On the United States calendar, today is marked as Thanksgiving. Originally, it was sited as a Christian holiday, but oddly enough, it is now largely viewed as a secular holiday; a day of harvest and festival. I prefer to see it from the Christian angle because whenever I think of giving thanks, I immediately think of God. If anyone deserves a special day of appreciation, it is the creator of all things and the giver of life. Life. More and more, that one simple, yet powerful, word seems to take a front seat in my every day existence. This year, one of the things for which I'm most grateful is the release of my most recent book (my first nonfiction), I Shall Not Die, and the 
launch of its partnering empowerment ministry, The I.S.L.A.N.D. Movement. As I've repeatedly stated during speaking engagements as well as in my writings regarding I Shall Not Die, it is my seventeenth published work, but it is actually the first book that I was inspired to write. It was one that God ordered in 1995, but one that I'd fought against penning until 2009. Yet, despite my procrastination, when I finally obeyed the voice of the Lord and finally got it into print this year, He blessed it beyond my imagination. Truly, just as He promised in scripture (Ephesians 3:20), God has done exceeding abundantly above all that I asked or thought.
launch of its partnering empowerment ministry, The I.S.L.A.N.D. Movement. As I've repeatedly stated during speaking engagements as well as in my writings regarding I Shall Not Die, it is my seventeenth published work, but it is actually the first book that I was inspired to write. It was one that God ordered in 1995, but one that I'd fought against penning until 2009. Yet, despite my procrastination, when I finally obeyed the voice of the Lord and finally got it into print this year, He blessed it beyond my imagination. Truly, just as He promised in scripture (Ephesians 3:20), God has done exceeding abundantly above all that I asked or thought.Through I Shall Not Die and The I.S.L.A.N.D. Movement, many doors have opened for me to 
share the message of this book that is based on my own true life miracle and experiences. I should have been dead a long time ago, but God said not so, and even through the loss that I suffered, God still gave life. I Shall Not Die has been available to the public for less than two months, but the testimony that it shares has blessed many people in that relatively short span of time. I'm thrilled by the feedback that I have received in the form of Facebook postings, private emails, telephone calls, and online reviews. Additionally, I Shall Not Die has captured the heart of an independent documentarian who has plans to turn it into a televised documentary. How humbling it is to be used of God to share the message of hope with the world.
share the message of this book that is based on my own true life miracle and experiences. I should have been dead a long time ago, but God said not so, and even through the loss that I suffered, God still gave life. I Shall Not Die has been available to the public for less than two months, but the testimony that it shares has blessed many people in that relatively short span of time. I'm thrilled by the feedback that I have received in the form of Facebook postings, private emails, telephone calls, and online reviews. Additionally, I Shall Not Die has captured the heart of an independent documentarian who has plans to turn it into a televised documentary. How humbling it is to be used of God to share the message of hope with the world. At the start of my writing career in 2002, I promised the Lord that I would use this gift He gave me to His honor and glory. I have declared that it will be all about ministy, and over the years, various outside temptations have come my way to try to distract me.
Everything from a would-be publishers request for me to change my writing style so that my stories appeal to a more secular audience to the lucrative offer from another would-be publisher if I would agree to operate under a pen name and write erotica. My answer to both of these was an emphatic NO. Sure, it would have brought me a certain level of fame and fortune, but what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? My declaration remains the same. This gift that God has given me is all about ministry, and whatever notariety I don't gain doing it God's way, I won't gain. And I have no regrets.
Everything from a would-be publishers request for me to change my writing style so that my stories appeal to a more secular audience to the lucrative offer from another would-be publisher if I would agree to operate under a pen name and write erotica. My answer to both of these was an emphatic NO. Sure, it would have brought me a certain level of fame and fortune, but what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? My declaration remains the same. This gift that God has given me is all about ministry, and whatever notariety I don't gain doing it God's way, I won't gain. And I have no regrets.I am so thankful for where I am, because I know that I am is where God wants me to be at this present time. And I know that more doors will open that will help to usher me to the place where He desires me to be in the future. I wouldn't trade my journey for the world. And believe me when I tell you...it ain't over....there is more to come...and I'm thankful for that too.
It's rare that you find those that have made it so prominently in life and certain superlative endeavors to take the time and give thanks where it's really due. More often than not you get the feeling that if any gratitude is rendered it's on the superficial side and no mention of God is inherent. As long as I've known Kendra I've seen the growth and without a doubt this young woman knows from where her strength lies…she knows who she is and to whom she belongs. This is evident in her work ethic and her dedication to giving something back. Recently, I wrote an essay entitled, 'GO YE AND PROPER BUT FORGET NOT THE CHILDREN'. You'd want to ask why this is so important me, and I'll answer emphatically that when it comes to paying homage to anything reverent and exercising humility and humbleness we (and I'm speaking generically here) take on that 'I, me, mine' syndrome, go about our business and forget to give something back to those that need it most.
ReplyDeleteAs Christians being the progenitor of good stewardship means that we don't rob God, we bolster self, family and community, and for the life of me we should give thanks to the one that gives us breath to see yet, another day! Kendra's whole mindset has been dedicated to being the type of upstanding mother, wife and friend that one would love to have, and I'm proud to say and know that I've seen her growth and knew from the beginning that God had His hand on her shoulders. Not forgetting the children can mean giving thanks because of, and in spite of despite any controlling influences that say otherwise.
There's quite a bit to be thankful for, least of which would be apropos to taking time out and purpose in your life that you're here for a purpose and God expect for you to work diligently…and if you happen to be a writer, you should author with authority and let the scribe in you allow your ink to flow with fluidity. But give thanks while you're doing it! Thank you Kendra for being what you are to me and that's a friend beyond measure.
YOUR WRITING ABOVE IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL AND SO INSPIRING. OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD AND I APPRECIATE AND ADMIRE THAT YOU REFUSE TO COMPROMISE YOUR INTEGRITY AND EVEN YOUR GIFT FOR EARTHLY GAIN.
ReplyDeleteYOUR'S IN CHRIST,
M. CECIL