Healing From the Inside Out

New Year...New Hope!

2012-01-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

I know. I know. It seemed like I fell off the face of the earth. It's been six months since I last posted something. THAT is outrageous even for me. I have taken procrastination to a whole new level, but with a new year, brings new hope.

I have been in a season of testing. I know without a doubt what my purpose is, but even knowing that, I have still been vulnerable to the enemy's attacks on my mind at times. That is why it is so important to know who you are in Christ. That is the only way that we will be able to put the enemy in his place. Because I knew that Christ had saved me and delivered me from the enemy, I knew what to do. I knew that I had to listen for God's voice by meditating and reading His word, and I knew that I had to stay in prayer and surround myself with others who knew how to pray. The enemy is already defeated--he just doesn't want us to know that. God has given us everything we need to conquer the enemy...right inside of us. We just have to call on Him.

This year, I will attempt to take our discussions in a new direction. Our church has begun to really step up our efforts to evangelize. To let others know about the goodness of the Lord. My hope is that through this medium we will together become enlightened in that area. That we will grow together, and that we will use everything we learn to be soul winners for Christ.

If you have any thoughts on the subject of evangelism, please let us know about it. The only way we can defeat the enemy at his schemes is if we work together.

Until next time...

Be blessed!

2011-07-18T18:36:00.000-07:00

This is a new Day!

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
—Psalm 118:24

God is moving like never before. He has called us to a higher purpose and it’s time to stop being afraid. To stop walking like we don’t know who we are or what we can do. John 14:12 says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (NIV)” God would never give us a work to do and then not give us everything we need to succeed. That’s not the kind of God we serve.

This month, my focus has been on faith. I know what God can do and even though I do, I still have doubts every now and then. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have faith, it just means that I am not exercising it like I should. I know that there is nothing wrong with my faith; the problem is with my relationship with Christ. I have been taking Him for granted and when I neglect my time with the Father, I feel weak and powerless.

I guess that’s how I should feel. As a follower of Christ, I am to do whatever is necessary to maintain that connection to the Father and when I don’t do that, I should feel weak. I can’t make it without Him and I’m not supposed to. I love the Lord more than anything. I read His word; I pray, I stay connected to my church and I check in regularly with my accountability buddies, but I don’t love on Him the way I should. I know that He will be there no matter what and I sometimes take that for granted. I know that no matter what I do, He won’t stop loving me. I do all of those things, but I have learned that God expects more.

God wants us to come to Him for everything. Not just those things we can’t handle. Don’t let the enemy trick you into believing anything else. He will whisper things that are untrue. Don’t you believe him. He is a liar and the truth in not in him. Walk knowing that you carry The King within you.

This is a new day. In Isaiah 43:19, it says, "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." You have the choice right now to change your thinking. God has a plan for you. Don’t let the enemy keep you from it. We will make mistakes…sometimes the same ones over and over again. Just take those mistakes and let them catapult you into your future. Don’t let them stop you. Learn to lean fully on the one who can keep you from falling. He will show you great and mighty things—if you let Him.

We have victory in Jesus, we just have to believe it.

2011-04-23T12:45:00.001-07:00

Greetings!

Here we are at the end of April. Spring is in full bloom. Rain is replenishing the earth and the trees and plants are starting to respond. New life...

This is my favorite time of year. I love new beginnings. It's our opportunity to do it over. Maybe you didn't get that project started yet or you went off your diet after two weeks...or you really meant to consistently update your blog (it's a work in progress). This is your do over. That's what God did when He sent His Son to the cross. God was saying that He knew we were not perfect, but His love for us was so strong and so deep that He was willing to devise a plan to bring us back to Him. He wasn't willing to let us go. What an awesome God!

In this month, we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is also the time to reflect and take note of what we have done with our lives. Are we really making the most of our time and our talents? Are we doing what we can to help win souls to Christ? Our mission is to stay the course, keep the faith and never, never give up. Yep, we are going to make mistakes, but that's what learning is all about. There is no condemnation in Christ, so when you make a mistake, repent, ask for forgiveness and then move on. It's that simple...we just make it hard.

So, in this month of new beginnings...simply begin again.

Be blessed!

In Celebration

2011-02-01T15:15:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

As you read this, we are well into 2011. You may also notice that I have been a little slow in posting lately. With so many ways to communicate, it is sometimes hard to keep up. It’s an all day event to read your emails, update your blog, check in with Facebook, try to stay LinkedIn and Tweet. I was speaking with a friend recently and we were talking about how many different ways there are of communicating. The funny thing is...with so many ways you would think that families would be closer and we’d talk to friends more, but sadly that’s not the case.

One of my missions this year is to love more and to not spend so much time trying to keep up with technology. I don’t want to become so technically inclined that I forget how to have a real conversation.

The other thing I want to do this year is to learn to celebrate. I’m not talking about just the big things—I want to celebrate everything. I want to celebrate when God opens a door, but I also want to celebrate when He closes one. I want to celebrate the special occasions, but I also want to celebrate the little things like being able to walk without assistance. I want to celebrate having a great day, but I also want to celebrate simply waking up.

Simply put…I want to live purposefully. I want my life to reflect how grateful I am to God for everything. Even the things I don’t yet know about. He has kept me through some really rough times and He keeps me still. So this year I’m going to honor Him by loving you and celebrating Him.

How about you?

Until next time…

Be blessed!

More Than Thankful

2010-11-26T15:13:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

I cannot believe we just celebrated Thanksgiving. It's incredible to think that we are almost at the end of the year and as usual it makes me think back over the past year. I start wondering if I've accomplished at least some of the things I set out to do. I know that I’ve fallen short on a few of the things I wanted to achieve, but I have gone so much further in others, that it makes up for the ones that I may have missed.

This time of year also makes me think about the things that I am grateful for. The dictionary lists grateful as being appreciative of benefits received; thankful. Although, that is a good start, it doesn’t seem like enough when it comes to God. That means then that we have to show Him how grateful we are. But how do we do that you might ask? We do that through worship and praise. That means that we have to praise Him not because He’s done things for us, but simply because He is.

If we really understood the power that comes from loving and living for God, we would never stop praising Him! We have got to learn how to let go and really focus on God without having an agenda. So, this year, that's what my personal goal is going to be. I'm going to learn how to let God be God in my life and stop trying to understand everything. I don't need to know the plan, I just need to trust the man who does.

How many of you are ready to join me?

Until next time...

Be blessed!

God is doing a new thing!

2010-10-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

This month, I want to talk to you about God's blessings. The past couple of months have been so awesome. God has blessed me in ways that I can't even explain. To start, I accepted God's call into the ministry and did my initial sermon on August 27th. That alone would have been enough, but He didn't stop there. I was one of the participants at the Baltimore Book Festival with the Black Writers Guild on September 19th, and this month, I did a radio interview with Doresa Harvey of Heaven 600 and had a book signing at A Quiet Place Book Store in Baltimore.

God has really been showing me that once I stop trying to figure it all out by myself, and take the limits off of what He can do in my life, He will show me things that I never even imagined and take me places that I have never been. And guess what? This is only the beginning. Praise God!

I was recently at a Women's Ministry meeting at my church and at a certain point in the meeting, the Director always asks us to share in any testimonies, words of encouragement, etc. Well, if anyone should have a testimony it should have been me, right? You would think that I, the author of "Let My Life Be A Testimony" would definitely have something to share. I sat there feeling like I was going to burst, because God had been so good to me that I didn't even know where to start, but that night, I didn't share--almost no one did. The Director had to go around the room and just point out the different ways that she knew we had been blessed. That was embarrassing.

Later that night, when I was on my way home I wondered why I didn't share the many blessings that God had been pouring over my life and I realized it was because I felt almost like I would be bragging. How crazy is that?!!! That's exactly what the enemy wants us to believe. That no one cares about our blessings. That there are people who are really hurting and here you are being blessed and you have the nerve to tell everybody about it. When the Holy Spirit revealed what I was doing, I made a promise not to do that again.

The only way that we can truly be free in the Lord is if we come to Him with an open heart, believing that everything we are going through, good and bad, serves a purpose in the plan. When God moves you to share, stop second guessing Him and just do it. We have to learn to celebrate the wonder of God and all the things He is doing to us and through us.

So, that means that when God blesses you--tell somebody. Yes, you are bragging, but you're bragging about the goodness of your Father--not you. It's all about Him.

Until next time...

Be blessed!

2010-09-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

This month, I wanted to share with you an event I went to that may be helpful to you or a writer you know.

On Saturday, September 4th, The Black Writers Guild hosted How to Publish Your Book at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland. A panel of writers presented information on everything from the writing process to what publishers to use.

The panelists included, Karla Brady, JC Faulk, Agnes N. Hopps and James S. Wright (please visit www.blackwritersguild.org) for more information on these writers. Also, one of the writers, Karla Brady, has documented her journey on her blog at cheapindieauthor.blogspot.com. The site includes several articles and links that will help any writer achieve their goal of becoming a published author.

Please also visit the following for upcoming events:

September
www.baltimorebookfestival.org.
www.aaculturalfestival.com/cms/

October
Book signing for Let My Life Be A Testimony at A Quiet Place (see Web site for details)
www.quietbooks.org

Until next time!

Be blessed

The favor of God

2010-07-17T08:16:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

There is so much going on that I hardly know where to start. God has been growing me and changing me and using me in ways that I never expected. Since the creative writing class that I facilitated in June, God has been placing people in my life to show me just how awesome He really is. I have always been a firm believer that prayer works, but He is showing me a whole new level of faith.

You all know how I had been battling with marketing my book. Well, the last straw came from the IRS of all people. I had been paying my taxes on a quarterly basis and about a month ago, the IRS sent me a letter telling me that I only needed to pay my taxes every six months. Ok, I don’t know about you, but at the time, what that said to me was that I wasn’t making enough sales to even be bothered with sending every three months.

Then God spoke to my spirit and said FAVOR. I didn’t understand that…how that could be God’s favor I didn’t know. What God was saying is that the success of my book is not about how many sales I make. It’s about how many lives He was able to touch through me. Now, my flesh still wants to sell a million copies, but my spirit is saying thank you Jesus! My prayer for my book was that it would be a blessing to someone and God let me see that many times. I have talked to people who have said how much that little book really blessed them.

God didn’t have to do that, but He did because He wanted me to learn how to believe in the power of prayer. I was focusing on the things I could see or hear instead of what I know about God. I just thank Him that He doesn’t give up on us and that when our hearts stay open to us He will fill us with His wisdom and knowledge and THAT is worth more than any amount of money or confirmation from people I could ever receive.

Until next time…

Be blessed!

Don't be afraid to try.

2010-06-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

This year is going by so quickly that it is hard to believe that we are in the month of June already. Well, actually, we are almost in July. When the year began, I had so many things I wanted to accomplish. I had a plan, but I forgot God’s plan trumps mine. God is definitely doing a new thing. He has raised the standard; actually not raised the standard, because the standard has always been there...maybe now He is holding us accountable.

This month, I had the pleasure of leading a creative writing class. I have had so much fun and have been so blessed that I am actually beginning to look forward to my next assignment. Even though I was a little nervous in the beginning, I just kept praying and believing that God had a plan and a purpose and I just had to keep my eyes focused on Him. He began to show me things about myself and about the students who sacrificed to take the class. We have each grown a little in taking this class. There were connections made that will continue way beyond that class. Some opened up about dreams that they were too afraid to believe were possible. God let each one of us know that we had the power to begin again and that the only way the devil could win is if we let him.

The enemy is tricky, but I realized he was just doing his job. We just have to make sure we are doing ours. We have to stay in God’s Word and then believe what He says. Don’t let the lies the enemy tries to tell you keep you from God’s promises. God has something special for you if you just don’t give up.

This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. —Psalm 118:24

Trust Him and then just take that first step.

Until next time..

Be blessed!

Going the distance

2010-05-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

The last few months have been a whirlwind of activity. God has been moving and shifting. And letting me know that He is still in charge. As many of you know, speaking in public is not one of my favorite things. So, how come The Holy Spirit led me to be in a play?

In April, I was in a play called, "Saved, but Not Delivered." The play was written by the First Lady of Greater Victory and Deliverance, Elder Phyllis Cornish of Baltimore, Maryland. I played the part of one of the angels dispatched to the garden of Gethsemane to minister to our Lord, Jesus Christ. I was so nervous that I could hardly sit still, but God really showed Himself strong and it was an awesome experience. Now, God has me teaching a writing class. And not just one class, but for the entire month of June!

At first, I went through the same exercise that I normally do whenever I have to speak in front of a group..."no one is going to want to hear what I have to say, I'm still learning myself how am I going to know how to guide someone when I need guidance myself." But I've learned that those things are just the tricks the enemy will use to keep me from what God has for me. I have learned to pray and let God do what God does. I make sure that I am prepared and then I trust God to see me through.
When you are a child of God, He will never let you get into a situation that you aren't equipped to handle. Believe that and then just do it!

I pray that you are allowing God to grow you past your nervousness. That you walk with Him, not in front of Him. And that you embrace all that God has called you to be.

Until next time...

Be blessed.

2010-03-15T17:17:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I pray that each of you has begun to explore your gifts or have at least begun the process to find out what your gifts are. I believe that when God blesses you with a gift, He also gives you a desire to want it. We will sometimes go our whole lives never walking in our gifts because we are too afraid to own them. Owning them means that we might somehow fail and the thought of failure for some reason even outweighs the thought of disappointing God.

I recently attended a class on evangelism with the Maryland National Conference on Christian Education held at Poly/Western High School. It wasn't that the class taught me a lot of things I didn't know, but I received a renewed sense of purpose. I know that we each have a job to do and we will be here until we achieve it. I know that walking in who God made you to be is much easier than trying to be something that you are not. And I know that your gift will only fit you.

I don't want to disappoint God. I want Him to be proud of me and I want Him to be able to trust me to do what He has called me to do. One of my dreams has always been to be a great writer. And since God's word says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me"(Philippians 4:13)...I know I can.

There is something so awesome about the way God breathes new life into an old dream.

Until next time...

Be blessed.

2010-02-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord!

God is so awesome and so worthy to be praised. I magnify and glorify His Holy Name.

This month, I wanted to start by letting God know that He is at the head of my life and at the center of my soul. God is just so good. It’s hard to put it into words. Actually, words just don’t do Him justice. At some point, you have to stop talking and just start doing. He deserves all of our praise and I am determined to honor Him in everything I do.

This year has been one of pure emotion. I’m not sure what God has in store for me, but I am learning to trust Him in ways I never have before. He is showing me things about me that I didn’t even know were there. I’m not sure how it’s possible to feel strong and weak at the same time, but I do. The scripture in 2 Corinthians 12:10 is starting to make sense to me, “That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” I am determined that the enemy will not win. He is already defeated and we have to let him know it. The way that we do that is by living this life to the hilt; by embracing every opportunity to show who God is and by working everyday to be a blessing.

I have been rehearsing for an original play written by Pastor Phyllis Cornish that’s scheduled for the end of March. Let me tell you, once I agreed to be in the play, the enemy started getting busy. Every chance he gets, he is using all of the things that I have struggled with, to cause me to feel unsure about my abilities and even to doubt who I know God has made me to be. But God is bigger than any problem he can throw my way and working in this play has been very therapeutic. There have been things that God has revealed to me that I was too afraid to see before. I think allowing myself to open up to my character has caused me to let go of a few things and really embrace some new ones.

Stay tuned…

Be blessed!

2010-01-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

We made it! We are in the first month of a whole new year. This is our opportunity to let go of all the things we should have or could have done in 2009, and embrace all that God has for us in 2010. I have this feeling of excitement and expectation that God is about to do something extraordinary.

When I look back over this past year, I can see how far God has brought me. I have done things I never thought I would do and that is nothing compared to what He is about to show me. I have also seen how He has moved in the lives of the people around me. I have seen family and friends receive blessings over blessings, new members be saved or have decided to re-dedicate their lives to Christ. Our God is so awesome and this year I am challenging you to step out of your comfort zone and let God teach you what real faith is all about.

He wants to show you things that you can’t even imagine. Let Him. He wants to give you the desires of your heart and grant you peace that surpasses all understanding. Let Him. He wants to put you smack dab in the middle of your purpose and let you walk in the destiny that He has mapped out for you. Let Him. This is your chance to take God at His word. Let Him show you just how awesome He is and how powerful you really are.

In the coming months, I will share any information that I think may help with your writing endeavors including, my journey into various stages of writing and marketing. I will also share with you any conferences, seminars or book signings in the Baltimore/Washington area.

Please share any comments, suggestions and tips on writing you may have or feel free to share your writing experiences as you walk in Christ.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Be Blessed!

New Year

2009-12-20T14:37:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord!

What an awesome year it has been. I can't believe that this is the last blog before a whole new year. In some ways, it doesn't seem possible that we are at the end of 2009. It seems like we just celebrated the end of 2008. I just praise God for His mighty works and for the wonderful way in which He continues to bless my life. It has not all been a bed of roses. There were some things that I had to learn to let go of and others that God is still revealing to me. I have had to learn some really tough lessons....the hard way, but in spite of that He has shown me things this year that I never thought possible. Not only did I publish my first book, but I also did my first book signing and learned how to blog!

I'm looking forward in expectation to the things God has in store for me in 2010. There is this feeling of revival that seems to be in the air. I know that God has some great things in store for me and I also see how He is moving in the lives of the people around me. It's amazing to see God's hand move and when we believe in the power of God, nothing is impossible.

My prayer for all of you this year is that you will realize your dream. The one that God has spoken into your heart. The one that you are sometimes too afraid to even think about. The one that says you have to trust Him and step out of your comfort zone. Yep, that one. Don't push it to the back of your mind. Pray about it and then trust God to make it a reality.

I pray that you will trust God in everything and that you will step out in faith and do what God has laid on your heart to do. I'm not going to try to tell you that you won't be afraid and that you won't have doubts, but I will tell you that if you take that first step, God will do the rest....He is faithful to His word. Our job is simply to believe that He can and that He will.

Until next time...

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Be blessed!

Eastpoint Mall Book Fair

2009-11-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

Hello!

This month I joined the Black Writers Guild. The first event with the Guild was a book fair at Eastpoint Mall. I didn't sell a lot of books, but I met some great writers and I learned a lot about sales and marketing. I must admit at one point I felt a little defeated. As I stood there passing out fliers about my book and looking around at the other writers, I realized just how inexperienced I really was and how much I have to learn.

Even though this was my second book fair and I've had a very successful book signing, I haven't really done anything else to market my book. As you all know, that has been my struggle. I was so happy to have completed my book and gotten it published, that the thought of actually standing in front of a crowd or explaining to someone what my book was about just never crossed my mind.

Personally, just having a book was enough. Of course, selling my book is awesome and I can't even explain to you what it feels like every time someone says that my book has blessed them in some way, but I know God is calling me to do more than that. This book wasn't just for me and although I have given away way more than I've sold, there is still more work to be done.

I can't let myself feel defeated because I don't measure up to someone else. God let me see that I was using that as an excuse not to do anything. As long as I don't do anything, I can't look stupid. I can't mess up. I can't fail. God showed me that I was a unique creation and I am not going to do anything like anyone else. I can only do me. I have to use everything I have learned to do what God has called me to do and every time I represent Him at one of these events, I am planting seeds for Him--and He will handle the rest.

Until next time...

2009-10-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

Praise the Lord!

Last month, I did my very first book festival. It was great....I think I'm hooked. The 2009 Baltimore Book Festival was held in the Mt. Washington area of Baltimore City. I learned so much about marketing from networking with the other writers. I was lucky enough to be in the author's tent. It not only gave me the opportunity to network with other writers, it also gave me the opportunity to learn about placement and display and I learned that how you present yourself is just as important as how you present your book.

I had the opportunity to attend a few workshops the day before I was scheduled to exhibit and the workshops I attended helped me to see exactly where I was falling short in my marketing efforts. I learned that marketing is more than calling a few stores and asking a few of your friends to tell people about your book. You really have to be all about getting your name out there. People purchase your book many times, because of you.

I have never had a problem with talking to people one on one, but in order for me to market my book I need to do more than that. I have to remember that God gave me Let My Life Be A Testimony to be a blessing to others, but others won’t know that unless I tell them about it. I have to have a passion for what I’m doing. As a matter of fact, I need to have a passion for everything that I do and I have to keep in mind that I not only represent me--I represent the Father and He has equipped me with everything I need.

Until next time…

Be blessed!

2009-09-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day!

Wow, I can't believe the summer is over already. Although, officially I have not been on vacation for the whole summer my mind and my body has been.

I have been trying really hard to get back to work with my writing and it seems like almost everyone has been asking about my next book. At first, I felt really pressured to get the next book out and I started writing the outline for the next one and doing some research on another. And as you all know, I have really been working hard to embrace speaking in public and learning everything I can about marketing my book....whew! With working a full-time job, trying to be a good wife and all the ministry work that God has been blessing me with, I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed. I started doubting what God was showing me. That's when I knew I had to slow down. I knew I had to re-focus and re-define what I considered success was to me.

One day, I was talking to God about it and trying to straighten up my workspace when God showed me something I wrote when I was in college. At the time, it helped me to put things in perspective and although I wasn't saved at the time, I could see God's hand in my life even then.

Success is...

Success is being alone with you and enjoying it.

Success is not having all the answers and not trying to pretend you do.
Success is being proud of your accomplishments and being happy for the accomplishments of others.
Success is the art of knowing who you are and accepting yourself just as you are.

Success is growing old gracefully and loving every minute of just being alive.

Success is being able to say no and not feel guilty.
Success is eating anything you want and not worrying about what you are going to look like afterwards.
And finally, success is learning to be present in this moment, at this time, with this life and being unafraid of what will be.

I pray that each one of you will learn what success means to you and that you will seek God's will in everything you do, because when you listen for His voice, He will speak to your heart.

Be blessed!

2009-08-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Blessings!

This month has been one of reflection, anticipation and growth. I have been exposed to a whole new level of God's grace.

Learning to stay focused on one thing at a time, one project at a time, one goal at a time is hard for me. I equate everything I do to time. I sometimes feel like I'm running out of time or wasting time. The enemy is tricky and he uses the things that God is trying to deliver us from to keep us off track. I thought that I had learned to listen for God's voice and not to follow where He wasn't leading, but this past weekend I found out that was not the case.

I learned that sometimes we will follow the voice that speaks the loudest. Even when we hear God's voice clearly, we will sometimes doubt what we hear. That reaction is called a lot of different things, but it mainly boils down to being afraid. Sometimes we're caught between wanting to move where God wants us to be and staying where we feel all warm and safe.

I have been focusing on my relationship with God and trying to really grab hold of the things He has for me. It's an awesome thing to know that God loves you so much that He is willing to wait for you to get it. He keeps showing up in the most unlikely places and sending people to say the exact thing you need to hear. I love that about Him. He lets you know that when you keep your heart focused on Him, He will be there for you.

More than anything else, we have to learn to trust God, trust the process and know that God's plan is perfect. Sometimes things may not go the way we think they should, that doesn't mean that we've failed...it just means that we still have some learning to do.

Until next time...

Be blessed!

2009-07-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I am really starting to get this marketing thing. I have learned that it's not going to happen overnight and that I have to work at marketing almost as hard as I do at writing.

I recently went to a book signing at a local mall and it was fascinating. There were several authors there and each one had their own unique style. I saw first-hand what it looked like to be enthusiastic about your work. Some writers like to stay behind the table and talk to people that decide to stop and others are more assertive. They are mingling and handing out literature, talking about their work and connecting with people as they pass by. I would rather do the former, but I think the latter is more effective.

I am also starting to leave information about my book wherever I go. I was at a prayer breakfast a couple of weeks ago, and gave my business card to one of the executives of a local magazine and this past weekend, I went to a fundraiser and left bookmarks on the table. Although, these may seem like small things to most people, they were huge steps for me.

My next step is to work on a marketing package that I can present to managers and buyers at local bookstores and specialty shops.

Be blessed!

2009-06-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been a long time since my last post. I can't believe it is June already. Time seems to be moving faster than usual. I truly apologize and I promise not to do it again.

As you may remember from a couple of posts ago, I have been working on my marketing strategy. I have been reading everything I could find on marketing a book and I still feel like a fish out of water. I finally realized that I feel that way because I had forgotten the most important step--I forgot to ask the One who has all authority on how to proceed. For some reason, even after everything God has shown me, I still thought I could do it on my own. One of the things I have learned is that everybody can't do everything. That's why God made us all unique. We were made to rely on each other. It finally sunk in that I need to stick to my gift and let others do what they were meant to do. So, for the next couple of blogs I will devote part of my response to my search for the perfect marketing partner.

Also, I want to spend some time talking about the process of writing. Lately, I have been thinking about the amount of time I spend writing. I love writing and I tend to write on any and everything. Sometimes it means something, but most of the time it's just thinking on paper. Since writers spend a lot of time alone writing, researching and just generally staring into space, we have to be careful not to forget to take time out to enjoy the process.

One of the things we need to do as writers is to surround ourselves with people and resources that will keep us connected. We can't get so bogged down with the details that we forget to live. Balance is key in everything that we do. Although I love being alone, I have to make sure that I spend time with friends and family doing things that have absolutely nothing to do with writing (although everything seems to be fodder for future writing endeavors).

Untill next time,

Be blessed.

2009-04-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

My first radio interview was awesome. I give God all the glory, because I know I couldn't have done it without Him. It was a little scary and a little exciting all at the same time.

The host and co-host, Dr. Pat and Roxanne were great. They made me feel relaxed and comfortable. Upon arrival, we were escorted into the green room where we were able to talk a little before going on the air and for a few moments, I actually forgot about the interview. Dr. Pat was so down-to-earth. She is good at what she does and if you have never listened to the show, make some time to do it. She loves promoting local talent and does whatever she can to inspire and uplift everyone she meets. I love her spirit and the way she loves and cares for the people of God.

When it was time to go on the air, I was ready. The interview itself went very well and we actually gave away a copy of Let My Life Be A Testimony to a caller. That was so cool. It almost made up for the nervous twitch I developed (smile).

The time went by quickly and before I knew it, the program was over. I would definitely do it again. I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me next. I am learning so much about myself and what I am capable of doing, especially when I take my mind off me and put it on God. He is my rock and I'm really starting to believe that with Him I can do anything. I am beginning to understand what it means to fully put my faith in Him knowing that He will never let me down.

In the coming weeks, I pray God inspires you to stretch above and beyond anything you have ever done before.

Be Blessed!

2009-04-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

Hello again!

I can’t believe it is April already. I love this time of year. The days are longer, the sun feels warmer, the birds begin to sing again and people seem happier. After the long winter months, it’s nice to see leaves starting to fill out the trees and flowers beginning to bud. I’m also excited about the new things God has been allowing me to experience. On April 18th, I will have my first radio interview at 10:30 a.m. on WOLB (1010 AM) in Baltimore with Bishop Patricia Stewart. Although I am excited about the opportunity to do something I have never done before—the thought of it is making me so nervous.

I have been getting strength from my favorite scripture, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” –2 Timothy 1:7(KJV). I know that He has been preparing me for the things He has in store for me and because I know that He has a plan for my life, I can rest assured that He will see me through.

I am also getting used to networking and marketing. This one is big for me. I am not used to talking about myself and what I have done. At first I was struggling because it just felt like it was in direct opposition of everything that I am as a Christian. It felt like bragging and I kept feeling like I was doing something wrong, but I know this too is all a part of the plan that God has for my life and I have to keep reminding myself that it is not about me. It is about the work that I am doing for the Kingdom. It is about God and I love Him more than I dislike marketing. When I think about it like that, it doesn’t seem so bad after all.

Be Blessed!

2009-03-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

Everything about my life has changed since publishing this book. Not the tangible things that I can see and feel, but the things about myself that I have been too afraid to see. For the first time in a long time, I don’t fear what tomorrow might bring. I'm not afraid to dream big. I have learned that if God puts that thing in my spirit, it's there for a reason and I have to be patient and let God reveal it to me when it's time. Not my time, but in His time. I know that God is with me in whatever it is that He is leading me to do, so I don't have to fear. I just have to trust Him.

It's amazing how God does that. As you become more confident in Him and in His word, He reveals more and more of Himself to you. I am so excited about the things that God is doing in my life and I want to be able to share that with the people who read my books. One of the things that I pray is that God will show Himself strong in my life and in the lives of all of those that I love and care about. And now, I pray that for you. I pray that you know God in a way that you’ve never known Him before and that you never doubt for a minute that He loves you more than anything. Let your mind conceive the things that God has in store for you and don’t be afraid to let yourself dream.

See you next time.

Be Blessed!

2009-03-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

2009-03-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

I am finally beginning to actually feel like an author. It felt so strange to have someone ask me to sign my book. At first, I was so nervous that my hand shook. Thank God, that is getting a little easier. Although, I still can’t get used to seeing my name on a book cover. That just blows my mind and each time I pull out one of my books, it feels like the first time. I don’t want to ever lose that feeling.

My next step is to learn the business side of writing. This is a new area for me and I love a good challenge, but this is one area where I can’t afford to cut corners. I’m excited and a little intimidated, but eager to learn everything I can. I know that as long as I keep my eyes focused on God and His plan for my life, He’ll supply everything I need.

I’m looking forward to this next leg of the journey.

Stay tuned!

2009-03-07T17:01:00.000-08:00

I have been so inspired and so blessed by the feedback I have received on, Let My Life Be A Testimony. This book has allowed me to grow in areas that I never thought were possible and hearing how it has blessed others is confirmation of what God spoke to my heart when He first gave me this dream.

When God gave me the vision for this book, it was too big for me to comprehend. My mind wouldn’t wrap around the thought that I would actually write a book or that anyone would want to read it, but God said trust Me and He wouldn’t let me quit.

When the book was done, I actually wanted to keep on writing, because I felt like it wasn’t enough. I wanted it to be like one of the books that Joyce Meyer or T.D. Jakes had written, but God said no and nothing I could do would change His mind (let me tell you, I tried). Eventually, I had to learn that this little book was exactly what it was supposed to be.

God’s plan is so perfect. I can’t even begin to comprehend what God has in store for me, but I know that I love Him and I want Him to be able to trust me. I want Him to know that when He says go—I will, and when He says trust Him—I will. His word says that He will never leave me nor forsake me. And I believe Him.

Thank you so much for being a part of this journey!

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Be Blessed!

2009-02-24T18:36:00.000-08:00

“Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” --Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)

Welcome to my blog!

As my profile states, I published my first book in 2008. It still blows my mind to know that there is an actual book out there with my name on it. This whole experience has been amazing and this is just the beginning.

Last week, I had my first ever book signing and let me tell you, it was awesome. The whole event, from start to finish was great. I met so many people who said they were either in the process of or about to start writing their own book. I believe there are so many people out there who have gifts, but are afraid to put themselves out there. I know what that is like. It took a long time and a lot of work to get my book published. Not because the actual writing and publishing process was so hard, but because God had to work out a few things in me. I was so bound by my own thoughts that I couldn’t see the future God had planned for me.

God had to show me who I was in Him—not who I thought I was, but who He knew I could be. I had to learn to trust Him and to believe in the possibilities. And although I dreamed of this moment many times, I was too afraid to believe it would ever happen and yet here I am—a published author. How awesome is that!

Here is an excerpt from Let My Life Be A Testimony:

Your testimony is a witness to God’s goodness, because even in the smallest of things, there is a lesson. Those lessons are how we grow, and if there is anything you can do to help someone else it is your responsibility to do it. God blesses us to be a blessing. The greatest gift you can give someone is to share your knowledge or your gift. It is such an awesome feeling to live fully in your purpose. It changes everything. Your life takes on a whole new meaning when you know who you are in God, and when you truly believe His Word it gives you power. That’s the same kind of feeling you get when you give a testimony. It’s a cleansing—a refreshing. It feels good to know that what you’ve done will help someone. It also helps you. Many times a testimony relieves or releases you from things that have had you bound. It brings those things to light so that they no longer have control over you. You have freedom, many times for the first time…

My prayer is that God will continue to bless your efforts and that you will also realize your dream. I look forward to hearing about your experiences. Let your life be a testimony.

Be Blessed!
Sharon