Tag Archives: African American Christian author

Who Speaks To Your Heart? by Stacy Hawkins Adams Blog Tour

Who Speaks To Your Heart? Blog Tour

Devotional Excerpt taken from Ch. 15
of Who Speaks To Your Heart?

 Hi, this is Stacy Hawkins Adams, author of Who Speaks To Your Heart?

Have you ever felt invisible or as if you weren’t valued?

At some point in your life, whether once or a hundred times, you’ve likely felt dismissed or nonexistent. Others may have unintentionally ignored you or purposely excluded you.

However the slight occurred, feeling invisible – in a professional setting, at a social event or even in a relationship – may have punctured your soul, or at the very least, left you wanting to really disappear. Feeling like you don’t matter opens you up for doubts about your worthiness – whether you’re smart enough, pretty enough, thin enough, educated enough or simply good enough to deserve acknowledgement.

But God declares in Jeremiah 23:23-24 that he is always near, and none of us is invisible to him. He reminds us that when we feel the most disregarded and isolated, we should instead be encouraged, because he values those that are considered the “least of these” by others. In Matthew 10:30 he says he knows every hair on our head, and Psalm 56:8 reminds us that he’s collecting every tear we shed in a bottle. 

If we believe the truth of these promises, then the times during which we question our significance– or allow someone else to do so – should be exactly what they are: minor slights we must sometimes endure. This is easier said than done, because the childhood cliché is incorrect: words can and do hurt, as well as the absence of them when you need to hear them most. But learning how to turn to God when we’re confronted with this issue is critical to learning to listen better and to hearing him speak.

When you feel like you’ve been overlooked, disregarded, not taken seriously or misunderstood, talk to God about it. Study scriptures that remind you that you are God’s choice pearl and that your every thought and move matter to him.

© Stacy Hawkins Adams.  Excerpted from Who Speaks To Your Heart? Do not reprint or publish this excerpt without full attribution to the author or without express permission from the author or publisher, Zondervan.

 

About the Book

With insight, inspiration, and practical ideas in her new book—Who Speaks to Your Heart?—, author Stacy Hawkins Adams shows you and all women—regardless of the labels placed on you—that your best and most important title is the one given by God … chosen vessel.

“I wrestled with whether a God that I couldn’t see or touch would be willing to single me out from the millions of other people who wanted love, attention and help.”

To women all over the country, from all walks of life, this uncomfortable uncertainty is all too familiar. Now—for inspiration, for affirmation, for a divine connection—you have a new place to turn … to this authentic look at what it takes to pursue God with abandon, by acclaimed author Stacy Hawkins Adams.

Offering insight, inspiration, and practical ideas on how to connect more often and more deeply with God, Adams helps give you and women the world over the courage to go deeper and grow deeper in God’s word to hear Him more clearly. Women young and old will be empowered and renewed by Adams’ reminder that—regardless of the labels placed on you by society, your family, your friends, and even yourself—your best and most important title is the one given by God … chosen vessel.

About the Author

Stacy Hawkins Adams is a nationally-published, award-winning author and speaker. Her contemporary women’s fiction novels are filled with social themes and spiritual quests that take readers on journeys into their own souls.

She holds a degree in journalism and served as a newspaper reporter for more than a decade before turning her full attention to penning books, speaking professionally and writing freelance articles.

Stacy lives in a suburb of Richmond, Virginia with her husband and two young children. Visit Stacy online at stacyhawkinsadams.com.

Book Review by Linda Fegins

 Who Speaks to Your Heart by Stacy Hawkins Adams is filled with delightful  rich   and powerful nuggets  of inspiration, wit, wisdom and the practical use of the Word to empower women, really anyone ,to seek to know God intimately. Want to receive guidance and answers about your choices, purpose and destiny? Who Speaks to Your Heart gently shares with you the necessary steps to recognize God’s voice   to obtain His wisdom.  In Jeremiah 33:3 the Word states “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things thou knowest not”. Hawkins provides loving practical and challenging strategies and tips as to how not only to pray to God, but to “LISTEN” with our hearts the messages He will truly whisper once you diligently   seek Him and learn to listen when He speaks to you. Many forget that an important aspect of prayer and study is to listen.

I read a couple of chapters twice, such as “Letting Go of the Life You Imagined”, not because the reading was difficult, but I needed to soak in the chapter to garner what the Lord was speaking to me through the wonderful chapters. Adams shares her personal journey of faith with interesting stories such as her need to have a hearing device and reluctance to face the fact, experiences with her daughter and much more as a model for how God can speak to you.  Women will be encouraged and empowered to grow deeper in the Word to listen to what God is speaking to their heart, in a “non-preachy” manner.

View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/WhoSpeaksToYourHeart.

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Love Found Me Blog Tour

“When a man’s ways please the LORD, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)

Vanessa Richardson is an author, poet, and playwright. Vanessa has written several stage productions and have been blessed to perform them at various venues. Her stage productions includes: Someone To Love Me, Why Do Bad Things Happens To Good People?, Lord, I Don’t Understand, and The Fullness Of Time.

Vanessa wrote her freshman nonfiction inspirational novel titled, The Certain Ones. A spiritual impacting novel that inspires her readers to know that not everyone are called into greatness. Fact: Many can not handle the process that goes along with becoming great. Only the certain ones, who endures; can obtain destined greatness. She is currently working on the second installment of her, Inspirational Suspense Love Series titled, Love Lifted Me.  Visit Vanessa online at vanessarichardson.net.

 

 

 About the Book

Mike Montgomery once lived the American dream. Gainfully employed, beautiful home, and a wonderful loving wife. Growing up in a loving family whose faith was unbreakable was his source of strength. Mike’s faith would one day be shaken after losing the love of his life in an unexpected tragedy. Mike thought he would never love again until he meets Sheila Lawson. Everything about Sheila made him want to love again. Could he risk his heart again?

Sheila Lawson, a woman’s health advocate was strong and independent, yet something was missing in her life. Immersing herself in her work, she vowed off any relationships. Sheila would find her self-made decree shaken when she meets tall, dark, and handsome Mike Montgomery. There is an evil lurking in the shadows. Mike and Sheila will have to unite to overcome evil forces trying to keep them apart. Will their love be enough to see them through the testing of their faith?

 

 

 View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/LoveFoundMeBlogTour.

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Selling my Soul Blog Tour with Sherri Lewis

Selling My Soul Blog Tour
Sherri Lewis’ writing was put on hold while she attended Howard University as an undergraduate, then medical school at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. After working almost fifteen years in the medical field, Sherri left her position as a staff physician at a Georgia Department of Corrections’ Women’s prison to pursue writing and ministry full time.

Sherri is co-founder of the Faith-Based Black Fiction Writers of Atlanta with Essence Best-Selling author Tia McCollors. Selling My Soul is the anticipated sequel to Sherri’s debut novel, My Soul Cries Out. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Visit Sherri online at www.sherrilewis.com.


About the Book
When Trina Michaels steps off the plane after her two-year missions trip in Africa, she realizes that other than longing to see her mother and her best friend, her heart aches to fly back to the place that now feels more like home than anywhere she’s… ever lived. And to the man who’s stolen her heart.

Her dream of a quick return to Mozambique fades within hours when Trina discovers that her mother has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Trina is forced to go back to her job as a publicist to cover her mother’s health costs.

She’s assigned a damage control client, Bishop Walker, a megachurch pastor accused of covering up a church sex scandal within his church involving the molestation of young boys. Representing him could cost Trina her most valued friendship, the love of her life, and her soul.

View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/SellingMySoulBlogTour

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“Who I’ve Become is NOT Who I AM” by Sonya Visor


Take Off the Mask Blog Tour
Who I’ve Become is NOT who I AM, is Sonya Visor’s first non-fiction book. Her passion is to minister to the people who hide behind masks. Sonya’s calling is to break and destroy the yokes of bondage, releasing the power of God into the lives of others by the preached Word and prayers of deliverance. When you can find the strength, to step into who you truly are; you can find the strength to BE THE (Tru U). TruU Ministries is the women’s ministry that God has charged her with to help other’s become free.
Sonya shares her heart with her husband, Pastor Tony Visor, who she calls her better half, for nineteen years. She and her husband have ministered effectively in the city of Racine together at NCC since 1999. Sonya is blessed to love two sons, Jason and Tony, Jr. Visit her online at sonyavisor.com.

About the Book
Who are you when nobody’s looking? It’s time to take off what hides who you truly are…the mask! Are you tired of going around family, friends and church folk with a frozen smile and a broken heart? Unmask your true identity and learn your real name as pastor’s wife and playwright Sonya Visor cuts to the heart with dynamic testimony of sexual molestation at a young age.
BEING SILENT GAVE POWER to the hands that touched her life. Can hands meant to protect you also have the power to crush your identity? YES! But when we stop allowing a mask of shame to hold us captive with CLOSED mouths, WE CAN let Jesus be real in our lives.
Discover who you have become and embrace who you really are in a book that goes past the pews and what other’s think about you — to bring glory to God by being transparent and transformed. It’s time to take off your mask and let the true you show up!

Book Review by Linda Fegins
Initially I was not enthused about having to read this book. However, Sonya Visor’s passion for helping hurting women and men to be healed, delivered and freed from captivity by taking off the mask shines through and demonstrates the glorious healing power of Jesus. The book is more than a story about having suffered the trauma of sexual abuse, remaining silent and hiding one’s pain and true self by putting on a mask to hide secrets. It’s about overcoming the silence of shame and gaining freedom from the societal and self-imposed yokes of bondages that cause one to put on a mask to hide the wounds and shame, to pretend that all is well. Paul Laurence Dunbar said
“We were the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes:”

Sonya gives real life practical examples of the different masks many wear for many reasons. Her descriptions such as Ms. Gucci, Mr. Do Good , the Bethany’s and others will make you laugh and say “ I know about that one” or identify with the pain of cover up and silence. She encourages one to take off the mask and to be transparent so that Jesus can heal you internally. The book is lined with practical and spiritual pointers of how to take off the mask, how to remain free and daring to be true to yourself. The book will encourage readers to seek true freedom by discovering their true identity in Jesus and unmask the true you.

We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,–
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be overwise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

Sonya challenges you to take of f the mask, to be transparent, transformed and let the true you shine through.

A Message from Sonya
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taD1hkwGWME&hl=en_US&fs=1]

View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/TakeOffTheMask

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