More than 20 years later, he pastors what Christianity Today calls “one of America’s fastest growing mega-churches.” The Potter’s House, a multiracial nondenominational church with 59 active outreach ministries, has dominated church growth records since 1996. In only eight years since relocating the church from West Virginia to Dallas, The Potter’s House has grown from 50 families to more than 28,000 members to date. Rivaling many corporations, The Potter’s House employs more than 300 staff members including full-time finance, human relations, information technology, materials distribution, public relations and television production departments. The Potter’s House is fiscally sound, having recently paid off its newest $45 million, 191,000 sq. ft. structure that was completed less than four years ago.
Bishop Jakes was born on June 9, 1957 in South Charleston, W.Va. His parents, businessman and entrepreneur Ernest Sr. and educator Odith, were charitable benefactors in their community and to whom their son credits for his own integrity, discipline and selfreliance. Bishop Jakes is the CEO of The Potter’s House, a nonprofit organization that produces three major national conferences – “The Pastor’s and Leadership Conference,” “ManPower” and “Woman, Thou Art Loosed.” WTAL, a powerful and popular symposium, addresses specific needs of all women and has helped many go from welfare to work. The conference has set national indoor attendance records with an average of 84,500 attendees per day at the Georgia Dome in 1999. “ManPower,” equips and encourages men to build strong marriages, increase their confidence and take on more responsibility in their community. “Mega Fest” is a family affair combining “Woman, Thou Art Loosed,” “ManPower” and the “Youth 3-D Experience,” a new youth conference. This summer, Mega Fest attracted more than 140,000 people from 55 countries and set a cumulative record attendance of 560,000 over the four-day period. Through broadcasting efforts, Mega Fest impacted more than 314 million homes in 235 countries and territories outside of the U.S. Mega Fest 2005 is scheduled August 3 – 6 in Atlanta, Georgia.
In addition to the major conferences, Bishop Jakes hosts the God’s Leading Ladies conference, which is designed to help women in leadership positions to develop financial, relationship and balancing skills.
In an effort to remedy social and economic voids in Urban America, Bishop Jakes founded the Metroplex Economic Development Corporation in 1998. The nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation has sponsored home ownership conferences and youth mentorship programs.Currently, MEDC is developing a job placement center, a skills training center, a small business counseling hotline and a housing development that will include affordable homes for senior citizens and single-parent families.
Additional endeavors to improve society include building two Habitat for Humanity homes in conjunction with the 2003 ManPower conference and making a $107,000 donation to relocate Dallas citizens from an economically and environmentally disadvantaged area. The Potter’s House was also responsible for building a hospital in Belize, Central America, named Belmopan to whom they later sent $400,000 for medical supplies. Bishop Jakes and The Potter’s House invested over $500,000 in outreach to prison inmates. Their “Adopt A Prison” program has impacted inmates giving them a way to reduce the rate of recidivism through spiritual support and a network of churches who have awareness to the plight of
inmates reentering the system.
He is also the founder of T.D. Jakes Enterprises, through which he employs his other aptitudes as author, songwriter and playwright. A renowned religious author with 30 books to his credit; Bishop Jakes’ works have been featured on Christian, secular and business bestseller lists. His top five nonfiction bestsellers are: Maximize the Moment; Woman, Thou Art Loosed; The Lady, Her Lover and Her Lord; The Great Investment: Faith, Family and Finance and God’s Leading Lady, which has peaked at #4 on the New York Times Hardcover Advice List. He released his first novel, Cover Girls, in the summer of 2003, and later that year; he released Follow the Star, a compilation of Bishop Jakes’ personal Christmas stories. His latest book He-Motions, which is currently #10 on the New York Times Bestseller List, is a tool for both men and women written with intimate personal stories and painful lessons he learned through life. His best-selling book, Woman Thou Art Loosed, has finally come to the big screen debuting in 400 theaters across the nation and winning the 2004 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Bishop Jakes has developed business partnerships with Sony, EMI, Time Warner, Warner, Rueben Cannon Productions, Clear Channel, Thomas Nelson Publishing and a host of other highly respected companies. His theatre production company, Touchdown Concepts, created and produced the Christian plays “Woman, Thou Art Loosed” and “Behind Closed Doors.” Both became number one gospel plays in the United States. Recently his advocacy for women’s rights enabled him to develop the cinema production “Woman, Thou Art Loosed,” with Rueben Cannon Productions. The movie is based on his book “Woman, Thou Art Loosed,” and speaks out against domestic violence while encouraging women to rise above injustices. Bishop Jakes also operates Dexterity Sounds, a music label in collaboration with EMI Gospel Music that develops music with a divine message. The label has produced eight albums, five of which have received Grammy nominations. The album, “A Wing and a Prayer” featuring Bishop Jakes and The Potter’s House Mass Choir, received a 2004 Grammy award in the “Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album” category. His album “T.D. Jakes presents Follow the Star” also received a nomination in the category of “Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.”
He is also the founder of T.D. Jakes Enterprises, through which he employs his other aptitudes as author, songwriter and playwright. A renowned religious author with 30 books to his credit; Bishop Jakes’ works have been featured on Christian, secular and business bestseller lists. His top five nonfiction bestsellers are: Maximize the Moment; Woman, Thou Art Loosed; The Lady, Her Lover and Her Lord; The Great Investment: Faith, Family and Finance and God’s Leading Lady, which has peaked at #4 on the New York Times Hardcover Advice List. He released his first novel, Cover Girls, in the summer of 2003, and later that year; he released Follow the Star, a compilation of Bishop Jakes’ personal Christmas stories. His latest book He-Motions, which is currently #10 on the New York Times Bestseller List, is a tool for both men and women written with intimate personal stories and painful lessons he learned through life. His best-selling book, Woman Thou Art Loosed, has finally come to the big screen debuting in 400 theaters across the nation and winning the 2004 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Bishop Jakes has developed business partnerships with Sony, EMI, Time Warner, Warner, Rueben Cannon Productions, Clear Channel, Thomas Nelson Publishing and a host of other highly respected companies. His theatre production company, Touchdown Concepts, created and produced the Christian plays “Woman, Thou Art Loosed” and “Behind Closed Doors.” Both became number one gospel plays in the United States. Recently his advocacy for women’s rights enabled him to develop the cinema production “Woman, Thou Art Loosed,” with Rueben Cannon Productions. The movie is based on his book “Woman, Thou Art Loosed,” and speaks out against domestic violence while encouraging women to rise above injustices. Bishop Jakes also operates Dexterity Sounds, a music label in collaboration with EMI Gospel Music that develops music with a divine message. The label has produced eight albums, five of which have received Grammy nominations. The album, “A Wing and a Prayer” featuring Bishop Jakes and The Potter’s House Mass Choir, received a 2004 Grammy award in the “Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album” category.
His album “T.D. Jakes presents Follow the Star” also received a nomination in the category of “Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. http://www.godsleadingladies.com/_downloads/bio_td_jakes.pdf
Take My Life
Bishop T.D. Jakes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remember when I was a boy, she begged my dad a lot
I laid aside their bed, she cried her head off, I asked for what
My dad locked his gun in his safe, she’d be gone had he not
My mom is on prozac and she laughs a lot
Remember when I was a boy she begged my dad a lot
She would’ve shot her self with his gun if she had one shot
He locked his gun inside his safe and now she has a shot
Enough to know that money’s the main reason people cook ‘em
Once when I was fourteen, I suddenly was depersonalized
My momma took me to the doctor - they said no prob, then prescribed some Paxil
Took it back with me, then at home knocked it back with juice (Some apple)
Truly believed that it would tackle these anxiety attacks, bullshit...
Weeks later I was packed full with the sickest thoughts imaginable
Couldn’t even see a grocery bag without wanting to (Bag over head/asphyxiation)
My mom is on prozac and she laughs a lot
Remember when I was a boy, she begged my dad a lot
I laid aside their bed, she cried her head off, I asked for what
My dad locked his gun in his safe, she’d be gone had he not
My mom is on prozac and she laughs a lot
Remember when I was a boy she begged my dad a lot
She would’ve shot her self with his gun if she had one shot
He locked his gun inside his safe and now she has a shot
Uh-huh, okay I guess some people gotta take ‘em
‘Though I’ve got lots of shit that’s wrong with me and I dont take ‘em...
We’re never taught to deal with our emotions, what a lie
We’re taught do whatever it takes to keep getting by
I’ve got a lot of respect for the ones that ride the waves
Still got some respect left for all the ones who run away
Nah I won’t judge the cover of your book, even a page
I don’t know a thing about what the fucks in your DNA
So yeah they say the apple don’t fall too far from the tree
Sometimes I wish I was an orange, I’m caught in between
Depression has a mind of its own, why can’t it have feet
I try to make it walk away, its a lost cause, pushing dead weight
Sometimes i think each cell inside me’s a whole universe
And this whole universe is one cell of a human or another kind
I wonder if depression is in every one (Every universe) or just in mine
Don’t worry, I’ll adjust - its fine
My mom is on prozac and she laughs a lot
Remember when I was a boy, she begged my dad a lot
I laid aside their bed, she cried her head off, I asked for what
My dad locked his gun in his safe, she’d be gone had he not
My mom is on prozac and she laughs a lot
Remember when I was a boy she begged my dad a lot
She would’ve shot her self with his gun if she had one shot
He locked his gun inside his safe and now she has a shot
The song "Take My Life" by Bishop T.D. Jakes is a poignant and emotional reflection on the topic of mental health and prescription medication. The lyrics describe the experiences of the artist and his mother, who struggles with depression and has been prescribed Prozac. The song touches on the artist's own experiences with anxiety and depersonalization and his conflicted feelings about the use of prescription pills.
The opening lines of the song evoke intense emotions as the artist describes how his mother cried her head off on her bed, leading him to ask why. He later reveals that she had considered taking her own life with his father's gun, had it not been locked away. The artist then goes on to describe his own struggles with anxiety and depersonalization, sharing that he had been prescribed Paxil as a teenager, but found that it exacerbated his symptoms rather than alleviating them.
The song touches on the broader societal issues surrounding mental health and prescription medication, highlighting how many people feel forced to take pills in order to manage their symptoms rather than learning how to cope with their emotions. The artist laments how we are not taught how to deal with our emotions, and instead are encouraged to do whatever it takes to keep going. However, he also acknowledges the bravery of those who ride the waves of their emotions and those who choose to run away.
Overall, "Take My Life" is a deeply personal and thought-provoking song that highlights the complexity of mental health issues and the need for greater understanding and support for those who struggle with them.
Line by Line Meaning
My mom is on prozac and she laughs a lot
My mother is taking antidepressants and is now finding happiness in life
Remember when I was a boy, she begged my dad a lot
When I was younger, my mother would beg my dad for help with her depression
I laid aside their bed, she cried her head off, I asked for what
I witnessed my mother cry uncontrollably and didn't understand why
My dad locked his gun in his safe, she’d be gone had he not
My father had to take measures to ensure that my mother was safe from self-harm during her depressive episodes
She would’ve shot herself with his gun if she had one shot
My mother was in such a dark place that she even contemplated suicide
Enough to know that money’s the main reason people cook ‘em
I understand that financial gain is a driving force behind the production and distribution of antidepressant medication
Took it back with me, then at home knocked it back with juice (Some apple)
I took an antidepressant prescription at home without fully understanding the consequences or side effects
My momma took me to the doctor - they said no prob, then prescribed some Paxil
My mother brought me to the doctor for help with my own mental health, but received a prescription without proper diagnosis or care
I try to make it walk away, its a lost cause, pushing dead weight
Despite my efforts, it seems impossible to overcome the overwhelming weight of depression
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Jakeb Jessee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juniorlewis9173
I love this song. Thanks for posting it here on YouTube
@nomthandazolekhuleni3504
Was one of my favorite songs in 2016, I still listen to it today!
@allanokeyo7256
Always my go to song
@cesartorres3332
❤
@joelheber23
Lyrics please!
@chrispleasantable
Verse 1: Holiness, holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness, holiness is what You want for me, for me
Verse 2: Righteousness, righteousness is what I long for
Righteous is what I need
Righteousness, righteousness is what You want for me, for me
Chorus: Take my heart and mold it
Take my mind, transform it
Take my wheel, conform it
To Yours, to Yours oh Lord
Verse 3: Brokenness, brokenness is what I long for
Brokenness is what I need
Brokenness is what You want for me, for me
Chorus 3x
Verse 1
Ending: It’s what You want for me (2x)