Inspire. Influence. Impact.
"Attend to the needs of others."
"Go! Get the Poor, Orphans, Widows (POWs)."
"Reach, Teach and Mobilize"
"Attend to the needs of others."
"Go! Get the Poor, Orphans, Widows (POWs)."
"Reach, Teach and Mobilize"
Hi! I'm Taurus (a Capricorn) and I use what I have to attend to the needs of others and positively Inspire, Influence and Impact the world around me. "Minister" reminds me of what I MUST DO FOR OTHERS.
I compose and produce Moody Instrumental Music that I also call Life Story Muusic.
As a child, I was always music-minded - making music with my hands and buckets, bottles and cans on the streets of SE Washington, DC ("junkyard" bands). I eventually became the drummer for the US Air Force Academy Cadet Gospel Choir, even though I had never played on a drum kit. Later, I started composing and producing as drummer for the Ogden, Utah Gospel-Jazz band, The Upper Room.
VISION is my 2018 instrumental music collection (concept album) of songs expressing my story of living through the loss of my eyesight. I am using the money I raise by selling this album to fund my VISION mentoring program for young boys.
As a follower of Jesus Christ and ordained minister, I work to help build up others in this faith. My desire is to glorify God in all I do, while helping others reach their full potential in Christ.
I started the online community taurusjames.com as a place where Christ followers could help and build one another up. Using the concept of the GYM as a framework for biblical living, I present thoughts, questions and insights from my own personal faith-walk with Christ as a catalyst for introspection and discussion.
The GYM is the place where God, You and the Mission come together. Whether you knew it or not, as a Christ follower, you are already in the GYM. The question is: "What are you doing in the GYM?"
Minister Fitness is part of my Kingdom Fitness Academy.
Branch Finalist
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
(#MSOY16)
Tell us a little bit about you!
Male Military Spouse (US Air Force), Stay-At-Home-Dad (SAHD), US Military Veterans Advocate, Moody instrumental Musician, Minister, Teacher, Web Developer and IT Specialist with a passion for using the latest Internet technologies to promote individual artistic expression.
"Faithwalk Music" (TaurusJames.com) is where you can learn more about my life, faith, family, music and work.
Share something funny/random/interesting about you
I'm a Capricorn and an introvert. This is hard.
Let's see, I love helping people and I'm comfortable being in the background. That's one reason why I'm a drummer. As a self-taught musician/composer and programmer, I love challenges. I love using what I learn to help others more.
What is something you've learned from being a military spouse?
Love hard, love fast and love often.
The frequent moves force me to get involved in the community quickly and work to form friendships. With each move, I have gotten a little better at creating a home environment for my wife and daughter that is filled with laughs and hugs.
In your opinion, what is one of the most important issues facing military families?
Divorce is one of the most important issues facing military families. The stresses and uncertainty that come with the military lifestyle challenge marriages, pushing many past the breaking point.
When the military family is broken by divorce, it can have a negative impact on on our military strength.
We have plenty of resources available to help military families in this area. I'm simply passing on the resources and information, as needed.
In your opinion, what is one of the best aspects of being in a military family?
The life-long relationships resulting from connecting with other military families is one of the best aspects of being a military family. Knowing that you are not alone really helps make this journey easier.
What is one thing you would want to accomplish with the MSOY title?
I want to help make people aware of the growing diversity of military spouses, including the growing number of male military spouses. I also want to help male military spouses connect with the people and information they need.
I am humbled and grateful for the MSOY Base title and I will use it to serve as a voice and face for military spouses.
With the overall MSOY title, I would continue to help military spouses and their families any way that I can to show them that they are not alone in this journey.
We applaud every military spouse, the unsung heroes who maintain the home-front during lengthy deployments, selflessly give back to their communities through volunteer work, and provide moral support for their loved ones serving both at home and in harm’s way. On behalf of Armed Forces Insurance, we salute each of you!
- Garry L. Parks, Lieutenant General, USMC (Ret), Chairman of Armed Forces Insurance
I've been a military spouse for more than 20 years. I do whatever I can to make my wife and daughter laugh and smile, daily. As a military spouse, I've learned to love hard, love fast and love often. When it's time to move, the pain is good because it means I experienced love.
Unfortunately, many males who become military spouses don't make it. It's a non-traditional role and there wasn't a lot of support available, until recently.
I teamed up with Chris Pape and built the online male military spouse community web site, MachoSpouse.com. I figured that I could build a platform to help bring men together and get the information and assistance they need to try and help reverse this divorce trend.
My dad is a Vietnam veteran and I don't feel that he ever received the gratitude or respect that he deserved. He's my hero. One of many black men who served our nation in Vietnam, only to return to a different kind of battle.
Freedom is not free. The men and women who step up to serve this great nation deserve our gratitude and respect. That's the least we can do as American citizens.
I built the VeteransInfoSite.com website to do more. I want to make people aware of the needs of our heroes - our US Military Veterans. I also want to help get our military veterans and their families the information and resources they need.
Please, remember our POWs and MIAs.
They still wait.
Their families still wait.
"Army of One" is the nickname Mark Lesser gave me, while the two of us built a lead generation platform for a large financial company. I demonstrated my values - Integrity, Service and Excellence - to Mark and others to earn the name.
Integrity first, Service before self and Excellence in all I do - These are the core values I live by. I like for my work to speak for itself.
If you have an Internet project you need help with, or a computer problem you need solved, contact me. I'm an I.T. Master...at your service.