Host of “Judge Hatchett” TV
show for 8 years, now in syndication
Georgia's first African-American Chief Presiding Judge of a
state court and dept.
Fmr. head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country
Senior attorney
(litigating cases in federal courts throughout the country) and Mgr. of Public Relations (supervising
global crisis management and media relations for all of Europe, Asia and the United States) for Delta
Airlines
Graduate of Mt. Holyoke College and Emory University School of Law and completed a
coveted clerkship in the U.S. Federal Courts
GUEST
Judge Hatchett: Dare To Take Charge
By
The 700 Club
Original Air Date: October 8, 2010
CBN.com
– For eight years, Judge Glenda Hatchett hosted her self-titled TV show, which is now in nationwide syndication. What has set her show apart from other courtroom shows is her unique decisions and “mother’s heart” for those she presides over. She has helped thousands of people on her show, but this is not her only venture. She has started a movement called “Parent Power Now” and has a call-in show on Mondays where she gives advice to questions from listeners.
Judge Hatchett learned early from her father that she had to “write her own story,” to take charge of her life and live it with passion and courage. After college, she became the highest ranking African-American woman at Delta Airlines. For 10 years she had dual roles as Delta’s senior attorney and manager of public relations. Then another opportunity presented itself. A friend told her there was a position open for the chief presiding judge of juvenile court in Atlanta, GA – one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country. There were over sixty candidates vying for the position. Glenda didn’t make her final decision until she prayed about it. She ultimately took the position.
One week into being the Chief Presiding Juvenile Judge she knew she found her passion. A frightened eight-year-old boy appeared before her court basically abandoned in a shelter by his crack-addicted mother. The Judge’s heart was broken looking at his piteous state. She climbed down from the judge’s bench, unzipped her robe and took him into her arms as he just trembled. She then pursued his mother, charging sheriff’s deputies with having her in court in five hours after she determined to charge her with abandonment, etc. Though the process was rocky, the mother finally caught the vision and desired to not lose her parental rights. She said she wanted her son and committed to rehab and changed her life. The process took longer than the Judge planned, but months later, the little boy was returned to his mother before Christmas.
For eight and a half years, she presided over similar cases. Then she stepped down from the bench and took a private sabbatical. She was thinking about going back into the corporate world. Two years later, she was offered her own courtroom TV show Judge Hatchett. To this day, she still prays for the people she encounters. Judge Glenda has always been interested in holistic solutions for families. This is why she started “Parent Power Now” and speaks around the country. “Parent Power Now” is currently about 1,000 families strong…and growing. On her website as a special project with “Parent Power Now” she is having “One Million Children Posting Their Dreams,” which is a project God inspired her to do. She is already receiving a great response from children in over 20 countries.
Judge Hatchett says that daring to take charge is about creating accessing, and being ready for possibilities when they arrive. Some of the practical steps are to take action, to define your own goals, to try new things and tread unfamiliar ground, and to never give up. Daring to take charge will bring your dreams back into focus. If you dare, doors will open, but you also have to have a plan. Dreams and desires only become hard to reach when we fail to purposefully devote ourselves to achieving them. Living life to the fullest takes nerve and optimism.
Web Exclusive Video
Go behind the scenes of her appearance on The 700 Club on In The Green Room.
Many people are in a place in their lives where they feel stuck. We have wonderful lives that God has given us and we need to be living the lives God has called us to. It is important to know that our past does not have to define our future. God’s grace is about the fact that we can get up again. We have to live it on. We can choose to be victims or victorious.
Many times, we fail to see the goodness in our lives. Judge Hatchett also says we have to be intentional about being joyful. A good way to do this is by keeping a “joy journal” to write down the good things in our lives and what we are thankful for. This helps us keep our focus on God and the purpose He has for our lives.
Judge Hatchett’s parents were a great influence in her life, especially her father. Her parents were very clear about their faith. They taught her and her siblings early that they had to have their own direct relationship with God, no piggy-backing from mom and dad. This was very clear and prayer was the source of strength. She grew up in a small Baptist church (which she still attends today.)
Over the years, her faith has grown. It was tested when her father died 17 years ago suddenly. At a very early age her father instilled in her that you had to take what you had and write your own story (figuratively). In other words, you had to take responsibility of your life and not just drift through it.
To this day, people always stop her and let her know how the Judge Hatchett show has helped change their lives. The power of prayer continues to be an anchor in her life. She says we have to be in partnership with God and live life with purpose and intention. It is important to do what we have in our power to do. God has blessed us in that we can do that with Him.
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