This past Sunday my Bishop discussed praising God even when we don't feel like it. He shared that no matter what we're going through, we always have a reason to praise God. Simply because we woke up in the morning, we should be praising Him, because we're winning. His grace that caused us to wake up in the morning, means the enemy's plan to snuff out our lives was canceled. In the following excerpt from Is The Grass Really Greener, Courtney is not in a place to praise God. Her heart is broken over the loss of her baby and now her marriage is in shambles. It's taking all she has to push her way into the church just to draw near to His presence. Yet, if you know anything, you know that's exactly where she needs to be. Read on... They were avid church goers, but this Sunday Nate did not sit at her side. This Sunday she had come in with her head held high, but her spirit was broke down so low. Anyone who looked into her eyes could tell that she was broken and tattered. When she first walked in everyone greeted her and wanted to know where Brother Nathaniel was. She had made excuses for his absence by telling them he was under the weather. The way Courtney saw it, he had to be under the weather because he simply was not acting like himself. Courtney sat in the pew with her head bowed unable to stop the tears that flowed from her eyes. As she sat and listened to the song the music ministry played, and the congregation cheering the praise dancers, she could not find it in her heart to worship. She hurt too badly and it wouldn’t stop. She rocked back and forth listening to the words of “Already Here,” and felt a hand on her back rubbing up and down to calm her. It was one of the church mothers. She recognized Mother Henderson’s fragrant perfume and then came the low whisper of her praying over Courtney. “Lord, we pray for Your healing hands on Sister Courtney today, dear Lord. We ask that You stretch forth Your glorious hand and bring restoration and healing into her heart, her home, and her marriage. Father we call on You because You are our Strength and our Deliverer. You are our Healer, Jehovah Rapha. There is no other like You, Lord. Father, I cannot understand her pain, but You, oh omniscient One know what she is going through. Only You can be the balm for her soul. Father, I don’t ask that You take away her pain, but I ask that You fill her with Your peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding and hold her in the cradle of Your arms while she goes through. Be her fortress in her turmoil and her shelter from the storm. We rebuke the hands of the enemy on her life, Lord. We declare victory, Father, over the barren areas; we declare mending for her brokenness. We know that you will cause this Phoenix to rise again from the ashes that have consumed her, oh Merciful One. It’s in Your Son’s name we pray.” Mother Henderson began rocking with her and singing along with the words to the song. Courtney rocked with her and as she laid her head on the older woman’s shoulder, she found some measure of comfort. Her mother and father had raised her and her two older brothers and older sister in the church. Her mother had always told her when times got rough to take it back home to the house of the Lord, but she had never left. So why was all this happening to her? She was faithful in her giving and in her marriage; she loved the Lord, and she gave of her time, talent, and tithe. She prayed for everyone and gave Him the glory for all He had done in her life. But it just seemed as if she was destined to be punished for some unforeseen wrong. She had been told that hard times like these came to build you and to strengthen your character. Wasn’t she strong enough? How much more character did she need? Her family had been a rock for her, praying her and Nate through the loss of their child. But she had not shared with them the troubles their marriage was going through. If she had said anything to her mother, she knew it would get back to her father. And while he liked Nate, Courtney would always be his baby girl. And if anyone caused a tear to fall from her eyes, her father and older brothers would be ready to cause damage. She didn’t need that, what she needed was a miracle. Download... A lesson that Courtney will have to learn, along with many people in life is that we cannot truly appreciate God's grace and His abundant mercies until we have experienced some trials. While Courtney is questioning why she's going through the rain when she lives according to the Word, she doesn't understand the need for her faith to be strengthened. Click the image above to order your copy today... About Chelle Ramsey... Women's fiction author and blogger, Chelle Ramsey brings a refreshing perspective into the lives of her readers and wants them to find entertainment, healing and inspiration in each novel. Using real problems and challenges faced by ordinary people, Chelle wants readers to become empowered to rise above life's adversities, with faith in God, and belief in themselves. Her stories are relatable to individuals of diverse demographics, who have suffered a loss, been hurt, have low self-esteem, have lost hope, or need a word of encouragement. She strives to take your emotions on a roller coaster ride, one page at a time. Chelle holds an MBA in Human Resource Management, which she puts to use in her Human Resources role by day, while she writes her fiction novels at night. And in her spare time, she’s a blogger, freelance writer, and ghostwriter. Her most important roles are those of a wife and mother of three. During her “me time,” she becomes enraptured with the enthralling stories of Terry McMillan, Nora Roberts, James Patterson and Stuart Woods. Chelle Ramsey resides in a rural community in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys writing, family time, and watching NBA games. She hosts the annual 20 Days of Love authors’ blogging campaign, March Madness authors’ giveaways campaign, and showcases other authors on her blog at www.chelleramsey.com/beautifully-inspired-blog. Her novels can be found online at Chelle Ramsey Amazon. LINKS: WEB: www.chelleramsey.com EMAIL: chelleramseywrites@gmail.com FACEBOOK: ChelleWrites TWITTER: @UndeniablyChell PINTEREST: ChellesBooks INSTAGRAM: UndeniablyChelle Thanks for joining me for another Writer Wednesday! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
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Depression, anxiety attacks, panic attacks, and other forms of instability can come seemingly out of nowhere to attack our minds, even to the point of paralysis. Honestly, in the black community we often dismiss these things or joke about them to the point of making people feel excluded. However, it's serious and nothing to joke about. Even in my own family (extended) jokes have been made about others who suffer from these issues, and when I faced my own crisis I heard a joke or two passed around about me, amongst family. Let me tell you, it hurts. The most we can do is openly discuss and offer support to anyone who is suffering from some mental health issue. In August of this past year, I suffered a panic attack from out of nowhere. Driving along I-20 eastbound here in a community of Atlanta, Georgia I suddenly began to feel nervous that morning. Before long, I felt as if I could not control my vehicle in terms of moving to another lane. As I considered pulling off onto the shoulder of the highway, I found that I could not move my foot from the gas to the brake. As if that weren't bad enough I was also unable to pull over into another lane than the one that I happened to occupy. This was the morning after Hurricane Irma came battling her way through Atlanta leaving the city ravaged, but the citizens thankful that we only suffered mild damage compared with people in other states and islands. Fog hung heavily over the city that morning, almost like a blanket smothering its residents. You could barely see in front of you and the gloom and doom that came with the fog was oppressive in its own right. Later, I would think back on my experience wondering if the feeling I felt was tied to the weather. I would eventually learn that was not true. Continuing down the highway, I pressed the buttons on the steering wheel trying to call my husband. When prompted to give a command, I could not even open my mouth to speak his name. I tried praying and no words would come forth...eventually, I was able to utter, "Jesus." That's it. When I did, the attack did not stop but I knew that I would make it off that highway safely and to my destination. Tears flowed down my face, my heart rate increased, and I struggled to breathe. I felt as if the car was closing in on me and I became scared I would have an accident or worse be catapulted from the car by some unseen force. The events that I experienced on that morning steadily grew worse and it was not until I exited the highway at my job's exit that I calmed down. When I parked the car in the lot at work that morning, I called my husband bawling like a baby to share with him what happened. He of course, was very encouraging and loving and wanted to know if he needed to come and get me. I assured him that I would be okay. And I was...for the next few weeks. In early September it happened again and would continue to happen on a daily basis as I got into the car to drive anywhere. Things got so bad that I began working from home more frequently, and only venturing out if my husband would drive me someplace. When I did go to the office, it was him that would drop me off and pick me up. During the gradual build up to me not driving at all, I would make daily phone calls to keep my mind occupied off the task of driving. Those calls would include my husband and my mother, and once I received a call from one of my brothers. They would stay on the phone with me until I arrived at my destination, but when it grew to the point that the phone calls did not help, I stopped driving. Seeking counseling helped a little, but not much. The therapist provided various techniques, which I would have to tweak a little to my specific needs. Sometimes, they helped and sometimes they didn't. Prayers were critical during this time, but it had to be the prayers of my grandmother and others, because I found myself shrinking away from praying the way that I should. As time wore on I noticed a gradual change towards improvement. The first week of October, my company did RIFs (Reduction in Force), eliminating more than 160 jobs, including my own. Most of us were not really caught off guard, because we knew it was coming...we just weren't sure exactly who it would include. I was not surprised. In all honesty, it came as a relief. You see, my stress level had grown to inordinate proportions over the previous year and few months. This company was extremely fast paced and the workload caused unrealistic expectations to be set on its workers. Me? As with several others, I rose to the challenge to meet and exceed the expectations. Unfortunately, this meant me working Monday through Sunday, almost nonstop. When I called my husband on the way home that day, his response was "Good! Now, we can finally get you back." I actually hopped on the highway for the first time in over a month. I made it two entire exits, instead of the three required before I got off, and drove the rest of the way home. That day was the first time I had driven myself to work in quite some time. I had become so buried in my work that I no longer had a life. I felt as if I had something to prove, when in reality I had nothing to prove to any man. Galatians 1:10 says, "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." I had lost myself during this time and my journey with Christ was not as close as it should have been. I saw myself slipping further down that slippery slope, yet, I didn't take the steps to draw closer to Him. Instead, I began to conform to the environment I was a part of in my attitude and speech, because it was "easier." "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2 I was never supposed to conform to the climate of the work environment I had been placed in. My mission was to go in and transform it. In some ways I did, but in many ways I took what I perceived was the easy road out. I heard His voice speaking to me several times throughout my tenure there, but I chose to push it down. I chose to act as if I had not heard what I had heard. When the panic attacks began I focused on the scripture 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Yet, I love how the Amplified version puts it, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]." As long as I keep my mind stayed on Him, He not only keeps me in perfect peace but He provides me with mental and spiritual stability and clarity and allows me to enjoy the calmness of being in His presence. The battle that I was fighting was not physical but spiritual, because what I was going through was real. The attempts of Satan to thwart my success, my praise, my growth were real, but the God that I serve is bigger and more real than anything I can face. My God, Jehovah Rapha is a mind regulator. Here we are almost six months after the first occurrence and by the grace of God, I am proud to say that I am doing much better. Prayers, a loving relationship with my husband, children and mother, and support from them and a couple of close friends are what I needed throughout this time. Not condemnation nor judgment. I don't know if you have ever experienced anything similar or know of someone who has. I have one simple piece of advice: Talk about it and pray. Simple. End of story. #undeniablychelle #myhearttoyours About Chelle Ramsey... Women's fiction author and blogger, Chelle Ramsey brings a refreshing perspective into the lives of her readers and wants them to find entertainment, healing and inspiration in each novel. Using real problems and challenges faced by ordinary people, Chelle wants readers to become empowered to rise above life's adversities, with faith in God, and belief in themselves. Her stories are relatable to individuals of diverse demographics, who have suffered a loss, been hurt, have low self-esteem, have lost hope, or need a word of encouragement. She strives to take your emotions on a roller coaster ride, one page at a time. Chelle holds an MBA in Human Resource Management, which she puts to use in her Human Resources role by day, while she writes her fiction novels at night. And in her spare time, she’s a blogger, freelance writer, and ghostwriter. Her most important roles are those of a wife and mother of three. During her “me time,” she becomes enraptured with the enthralling stories of Terry McMillan, Nora Roberts, James Patterson and Stuart Woods. Chelle Ramsey resides in a rural community in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys writing, family time, and watching NBA games. She hosts the annual 20 Days of Love authors’ blogging campaign, March Madness authors’ giveaways campaign, and showcases other authors on her blog at www.chelleramsey.com/beautifully-inspired-blog. Her novels can be found online at Chelle Ramsey Amazon. LINKS: WEB: www.chelleramsey.com EMAIL: chelleramseywrites@gmail.com FACEBOOK: ChelleWrites TWITTER: @UndeniablyChell PINTEREST: ChellesBooks INSTAGRAM: UndeniablyChelle Thanks for joining me for Talk About it Tuesday! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. Happy Monday beautiful people! Today's Motivational Monday Moment is written by guest author, Nicole Sharon. She's sharing her personal testimony about a crisis she endured and how the Scripture Psalm 24:7-8 blessed and saved her life. You don't want to miss this message of hope... Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Psalm 24: 7-8 I formed a personal relationship with this Psalm about fifteen years ago. This was around the time when I was diagnosed with PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety. Needless to say, I was struggling. I tried to figure it out – why the intense sadness and anxiety? Why was I all of a sudden drawn to razors that I used to cut myself repeatedly? Why was I so obsessed with dying, thus making several attempts? This is where Psalm 24 comes in. My first question was, do gates have heads? So, I had to assume that this Psalm is speaking to the posture of my heart, which has the power to transform my mind. It took me some time to realize that I had to open my heart and really allow the King of Glory to come in and saturate my mind, heart and soul. I had to determine that what He said is what really is. He is the King of Glory; so, if I let him in, depression and anxiety cannot live in the same space. The glory of God is the power to destroy every enemy in your life – even when that enemy is you. This leads me to the next part – the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. I was in a battle for my sanity. Something or someone had to have the power to go to battle for me. Who better than the Lord? According to Isaiah 53, He already fought the battle for me. It says that He was chastised so that I could have peace. Then, in chapter sixty-one, Isaiah tell us that He gave me his joy for the spirit of heaviness. I like to call that the great exchange. This is not an affront to medication or therapy, for those who need it – I did all of that. The point of this discussion is to say that although I went to therapy and I took my meds, God completed the work. I had to decide to open up. When I studied this scripture, I learned that cities had walls around their cities for protection, which meant the way in and out was through a gate. I knew that I had to deal with my walls – but what I wasn’t prepared for was all I needed to do was open the gate, allow God to come in, and He would help me knock down the walls! It’s such a freeing thing! I am now mentally healthy. I give the praise and glory to God. https://www.facebook.com/nicolesharon.proofreader https://www.facebook.com/NicolesProofreadingServices/ Thanks for joining us for another Motivational Monday Moment! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. Creative Expressions Literary Services is pleased to announce Virtual Book Tour for There Is Sunshine After The Rain : Making It Through Life’s Struggles by Patricia A Saunders. The tour will run January 21-27, 2018 Name: Patricia A. Saunders Book Title: There Is Sunshine After The Rain : Making It Through Life’s Struggles Release Date: December 20, 2017 Publisher: Book Baby Genre: Non-Fiction Page Count: 205 ASIN: B078J836Q3 Self Published Author, Patricia A. Saunders was born and raised in Connecticut before relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area nearly 24 years ago. She received her Master’s in Management from the University of Phoenix in 2011. After the passing of her mother who had Alzheimer’s, Patricia decided that all the words that she kept to herself were to be released. Saunders has released her fifth book an autobiography memoir infused with poetry (December 2017) with BookBaby Publishing called There Is Sunshine After The Rain : Making It Through Life’s Struggles. The book will take the reader on a journey of a young child influences that shape her decisions as an adult. It is a must read that covers being raped multiple times, a family that protects her, how she wanted to die after the passing of her mother , and the people who would not give up on her! Her work has been featured on a Coast to Coast Book Tour at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Toronto Word On The Street, Sacramento Black Book Fair, Tucson Book Festival, Miami International Festival of Books and AARP Life@50+ Spring Convention. Also on In the Company of Poet, Women Owned Business Club Magazine, and Alysha Live! Radio Show and Coach Deb Bailey Secret of Success Talk Radio. She performs locally at spoken word events and Capital Jazz SuperCruise Open Mic with Grammy Award Winner Eric Roberson. She is a monthly blogger of her own blog Blessed & Curvy who covers today’s hot topics. She released her first self published book Through the Fire (March 2012) which covered emotions from situations, circumstances, and life lessons that have influenced her over her lifetime. On a mission to complete a book a year in case she inherits the ugly disease she released her second book Loving Me (2013) and third Let It Rain (2014) which is also self published and covers various topics from love, grief, self image, self esteem, bullying, and discovery of self love .Her fourth book (2016) This Too Shall Pass was released by AuthorHouse Publishing and readers have given it a five star rating. In her spare time, Patricia enjoys writing poetry, traveling, spending time with family and wine tasting. Growing up in Waterbury, Connecticut, the youngest of a blended family of thirteen children, I knew I was special. There was never a time that I didn’t feel my parents didn’t love me, protect me, and weren’t my best friends. From the time I was a toddler and my parents were working class, I was taken care of by my aunts, brothers, and sisters until my parents arrived home. The highlight I fondly remember was being picked up from kindergarten by my father. In the doorway, I would see this tall caramel-colored man with his hat tilted to the side of his head, after he got off work. I would run into his arms and he’d lift me and give me a kiss. Beaming with happiness, I felt like I was six feet tall like him, and couldn’t wait to tell him about my day. That was the beginning of our journey where I would go for rides with my father across the state, talking about life and listening to his stories. My mother was twenty-one years younger than my father, and her personality was just bubbling with love. She would take in strangers and feed them. After working at a facility and seeing how they treated the foster adults, she became a foster mother. She spent the checks she received for taking care of the four women on dressing them like the rest of our family. There was never any difference. We were a family that included Louise, Helen, Gladys, and Jacqueline. At five years old, I was introduced to my first foster sister, and the word foster was never used again. Faith was very instrumental in my parents’ lives, especially my mother’s. She had gone through many trials and tribulations and knew that it was nobody but God. As she became more active in the church, she went from missionary to evangelist, then fought to become an elder. During that time, women weren’t thought of as preachers and especially if they’d married twice; it was frowned upon. While a freshman in high school, I was able to witness my mother being ordained as a pastor. She was the first African American female to deliver the invocation at a veteran’s observance in our town. She strived to reach her goals and studied to earn more certificates. She wanted to be taken seriously and there were those who didn’t want a woman in their pulpits. Watching her from the background, she was teaching me how to survive life’s struggles with faith. When she was disappointed and hurt by the treatment she received, she held her head high and didn’t let anyone know she was hurt until she came home. Any obstacle placed in front of her, she found another way to get around it. I grew up feeling like the world was mine and didn’t know what challenges were, because I always accomplished what I wanted from modeling school, president of school clubs, and jobs. It would later lead to my demise because when I didn’t place in pageants, barely graduated from college due to a grade, or received my first unfavorable review at work, I didn’t know how to handle it. What I loved about my father was every morning and evening before he climbed into and out of bed, he was on his knees praying. If you happened to not knock on the door and walked in, you would hear him having a talk with Jesus, as the older saints explained. You knew not to interrupt, but I would stand there and listen and wonder would I ever have that type of faith. He had a large book, a bible study guide, that he was always reading. Between reading and having dialogue with my mother about the sermons preached at church, I was amazed at how much they knew. My father and I would talk while sitting watching television, and he was puzzled at how many answers I knew on the game shows. Yet when looking at my report card, it didn’t reflect my knowledge. He challenged me and I was blessed to show him before he died that I could be on the honor roll in high school, graduate college, and, though I’d left Connecticut, was able to tell him I had a job where I would be able to take care of myself and my mother. As he was transitioning to leave this earth, he didn’t have to worry. So between the two of my parents, I knew from my mother that when in doubt—pray; you don’t know what to do—pray; and when all else fails—pray. She prayed for everyone: for their marriage, sickness, and if they were in trouble, she would pray. My father—on the other hand—always said, “Work hard, don’t pay to be liked. Because when you stop paying and no one pays for you, they were never your friends, but users.” And, “Ladies don’t be out late at night, because the only things you will see are dogs and prostitutes.” Two opposite extremes, and I didn’t know at the time that all the wisdom they were sharing I would see for myself later in life. That faith is what you need to make it through any struggles in life. Social Media Links: Website: www.patriciaasaunders.com Facebook: @ blessedpoetpat Twitter: @ blessedpoetpat Instagram:@blessedpoetpat Pinterest: @blessedpoetpat Blog: www.blessedpoetpat.blogspot.com Purchase Links: Tour hosted by Creative Expressions Literary Services Click Here To Follow The Tour.
Thanks for joining me for another Writer Wednesday! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you! To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. Identical sisters Natalia Brooks and Naraja Henderson come together for a week of sisterly bonding to heal from the loss of their father. Natalia can’t wait to escape the fast pace of Chicago to return to her southern roots in Atlanta, Georgia. Ready for a little R&R with her sister and her sister’s family, she’s surprised to learn Naraja has a little trick up her sleeve. She wants to switch places one last time for old time’s sake. Will the sisters be able to pull off the switch of a lifetime? When one of the sisters end up murdered, there will be hell to pay for the remaining sister, as she learns her sibling’s life was not all it was cracked up to be. As the secrets of both of their lives come tumbling out, a husband and boyfriend soon learn they’re dealing with a psychopath. With a murderer on the loose and a truth to be exposed, who can be trusted? It's another #writerwednesday and here's a snippet from one of my completed projects. Readers, I'm aiming to release My Sister's Keeper this summer... Psst! I saw it as it circled around, sometimes going high and then low. It seemed to flutter for a moment before bursting forth once more. My eyes would not move away from its dizzying circle. I was disgusted by its presence, and fearful of it at once. It signified something great, despite the smallness of its body. The seemingly tiny black fly whizzed through the field of wheat and landed on my forehead, knocking me down. Falling down…down…down. The soft wheat enveloped my body, wrapping me in a cocoon of stalks, cushioning my fall. I looked up into the bright blue sky, feeling a migraine developing. Tears escaped my eyes. I lay there crying, my heart riddled with sorrow and I had no idea why. The bed shifted underneath causing me to stir slightly. I sensed rather than felt the warm caress of Kevin’s skin on my arm. I turned in his arms, still somewhat asleep. There was a peaceful comfort I had never known before, lying here with him like this. Perhaps, it was the fact his movement in the bed had chased away the strange dream. Or maybe, it was the knowledge that he stood by my side even in my deranged state of mind. I had no idea how I was supposed to love him, or why…just that I was supposed to. Father, help me to love him the way I’m supposed to again. Free me from this trap my mind has set, dear Lord. My silent prayer offered great solace. If I could recall nothing else, I knew that I had faith in the Lord. The ringing of the house phone on the night stand near Kevin, caused him to release me. I pulled the cover further up my shoulder to ward off the slight chill that embraced me in the absence of his body. Groaning, he flipped onto his other side and reached for the phone. I could hear him knocking over things on the nightstand in the darkened room. “Damn!” he swore. I turned in the bed facing his back. The clock on the nightstand displaying 7:35 was the only illumination in the room. I couldn’t help but wonder who would be calling us at this time of the morning. We had decided to sleep in and he was staying home with me. Did we often receive these type of early morning calls? Was something wrong with the boys? I still could not bring myself to call them my sons, which left me feeling uncomfortable. “Hello?” I could hear a voice on the other end, but not clear enough to make out if it were male or female. “This is her husband. Who’s this?” I sat up in bed wondering why I was receiving a call at this time of morning and why he wouldn’t give me the phone. Just as I prepared to reach for it, Kevin sat up in the bed, rubbing his hand across his head. He reached over and clicked on the lamp on the nightstand. “Yeah…uh-huh.” He released a soft breath before hanging his head. “What’s wrong, Kev?” He reached his hand behind his back and rested it softly on my thigh, squeezing gently. What was that supposed to mean? “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice deep with emotion. If I weren’t mistaken he sounded as if he were about to cry. “Okay…okay…thanks. Um, we’ll book a flight out immediately. Thank you, sir.” “Kevin? What’s wrong?” I demanded, after he hung up the phone. Kevin rested his head in his hands and did not answer me right away, leaving me frustrated and scared. “Kevin? You’re scaring me! What is it?” I asked, shaking his shoulders. He turned towards me and suddenly I wished the hands of time could rewind. I wished I had not forced him to answer me, or better yet, I wished he had not answered the phone. Whatever he had learned, placed a haunted look in his eyes and it had something to do with me. “What?” I pressed again, despite my inner self warning me I didn’t want to know. “Babe…uh, shit! Natalia…” “Natalia, what?” “Something’s happened to Natalia—” “What? What’s happened to my sister? Is she going to be okay? Who was that on the phone? What’d they say?” “Her body was found in a hotel room in San Francisco. She was the victim of a gunshot wound.” To Read My Stories, Visit Amazon... Women's fiction author and blogger, Chelle Ramsey brings a refreshing perspective into the lives of her readers and wants them to find entertainment, healing and inspiration in each novel. Using real problems and challenges faced by ordinary people, Chelle wants readers to become empowered to rise above life's adversities, with faith in God, and belief in themselves. Her stories are relatable to individuals of diverse demographics, who have suffered a loss, been hurt, have low self-esteem, have lost hope, or need a word of encouragement. She strives to take your emotions on a roller coaster ride, one page at a time. Chelle holds an MBA in Human Resource Management, which she puts to use in her Human Resources role by day, while she writes her fiction novels at night. And in her spare time, she’s a blogger, freelance writer, and ghostwriter. Her most important roles are those of a wife and mother of three. During her “me time,” she becomes enraptured with the enthralling stories of Terry McMillan, Nora Roberts, James Patterson and Stuart Woods. Chelle Ramsey resides in a rural community in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys writing, family time, and watching NBA games. She hosts the annual 20 Days of Love authors’ blogging campaign, March Madness authors’ giveaways campaign, and showcases other authors on her blog at www.chelleramsey.com/beautifully-inspired-blog. Her novels can be found online at Chelle Ramsey Amazon. LINKS: WEB: www.chelleramsey.com EMAIL: chelleramseywrites@gmail.com FACEBOOK: ChelleWrites TWITTER: @UndeniablyChell PINTEREST: ChellesBooks INSTAGRAM: UndeniablyChelle Thanks for joining me for another Writer Wednesday! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. Today's guest writer is Jennifer E. Thomas, and she's sharing with us the Scripture of 1 Corinthians 13 and its impact on her life. Read on to learn about her sacrificial love and the lessons she learned along the way. It's another Motivational Monday Moment... “Love is patient and kind…” (1 Corinthians 13:4) Those words always go through my mind when I think about the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians. I guess that’s God’s way of reminding me how to love. My aunt first told me about love in my 20s when she gave me a Good News Bible. She put a note by 1 Corinthians 13, “Read.” I can’t remember why she told me to read the scripture, but it’s been with me ever since she instructed me to read it. It was important to her for me to read it and love is important to God because the word is mentioned in the Bible hundreds of times. In this scripture, we learn how God wants us to love. We are told love is patient and kind, love gives because it loves to give, love puts away the hurts of the past, love wants the best for others, love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, love never fails, love is eternal. In 1 Corinthians 13:5 it says, “Love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable, love does not keep a record of wrongs…” Take out the word love and replace it with your name. How do you measure up? When I put my name in place of love, I have to admit I fall short at times. God set the bar high. While I was preparing this piece I thought about my relationship with my mother. There were times I was showing love the way the scripture intended and there were times I wasn’t. I was the caregiver for my mother for over 20 years until her death in 2015. In June 1991, she had a stroke while I was home for the summer from college getting ready to leave for work. I hate to imagine what could have happened had I already left for work when she had the stroke. I thank God I was there. I was at the hospital everyday going to her therapy sessions with her and making sure she was okay. I took a semester off so that I could continue to be with her during her rehabilitation. We hired a live-in caretaker so that I could continue my education and she stayed with my mother for almost a year. I left school and became her full-time caregiver because we weren’t able to find another caregiver. A friend told me to put my mother in a nursing home when I told her my mother had a stroke and I wasn’t coming back to school the next semester. That thought never crossed my mind and I was taken aback by her comment. I loved my mother and I wanted to take care of her. I wanted nothing in return. When I first started caregiving for my mother, following the scripture wasn’t a tall order, but then I took it to the extreme because I did not know how to ask for help. I needed help. I was bearing and enduring to the point where I lost myself. I found myself slacking on some of my caregiving responsibilities and I would sometimes treat my mother badly. That’s not how God intended us to love. I hate that there were times when I treated my mother badly. I took care of my mother the best I knew how. Could I have done better? Yes. I told her I wasn’t taking care of her as best as I should, but she understood that I was trying given the circumstance. We loved one another. I especially loved cooking something special for her. She loved food. Hindsight is always 20/20 and I would do things differently if I had the chance. I would definitely be more patient and kind. I am thankful that my aunt introduced me to this scripture. She passed in 2001. When I married, I honored her memory by having this scripture read during the ceremony. Thanks for joining me for another Motivational Monday Moment! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. About When You've Been Blessed... What’s a woman of God to do when everything, even her faith, begins to fall apart? Gospel star Tonya Langford-Hill revels in her role as First Lady of her husband’s church and is proud to be the wife of one of the most successful pastors in Central Arkansas. When an unexpected revelation sends shock waves through her life and her marriage, she finds herself on the edge of losing everything that ever mattered to her. Will Tonya regain her faith and accept the blessings of love that eventually come flowing her way? I stepped out of the car and walked up to the white-washed stone building. Etched into the glass entry door was an illustration of Kwame Kane, sitting Indian-style with his eyes closed. His hands were clasped in front of him. He wore an Arabian tunic and a turban. Underneath the logo were the words, “Swami Productions”. I rolled my eyes and thought, so this man is gonna produce a gospel album, huh? I followed a young intern through the building to a small waiting area. He assured me that Mr. Kane would be right with me and then left me to wait alone. I sat on a sofa and took in my surroundings: plush white carpet, old Hollywood-style white cloth couches and chairs, mirrored tables, platinum and gold album plaques and framed magazine covers lining the walls. It wasn’t flashy or gaudy as I’d expected. On the contrary, it was rather elegant. I sat there for a few moments and then picked up a magazine and began to thumb through it. I sat there long enough to read through three magazines, check my messages and emails on my phone and use the restroom twice. I was fast losing my patience with Mr. Kwame Kane. After all, it was him who wanted to work with me. I pulled out my phone and dialed Palmer’s number. “Tonya! How’s it going?” “Well, it’s going great if the company wanted me to be able to describe Mr. Kane’s lobby in detail.” “What do you mean?” “I mean that this guy is so darned busy that he had an intern greet me and stash me in his lobby. I’ve been here for hours and I've yet to meet him. You can just tell A&R or whoever else at the label that I don’t care how they feel about this guy, I’m not gonna sit here and be treated like this!” I was into a full-on rant. “Okay, okay, calm down. Let me check into this.” “Yeah, you better check into this. I flew all the way here, to some little fishy-smelling town that I didn’t even know existed, and for what? To sit in the lobby like I’m on an audition? I already have a record deal, or doesn’t Mr. Kwame ‘The Swami’ Kane know this? I’m not some young desperate girl willing to take any and everything for a shot. I’m a legend. I have earned some respect!” I could feel my temper and the volume of my voice rising. “Tonya, just take it easy and let me check on this.” “Take it easy? How can—” I was interrupted by a tap on my shoulder. I spun around with a frown and was face to face with none other than Mr. Kwame Kane. About Adrienne Thompson... Adrienne Thompson has worn may titles in her lifetime: teenage mother, teenage wife, divorcee, registered nurse, and authorpreneur. This mother of three grown folks currently resides in Arkansas in her empty nest where she writes and publishes her stories full time. Because she is blessed to live her dream, her greatest desire is for others to live theirs, too! Download Her Books & Connect... Sales links: Kindle and paperback: http://ow.ly/dpEeC Amazon UK: http://ow.ly/miFeu Nook: http://bit.ly/1bYoVxZ Contact links: Website: http://adriennethompsonwrites.webs.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdrienneThompsonWrites Twitter: https://twitter.com/A_H_Thompson Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5051327.Adrienne_Thompson Instagram: http://instagram.com/ahthompsn/ Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/jnDmH Thanks for joining me for another Fab Friday Feature! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. A woman's heart is broken when her husband abuses rather than adores her. She doesn't mean to fall into a compromising situation with someone else. But, when her husband doesn't show her the love and affection she needs, Wes is waiting in the wings to shower Nikki's body with all the attention she craves. Nikki didn’t know what she was feeling or what was happening between the two of them. And she couldn’t contain herself as he pressed his full firm lips against her soft, lush ones. As their foreheads touched, he continued to gently apply pressure to her lips, asking for permission to enter in. She slightly parted her lips allowing him to tug her bottom one between his teeth. He wrapped big hands lovingly around her small waist, rubbing his thumbs in little circles on her sides. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer. Her slight moans of encouragement had him pressing her back against the bedroom door. She could feel the rising pressure of his penis pushing against her crotch. The heat rising in her body and the firmness of his hands encircling her was enough to drive her over the edge. Yet, it wasn’t her who pulled back first, it was him. “Damn!” he said, slapping his palm against the doorframe. “What, Wes?” she asked, in a tone riddled with desire. She was shocked to realize she hadn’t wanted him to stop. Just being here with him in this moment was more than she had ever dared to think about in her wildest dreams. “I can’t do this, girl. You got my head all screwed up. All I wanna do is take you in that bed right there,” he said, turning sideways to point at his bed. “I want to love away the hurt and the pain.” He still had not released her and had his right arm circled around her. “Whaa…” she couldn’t find the words to speak. How could she tell him she wanted that, too, when she knew it was so wrong? She knew, as a married woman, she shouldn’t be in this situation. She had no reason to be yearning for any man other than her husband…even if he did beat the crap out of her. “Look, it’s unfair for me to do this to you right now. Some would say I’m taking advantage of you, and I promised you I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. Right now, you just went through some stuff with your husband, and your emotions are fragile. I gotta step back. You gotta get your situation cleared up. I’m sorry, I’m supposed to be one of your closest friends.” He searched her eyes, imploring her to stand strong with him. They both were aware that the first sign of weakness she showed, would cause him to lose control. That’s precisely why she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down towards her. This time, it was her turn to press her soft, pliable lips against his full ones. “Mmm, Wes, I need you,” she murmured between kisses. Nikki needed to feel beautiful, loved, and desired. She had not felt this way in such a long time. And standing here at this moment in her friend’s arms, she found everything she craved from her husband. He held her face between his hands as he trailed his chocolate kisses down her caramel-colored face to her neck. She squirmed against him as she wanted to feel his desire for her pressing against her once more. When his hands pulled her tight black fitted t-shirt free from her Khaki pants, he eased his hands up her back and around to her breasts. “Oh, God, I can’t do this,” he said, pulling away from her once more, as if he had just been seared by a branding iron. “Why not?” she begged. She wanted him right now more than she had wanted anything else, of that much she was sure. It was a struggle she knew she needed to fight off, because she knew it was wrong. She never expected to find herself in this situation. Now that she was, it was too difficult to turn back. She wanted and needed love and protection. “Damn, girl, you’re married. I can’t do this. I’m not the type of man that can go creeping around with another man’s woman.” “Wesley, you’ve been a good friend to me. And I thank you for that, but tonight…tonight I just need to feel desired and wanted. I need you to want me; don’t you want me?” she asked. Nikki didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as the words fell from her lips; it was so unbelievable. “No! I mean, yes. Damn! That’s not what I’m telling you. I do want you, girl, more than you can even imagine. We both been flirting with each other a long time, but we were just playing. If I take you tonight, I’m gonna want all of you, Nikki. I can get any woman I want to in my bed. That’s not what I want. I’m not that man. If I take you now, I want all of you. I’m going to want you to be mine. If we take this step, ain’t no going back. You understand?” She blinked back the tears that were suddenly stinging and demanding to be released. “Aww, please don’t cry on me,” he growled. Using the pads of his thumbs, he rubbed away her tears and then pressed soft kisses against her eyelids. She grabbed his face between her hands and began kissing his lips softly, at first, and then with more fervor, trying to communicate her desire for him. Nikki could feel the rapid and loud thumping of his heart in his chest as the heat of longing for each other threatened to burn them up. “Nikki, girl, I want you so damn bad…you hear me? Just one more word, and it’s over baby.” She didn’t need words. Nikki unclasped her bra and threw it to the floor, allowing her breasts to pop loose, teasing and taunting him. “Nikki!” he exclaimed as his hands fumbled with his belt buckle. Coming out of his shoes and then his jeans he didn’t tear his eyes away from her as she undressed herself and stood before him in all of her caramel glory. Shapely, childbearing hips mocked him as his eyes roved over her body. Thick luscious thighs begged to wrap themselves around his strong, muscular, chocolate back. Nikki walked to him, full 36 double D breasts swayed with each step she took that brought her closer to him. When she finally reached where he sat on his bed, he allowed his big, thick hands to grip her small firm waist as he drew her nearer to him. He squeezed her high round behind in his hands and let out a soft groan of desire. “Turn around; let me look at you,” he commanded as he eyed her up and down after pressing a kiss to her belly. She turned around so that he could admire her body from the rear. He silently traced the eagle’s wings tattooed across the lower portion of her back. Wesley wanted to spread her from behind and watch the wings take flight. Nikki bent down to touch her toes, teasing him as he lovingly stroked her behind. Softly, with hardly a noise, Wesley stood and entered her wet and warm cavity. Rubbing his left hand up and down her back, he used his right hand to squeeze her butt cheeks. “Mmmm…girl, you feel so damn good,” he groaned as he continued to sink his length in and out of her. He pumped her with a few, steady strokes, pushing all other thoughts out of his head for the moment. “Ohh, papi…you laying it down,” she moaned as she scooted back closer against him, encouraging him to speed up the pace. Wesley’s head was lost as he enjoyed the warm feel of the inside of Nikki. Just feeling himself inside of her was everything he dreamt about and so much more. Wanting more of her, Wesley pulled out, stood Nikki into an upright position and took her to his bed. Shyly, she lay on his bed as she reached out her arms to pull him down to her. His eyes met hers, and she could see the sincerity in them as he uttered the words that scared her, “Nikki, I need you, girl.” She couldn’t afford to repeat those words back. Instead, she covered his mouth with her own. Letting out a deep moan, she shivered when he entered her once more. Download... Women's fiction author and blogger, Chelle Ramsey brings a refreshing perspective into the lives of her readers and wants them to find entertainment, healing and inspiration in each novel. Using real problems and challenges faced by ordinary people, Chelle wants readers to become empowered to rise above life's adversities, with faith in God, and belief in themselves. Her stories are relatable to individuals of diverse demographics, who have suffered a loss, been hurt, have low self-esteem, have lost hope, or need a word of encouragement. She strives to take your emotions on a roller coaster ride, one page at a time. Chelle holds an MBA in Human Resource Management, which she puts to use in her Human Resources role by day, while she writes her fiction novels at night. And in her spare time, she’s a blogger, freelance writer, and ghostwriter. Her most important roles are those of a wife and mother of three. During her “me time,” she becomes enraptured with the enthralling stories of Terry McMillan, Nora Roberts, James Patterson and Stuart Woods. Chelle Ramsey resides in a rural community in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys writing, family time, and watching NBA games. She hosts the annual 20 Days of Love authors’ blogging campaign, March Madness authors’ giveaways campaign, and showcases other authors on her blog at www.chelleramsey.com/beautifully-inspired-blog. Her novels can be found online at Chelle Ramsey Amazon. LINKS: WEB: www.chelleramsey.com EMAIL: chelleramseywrites@gmail.com FACEBOOK: ChelleWrites TWITTER: @UndeniablyChell PINTEREST: ChellesBooks INSTAGRAM: UndeniablyChelle Thanks for joining me for another Writer Wednesday! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. It's another Motivational Monday Moment, and I've paired up with quite a few people to bring you a moment of motivation and inspiration this year. Today's inspiration is provided by Melinda Michelle and she brings us a thought provoking topic, and issues a challenge that I'm taking up in my life. Read on... My Favorite Scripture by Melinda Michelle Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, ~ Ephesians 3:20 I was asked to write about my favorite scripture. There are many powerful scriptures in the Word of God that I hold dear and get me through some tough times. When I think about which one holds the prestigious place of “favorite” there’s only one that comes to mind, Ephesians 3:20. I think the reason this one reigns above the rest for me is because, like God, it’s impossible to measure. When you wrap your mind around this scripture, you realize, it is filled with hope, power and authority. It says that God is able to do above what we can ASK or THINK. So, no matter what our imaginations or desires create, God can abundantly exceed it. How awesome is that? I also like it because it challenges me in the area of faith and expectation. If I evaluate my life and I don’t feel like I am walking in an abundance, then I know there’s more that I should be doing. God’s promises are yes and amen. It takes a different kind of mindset to believe God for the impossible. In my walk with God, one of the things that has repeatedly come to me as an area of improvement is that, I am not thinking big enough. I have felt this in my personal time with God as well as had people come to me and say the very same thing. I never want to get to the end of my life and realize I didn’t do all that was in me to do. This scripture is a constant reminder to think bigger, expect bigger and ultimately let God even exceed that. After the third time this was told to me, I got frustrated. I asked God to give me a starting point of the level I should be thinking at. A few days later, I was in the shower when I heard it. The thought was definitely not mine because it was nothing I would even fathom. Then when I thought about the magnitude of what He told me, I realized I was indeed thinking too small and I needed to adjust my expectations. So, from here on out, the level God introduced me to is where I START to think, and that experience brought Ephesians 3:20 to life for me. It is REAL. So that one instruction has sent me down a path of obedience that I never saw coming. It is big, and it will take hard work, but I know that I am activating God’s Word in my life therefore I will get the results it promises. I know the Word of God is alive and active, I truly believe it is a living, breathing thing. I honestly believe the only reason we as Christians don’t walk in more authority in the earth is because we don’t activate the Word in our lives. I encourage every believer to find just one scripture this year and activate it in your life. Look at what comes before it and what comes after it. Find the instructions in the Word to activate that thing and get results. Once you master that scripture, begin to activate others in your life and watch your life soar in ways you never imagined. Remember, God is only limited in our lives because of where our PERSONAL faith holds Him hostage. Without faith is it IMPOSSIBLE to please God. Contact Info: Email: melindamichelle21@gmail.com Site: www.melindamichelle21.com Thanks for joining me for another Motivational Monday Moment! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. Spilling the tea. Laughing about everything and nothing. Giving you that shoulder to lean on when your heart is broke. Rolling with you to slash his tires and get revenge when your heart is broke. Hanging out for a day of shopping and reminiscing. Taking that pole class for the kicks of it, or just to show you still got "it." Celebrating those special occasions. There's nothing like having your girls there for those specific moments in your life. For the most part, women turn to our significant other when we need someone to confide in, or to give us guidance. But there are those specific moments that we can only talk with our girlfriends about. There are some subjects that might be okay to discus with our partner, co-worker, or even our kids. But there are some topics that are better dealt with woman to woman. Sometimes, you just need or want to hear another woman's point of view on a particular topic. Then there are those times, you just want your girls there to celebrate your wins in life. Whether you've been that friend, had that friend, or need that friend, we're bringing those friends into your life soon. The Beautifully Inspired Blog will be coming to you every Thursday beginning in March with some hot topics, spill the tea topics, and some educational, informative, controversial and even uncomfortable topics. Yes, we want to come into your home and kick it with you. We'll be open for discussions, comments, and suggestions. Who are we? I'll bring that information to you soon, and you'll get to meet the women who're coming up close and personal to spill the tea with you. If you have suggestions, ideas, or comments regarding topics you want to hear discussed. Drop a comment in the comments section below or email them to me at chelleramseywrites@gmail.com. Don't be shy! I'm looking forward to hearing from you, and connecting with you. Invite your friends and your girlfriends to follow this blog. About Chelle Ramsey... Women's fiction author and blogger, Chelle Ramsey brings a refreshing perspective into the lives of her readers and wants them to find entertainment, healing and inspiration in each novel. Using real problems and challenges faced by ordinary people, Chelle wants readers to become empowered to rise above life's adversities, with faith in God, and belief in themselves. Her stories are relatable to individuals of diverse demographics, who have suffered a loss, been hurt, have low self-esteem, have lost hope, or need a word of encouragement. She strives to take your emotions on a roller coaster ride, one page at a time. Chelle holds an MBA in Human Resource Management, which she puts to use in her Human Resources role by day, while she writes her fiction novels at night. And in her spare time, she’s a blogger, freelance writer, and ghostwriter. Her most important roles are those of a wife and mother of three. During her “me time,” she becomes enraptured with the enthralling stories of Terry McMillan, Nora Roberts, James Patterson and Stuart Woods. Chelle Ramsey resides in a rural community in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys writing, family time, and watching NBA games. She hosts the annual 20 Days of Love authors’ blogging campaign, March Madness authors’ giveaways campaign, and showcases other authors on her blog at www.chelleramsey.com/beautifully-inspired-blog. Her novels can be found online at Chelle Ramsey Amazon. LINKS: WEB: www.chelleramsey.com EMAIL: chelleramseywrites@gmail.com FACEBOOK: ChelleWrites TWITTER: @UndeniablyChell PINTEREST: ChellesBooks INSTAGRAM: UndeniablyChelle Thanks for joining me for another Relationship Thursday! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. Christina Kirkland loves her church and her job. As she's racing to break the latest news story, little does she know she will soon be the focus of breaking news in Atlanta. Will her job hold her down through the scandal, and will she hold on to her praise through it all? Walking across the stage, Pastor Pearson wiped his face with his handkerchief and went back to the podium. “It says those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. It didn’t tell you to run out there and do it. See sometimes when you step out to do something you miss out on your destiny because you doing it in your timing and not God’s. You got to learn to operate in the kairos, which is a right or opportune moment, or God’s time; and not the chronos, which is man’s time. We want everything in our time and we don’t want to wait until God’s time. And when we step out and do it in our time rather than waiting on God’s time we get burnt out and wonder why we aren’t getting anywhere, why we aren’t growing, why we have no energy. Because we did not wait…on the Lord. When we wait on the Lord, our strength will be renewed, we shall mount up with wings like eagles. Have you ever seen an eagle gliding and soaring through the air? That wind gets beneath their wings and lifts them up and they glide as though they are one with the air. "Well that’s how we ought to be…when we wait on God, He is the wind beneath our wings giving us that power to do the unthinkable, to accomplish the unimaginable, and to become majestic. He is that air that we become one with. His Holy Spirit is one with us, because it lives inside of us. But it can’t happen if we don’t wait on the Lord. But now hold that thought, the word of God says wait. But while we waiting, God don’t want us twiddling our thumbs, talkin’ ‘bout ‘oh lawwd…what I’m gon’ do…how I’m gon’ pay my bills, how I’m gon’ find another job, when I’m gon’ get married and have kids of my own. "Well while you waiting, you better start praising. Praise Him right now for that six figure job that He’s gon’ bless you with; praise Him right now for that new home; praise Him right now for your deliverance and your healing; praise Him right now for your spiritual breakthrough; praise Him right now for your financial blessings; praise Him right now for that man or woman of God He’s gonna bless you with to be your new spouse; praise Him right now for the salvation of your lost loved ones; praise Him right now for your children’s deliverance from drugs, alcohol, disobedience or backsliding. Praise Him right now because He’s worthy, praise Him right now because He’s worthy. I saaaiiiiddd, praise Him right now because He’s worthy. If He don’t ever do nothing else for you praise Him right now because He’s wooorrrrthyyyy!” Pastor Pearson sung this last part as he slid across the stage and started doing a holy dance. The choir pitched in singing in the background, “I’ve had my share of ups and downs” to Marvin Sapp’s “Praise Him in Advance.” Mother Young passed out on the front pew as she always did during these sermons and the nurses surrounded her, fanning her and placing a prayer cloth over her legs to cover her up. Then like clockwork Sister Miriam came out into the middle aisle kicked off her shoes and ran around the church. And not to be outdone, Mother Yancey stepped into the middle aisle and gently passed out. But this time the glory of God must have gotten Sister Miriam because she didn’t keep her running to the outer aisles of the church as she usually did; she ran up the middle aisle and boom, tripped right over Mother Yancey. She fell flat on her face and Mother Yancey hollered out and tried to sit up. Deacon Alexander and Elder Wilson and Elder Mitchell ran to the aisles to help the two of them, but Sister Miriam got mad and slapped at Elder Wilson. Then Mother Yancey got mad at Sister Miriam and told her if she hadn’t been running through the church like a fool, it wouldn’t have happened and she had nobody to be mad at but herself. Sister Miriam got mad and told Mother Yancey she needed to pick a new spot to get slain by the Holy Spirit…and didn’t she know everyone knew she was faking anyway. Mother Young was still slain with the spirit up front. And it took everything in Christina to not burst out laughing at the three of them. Two more deacons and an elder came to the rescue, helped the ladies up and out the sanctuary to the rear. Christina hummed softly in her car to Donald Lawrence’s “Bless Me” as she pulled out of her parking space at church, and waved goodbye to some of her fellow parishioners. Her mouth was watering for some chicken and greens at “Stella’s Eatz,” her favorite soul food eatery in downtown Atlanta on Auburn Avenue and she couldn’t wait to get there. Less than 10 minutes into her drive and in between songs on the CD filling the car with soothing gospel melodies, she heard her cell phone buzz. Realizing it was still on vibrate from church, she turned the ringer back on. Christina reached forward to hit the power button on the radio, looked at the ID on her phone’s screen, shook her head and let out a loud sigh. She debated for just a moment whether or not to answer the phone, because she knew lunch was now in one word…over. “Hi Jill,” she said greeting her producer. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for almost 15 minutes now,” exclaimed a frantic Jill. “I’m just leaving church heading to get something to eat. My phone must have still been on vibrate,” she explained. “Okay, well that’s beside the point, I need you to get your butt to Southwest Atlanta right now. There’s unconfirmed reports of a police involved shooting and a homicide. Right now the number of victims hasn’t been confirmed, but we need to get there before anyone else hears about it. Alex and Todd should be there by now or almost there,” Jill said, referring to Christina’s cameraman and van driver. “What’s the address, Jill?” “I don’t have an exact address, but it’s off the corner of Derry Wheel Way and Vincent Drive, near South Union Boulevard. It’s a couple of streets over from where that Carter story broke a couple of years back,” Jill explained, referring to a story their station had been the first to report on about a teen who had opened fire on his parents, sisters, and nephew while they were in the home sleeping. “I know the area, I’m heading there now,” Christina replied. She hung up the phone, breathed another deep sigh and pulled off at the nearest exit. Expertly maneuvering the sleek, sexy, charcoal 2006 Mazda MX-5 Sport back onto the highway, within seconds Christina was heading in the opposite direction. Click The Book To Download...About Chelle Ramsey...Women's fiction author and blogger, Chelle Ramsey brings a refreshing perspective into the lives of her readers and wants them to find entertainment, healing and inspiration in each novel. Using real problems and challenges faced by ordinary people, Chelle wants readers to become empowered to rise above life's adversities, with faith in God, and belief in themselves.
Her stories are relatable to individuals of diverse demographics, who have suffered a loss, been hurt, have low self-esteem, have lost hope, or need a word of encouragement. She strives to take your emotions on a roller coaster ride, one page at a time. Chelle holds an MBA in Human Resource Management, which she puts to use in her Human Resources role by day, while she writes her fiction novels at night. And in her spare time, she’s a blogger, freelance writer, and ghostwriter. Her most important roles are those of a wife and mother of three. During her “me time,” she becomes enraptured with the enthralling stories of Terry McMillan, Nora Roberts, James Patterson and Stuart Woods. Chelle Ramsey resides in a rural community in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys writing, family time, and watching NBA games. She hosts the annual 20 Days of Love authors’ blogging campaign, March Madness authors’ giveaways campaign, and showcases other authors on her blog at www.chelleramsey.com/beautifully-inspired-blog. Her novels can be found online at Chelle Ramsey Amazon. LINKS: WEB: www.chelleramsey.com EMAIL: chelleramseywrites@gmail.com FACEBOOK: ChelleWrites TWITTER: @UndeniablyChell PINTEREST: ChellesBooks INSTAGRAM: UndeniablyChelle Thanks for joining me for another Writer Wednesday! Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you! To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner. 2018! Our first writer Wednesday of the year! It's time to review upcoming writing goals for the new year. As I sat down to review what I had accomplished in 2017, I was impressed. I completed seven novels. Seven! Despite my busy schedule and non-stop work schedule from January through September. Seven's my favorite number, so I am taking that as my sign of completion. I have accomplished everything that I needed to at a certain stage of my writing, and now it's time to grow to another level.
So, here are my goals that I hope to accomplish this year: 1.) Release 4 books (one per quarter) 2.) Provide more character interviews on the blog 3.) Do more giveaways 4.) Attend 2 - 3 author/reader events in person 5.) Give backstory on my characters that you cannot find in the books, and share my thought process about my story creation. 6.) More Facebook and Instagram live sessions each month 7.) Focus more on my plays, and a new genre I have been working on. 8.) Dig deeper into relationship talks every Thursday, here on The Beautifully Inspired Blog. This will be a busier year for me, and I will have to get my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants butt in gear and organized. I also have to do more of the thing I don't like to do. MARKETING! Readers, is there anything you would like to see me do more of, or do differently? Authors, any organizational or marketing tips you would like to share? Don't be shy. Drop a comment below, or inbox me on Facebook @ Chelle Ramsey, or email me at chelleramseywrites@gmail.com. I'm interested in your feedback! As we usher in 2018, we cannot help but to reflect on 2017. It brought its share of challenges, but also victories. Through it all, we will continue to praise Him. Today's Motivational Monday Moment is provided by Vondetta Carter. She's kicking off our New Year with a praise. I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make its boast in theLord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together….Psalm 34:1-3 The above verses are ones I try to live by each and every day. In my 59years of life, I have found that life is not always good, but God is. God has never allowed the Earth to spin off into space or fall out of its orbit. He has never stopped giving life and allowing us to breath, eat, live, work, talk, hopefully be in our right minds. He has never stopped loving us, even we don’t love ourselves. Even when we make bad choices, He gives us options to get it right. His forgiveness is everlasting and ongoing even when we mess up something awful. All He’s ever asked of us was to choose Him and He has promised us everlasting life. In addition to that, HE CANNOT LIE!!! I’ve been lied to and I am so grateful that He cannot. There are many things I can be grateful for. There are things I wish had never happened, but those are things that God has brought me out of and through. So as I begin today and everyday, I will bless the Lord at ALL times, for He is the Best thing that has ever happened to me…So my friends and family..”Let us exalt His name together” Love Vondetta |
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