It's not just writing, it's ministry
This weekend, me and an entire plethora of authors and readers are bombarding Atlanta. Naw, chile, this ain’t Freaknik … it’s better! We’re joining with the 556 Book Chicks, for their annual Kick Back Book Event.
I know … it’s exciting, right?
This is why, if you’re in Atlanta or the surrounding areas, I’d love to see you. Stop by my table, purchase a few books, pick up a few pens and snap some selfies. Then move to the next table and repeat.
I hope y’all are ready because I am.
My newest release #WhentheVowsBreak is a remake of my very first fiction series, #ASecretWorthKeeping.
Is it the same book? No! The characters are the same but the story line is completely different.
Is it Christian Fiction? Not fully, as book 1 takes you on a journey, with these 6 women, to find their way back to God, Faith, trust, etc. With this being shared, there is some cursing and sex scenes (although not as explicit as before).
Dearly beloved, that’s how it begins,
What God has joined together, let no man put asunder; that’s how it ends.
Happily married, wedded bliss and with these rings, we do take;
But what happens to happily ever after, when the vows break?
Shelby, Raylan, Chloe, Lynesha, Kerri and Camille have been friends since freshmen year of high school. They’ve been together through college, failed relationships, deaths, and sickness. They’ve watched each other grow and become business leaders and owners, wives and mothers.
They’ve survived when most people say, women can’t be friends.
Then, all hell breaks loose in each of their marriages.
Secrets, lying, cheating, drugs, alcohol, and temptations prove that not everything is what it seems.
Will the chaos of it all be more than they can take? Find out in part 1 of When the Vows Break
I don’t know why this is heavy on me, but I need to tell somebody, again, you got the power. Mane, some of y’all got power to cast out demons, shake the foundation of hell, walk among vipers and not be harm and be lied on and not moved. Mane, some of you have the power of intercessory and prophesy but because some badly taught man said you couldn’t work in that vein, you’ve shut your mouth. Some of you are fearful of walking in your calling because you’re fearful of being judged by your past. Some of you possess the power lay hands and folk will be healed but you’re afraid. Well, in the words of Pastor Kia Moore, “Tell me why we are afraid to HANDLE something we have DOMINION over & why we are often willfully forfeiting our destiny by engaging something that we should be OVERPOWERING?”
Again, God’s word says in Mark 16:17-18, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” You won’t know this unless you take up the serpent, drink of anything deadly or open your mouth and flow. Now, hold up, before you go and take a shot of poison, stick your hand in the cage of a snake or lay hands; you need to know the word says, “AND THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE; IN MY NAME SHALL …”
In other words, this isn’t for those of you who boast and brag. This isn’t for those of you who are trying to prove to folk you are as holy as you lie to be. This isn’t for those of you who are in a season of rebellion. Neither is this for those who want to ‘one up’ somebody else. This is for those who believe, those who have been called according to God’s purpose, for those whose destiny is keeping them up, for those who have been silent too long, for those whose belly is burning from the fire of the spirit and for those who are tired of running from what God has commanded you to do. Here’s what you do. Pick up the serpent. Open your mouth and prophesy. Stop standing on the wrong side of the altar, getting prayer when you know God has called you to offer prayer. Stop hiding all those sermons you’ve written. Stop acting like God isn’t speaking in your ear. For if you believe, you’ll be able, by the power of God, to do like Paul did, on the island of Malta when a poisonous snake fastened himself to Paul’s arm. You’ll shake the snake into the fire and be unharmed (Acts 28:5).
I’m going to say, well type this and it may cause some upset or it could allow you to look at self but however you take it, take it. You can’t keep getting mad when weapons form against you. You cannot keep losing hope when your patience is tested. You cannot give up every time the enemy try you. You can’t fight every person who wags their tongue at you. Truthfully, you can, if you want but how has that worked for you so far? Beloved, the word of God says in Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.” Here’s the thing … how will you know the weapon won’t prosper if you keep cussing the weapons forming? How will you know you have the power to condemn those who accuse you, in judgment, if you don’t let them talk? How will you know the power of God’s vindication if you keep trying to fight folk yourself?
Baby, God’s word says in Mark 16:17-18, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” If you believe, Bible says, you’ll pickup snakes and drink poison and it will not hurt you. HOW WILL YOU KNOW THE POWER YOU POSSESS IF YOU DON’T EVER GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO DANGER? You can’t tell folk, the poison didn’t kill me, if you don’t drink it. You can’t testify, I was in the midst of snakes (I’m talking about folk) whom I hugged and held, and their bite didn’t harm me, if you don’t get close enough? How can you shout, I came out the storm if you curse every doggone storm that shows up? The trials we must face, isn’t because God ain’t got nothing else to do but test us. The trials and tests, heartache, pain, storms, loss … they happen to prove what God has promised. Stop cursing what God has sent to demonstrate the power you possess. You got the power, but it has to be tested, every once in a while.
I’ve penned this particular topic, a couple of times before and I thought I’d share it again.
WRITING IS NOT FOR WIMPS
Writing is for those who trust and believe in the process and timing of it all. See, writing takes hard work, patience, determination, passion, money AND courage. No, it doesn’t take some of these, it takes all of these.
I’ll tell you why …
1. Hard work – if you think writing is as easy as pulling out a computer or a notepad, think again. You have to come up with a story that makes sense, flows and is grammatically correct while sacrificing time you want to hang out, sleep, vacation and everything else. You NEVER give up!
2. Patience – it takes patience to build a following, to get people to believe in you, to make it to bestseller, to sell books and to see a return on your investment. You NEVER give up!
3. Determination – Who will work harder for you than you! (sing with me … nobody!) You have to be determined to make it even when the royalty checks aren’t enough to cover gas. You have to be determined, even when it’s been months and no reviews. You have to be determined to keep writing even when your first book is still ranked at 1,254.144 on Amazon. Which means … you NEVER give up!
4. Passion – Writing can/is be a career but it works better when it’s a passion, something you believe in. How do you know if it’s your passion? Your passion is something that you’ll willingly lose sleep over and something you will not give up on, especially when it gets hard. You NEVER give up!
5. Money – Here’s one that you might cringe at but you have to spend money to make money. From book covers, editing, promotion, ads, newsletters, gifts, etc. because Jezzy, the rapper said, “Scared money don’t make money.” Sometimes you have to take a risk, even if it fails, the first time. You NEVER give up!
6. Courage – You absolutely have to have courage. Why? Because you will have strangers reading your work and some will not like it. You’ll have folk combing through every word and scene with a fine tooth comb, leaving “constructive criticism” on a word you misspelled or a comma you didn’t place. Mane, you’ll have folk mad because your fiction story doesn’t seem real. Writing takes thick skin but here’s the blessing … for the few who don’t like it, hundreds will. You NEVER give up!
Therefore, let me leave you with this piece of advice, don’t allow anyone to detour your dreams. It’s your story, tell it. Sure, writing isn’t for wimps but it’s worth it! Just NEVER give up!
— Keep writing 🧡
Lakisha, the Author