Lakisha, the Author

Daily Devotional – 4/16/15 “It’s not about us!”

I’ve been so out of sorts, spiritually, these last few days. I can’t seem to get my thoughts together. Then, I got up this morning and decided to slow down to allow my mind to rest. See, if I continue on; I’ll mess up and this thang isn’t about me. The sermon that I have to put together, it isn’t about me so it has to be right. This devotional that I write, it isn’t about me so it has to be right. My life isn’t about me and although it isn’t perfect, it too has to be half way right because folk are looking at me. When I accepted God’s calling, it stopped being about me. Sure, I get frustrated sometimes but it isn’t about me because I’ve been favored for this fight. Yea, I get weary and worn but then there is a word that can light a fire in my spirit that will make me forget all about my troubles. My mind goes back to yesterday’s devotional and the scripture that says in Revelation 2:10, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” So you see, I have no reason to be fearful of what’s happening because my God got me! He’s my ride or die, my protector, my shield; grandma told me He’ll be food when I’m hungry, a midnight company keeper, a sleeping pill when I can’t find rest, a hugger when I need comfort, a doctor when I need healing, a lawyer when I need help, a psychiatrist when I need to talk, a forgiver when I sin, a bank when I need a blessing, a mind regulator when mind seems to be going, hurt eraser when folk have done me wrong, water to clean me up when folk have thrown dirt on me and He’s a new name giver when folk have scandalized the one I have. Oh! I ain’t got the same worries as when I started!

What about you? I’ve learned that we have to give these things over to God – It ain’t about us. Even the things we sometimes go through aren’t about us. God will take us through sickness just so somebody around us can see His healing power being manifested through us. God will allow us to fail only to restore us just so somebody who has doubted His ability to see that He is who He says He is. God will allow us to fall on our face in front of folk who say they are our friends just to show you they aren’t who they say they are. (You learn who you can count on when you’re down.) God will allow you to lose family so that you can lean on Him. It’s not about us. I know you’re trying to figure out why you’re going through whatever it is you’re going through but baby it isn’t about you. Go through it in order for somebody around you to be helped. Stop being selfish – it’s not your world; we are in this thang together. We all got a part to play.

Blog Tour – Under Covers by Author Rhonda Bowen

Author Bio

Rhonda Bowen knew she would be a writer as early as eighth grade when she wrote her first

novel with a classmate in a dollar notebook. While waiting for the day to come she completed a

degree in Communications and spent a few years working in Public Relations and Event

Planning. Throughout this time however, her desire to write stayed alive. She eventually

completed her first novel, Man Enough for Me, which was released under Kensington Books’

Dafina imprint in February 2011.

Several years, a stint in Asia and a career change to youth work finds her still writing. She has

written four romance novels and her books have been featured in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY and

LIBRARY JOURNAL. Her latest novel Under Covers was released March 16, 2015. She writes

about the themes of Real Life, Real Love and Real Faith, weaving stories about strong women

who must deal with life and love without losing themselves. Sometimes they succeed, other

times they make a mess of things while trying.

When not writing or being schooled on what’s current by the youth she works with, she enjoys

chilling with her family, trying on shoes she can’t afford, bargain hunting online on Asian clothes

websites and enjoying the great outdoors. Visit her online at http://www.rhondabowen.com ,

http://www.facebook.com/RhondaBowenBooks or drop her a note at rhondakbowen@yahoo.com

Synopsis /Excerpts

Naomi Savoy is five days away from marrying Jordan Lennox, the man of her dreams, when she

is faced with her worst nightmare. Her sister is missing. When her search for her sister sets her on

a path into her past, she is forced to ask for help from the last person on earth she ever wished to

see again – Garth Duhaney – a man she has both loved and hated for most of her life and whose

power over her she has never been able to break.

—–

Jordan Lennox knows his wife-to-be is hiding things in her past. But his love for her keeps him

believing that one day she will come clean. But when the secrets force him on a trip across the

ocean only days before their wedding, he begins to question whether love is really enough.

Will love keep them together or will it all fall apart when everything is uncovered?

Find out in Under Covers

Under Covers Excerpts:

Excerpt 1:

The first sign was the milk. The glass bottle hit the ground as soon as she opened

the fridge door. It shattered into a thousand pieces. Naomi’s body went still. She watched

the white fluid seep through her toes and spread across the floor while the feeling of

dread seeped over her stomach.

Her mother always had a thing about milk. She said the milk had been sour the

morning Naomi’s grandfather died. The creamer had leaked all over the fridge the day

her cousin, Marika, lost her baby. And even Naomi, who was usually the more practical

one, couldn’t forget the fly she found floating peacefully in the saucer of white liquid the

night before she lost her job at Whisper. Bad milk was a bad sign – especially the week of

your wedding.

Excerpt 2

She slipped out of the office and down the corridor to her own space. Jordan must

have heard her voice. He leaned lazily against the door frame, looking better in a collared

shirt and jeans than the photo-shopped image of a bare-chested J. Cole that she had seen

just moments earlier. Naomi felt the heat begin at her toes and travel all the way through

her as their eyes locked.

How had she gotten this lucky?

“Good morning, Red.” His eyes devoured her as the distance closed between

them.

“Good morning.”

He pulled her into his arms. Naomi sank into him willingly as he parted her

smiling lips with his.

“Babe, the whole office can see us,” she murmured against his delicious mouth.

“Good.” He kissed her again. “Let them see what Black love looks like.”

Excerpt 3

Naomi rolled her luggage behind her as she headed to check-in for her flight.

“Natasha, you’re making way too big a deal about this,” Naomi tried to sound

rational. “The way I see it, I’ll be in Port of Spain by midday, sort this crap out in twenty

four hours and be back by Thursday night, three whole days before the wedding.”

“And how exactly do you plan to find your sister whom you didn’t even know

was going to Trinidad and has a twenty-four hour head start on you?” Natasha’s heels

clicked as she walked along behind Naomi. “I know Trinidad is small, but it’s still more

than 5000 square miles with over a million people. You got some special resources I

don’t know about?”

Naomi wrinkled her nose but didn’t look at her friend. “Maybe.”

“Maybe?” Natasha echoed. “Like wha…”

Natasha grabbed Naomi’s arm so suddenly, she nearly fell on her behind. But

before Naomi could protest, Natasha had whirled her around to face her.

“Naomi, please tell me you didn’t….”

Naomi couldn’t hold her friend’s intense gaze. “I had to…”

“Oh my God…” Natasha seemed to lose her strength as she sat down hard on

Naomi’s suitcase.

“He’s a police officer, a Sergeant,” Naomi protested. “He can help me find her…”

“He can lead you off a freakin’ cliff,” Natasha hissed. She stared incredulously at

her friend. “Are you seriously this dense that you would even consider having anything to

do with that man again?”

“’Tasha, he’s not that bad….”

“Not that bad?” Natasha screeched. “Have you lost your long term memory? Do

you remember what happened ten months ago? I almost lost you!”

“That wasn’t his fault….”

“It was completely his fault…”

“But things are different now,” Naomi protested.

“They always end up the same when he is around,” Natasha argued. “It was like

that in college, and it was like that last year when he came to visit.”

“But I am different now,” Naomi insisted. “I am not that girl anymore.”

Natasha shook her head. She dug into her purse. “I can’t deal with this. You want

to pour your life down the drain again fine, but someone else will have to supervise it.”

She pulled out her cell phone and dialed. “I don’t have the energy to watch you do

that to yourself again. I’m calling Jordan.”

Excerpt 4

His voice was rough. It hit Naomi like the bark of a tree against her bare back.

When she turned to look at him, she found that he looked just as wild, the uniform and all

it represented did nothing to tame him. Dark eyes, the color of coffee, stood out against

nutmeg toned skin. Naomi had thought that officers were required to be clean shaven, but

with the deep shadow on his square jawline, Naomi saw that Garth still broke the rules.

But the scruffiness didn’t take away from him at all. He was still as handsome as she

remembered. That never changed.

“Garth, wow, a uniform,” Latoya said dryly. “Never seen you in one of those

before. Does it help you remember that you’re a cop?”

“Nice to see you too, Toya.” His tone was dismissive, partly because there was no

love lost between the two of them, but mostly because he was too busy staring Naomi

down. And as she stared right back without flinching, Naomi suddenly knew exactly why

Natasha and Latoya were concerned. Truthfully, they had every right to be.

Waves of hot and cold rushed over her. Her mouth felt dry. Naomi was sure that

at any moment she would start shaking.

Social Media Link

Rhonda Bowen www.rhondabowen.com

learningtheropes.wordpress.com

Facebook/Rhonda Bowen

Facebook/Author Rhonda Bowen

Purchase Links :

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Daily Devotional – 4/15/15 “Overwhelmed but not out!”

Sometimes I get overwhelmed in the midst of everything I have running through this mind of mine. Studying for bible study on last night, writing notes for my sermon on Sunday, looking over the questions for my ordination on next week, got a speaking engagement on Saturday, just finished my taxes; there 2 new hires coming into the job that I have to help train and in the midst I tossed and turned on last night; not because I was worried but it is because God speaks clearer to me in my dreams. (Somebody understands what I mean). Now, here I am at 11AM just now getting to write my devotional and I have no clue what to write to you about. What am I doing? Am I taking on too much? My husband says I need a calendar. I got 2 but never really use them. I try to keep things in order and it works for the most part but what is going on! But then I happen to look back at what I wrote on this date last year and check this out … This is how last year’s devotional started, “When I started writing my devotional this morning, I had decided that it would be on the decisions that we sometimes make. Now, did you catch that because it said I had decided but when I went to my online bible, a scripture stuck out like it had a flashing light around it. (Ok God, I hear you.) The scripture is Revelation 2:10 that says, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” In all honesty, I’d never read this scripture before today and even though this scripture was talking to the Church in Smyrna, God is leading me this way to tell somebody that for the next ten days, you’ll be tested. This may even be for me, I don’t know, but for ten days tribulations will be there and there’s nothing we can do about it but REMAIN FAITHFUL.”

Isn’t that something? In the midst of my fleeting moment of weakness, God says; you may be overwhelmed now but look at what you told folks last year, it still holds true today… REMAIN FAITHFUL! Yea, you may have a lot on your plate but it’s not more than you can handle. Just like you told them on last year, James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” I know I am not alone in this and whoever you are, hold on we can make it! Whatever it is you’re facing, whatever it is you’re going through or whatever you’re about to go through; know this … it won’t last! Yes, the enemy is camped around you and he’s waiting on you to wave the white flag of defeat, he’s waiting on you to give up, he’s waiting on you to throw in the towel and to cash in all of your chips but please don’t. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” Yes my brother, yes my sister; you may be overwhelmed but you’re not out. You may be depressed but you’re not dead. You may be sad but you’re not stuck. What you’re facing, it won’t last. Remain faithful in your test for Psalm 37:23-24 says, “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.”

Daily Devotional – 4/14/15 “Why won’t you wait?”

It’s Tuesday and someone is being tormented with terrors, persecuted by your past, haunted by hurt, teased with temptations, bothered by your burdens and neglectful because of your nightmares but I got hope for you. Yea, I’ve stopped by on this Tuesday to tell you to turn it over! That’s all … I get it; it’s not as easy as I may make it sound, it may seem as if you can’t pull yourself out of that muddy pit you’ve stepped in, you can’t breathe even though you seem to be standing in the midst of fresh air and you can’t see even though there aren’t any clouds in your vicinity but baby before you give up … WAIT! David said in Psalm 40:1, “I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.” I know, I know; you’re tired of waiting but don’t you wait to get your oiled changed, your hair done, your nails did and your tires rotated? Don’t you wait until your appointed time to interview for that position? Don’t you wait for the bus? Don’t you wait for the light change? Don’t you wait when your boo says he or she is on the way? Don’t you wait for your lives to be restored in Candy Crush or your turn in Trivia Crack? Don’t you wait on meaningless stuff?

Then why can’t we wait on the Lord? David says when he waited on the Lord in Psalm 40:2-3, “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.” Why won’t you wait? David picks back up in Psalm 40:4 and says, “Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!” Why won’t you wait? I know you’re tired but if you look up, you’ll see that there is restoration in waiting. It’s like running, you may get tired along the way but the only way to catch your breath, you have to take a break and wait. If you drive a car and your radiator overheat, your car shuts off; oh but it you allow it to cool down, it’ll restore itself and start back up. See, there is a benefit to waiting. The bible tells me of a benefit to waiting even in your spiritual life for Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” So on this Tuesday, don’t lose hope but wait! There is a benefit to what you are going through. Wait on God to move.

Daily Devotional – 4/13/15 “Monday isn’t the problem!”

It’s Monday and someone is blaming their blues, their mood and their jacked up attitude on this fact but the truth of the matter is; in 6 days, it’ll be Monday again. Stop blaming the reason for all the things going wrong today on the day, stuff happens. Stop giving the enemy credit for things not going right, things happen. Just as surely as Monday came, Tuesday will show up and if you haven’t made a conscious decision to get your mind right; you’ll wake up tomorrow with the same messed up attitude; then who will you blame? Traffic is always bad that time of day, there is always a line at Starbucks and McDonald’s, that cashier always has an attitude and you always have a pile of work to do; get over it! Stop blaming your frown on getting up on the wrong side of the bed when you know good and well, you’ve slept on the same side since you were five. Stop blaming your negative mouth on you having a bad day – it’s with you most days and unless you change you, it will continually follow you. Baby, let’s keep it real; you act mean because you are mean – it ain’t got a thing to do with it being Monday. When will you get it together?

Please understand, you are entitled to a bad day but stop having bad weeks that turn into bad months and then into bad years because then you become somebody nobody wants to be around. Let go of hurt and anger and stop being bitter and broken. Allow yourself to heal so that you eventually enjoy this life you’re living. Stop being the person who never receives an invitation, stop being the person who ruins everything or who always have something negative to say. Stop being the person who gets mad at the smallest thing. Stop being the person everyone knows will show out. It’s time to do better because time is waiting for no one. You know the word says in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” But we ought to be at a point in our lives, in our spiritual relationship with God that we should be saying by now as Galatians 2:20 says, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” What are we waiting on? Monday isn’t the problem!