originally posted By Mark Duell
Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music’s queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died on Saturday. She was aged 48. MailOnline looks back at the life of the star singer who was pronounced dead in her room of the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, California
Child: Houston, pictured in 1965, was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin
Child: Houston, pictured in 1965, was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin
Young star: Whitney Houston belts out a song during her segment of a benefit concert at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, in May 1986
Young star: Whitney Houston belts out a song during her segment of a benefit concert at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, in May 1986
Prizes: Whitney Houston shows off the seven awards she won in February 1993 at the American Music Awards. At her peak, she was the golden girl of music
Fun: Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown with their daughter Bobbi at Bobby’s 25th birthday at Tavern On The Green in New York City in February 1984
Famous friend: South African President Nelson Mandela and Whitney Houston smile for photographers in Johannesburg
Couple: Actress and singer Whitney Houston and her husband Bobby Brown pose for photographers in New York City in October 1997. They divorced in 2007
Passion: Houston performs during the Billboard Awards at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, in December 1998. She sold more than 55 million records in the U.S.
Relatives: In this January 1998 photo, singer Houston, left, celebrates her win at the American Music Awards with her mother, Cissy, and brother, Gary, in Los Angeles
Pointing out: Houston performs before winning the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 42nd annual Grammy Awards, in this photo taken in February 2000
Performance: Houston on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York in September 2000. She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals
Flamboyant hair: Houston performs during a concert for ABC television’s ‘Good Morning America’ show, in New York in December 2002
Looking to the sky: Houston emerges from the waters of the River Jordan near the Sea of Galilee during a Holy Land pilgrimage, in May 2003
Family: Houston, centre, poses with her former husband, singer Bobby Brown, right, and their daughter Bobbi, left, at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in August 2004
Clapping: Houston gestures at the Clive Davis pre-Grammy party in Beverly Hills, California, in this photo taken in February 2008. Houston died aged 48 on Saturday
Personality: Houston looks on while appearing on the German TV game show ‘Wetten Dass’ (Bet it…?) in Freiburg, in this photo taken in October 2009
Special star: Houston bows after performing ‘I Didn’t Know My Own Strength’ at the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California, in November 2009
Public appreciation: Houston performs at the Pre-Grammy Gala & Salute to Industry Icons in this file photo taken in Beverly Hills in February 2011
Sad ending: Houston looked worse for wear as she left Tru Hollywood nightclub this week, just a few days before she was found dead in a hotel room on Saturday
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
My reason for posting this pictorial is two fold. I enjoyed Whitney Houston’s music and her voice expressed such passion that no one could turn a deaf ear. For this reason, I just wanted a little tribute to her here. My primary reason, however, for posting this is to
bring awareness to Addiction. Don’t remember Ms Houston for her Addiction, remember her for her talent as well as her struggle in life to find peace. This struggle led to her Addiction. The common thread she has with all who battle Addiction is that all suffer despair…the underlying cause of all Addiction. How the despair arrives in one’s life could be one event or many; however, Addiction provides the false comfort…only initially…, to create a false “feel good” sense that drags people down into darkness, so horrific, that it’s almost impossible to end without a loved one intervening to rescue them. Only 3% to 5% of those in Addiction will come out and survive. I know because I am one of the victorious survivors! My ministry with Bill (my husband) is to rescue those in Addiction and teach them & their loved ones that there is a permanent
way out without “steps”, without “wagons”, without sponsors, without meetings, without being told they have a “fake disease” and without a moment more of further bondage. Most importantly, all are taught that they are
Addicts No More. No branding; Being forced to make ongoing admissions that they are addicts and will always be addicts, only keeps them in Addiction. There
does exist freedom from Addiction that last
forever along with attaining the joy of being able to look forward to a
normal life with endless possibilities.
I pray for peace, comfort and closure to all those who are family, friends & fans of Ms Houston during their time of grieving; however, I pray more that Addiction Awareness is furthered and extends to discovering what our ministry has already accomplished. Our discovery is that Addiction is not a disease, it is a choice…Addiction of all types have a permanent end with no further bondage…and, those in Addiction need to be Rescued by loved ones.
Much Love in Jesus,
Dina
The Heart of Addiction: A Biblical Perspective
The Heart of Addiction Workbook
Whitney Houston - The Greatest Hits
GO SHOPPING FOR ANYTHING UNDER THE SUN