Purpose Driven: Publishing My First Book
I didn't start off 2015 thinking that this indeed would be the year when my dream of becoming an author would come to reality. I spent so many years focused on things that brought me temporary happiness that I just didn't have the focus needed to be a successful author. It wasn't until I removed people and things that only served as distractions from my life, that I began to see things from a new perspective. Let's just say the process of accepting hard/ugly truths about myself was not fun but very necessary for personal growth. I think now would be a good time to say that being a Christian is not easy. Frankly, making an intentional effort to live a life pleasing to God is not a walk in the park, but it is so worth it. It wasn't until I decided to make a conscious effort to live a life pleasing to God that I started to walk into my purpose rather than from it. I'm no where close to being perfect but the last two years have been life changing because I started to get my priorities straight.
Why a devotional? For the last year I had been writing my first urban fiction book. I felt like God was telling me to go in another direction but I couldn't understand why or what He wanted me to do. So, I stopped working on the fiction book and started praying for direction. While I fought it at first, I redirected my efforts towards a manuscript I had started on years ago, a devotional meant to encourage and challenge women to develop a stronger relationship with God. Yes, I've had my moments of fear throughout this process, but when God has called us to do something, we cannot fail! The topics discussed are hugely inspired by my own struggles in addition to topics that I believe all women can relate to, like comparing success, friendship, gossiping, and jealousy. More than anything, it is my hope that this devotional would bring women closer to God.
My biggest obstacle has been fear. During this process I have feared being judged. Heck, I didn't always have this desire to put God first. I've feared that the book wouldn't be successful. I even feared making mistakes. I had a fear that no one would support me. Let me just tell you that self doubt is such a confidence killer. We can choose to talk ourselves out of our destiny or we can choose to speak over our lives, believing that through Christ we can do anything. Negativity has never helped anyone be successful in life.
Whatever you desire for your life, I want to remind you that knowledge is power. A year ago I knew nothing about self publishing or publishing period. I stumbled upon The Best Sellers Project (TBSP) on Instagram. This program not only gave me the knowledge I needed to see this project through but it connected me with other people who share the same passion for writing. It also served as a source of accountability. The more you learn, the more equipped you are to make better decisions. Yes, mistakes will still happen, but some mistakes are avoidable simply by doing your homework.
What does all of this mean for you? Being a dreamer will get you no where, but dreaming coupled with praying and working hard will always lead you to success. I could have written this book years ago but I didn't because I was chasing all the wrong things. I wasn't willing to discipline myself or position myself to hear from God with certainty. So, my question to you is, what are you willing to give up in order to live on purpose? Who are you willing to walk away from in order to give God your attention? What is stopping you from doing what it is that God told you to do years ago? These are all questions I wish someone would have asked me years ago, so I'm asking you. Sometimes it gets so hard to look pass our current situation, our pain, our mistakes, our past decisions, etc. All the above are not reasons for you to not progress in life. YOU have the ability to do ANYTHING you set your mind to. Through Christ, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. So ask yourself what you need to do in order to see your dreams become reality. Don't wait until tomorrow. You can do it right now. Start living a purpose driven life today! Live boldly and remember that through Christ there is victory.
Purchase She Believes on Amazon.
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