

Like so many, Smokey John was raised with a Christian heritage, but he admits that he strayed to seek great fortune and worldly pleasures.  Years later, a business encounter with Dr. Tony Evans led him to attend a service at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, where he heard the parable of the rich man hoarding his fortune in barns, who with a very short notice and no time to change, died and left it all.  He knew he was that “rich man” living his life more for pleasure and greed than Godly standards.  Soon, he began to attend Bible studies to reestablish the relationship he began with Christ when he was just a boy afraid of going to hell.

Smokey conducts a unique style of Bible study as he often randomly calls on attendees to share what God has put on their heart.  First time attendees are asked to introduce themselves and give their prayer requests.  The greeting, “how’ you doing?” is not cliché at Smokey John’s as he encourages everyone to become deeply concerned with, and pray for the needs of others.  One of the highlights of the hour is the sharing of testimonies, served to encourage listeners and remind all that they are not alone in their situations.  Many of those who attend prefer the relaxed atmosphere of the lunchtime Bible study to organized church settings, so Smokey’s has become their weekly worship assembly.  With the poor sitting next to the rich, preachers sitting next to the spiritually destitute, and people of all races, shapes, colors, and sizes, yet with common bonds – the hunger and thirst for an experience with God, and the need to be a blessing to the Kingdom of God.  Before it is too late, Smokey John Reaves has tasted the essence of the passage, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you” – Matthew 6:33. 

Today, his wife, Gloria; two sons, Brent and Juan; daughter, Yulise; and son-in-law Michael, who is a pastor, are all in ministry.  With his son, Brent and wife, Gloria running the business, Smokey John can spend more of his time on his passions – people and ministry.  Along with the Tuesday Bible study, Smokey John leads a Bible study in the home of friends home on Wednesdays, and each Thursday he feeds and mentors a crowd of parolees and ex-offenders. 

Now serving at Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que, located at1820 W. Mockingbird Lane, Bible study Tuesdays 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.  Seating is limited.  For daily restaurant and catering information, call 214-352-2752.