Dr. Lydia Goodin, Senior Pastor and Founder
Dr. Lydia Goodin was born in Fort Pierce, Florida and graduated from Lincoln Park Academy. Upon graduation, she received a music scholarship to attend Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida. She was elected the Freshman Class Vice-President and sang in the renowned Bethune-Cookman Concert Chorale. Under the tutelage of the late Dr. Thomas Demps, she sang with the chorale as they recorded an album and toured across America, Israel, Greece and France. Dr. Goodin moved to Austin, Texas and matriculated with a Music/ Elementary Education degree while employed at Huston-Tilloston College. Upon returning to Florida, she later received her master’s degree in Reading from Nova University.
Dr. Goodin is the Founder and Pastor of Just As I Am International Ministries. The church’s focus is “Healing for the Hurt, Hindred, Hopeless and Helpless.” She was reared as a member of Triumph The Church and Kingdom of God in Christ where she served as an Ordained Elder/Evangelist, Prophetess, musician, Music Consultant, School of Wisdom Teacher and Youth Minister. She is a singer in her own right and has ministered to Winnie Mandela, Senator Carol Mosely-Braum, and most importantly her mother. She is a tenured teacher in the Miami-Dade County School System. Her life has been committed to helping children and she has a major vision for teenage parents and underprivileged children.
Dr. Goodin the host of the 2007 Stellar Award winning station, AM 1490 WMBM’s “Evening Blessings”, airing daily at www.wmbm.com, where she serves as the Assistant Program and Music Director. Dr. Goodin is the recipient of numerous local and national awards which include, 2007-Induction into the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame, 2005-Miami-Dade Cultural Ambassadors Award, 2004-The Aunt Pauline Wells Award for bringing power, influence and support to the members of the James Cleveland GMWA/Gospel Announcer’ Guild, which has a registered fifteen hundred gospel announcers around the world, 2002-The Delores “Sugar” Poindexter Award for bringing strength to the organization, 1999-WMBM Spirit Award in Music and in 1997-the prestigious Deacon Willie McKinstry award. Among these awards, in March 2001, the GMWA/Gospel Announcer’s Guild Board members nominated Dr. Goodin, the only female nominated, for its highest honor, The 2001 Gospel Announcer of the Year.
Dr. Goodin is a highly honored and decorated veteran of the music industry, but most of all she is a “visionary”. In 2004, she had the vision of all the sisters of GMWA/GAG uniting in prayer in a unity service prior to the opening of the convention. During this service, the sisterhood honors a grandmother who has custody of her grandchildren. The grandmother is selected by the community of the GMWA hosting city. The Holy Spirit utilized her gift to impress upon her to start a gospel networking organization for the growth and development of Florida talent and on February 22, 1992, she founded Gosplosion. She is also the originator of the ‘3G’ Foundation which is securing the educational future of the children of the late Elder Glenn Lee.
Dr. Goodin’s favorite scriptures include: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase.” Proverbs 3:5-9 and “I will lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” Psalms 121:1.
She is the mother of LeMoyne and LaTshia, and a dotting grandmother, affectionately called Goodie by Younikue, LeJani, Josiah and LeMoyne II. Dr. Goodin’s greatest inspiration always came from her daughter who was challenged with Sickle Cell Anemia. In 1980, Mr. and Mrs. Goodin were told by their doctor that LaTshia would not live to twelve years old. In 2009, she left this world at the age of thirty-two and through all of her health struggles, she never complained or allowed her illness to be an excuse not to persevere in life. Dr. Goodin’s hobbies include: reading (her favorite book is “Tough Times Don’t Last – But Tough People Do” by Robert Schuler), writing plays, watching football and basketball games, listening to classical music, water fights, traveling, meeting new people, and especially spreading “AGAPE LOVE” to all mankind.