Tim & April

23/10/2017

22/08/2017

CrossNation is back and better than ever!
September 9, 2017 @ 6:00pm
Canisius College-Palisano Pavilion
2001 Main St. Buffalo, NY 14208

09/06/2017

New Date. New Season. Same Mission.

22/04/2017

Here is a picture of the building (Palisano Pavilion)where the CrossNation Ministry Launch Concert will be held. It's between Bosch and Frisch dormitories. Tomorrow, April 22nd at 6:00pm. Hope to see you there!

05/04/2017

04/12/2016

06/11/2016

Though many of us “would-be-writers” take to Fb with albeit wholehearted attempts to inspire each other, there comes a time when we ought to acknowledge the enormous and continuous levels of courage it takes to actually DO BETTER and STAY BETTER.
It takes COURAGE to go back to school, more courage to admit that one should change in different areas, greater courage to humble yourself and learn from your children and spouse as much as we learn from formal educators and professional advisors.
But friends, this is HOW WE RISE, so keep dusting yourself off and FIGHT FOR YOUR BEST LIFE.

30/10/2016

Each day may not be perfect, BUT each day has purpose.

23/10/2016

God’s word often describes how trials, when managed best, bring about a far greater testimony than the test.
Earlier this week I wrote about dusting off prayer requests, thoughts, and actions in response to a nudging from God to seek Him at a greater capacity. Tim & I call it “Fighting For Our Best Life”. And although life’s journey may be riddled with storms, we’ve come to learn that there are “Blessings In The Storm”.

16/10/2016

There remain a few things they can't take away us, our FAITH & EDUCATION.
TO: Those courageous individuals & friends who, while juggling work & life, are daring to pursue continued education, be it formal or informal, WE salute you, encourage you, and pray for you.

DeMario Badger For Masten District Councilmember Taneka Jetaun Lorenda Diane Sundra Ryce Ava L Clark Keta Keta Artis Genia Myers Collins Tim Sanders April Sanders

19/07/2015

SQUARE YOUR SHOULDERS AND MEET LIFE HEAD ON!

11/07/2015

To: Family & Friendship, Support Systems and Good People ... Thank you for being a POSITIVE FORCE in our life.

09/02/2015

Hello Friends,

For the past three years our family has been working on our doctorial thesis, but April is doing all the work. Let me explain. When April decided to further her educational studies, we knew it would take a conscious effort from the entire family. I would have to commit to doing things around the house that I would not normally do … like cook. As you all know April is no culinary artist, so it forced me to become familiar with the inner workings of the kitchen and domestic engineering. The benefits of learning how to cook are that my kids are eating healthy regularly. April and I have daily conversations with kids so they know what is expected of them as it relates to chores, school, and extra-curricular activities. These days Timmy and Zoë’s main goal in life is to do everything we ask of them just so we will be quiet.

Last year I spent the majority of the year commuting back and forth to New York City to pursue several business opportunities, so this challenged April to take on the majority of the tasks that I would ordinarily tend to. What we proved to ourselves is that when we are in pursuit of our individual dreams, it takes a team. She is now an accomplished handywomen on her way to being Dr. Sanders. I say all this to say that I am advising her to take a break from our weekly post so she can concentrate on finishing her doctorial studies, because to be quite honest the kids and I ready for her to be done as much as she is.

Go Bae, We Are Almost There!

28/01/2015

2015 Mantra: Ready or Not – Here I Come
Monthly Tool: Self-Acceptance
Daily Fuel: Wellness Wednesday!

Hello Friends!

Ok, Timmy is still trying to help me trade that Snickers for a salad … THANK GOD for a little help from my mommy Soror who prepared an amazing brunch for our the anniversary of our line! I ate off this for two days!

Here’s to HEALTH & WELLNESS!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tim & April wholeheartedly believe in the ability, strength, and impact of working-class families. They have committed to investing in as many lives as they can reach through the creation of tools & resources that inspire, inform, and advance working parents and their children. PLEASE feel free to inbox your email address and contact information so Tim & April may personally update you on the development and launch of our new resources and upcoming book!

25/01/2015

2015 Mantra: Ready or Not – Here I Come
Monthly Tool: Self-Acceptance
Daily Fuel: Fail Forward

Hello Friends!

A few months back we had the pleasure of celebrating the first, of many, 40th birthdays with our great friend Sir Vince Clark. It was during this auspicious occasion that we were able to get reacquainted with old college buddies that we hadn’t seen in years. And on that day, one particular college crony, infamous for being one of the most serious undergrads imaginable, made such a remarkable statement that it left the rest of us in amazement. He professed that he was a, “recovering failure”.

We often hear the cliché, that failure is not and option. Yet, the truth of the matter is that “failing” is a fundamental part of life - - and always will be.

So instead, we are going to start accepting these inevitable life-challenges and say that “NOT learning from our failures is NOT an option”. I’ve also learned that God specializes in those who have failed, because God does not, and will not, use perfect people – as if any such person exist anyway.

Remember, the greatest men and women of the Bible began as failures. Let’s choose to accept who we are, mistakes and all, and allow God to transform our failures into a successful future.

Recovering Failures,
Tim & April

21/01/2015

2015 Mantra: Ready or Not – Here I Come
Monthly Tool: Self-Acceptance
Daily Fuel: Wellness Wednesday

Hello Friends,

April wasn’t feeling well this week, but our house does not stop. Often we relent to fast food, or making convenient food selections, which are not always the healthiest options.

In our attempt to be more conscious of what we put into our bodies, I made her trade in a Snickers for a salad. Here’s to Health & Wellness!

18/01/2015

2015 Mantra: Ready or Not – Here I Come
Monthly Tool: Self-Acceptance
Daily Fuel: May The Force Be With You!

Hello Friends!

As of today, if you have yet to determine within your heart that your day has come and the time is NOW, then take this moment to declare with us that WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS YEAR BY FORCE! (now turn to your neighbor and say, “MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!”) Ha!

You’ve probably noticed our MANTRA for 2015 – READY OR NOT: HERE I COME; and this means that regardless of our state of being, cute or crazy, nice or nasty, prepared or just plain ol’ pitful, … ready or not … WE ARE GOING TO FACE THIS YEAR HEAD ON AND FIGHT FOR OUR BEST LIFE!

Friends, this ain’t no dress rehearsal – we’ve got ONE LIFE … and I’ll be doggone if I believe I’ve already experienced all that God has for me!

WE MADE IT THROUGH 2014 … AND NOW IT’S OUR TIME TO FIGHT - AS IF WE SEE THE FINISH LINE!

Onward & Upward,
~Tim & April

14/01/2015

2015 Mantra: Ready or Not – Here I Come
Monthly Tool: Self-Acceptance
Daily Fuel: Health & Wellness

HELLO FRIENDS! IT’S WELLNESS WEDNESDAY!

So here’s the deal – We’re turning 40 this year … matter of fact … a whole bunch of us are turning 40… and close to the age where we need to begin to reconsider our approach to health and wellness.

So this year we’re kicking forty’s door down! We’re Comin’ Out AND want the World to Know! (proudly proclaimed in our best Diana Ross voice).

We have to be healthy in spirit, soul, and body. For April and I, we have dreams and visions that have yet to be fulfilled, this is why our health is paramount this year. The good news is that we are yelling/encouraging each other to live our best lives now! The bad news is that being and staying healthy takes DISCIPLINE. We have to tell ourselves that pizza and wings are not a part of the four basic food groups! And, lifting a fork to your mouth to feed your face is not an aerobic exercise.

Hypertension, strokes, and diabetes are real and YOU WILL FALL OUT! Ha!! Listen here friends - the only place I intend on falling out is in CHURCH - Because the spirit hit me and not the Blackberry BBQ wings I ate last night (although we do appreciate the creative culinary artistry of JUST PIZZA – shout out to our boy Davie B!).

At the end of the day - WE ALL KNOW that eating “feel-good-food” is not necessarily a crime … as long as we do our best to eat it in moderation. Instead, let’s try to grab a salad, fruit, fish, and water today and your body will thank you. I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist, its just common sense.

April and I are going to the doctor today to make sure her blood-sugar number does not match the year. I refuse to raise Timmy and Zoë by myself so I have to make sure she stays right. Pray for us!

Be Well
~Tim & April

11/01/2015

2015 Mantra: Ready or Not – Here I Come
Monthly Tool: Self-Acceptance
Daily Fuel: Just BE!

Hello Friends!

I’m so glad I joined the social media galaxy – the last few days have been hilarious! Thanx so much to all of you who showed loved to Timmy and me as we strive to become a voice for working-class families and create platforms of INSPIRATION, INFORMATION, and ADVANCEMENT.

So for all you hard-working spouses and parents please know that Timmy and I are committed to posting twice per week (Sunday & Wednesday). And like we said a few days ago, our hope is that this page evolves into a Faith-Based Platform for working-class families to relate, rejuvenate, and elevate. We don’t have all the answers, but what we do have is the will to fight for the future of our family and the humility to be transparent as we do, so that we might help you fight for yours.

Each month Timmy and I are going to push each other to face our fears, confront our “hidden hang-ups”, and scratch, crawl, and drag each other (if need be) into a life of greater DISCIPLINE, greater EFFECTIVENESS, and greater WORK & LIFE RESULTS. And as you might have noticed above, we are jump-starting this fight with a battle-cry for SELF-ACCEPTANCE.

That’s right! We’re going INWARD with intellectually honest self-reflection. No more resume-reading ourselves, posturing for a position, or pretending the pretense is real. Instead, by the end of January, our hope is that we might begin to find comfort … perhaps even liberty … in simply accepting who we are … good, bad, and ugly.

What a stating point … to just … BE.

XO
~April

11/01/2015

2015 Mantra: Ready or Not – Here I Come
Monthly Tool: Self-Acceptance
Daily Fuel: It All Works Out In The End

I’m looking over April’s shoulder reading her post to grab a glimpse of what she is planning on sharing with you. I’m going to paraphrase what she is saying so people like me can actually understand it (No shade boo, lol). So here I go. For all you families out there GRINDING IT OUT everyday, we are in the fight with you! And any information, resources, and tools we have we will share with you!

For the spouses and parents that are making it “do-what-it-do”, we are praying that you will allow us to pour into your lives - - as we have been poured into. This year we have to work hard and pray even harder. Everyday as we fight for our family, we want to give you the inspiration to fight for yours.

For any chance there is a dad/husband out there reading this post, this is for you. Let me apologize if your wife made you read this. I’m sure many days you may have looked at your wife and said “you get on my nerves”, and if you did not say it you thought it. It’s O.K., because at the end of the day you know you would not want to be in the fight with anyone else but her. You know that you are better together than apart. And, every area of your life that you are looking to enhance or make better you will find in each other. (Admittedly however, the only thing I have given up looking for in April is a home-cooked meal. She is the only person I know that will burn a bowl of cereal).

Funny thing is, I’ve learned to accept April’s whack cooking ability in exchange for my whack selective memory. So it all works out in the end….as it will continue to work out for all of us. By the way, I am learning to cook, but thank God both of our mothers live within walking distance.

Tim

09/01/2015

2015 Mantra: Ready or Not – Here I Come
Monthly Tool: Self-Acceptance
Daily Fuel: It’s not Perfect, but it’s Progress!

Hello Friends!

This Fb page serves as the official launch of, what Tim and I hope to be, a life-long commitment to inspiring, informing, and advancing working-class families and their children.

One of the reasons Tim and I started this initiative was due to our own hopes, challenges, and dreams as a working family. Throw in a set of 12-week premature twins, early career transitions, entrepreneurial prospects, and the return to post-graduate school and … well … let’s just say that we’ve been fighting the good fight of faith for quite some time now!

Fast forward a few years to 2015 and we’ve found ourselves embarking upon our 40th birthday, raising middle-school aged twins, and in the midst of determining major life decisions as we question whether or not we have the courage, strength, and DISCIPLINE to live a more purposeful, intentional, and meaningful life.

Interestingly, as Tim and I began to consider and combine our passion and purpose for life, we reflected on the dozens (if not hundreds) of families we’ve encountered over the years who are also in the midst of “being”, “doing”, and “persevering” while “waiting”, “wondering”, and “working”. Parents and spouses who fell down and got back up again. Single mom and dads who started over and are trying again. Working-class families who are determined to fight for a better future.

Tim is chiming in as I write this and he’s saying to me, “You know April, it’s not that we aren’t blessed or that we don’t appreciate all that God has done, it’s just that we know there is more that God has planned for us … there is a better life to be lived …

(ummmm apparently Tim is confiscating my laptop and is now taking over this post)

Listen Here – I’ve got about five minutes to say what I’m going to say and then I’ve got to get back to cookin’ the chicken seeing as how our son boycotted April’s last “home cooked meal” (eh emmm).

FIRST OF ALL – know this … we realize that as working families your time is precious and valuable and you shouldn’t be spending all your time reading a bunch of hour-long facebook sermonettes on “gettin’ your life. So as a rule, April and I are going to practice the art of “less being more” and reduce our thoughts to a maximum of 2 – 3 paragraphs. Now, these initial post may run-on a tab cuz you know April can talk - - and she does not have a clue about social media etiquette since she literally refused to entertain any of it until a few days ago. NEVERTHELESS, we are on a mission for families so bare with us … I promise it will be worth it!

Secondly, the great orator Bishop T.D. Jakes summed this all up really quick for us when he stated, “There are millions of individuals who could take the hand you’ve been dealt and WIN WITH IT!”. Therefore, the issue is not whether we, as working families, are grateful, prayerful, careful, purposeful, or capable, rather the issue is whether or not we have the discipline to be obedient to our own God inspired priorities and mission. And with that discipline there comes a type of pressure to stand against seemingly insurmountable odds, to trust in the invisible and believe in the impossible, and overtake our doubting mind by the spirit of Christ and declare victories before the battles are over.

But let me bring it back because the last thing I want to do is get all preachy right now. The interesting thing about these Fb post April and I will kick out is that they’ll probably read more like a transcript of sorts. You see, April & I … we’re committing ourselves to fighting for our best most meaning life, and these post will kinda be like conversations we’re having as we encourage and help our own set of circumstances.

Our hope is that this page evolves into a faith-based platform for working-class families to relate, rejuvenate, and elevate. We don’t have the answers but what we do have is the will to fight and the humility to be transparent as we do, so we that we might help you fight for yours.

Let’s run this race together, step by step, day by day …

And we will guarantee you just one thing … it won’t be perfect but it will be progress!

Be Well
~Tim & April

Tim & I wholeheartedly believe in the ability, strength, and impact of working-class families. We have committed to investing in as many lives as we can reach through the creation of tools & resources that inspire, inform, and advance working parents and their children. PLEASE feel free to inbox your email address and contact information so that we may personally update you on the development and launch of our new resources and upcoming book!