The Flywire

Junetta Barnes THICKER THAN WATER Timothy 6:10 Text: Nikia Wainwright-Vaughan Junetta Barnes, co-star of Bravo's new reality series, "Thicker Than Water" is a wife, First Lady, mother, entrepreneur and a child of God. Can one have prosperity in the church? Should one think that "God wants us all to be millionaires?" Well Junetta explains how God does want us all to be blessed with good fortune, but not necessarily in the form of money. Junetta Barnes was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. She experienced "The Motor City" during the bustling 90's. "It was awesome growing up in Detroit back then. It's just sad the current state the city is in and how it has declined." When Junetta, middle child to Earthel and June LaGreen, was growing up, she and her sisters, Jewel, the star of Thicker than Water and Junice, were blessed to grow up in a two parent household. Her family owned LaGreen's Records. "We lived in the record store." Stars and recording artists were always in and out of LaGreen's. The family was just honored in Detroit paying homage to LaGreen's. Her parents, who just recently celebrated their 46 years of marriage, did not necessarily raise them on a church foundation. They were Christians however. "We were an Easter and Christmas family. We believed that attending church on these days would keep them out of hell." Junetta says her father, was a vital part of history in Detroit. It was rare for an African American to prosper in entrepreneurship and be successful back then. Junetta is proud of that fact. Perhaps this is where her drive of entrepreneurship comes from. A strong foundation in a belief certainly can carry a legacy, especially if it is a positive one. Junetta was living in Tennessee when she met her husband, Rev. George J. Barnes through a friend online. Yes, she was "very leery" at first. "It was three weeks to a month Photos: P.A. Greene before I even gave him my phone number. I had to make sure he wasn't crazy." They talked on the phone for about two months then she flew to Baltimore saying, " I love love love Baltimore! The first time I came to Baltimore, I cried. Yes I was excited to see my boo too, but my experience was awesome. He took me to the Harbor and I was done." One particular weekend during their relationship, Rev. Barnes drove 12 hours both ways to see Junetta. Stopped to take breaks in his travel and made it back on time to go straight to work that Monday at Johns Hopkins. Now that is love! Especially with these gas prices. The rest is history. Fast forward to today. Junetta's oldest sister Jewel and Brother in Law, Ben Tankard a Grammy nominated recording artist/Pastor are stars of Bravo's Thicker Than Water. The Tankards believe "God wants us all to be Millionaires." How does Junetta feel about her in-laws belief? Chuckling, Junetta responds, "I love them, I don't always agree with everything. God wants us all to be blessed, in all forms, not necessarily with money." Junetta says "Yes, God wants us to have a good self image ... a good heart, being at peace, happy and yes becoming financially stable and not to struggle." People often stray away from church, especially mega churches, because they believe that the Bishops, Pastors and Elders, use money and flaunt it and not give back to the needy. However, when asked how she felt about "The Mega Church?" Junetta thinks that "God wants his church to grow. That's what church is for, spreading the good news and saving souls. We need an Army, so yes the church should always need and want to increase in size." Junetta explains that she and her husband of ten years, Rev. George J. Barnes, do not take a salary from their church, Elevation Chapel and Church located at 2931 E. Madison The Flywire 26

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