Join Me in My Godly Government Book Blog Campaign!

Hello All,

I'm very excited to share with you all about my new ebook Godly Government!  Set to "soft launch" on Election Day, November 6th, 2012, I'm counting on YOU to help support this awesome project!

I'd also like to take a moment to thank everyone who voted for our forthcoming cover design.  Since you lovely people will be purchasing my first book, I thought it would be fitting if you helped me pick the most attractive and relevant cover design.  You can see the final rendering here.

Thanks to the Belinda John of Shulamite Women Community Magazine (SWCM), Divine Works Publishing House, and Divine Graphix Inc. for publishing my ebook and designing the cover!

Blog Campaign

I've got some more exciting news to share with you!  To help get the word out about my Godly Government book project, I'd like to get you all involved again.  My friend Dick Hardy of The Hardy Group and author of 27 Tough Questions Pastors Ask launched a blog campaign a couple of years ago to get the word about his book project out and it was apparently successful because he did it again for his teaching DVD series Make It Happen.  So I'm going to follow his lead and test it out for my own freshman project.

Therefore, during the week of Tuesday November 6th through Monday November 12th I'd like all of YOU to plaster all of the social media outlets with reviews about Godly Government!  Here's how it works:

Step 1: You email me at desiree@desiredassistance.com to tell me you want to participate in the Blog Campaign.  (Serious participants only.)
Step 2: I'll send you a FREE copy of Godly Government ebook (PDF) for you to read and review.
Step 3: November 6th-November 12th, you utilize Twitter, Facebook, Google +, Pinterest, your blogs, and any other social media platforms you have to spread the word about #godlygovernment.

I hope I'll be hearing from many of you soon and that you're ready to team with me to make this "thang" happen!

New Facebook Page

I'd also like to invite you all to "like" my official authoress page on Facebook!  This page and this blog will be the go-to place to learn about all the happenings with this ebook project, The Final Hour forthcoming traditional book project, as well as the other literary works that will undoubtedly follow.  So please don't wait, like my page now!

Thank you in advance!

Question

How do you all feel about doing a Twitter Chat to kick this book project off as well?  Please let me know your thoughts on this!

Love you all!

Desiree, xx
www.DesireeMMondesir.wordpress.com
@DesireeMondesir 

Disrespect

I just participated in a very interesting conversation on Facebook posed by a pastor inquiring as to why it is that a particular ethnicity of women tend to refer to him by his first name as opposed to his god-given title.  He was not offended.  He was not in attack-mode.  He was simply asking a question.

The response he got was overwhelming in number, but what shocked me the most was the disrespect he encountered.  Some of it even directed at people like me, who merely agreed with the man of God.  Now, I understand that many would argue most black ministers are stuck on their titles because that is the only place they feel they have or can achieve anything.  Many [men] of the cloth could also rely on their titles because they are arrogant.  However, you could tell that this was not the heart of this particular pastor.

Now my question to the “saints” is why do we not fear to disrespect the men and women of God?  I was personally happy not to be standing next to some of the commentators because I did not want to be struck by lightening, lol.  The Bible says, “Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm,” (I Chronicles 16:22; Psalm 105:15).  This includes “touching” them with your mouth.  Travel back to the Old Testament and notice that everyone who spoke against Moses was severely punished. Korah and his followers were literally swallowed up by the earth (Numbers 16:1-35).  Miriam, Moses’ sister, spoke against his new, black [Ethiopian] wife and she was struck with Leprosy for 7 days (Numbers 12: 1-15).  Jezebel spoke against Elijah and the other prophets [among other things] and was thrown from a window by her own servants for the dogs to eat her flesh leaving only her skull, the palms of her hands, and her feet (II Kings 9:30-37).  Thank God we live under the grace of the New Testament instead of the law of the Old Testament!

My point in writing this is not to scare anyone; only to cause them to ponder the error of their ways.  Some ministers are not ordained by God, true.  But I would dare to say that the vast majority of the ones who have fruit to show for their god-given call are authentic.  Therefore, I encourage you to honour these men and women of God.  Give them gifts, pray for them, assist them in anyway you can.  And yes, we should even address them by their titles out of pure respect—if not for them, then for the God who called them into ministry. 

Again, I do not promote the self-righteous, egotistical [men] of the cloth who are stuck on their titles, but I do support ministries backed by fruit.  Furthermore, the Bible admonishes us, “Render therefore to all their due...honor to whom honor," (Romans 13:7).  Therefore we are to honour our men and women of God.  Not speak against them, lash out at them, correct them, and certainly not blast them even if they are wrong about a particular thing.  That is for God and those they are accountable to discuss and deal with.  Not us.

I realise that there has been a serious lack of spiritual fathers and mothers in the Church, but now we’ve recognized that and many are trying to rectify that and re-implement sound teaching to the saints in all matters, including the matter of respect and honour.  Is it so hard to honour the men and women God bless to be our pastors and overseers?  I think not. 

The Close of 2011

My New Year started on November 14^th, my 26^th birthday.  The week-end before, we’d had a forced-but-fun birthday party at my favourite restaurant, but the day of was bland, routine, and lonely.  I was alone with my thoughts, my job search, my chores, and once night came, my shows.  But that night Basketball Wives LA and Love & Hip Hop weren’t hitting the spot like they usually did.  So I decided to do something I hadn’t done for a while—journal.

I know, I know.  You probably think writers blog or journal everyday and maybe some do.  But I’m more the type that writes when things are terribly wrong.  The break-ups, the bad dreams, the drama, the low moments…these are what draws my craft out of me when it comes to my personal writing.  On this particular occasion, I realised I was 26; much closer to 30 than 20.  The job hunt, for several reasons, was producing nothing.  And as most 26 year old women would mourn—I was still unmarried. 

I know!  I’m not old, not really…. I’ve got my looks, my genes, and my shape (although it’s not where I’d like it to be).  Only a few of my close friends are married, but I can feel the number increasing….  More and more married friends are creeping into my tight-knit circle; school mates are having 1, 2, and 3 babies.  I’m an aunt and godmother to 2 wonderful little tikes and I’m started to get that itch.  You women know what I’m talking about.  In truth, I’ve had it for a while.  And sometimes I find myself—Lord forgive me—envying those who have the house, the spouse, and the kid(s).  But as my pastor and mentor once said, “Desiree, you’re a very young lady!” It sounded funny when he said it, but I knew he was right.  And at the end of the day, I don’t want to be married to my friends’ spouses, have their children or their lives.  I want the man that I love, and my own children and my own life—at the right time.  

Much as I thought I’d be married, gained a particular status, or achieved a particular dream by now, I haven’t.  And you know what?  That’s ok.  I don’t want to live out someone else’s expectation or dream for me.  However, I would like to feel like I’m not a late-bloomer. 

I think I’ve always felt like I was behind everyone else.  Spiritually, educationally, socially, and more.  And sure, there are some things that were just meant to be.  Others, are my own shortcomings.  And this was the crux of my birthday depression.  Now, if you’re reading this.  I appreciate any sympathy you may feel, but stop feeling it.  I like to think of it as a constructive depression that I felt. As I sat journaling, I knew that the things I was most unhappy about were things that were my own fault, yet things that I had the ability to change.      

If I’d been picky about my job search, it was time out for that.  Desperation became my new motivation.  Marriage need not be a concern because it will happen when I’m ready.  Kids—well, what’s the point in even discussing them?  My lack of drive was my real problem. 

I’ve never really been a driven person as it concerns the things that matter.  Oh sure, I could hustle to get a ride somewhere in college.  I could stay on top of any and everyone’s birthday who was important to me.  I could remind my man about that thing he said we were going to do 2 two months earlier.  But when it came to the job hunt, there was cooking, dusting, cleaning, and laundry to be done.  Not to mention, the job offer was too far away, the staffing agency never called me back, or I wasn’t comfortable with the responsibilities, etc.  And though these circumstances may have been true, there was no real drive to find something that worked.  And that was no one’s fault but my own.

           

Now I’m in a new place—literally.  Going back to the beginning; Get on My Grind 101.  And let me tell you—it sucks.  But you know what?  If I keep up the momentum I’ve ended 2011 with and am starting 2012 with, then November 14^th, 2012 and January 1^st, 2013 will be a very different picture for me.  Now, I’m not saying anything crazy like I’ll be married or have a million-dollar business (not yet anyway).  But what I am saying is that the possibilities are endless. 

On this eve of 2012, my life is so full of options.  I’ve got realistic goals and plans to help me achieve them.  I’m writing—a lot.  I’ve got great God-given musical ideas and aspirations.  I just did my first bonafide photo shoot for an established magazine.  I’ve got wonderful connections I believe God will use for His purpose and my success.  I’ve got the best mentor, business advisor, and friends a gal could ask for.  God has certainly been good and will continue to be so.  I pray this year I’ll make Him proud. 

In 2012, I encourage you all to discover what’s been lacking in your life.  What has God placed in your lap that you’ve done nothing with?  Where have you allowed yourself to fall behind?  Make an honest assessment of your life, and then do something about it. There’s no time like the present.