Naked & Not Ashamed is a transparent conversation between Sisters. One that allows both the writer and reader to expose themselves without fear or sense of condemnation. It’s a journey towards healing that allows us to dialogue without masks, charades, or pretense. We explore familiar stories of women in the Bible. These powerful narratives of trial, triumph, failures, and flaws show the resiliency, redemptive and transformative power of encountering Christ. I also reveal personal experiences of my own Christian walk with all its ups, downs, twists, and turns. But the most amazing part of these chronicles is you! Right now, you are writing your story. Are you living with pain, grief, and regret that needs to be released? This book is designed to help you see your own undeniably powerful narrative. I want to challenge you to see the hand of God in your life and urge you to find the ability to tell your story. We accomplish this through journal prompts, activities, prayer, etc.
How did Naked & Not Ashamed: The Transformational Devotional Experience get started?
I’d like to begin by thanking you for providing me with this amazing opportunity to connect with you and your audience. My journey to writing this book began while attending College days at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Al. While there I attended Breath of Life Ministries under the pastorship of Pastor Carlton Bryd. Bryd’s message spoke of a woman in the Bible. Although the story was a familiar one, that day the woman’s narrative spoke to me on so many levels. I felt deeply connected to her. As I continued to meditate on what I heard, I thought about countless women who may find a parallel between various stories of women in the Word of God and their own lives. It was at that moment I decided to get started.
My book is entitled Naked & Not Ashamed: The Transformational Devotional Experience. Naked & Not Ashamed is a transparent conversation between Sisters. One that allows both the writer and reader to expose themselves without fear or sense of condemnation. It’s a journey towards healing that allows us to dialogue without masks, charades, or pretense. We explore familiar stories of women in the Bible. These powerful narratives of trial, triumph, failures, and flaws show the resiliency, redemptive and transformative power of encountering Christ. I also reveal personal experiences of my own Christian walk with its ups, downs, twists, and turns. But the most amazing part of the story is the readers! Right now, they are writing their story. Some are living with pain, grief, and regret that needs to be released. This book is designed to help her see her own undeniably powerful narrative. I challenge readers to see the hand of God in their life and urge them to find the ability to tell their stories. We accomplish this through journal prompts, activities, prayer, etc.
Is there one particular message or “moral of the story” you hope readers walk away with?
Yes! I want readers to emerge from these pages empowered, inspired, and on the road to healing. We live in a world filled with hurting people. They need to know there is a Balm for their pain. These powerful accounts will give the reader permission to tell their stories so they too can encourage someone else who is broken. I want them to recognize that encountering Christ, apart from the crowd, will allow them to experience a breakthrough in their lives. Developing a personal relationship with the Master will irrevocably change their lives giving them peace, joy and happiness. At the conclusion of this book, it is my desire for each woman to realize how deeply she is loved by her Creator.
What is your current work in progress?
I’m so excited about my next projects! A gospel stage play entitled The Beautiful Truth About an Ugly Lie. It will be performed in person in May 2022 and virtually in June 2022. A devotional book I co-authored entitled Joy Comes in the Morning is scheduled to be released in June.2022. I’m in the process of having a children’s book illustrated by Janna Peterson. The book is designed to help children believe in themselves and foster positive self-esteem entitled Believe. Last, but certainly not least, a self-help book for women She said Yes to Herself!
What advice would you give to a beginning author?
My advice to a beginner writer is very simple; before you sit down to write, identify your target audience. Create a persona, know their age range, sex if applicable, education, are they married or single, where do they spend majority of their time, what types of challenges do they face? This information will help to guide you as you begin to write and market your book.
What would be your dream vacation?
I’d love to visit Hawaii or Dubai. Traveling is such a freeing act. I love the opportunity to experience different sights and sounds. I could admire the beauty in a natural landscape for hours. There is a medicinal property that is activated by being out in nature or changing your scenery. It gives me an adrenaline rush and my mood is always brightened by taking in new sights.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
Besides knowing the Lord, the happiest days of my life are the births of my 6 beautiful children. Each time I experienced a new way to fall in love at first sight all over again. My children are my life. They have given me so much strength, understanding, wisdom, patience and a greater capacity to love another human being.
How has being published changed your life?
This has been such a rewarding experience. I started writing at the age of seven or eight years old. I became a published author at the wonderful age of forty-five. It tells me it’s never too late to realize your dreams. As a child I was determined to see my name on a book and although life happened and my dream was delayed it wasn’t denied. It has inspired me not to limit myself or place a timeframe on when things must happen. Accomplishing this lifelong goal has motivated me to go after bigger and better things.
How do you see yourself in your character’s story, if at all?
The book has several characters. There are some characters like Hannah, Leah or Bathsheba that we are given a glimpse into the close of their narratives. So, we don’t have to speculate too much on how their stories end. Then there are characters like Job’s wife, the woman at the well and others that no additional information is given to us. We can only guess what happened in the next chapters of their respective stories. Finally, I am still living so my story is still in the process of being written. But I pray it ends well.
Where do you like to write?
It’s funny but I never thought about where I’ve been most comfortable writing until you asked the question. The answer is the books, poetry, blogs, monologues, plays, etc. I’ve written I wrote in bed. The irony is that’s where my first encounter with sexual abuse occurred. I was only four or five years old at the time. But it’s where my journey for healing began. As a forty-five-year-old woman it’s where I go to become empowered. Each time I write I emerge stronger and more resilient than the time before.
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