The Write Marriage: EICC and Just Write

Hello #JustWrite family!! We have made it to the last blog post of 2015, yay!!! Thank you to those who stayed the course and have ran this race with us. We appreciate you and pray that you continue on this journey with us in 2016 and beyond. Now, you're probably wondering why the title of this month's blog is called"The Write Marriage: EICC and Just Write"? Well, there have been many inquiries regarding EICC (Embassy International Chamber of Commerce), its purpose and how it relates to Just Write. The relationship between the two entities can be seen as a marriage: you can't have one without the other, right? So I reached out to none other than Reginald Winfrey, a husband, a father, an attorney of 22 years and the President of EICC. Reginald was our guest speaker at a previous Just Write support session where he talked about intellectual property. He gave us a lot of great information about the business side of writing (check out the August blog, The Write Investment) so I was very excited to speak with him and learn more about EICC. 

In order for me to fully grasp EICC's purpose, Reginald had to take me on a vivid, biblical journey through scripture. He explained to me that one of the resources of EICC is a book called, "The Seven Mountain Mantle" by Johnny Enlow. In this book, Enlow writes about how he was given a vision and plan by God to disciple others and take back the seven mountains of influence or sectors of society. These seven mountains of influence are Religion, Family, Education, Marketplace, Arts/Entertainment, Government, and Media. From a biblical view, we see this in Matthew 28:18-20 where it says, "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Do you see the correlation there between the bible verses and what Enlow wrote: "make disciples of nations", "make disciples and possess the seven mountains." Interesting....let's proceed further. So, the next scripture we discuss is Revelation 19:1-8 (NKJV). The key verses that caught my attention were verses 6-8: "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousness acts of the saints." These verses speak of Christ coming back for His bride (the church). His wife (the church) has made herself ready, speaks of the church getting in position, making disciples, as her King (Jesus) returns. 

From a marketplace perspective, we looked at Revelation 18 (Before the "Wedding"). There is mourning over Babylon's fall and you see the detriment of the city's demise. This scripture speaks about two women in the marketplace: one who is honoring her husband (God) and one who is honoring herself (self-seeking and worldly). In Revelation 17, it speaks about a woman sitting on a scarlet beast full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. In verse 9, it is revealed that the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. The woman in the scripture represents the evil influence that's currently plaguing the seven mountains (mind molders of society). One notion that Reginald touched on is that "the real problem is the way one thinks." "In order to influence a nation, you have to change the mind of the people." "In the Bible, God spoke in regards to nations, not individuals." As believers, we have to work collectively as a team and get rid of the "all about me" mentality in order to bring forth change. Reginald further points out that throughout the bible, the ideal of "marriage" is woven from the beginning of the bible (the union of Adam and Eve), the middle of the bible (Jesus performed miracles at a wedding) to the end of the bible (final union of Jesus and His bride, the church). It is obvious that we as believers are to make ourselves ready for our King. This observation is also captured in Proverbs 31 as we read about a conversation between a Queen and her son. Throughout the verses, we see the description of what the woman should be. If you look deeper, the descriptions depict how the bride (the church) should prepare herself and where the bride was. She wasn't in church; she was outside the church, in the marketplace (made garments, sold them, extended hand to poor, etc.) It was through her efforts and obedience, she fulfilled her commission. We see more examples of this in the bible with Esther (became Queen and saved her people), Mary and Martha (one was focused on the cares of the day and one sat at Jesus' feet; this scenario represents the two churches we see today: religion vs. relationship) and the 10 virgins (5 were wise, prepared with oil filled lamps; 5 were foolish, unprepared with no oil filled lamps.) Amazing illustration.

After reading those scriptures and seeing the obvious pattern, the connection between EICC and Just Write was clear to me. EICC was started to help the "bride" (the church) understand she's a bride who needs to be prepared for her King (reaching the nations). EICC serves as a marketplace ministry that comes together to discuss the bible and how it applies to business. Just Write is a part of the Arts/Entertainment mountain. All of us that are a part of Just Write have the stories within us that represent those seven mountains. God is waiting on us to prepare and walk in our gifts as scribes to free others. Reginald's analogy describes it simply: "In order for a jigsaw puzzle to be complete, you have to have all of the pieces connected. A piece by itself is ineffective, but with all of the pieces, you get a bigger picture and result. That's how we have to view the Kingdom. All of us have the hidden pieces within us to bring that big picture to pass."

Reginald shared with me how EICC came to fruition. He took me back to the time God showed him a vision of how church, school, and family were all influential to each other. This was around 1986-1987. Between 1988-1989, the business sector became part of the vision of influencing church, school, and family. After coming to NewBirth in 1997, Reginald saw the vision in place. That vision sparked the idea of EICC. In 2006, EICC was birthed at NewBirth by the Beyond Tomorrow campaign. The Embassy part of the name was chosen to represent God's kingdom and its ambassadors. EICC is international and not exclusive to NewBirth. Anyone is welcome to join. EICC is simply, "a circle for the body of Christ."

As my conversation with Reginald ended, he challenged me to ponder where I was written in the bible. He shared with me that he is written in Matthew 22: The Parable of the Wedding Feast. In this parable, Jesus speaks of the kingdom as a marriage. The king sends servants to invite others to the wedding. Everything is ready, but the servants are selfish and go their own way (us, holding on to our gifts). This causes chaos to break loose and cities to be destroyed. The king commands his servants to go out and bring more people, good and bad. Unfortunately, a man does not have on the appropriate wedding garment (didn't prepare himself) and he is cast out. As I listened, it is clear that Reginald was referring to himself as one of the servants who is called to go into the marketplace equipped to make disciples out of nations. We are servants as well and it is up to us to collectively work together to fulfill God's plans and vision. Powerful.

#JustWrite, we have been called for such a time as this. As 2015 closes and the new year begins, let's continue using our gifts, equipping ourselves, going into our positioned mountains, boldly making disciples, and positively influencing the nations.

For more information on EICC, please check out the website: www.embassychamber.com and Facebook page: Embassy International Chamber of Commerce. Be sure to connect with Reginald via Facebook: Reginald Winfrey and join him and other members every Saturday at Panera Bread (Lithonia, GA location) at 7am for a netweaving session and fellowship.

Don't forget to register for the Writer's Workshop on 1/23/2016. Also, pay it forward and help someone walk in their calling. The Kingdom needs more laborers.






Remember, capture The Write Moment and Just Write!


Happy Holidays! See you in 2016!


Blessings!


~Lequvia Ousley~

The Write Spark: Insight, Ignite, Just Write!

Greetings, #JustWrite!!This month's blog is short and sweet. We are one month away from closing out 2015!! Woohoo!! November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving so as we partake in the festivities, we should express our thanks to the Lord for giving us the gift of writing and allowing all of us to be a part of an amazing community of intellectuals, entrepreneurs, leaders, and writers. As we prepare for 2016, #JustWrite and #TheWriteMoment are excited to announce that we will have our first writer's workshop on January 23, 2016 from 11am to 5pm at the NewBirth cathedral. The theme of the workshop is "Insight, Ignite, Just Write!" The purpose of the workshop is to provide educational tools expounding on the writing process(INSIGHT), to engage the audience with facilitators leading topical sessions(IGNITE), and to awaken the gift of writing by encouraging the audience to execute plans to write, network with other writers, and connect with writing coaches(JUST WRITE!). The workshop will help bring together those individuals who don't know that they have the gift of writing and those who have always had the desire to write but lack resources, accountability, and guidance.

As you all know the mission of #JustWrite is to create a community of writers who will hold each other accountable during assignments in various arenas and projects. Writing, which is a part of the ARTS/Media mountain, is a ministry and we want to make sure that those who have the gift of the scribe are walking in their callings as God's messengers. So whether you have written one book, working on the 10th book or thinking about writing a book, we want to network with you and be a source of inspiration for you at next year's workshop. So let's start this spark and tell your family, friends, coworkers, fellow bookworms and writers about this exciting event. We're excited to light that fire that's shut up in your bones and we pray that you are too. You don't want to miss it! See you all on 1/23/2016.

For registration details, email events@embassychamber.net or call 404-234-8592. Also be sure to check out #JustWrite via Twitter and Periscope at @justwriteone.

Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving holiday!!

~Lequvia Ousley~

The Write "Frame" Of Mind: Inside The Brain Of Sharon Frame

Greetings, #JustWrite!! This month's blog features Sharon Frame. Sharon was our guest speaker back in May (#JustWrite's 1st birthday) for our brainstorming session. She is a former CNN anchor, award-winning journalist, public speaker, and media coach. Her personal philosophy is that, "everyone has the potential to be wildly successful if we live in purpose, on purpose, for purpose." In the midst of our busy schedules, I was so gracious to have had the opportunity to reach out to Sharon to pick her brain on her journey through writing, the process, and any encouragement she wanted to offer to fellow writers.

Sharon's writing became part of her career when she noticed her love for writing in her teenage years. By then she was writing poetry, church plays, and lyrics to songs. Those writing skills were later honed in college as a creative writer and TV journalist. Sharon's first book was published in 2010. It was entitled, The 67th Book of the Bible, The Journal.  It was followed by Wired To Win!, then The 67th Book of the Bible, A Home Study Course. In 2013, she wrote her 4th book, LeadHERship; Own it, Love it, Learn It, Give it. When asked about the timing in conception of her books and her overall writing process, Sharon had this to say, "I started Wired To Win! as a blog. Every Tuesday morning around 3am, I devoted time to write a blog that dealt with Wired To Win philosophy. In about 3 months I had accumulated enough content to constitute a book. My last book, LeadHERship, I wrote in just one month. I had a speaking engagement in Maui, Hawaii, and had one month to prepare. So, I challenged myself to write the book in 30 days, and, by the grace of God, I did." Those of you that were in attendance for May's brainstorming session or on the conference call should recall when Sharon spoke about writing her book in 30 days.  I don't know about you all, but I have never met anyone that has written a book in 30 days. Very encouraging. Speaking of encouragement, if you're lacking focus or motivation, Sharon offers the following for aspiring writers:          

·         Earn the right to write—whether from experience, study or expertise.

·         Develop a writing routine, setting aside time once or twice a week to just write. Consistency is the key.

·         Seek out a seasoned writer who can mentor you  

·         Be a ready reader  to expand your knowledge base

·         Start a writer’s blog with an interesting topic that adds value to your readers’ life

·         Try your hand at different writing genres, including poetry & fiction

·         Don’t ever give up on your dreams to be a published author.

As a writer, Sharon has learned that writing gives her an avenue for self-expression. It also gives her a platform to chime in on matters and causes important to her life mission. Sharon says, "My writing is bent toward self-help and inspiration. So, it affords me the chance to edify, empower and transform my readers. I have learned, the unequivocal power of the pen. Words craftily put on paper have the power to produce life or death, liberty or bondage, wealth or poverty."

In terms of influence, it is the gift of writing that has given Sharon a solid, rewarding career as a journalist for many years and the opportunity to touch lives across the country and around the world. 

In closing, I challenge you #JustWrite family as well as myself to examine where we are in our influence, journey, and writing process. Are we going to "get on the bus" to our new destination of influence or are we going to let the write moment to just write pass us by? Think about it.

For more information on Sharon Frame as a writer, speaker, and media coach, please check out her: 

 website:    www.sharonframespeaks.com. 

 Facebook: www.facebook.com/SharonFrame

 Twitter:     @sframespeaks

 YouTube: www.youtube.com/wiredtowin

   

The Write Moment: In Restropect, A Year Later

Greetings #JustWrite family! This month marks one year for The Write Moment blog. Thank you to those who have been engaged and a part of #JustWrite's growth. It has been such a blessing to serve as the blogmaster, which has been an amazing growth experience and journey for myself, personally and professionally.

To commemorate The Write Moment's one-year anniversary, I want to share my testimony of how #JustWrite helped me to push past my fears and comfort zone to develop my gift of writing.

As I stated at the first Just Write meeting, my writing journey began at age 13 when my mother presented me with my first journal. From that moment, I began journaling as a way to express my daily thoughts about life and anything else I was dealing with. Writing was an escape for me and very therapeutic. In 2005, I discovered Facebook and MySpace. It was through MySpace that I would have my first blog. Between classes and socializing (I was in my sophomore year of college then), I would only write when I had the time. Once I graduated from college (2008) and began working (2009), the writing slowly stopped. I didn't desire to write/blog again until about 2012 when I created two blogs on Tumblr (picture blog before Instagram) and Blogger (Google platform). By that time, I was in graduate school almost done with my Master's and freelancing as the CEO/blogger for ROAR, a non-profit I connected with through a random request from a former church member. Also, I was going through a transition period at work. The following year, my job ended and I was unemployed. During that season of unemployment, I finished my Master's and my heart went back to reading and writing, my first loves.

Fast forward to 2014, I'm working with the school system as a substitute teacher and a contract accounting job. I remember having a conversation with a brother in Christ about my love for blogging and just business in general. He suggested that I connect with the EICC group on Facebook and to connect with Kim in regards to writing. I did and that's how I learned about Just Write. I finally met Kim in person and she shared with me the vision of Just Write. Prior to our first Just Write meeting in May 2014, I remember being excited that God connected me with like-minded individuals who shared the same passion for writing as I did. I admit at my first meeting with Just Write, I was nervous. At that point, I hadn't shared my writings with anyone. I didn't have any goals in mind; I just appreciated the fellowship. I remember thinking to myself, "I'm not a published author and I'm not solely here to learn how to profit from writing books." "I just want to learn more about the writing industry and understand the gift God gave me." A part of me felt fearful and inadequate because of what I was seeing in my own experience. What I didn't know was that my expertise in blogging would bring me to where I am today. From that first meeting, research, and prayer, I was inspired to rename and revamp my blog on Blogger and as Kim would say, "be intentional" about my writing. I had to push past my fears and vulnerability to share those stories as God led me. In my obedience, I graciously accepted the assignment to be the blogmaster for The Write Moment, which has helped me to utilize and grow my writing skills.

This past year has been an exciting journey to learn from other writers and business owners about their testimonies, writing projects, and their faith in God. Speaking of faith and writing projects, I stepped out on faith this summer and began working on a Just Write devotional as a source of encouragement for writers. The process of writing it has been fun. I can't wait to share it in due time. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to continuously growing and learning more as a writer/blogger. Thank you Just Write for the encouragement, love, and stories.

As a thank you, I would like to offer tips on how to start a blog:

1. Choose your preferred blogging platform; Blogger, Tumblr, WordPress are the top 3 platforms

     a. WordPress, biggest platform used; numerous plug-ins, free themes, and layouts
     b. Blogger, platform under Google; next best thing to WordPress.
     c. Tumblr, half social network, half blog.  Interactive and simple to use.

2. Self-hosting or a free alternative?
    a. Self-hosting (buy domain)
         Your blog will read as YourName.com;  there is ownership of blog. Hosting can start at $4/month
    b. Free hosting; your blog will read as: yourblog.wordpress.com, yourblog.google.com, or yourblog.tumblr.com. Some platforms offer no monetizing (Google offers AdSense) and there's no ownership of blog.

3. Start a blog on own domain.
    - Domain is the URL of website
    - Hosting is the company that puts your website on the internet.

Example: iPage, hosting is less than $3/month; domain is free.

Some domains are about $12/year outside of hosting fees.

4. Designing your blog.
    -choose a theme and template

    -choose colors that reflect personality, business, etc.

    -choose images

5. Resources for bloggers

Articles for beginners
-5 beginning blogging mistakes you can fix

- Choosing a blogging niche

- How We Communicate: FAQs for beginners

- 7 ways to boost your success as a blogger

Many of you have asked about blogging so I pray that these resources and tips are helpful for you. For more info, feel free to connect with me via email and social media:

Email, divinegift777@gmail.com

Facebook, Lequvia K. Ousley

Twitter,  @Quvia777

Instagram, @divinegift317

Personal blog, www.divinegift317.blogspot.com

Website, www.divineblogger777.com

Remember, in order to capture The Write Moment, you have to Just Write!!

God bless,

~Lequvia Ousley~
       

The Write Investment: Creating Intellectual Property

Greetings, #JustWrite!! For this month's blog, I decided to talk more about intellectual property. At our last brainstorming session, our speaker, Reginald Winfrey shared with us the breakdown of entrepreneurship and how assets work in our favor with the particular focus on intellectual property. For those who were not in attendance at the last meeting or who didn't get a chance to hear the conference call, you are probably wondering, "What is intellectual property?" Trust me, in all of my years of studying business and accounting, no one mentioned that intellectual property was an asset. So let's break the words, "intellectual property" down. According to World Intellectual Property Organization or WIPO (www.wipo.int), intellectual property(IP) is simply creations of the mind. Examples include inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, names and images used in commerce. Intellectual properties are protected in law by patents, copyrights, and trademarks. This protection enables people to be recognized and benefit financially from what they've invented or created. The right balance between the interests of innovators and the wider public interest generates an environment where creativity and innovation flourishes. Now let's talk about 5 types of intellectual property:  copyrights, patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and geographical indications.

Copyrights are rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works. These include books, music, paintings, sculptures and films, computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps, and technical drawings.

 Patents are exclusive rights granted for an invention. They provide the patent owners with the right to decide how or whether the invention can be  used by others. In exchange for those rights, patent owners make technical information about the invention publicly available in the published patent document. 

Trademarks are signs capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises. This intellectual property goes back to ancient times when craftsmen used to put their signature or "mark" on their products.

Industrial designs are the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of an article. Designs may consist of three-dimensional features such as the shape or surface of an article, or of two-dimensional features, such as patterns, lines, or color.

Geographical indications and appellations of origin are signs used on goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities, a reputation or characteristics that are essentially attributable to that place of origin. Most commonly, a geographical indication includes the name of the place of origin of the goods.

So now that we understand what intellectual property is, what does it mean for us as creative scribes? All of us have had an idea about something whether it was for a new recipe, clothing line, shoe boutique, and of course a book. Our many ideas are our first investments. It is important that we understand how to protect those investments so that we can receive the fruits of our labor and be potential investors for our fellow creative agents. And don't forget that we want to preserve those investments for future generations. I salute those who have created self-publishing companies for their work.  It's another step to IP preservation.



For more information, check out WIPO. Also, check out some of my previous IP investments:

#JustWrite and invest!

~Lequvia Ousley ~

The Write Goals: How to Step Into Your Purpose with Silee Williams

Hey #JustWrite, as you know it has officially been a year since we launched the first meeting in May 2014. We have come so far from that first meeting. Our first guest at our inception was Silee K. Williams, author of  The Makings of A Champion: 13 Steps That Will Revolutionize Your Life and the upcoming book, Exceptionalism: You Were Created To Stand Out. Silee was also our recent speaker at last month's brainstorming session. It was only befitting to have Silee featured in this month's blog. Prior to last month's brainstorming session, I had a chance to catch up with Silee and discuss with him his journey as an author, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur. Silee and I initially connected about 5 years ago via a Facebook group he started called NewBirth Connect. We knew each other from church and I had an opportunity to join one of his previous conference call sessions. It had literally been a year since I last saw him so it was great to talk and reunite with Silee.

Silee is the CEO of Silee Williams Enterprises, LLC, a publishing company he started as a way to self-publish his own books, taking ownership for when and what he wanted to publish, and to leverage the business side of self-publishing. This decision has helped him to grow and develop on that level. I shared with Silee that I didn't know anything about self-publishing years ago until I received a new follower on Twitter named Tiphani Montgomery (www.tiphanimontgomery.com) who teaches a class on self-publishing. Silee shared that it was our sister, Lakia Brandenburg (featured in #TheWriteMoment May's blog) who taught him how to self-publish his books. Yay Lakia!! Reach One, Teach One!! From there, Silee and I discussed the conception of  his upcoming book, Exceptionalism: You Were Created To Stand Out. Silee stated that the idea for the book came to him after being on the road doing speaking events. Different words would come to him. He was reminded of how each person in the Bible was gifted with uniqueness and how their obedience was needed to progress the plans that God had for them. The book talks about staying in your lane and using your gifts to walk in your purpose. It encourages readers to understand how God created you to stand out and how to capitalize on it. Silee's first book, The Makings of A Champion came forth in an unexpected way. In all transparency, Silee shared he wasn't initally inspired to write. In school, reading and writing were the most difficult subjects for him so the idea of writing a book was far from what he thought. However, Silee knew that he was great at communication, particularly verbal communication. Although, writing was out of his comfort zone, Silee received encouragement from others to write. In 2011, Silee started to put things on paper, which became therapeutic for him. It was then that Silee recognized that the center of his calling was communication and writing was one of the various channels he used to communicate. Silee believes that when people read books, they validate the existence of the author and what God's calling is for that author's life.

His book took a year to conceive, but the process for Silee was not easy. Although Silee had the outline, he kept procrastinating until life events pushed him to write. Silee realized that he had to build his confidence to write. A lot of his personal life was put into his book; he was uncomfortable at first, but as he wrote, he began to learn that the things he struggled with was for someone else; they happened to him, but they didn't define him. He was transparent about a moment in his life that affected him. When he started writing, he realized that the moment pushed him to write the book and deal with those events and forever close the chapter.  I shared with Silee that when we write, it's healing for the reader and the author. Sharing a story closes the chapter of the events and moves the person forward. Silee's transparency led me to share with him how my experience with the effects of my parent's divorce (from 11 years old to 19 years old) pushed me to write about it in college as part of an assignment. I was uncomfortable writing about it and didn't want to share even though the professor suggested that I should. I eventually shared years later. Another reminder that everything that happens to us is not for us.

I commended Silee for sharing his transparency on vulnerability with writing the book. He went on to share that "people tend to compare their worst days to other people's best days." At the time of writing his book, he didn't want to present himself as a perfect person. He wanted to show that if God can bless him in his mess, then He can bless them as well. We both agreed on how transparency is needed so other people can be released from their fears and discomfort. Silee stated that "when one writes, it is like having a heart to heart with the reader: one person shares their story intimately, then trust is built. Once the trust is built, it releases the other person to share the story.(This happened between Silee and I during our conversation.) People walk away feeling like they know the author without meeting him or her and taking the advice as legit." When asked about his advice for aspiring writers, Silee offers the following: 1. "the #1 thing is transparency; the more real a person is, the more he or she can create the change one desires. When readers see and apply the results of what the author is writing about, then change has taken place as opposed to reading general information with no authentic examples with just a simple response of, "that was a good book!" 2. Ask yourself the question, "Why am I writing?" "What am I trying to accomplish?" Sometimes we verbally say something, but our actions contradict it. When that happens, go back to the drawing board and ask those questions. 3."Writing a book is tough so be very clear on why you are doing it. Your vision has to be big enough to sustain you through the process. People tend to give up when it's hard so be realistic; don't underestimate the challenges you will face. Work has to be put in; otherwise, you're wasting time and it may not be the vision for you.(Ask those questions)" Remember, write the vision and make it plain.

When I asked Silee what he has learned as a writer, he reiterated that, "writing is an opportunity to affect change and help others. Writing allows me to understand and put life into proper perspectives. He used the process of baking as an analogy. We all know it takes ingredients to bake a cake.



Salt by itself is disgusting. Butter by itself is disgusting. These ingredients represent the situations in our lives that are not comfortable. When we put butter, salt, and other ingredients together, with instructions, we get a delicious cake. When we put all of life's uncomfortable situations and events together, with added directions and purpose, we have the grand prize of a wonderful story, a beautiful outcome of life. That's the beauty of writing. It is for the author and the reader. Silee says that he didn't realize his first book was a grand prize and the seriousness of his gift until doors began to open for him. Writing allowed him to connect with others and connect on different levels. Silee's book made it to Amazon's bestseller's list and in 2014, he received an award for the best book of the year. That moment led Silee to partner with Lakia and began working on his publishing company. Silee became more serious about his craft.



In closing, Silee stated he is "opened to what God brings his way to take him to the next level. He believes that his plans over God's plans would not be at the level of where God is taking him. Sometimes when we place barriers on what we want to do, then we hinder God's plans. Be present in the moment.  Silee further stated that, "#JustWrite is a great community of people. It is good to be among a great group of people who hold you accountable. Just like a family that wants you to do well, #JustWrite stresses the importance of feedback and accountability. Why not join them and take the advantage of the information and advice that's being offered?  In the word's of Sharon Frame, "Get on the Bus!"

Yes, #JustWrite, the goal is to make an impact, but it is not about numbers; it is about us helping you develop the vision God has given you. My prayer is that those who are engaged in the monthly sessions and blogs know that this is a place of community, wisdom, and growth.



For those of you who missed last month's #JustWrite meeting, check out the following 6 steps Silee gives that explain why goals are pertinent for what you want to achieve:

Jeremiah 29:11

 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

6 Steps

1. Goals Propel You Forward

Having a goal written down with a set date for accomplishment gives
you something to plan and work for. A written goal is an external
representation of your inner desires; its a constant reminder of what
you need to accomplish.

There’s a very common pattern that comes with working towards goals
that we’re all familiar with: you set your mind to something, you get
excited and work really hard at it, and then motivation starts to
fade. Having goals that you can focus on and visualize helps you
better connect yourself with your inner desires, and gives you the
motivational energy you need to work through periods where your focus
starts to wane.


2. Goals Transform Unconquerable Mountains Into Walkable Hills

Most of us have big dreams that seem at times impossible to
accomplish. Its easy to feel discouraged when you’re staring at a
massive, seemingly unclimbable mountain.

Proper goal setting can help break larger, intimidating aspirations
into smaller, more achievable stepping stones.

Planning towards these smaller goals not only makes it easier to
formulate a definite plan of action that we can start working on right
away, but research has shown that hitting smaller milestones provides
real motivation and greater contentment.

Take the mountains you need to climb and break them up into smaller
hills that you can walk. You’ll be happier and more motivated to start
working towards that next milestone on your way to greatness.



3. Goals Help Us Believe In Ourselves


Setting goals for yourself is a way to fuel your ambition. Goal
setting isn’t just about creating a plan for your life and holding
yourself accountable, its also about giving us the inspiration
necessary to aim for things we never thought possible.

Unless you see yourself slowly making progress, your dreams and
aspirations are nothing more than vague notions floating around in
your imagination.


4. Goals Hold You Accountable For Failure

If you don’t write down concrete goals and give yourself a timeline
for achievement, how can you look back and re-evaluate your path if
you fail?

There’s something extremely humbling about looking back on a goal you
set for yourself 6 months, 1 year, or even 5 years ago and realizing
that you were supposed to accomplish a lot more than you actually did.

 Its a concrete sign that whatever you’re doing isn’t working, and you
need to make real changes if you want to get where you want to be.


5. Goals Tell You What You Truly Want

There are certainly times where we set goals that don’t really reflect
what we want. Sometimes we think we need more money, when really we
need a change of environment, or someone to love. Sometimes we think
we want more free time, but what we really want is work that we can be
truly passionate about. Sometimes we think we want to be alone, but
really we need to be around more positive people.

By asking ourselves what we really want and constantly re-assessing
our goals, we gain the benefit of introspection and self-reflection.
We can figure out what it is we really want in life – and then we can
go out and do it.


6. Goals Help Us Live Life To The Fullest


When you take the time to set goals, you ensure that your life is
geared towards getting the most out of every moment. There’s so much
to do and experience in life, but many of the things we want to
achieve and experience won’t be handed to us; we need to work for it.

To stay connected to Silee, you can find him here:

Facebook personal page: Silee K. Williams

Twitter: @Iamsilee 

Instagram: @Iamsilee

Website: www.sileewilliams.weebly.com

God bless,

~Lequvia Ousley~

The Write Faith: "Bouncing Back" with Elder Craig Heath

Hey #JustWrite!! As you all know, the month of June is the month we celebrate fathers. I'm pleased to present this month's blog featuring Elder Craig Heath, a man of God who has a fatherly presence and a heart for men. I didn't know but God knew exactly what was to take place while speaking with Elder Heath. I learned through this divine conversation with him, that he and I both have similar testimonies to how God led us to the gift of writing.

Craig's ministry is entitled, "Bounce Back" ministries, a ministry birthed by God in 2006. In all transparency, Craig shared that throughout his life, he's always been active in sports and remembered men always gravitating towards him, asking him to be a mentor for them. Craig's wife, Peggy saw what was to come and spoke wisdom, stating that God is going to use him for a greater purpose. And indeed God made good on His promise. He groomed Craig personally, professionally and spiritually to take on the role of providing guidance and tools to men that will help them grow as men of God in the Kingdom as well as within their families. Craig stated that the blessing of the ministry was that his heart was always towards family, children, and couples. God specifically centered him towards the men. God spoke to Craig and said, "If you can get the men, then the rest will follow." And that is the foundation of the ministry, "Advancing the Kingdom, one man at a time." With the blessing of the ministry, there was also a burden of the ministry: how will women of God find those men of God that desire God and have the qualities they desire? As a young, single woman of God, I can definitely relate to that question. We as women need strong, spiritually whole men to lead us and our families. Craig further explained that his experiences with men has revealed to him that men still struggle with the independent-minded women; women who were raised with no father present in the home and women who were taught by society how to be independent. Men don't have the same vision as women. This ideal places women in difficult positions, because the men are not in position to be all that God has called them to be.

This burden led Craig to write the BounceBack Devotional and Journal series. The series is divided into 12 months. Each month has a specific title and topic. The first two months are entitled, "God's Plan" and "Overcoming Past Pain". The devotional series touches on topics such as father/son relationships, mother/son relationships, practical living in the areas of finance, prayer, spiritual walk, as well as, the issues that men deal with daily. One issue that Craig addresses is the fact that men tend to come to the church in a functional position as a deacon, pastor, maintenance person, usher, etc., but not spiritually. It was at a previous church, where the Lord laid upon Craig's heart to pray every day at 4 am after seeing the struggle of prayer during Bible study. It was a moment that was the prerequisite to the writing process for the devotionals.

Now, those who know me personally, know that my professional and educational background is accounting and financial management. I had the opportunity for the last 5 years to work with clientele that spanned various industries. It was in the field of accounting that God drew me back to my first love of writing/blogging. Little did I know that when I would speak with Craig that he would share a similar story. As some of you may know, Craig is an engineer, mathematician, and scientist, both educationally and professionally; he worked for over 24 years at IBM, a company that actually helped Craig began the writing process for the devotional series. Some of you may be asking, how can working for a huge corporation like IBM help someone write a devotional for men? Well, Craig shared with me that back in 2003, while on a plane to France, at 1am, God placed on his heart the titles and topics within 10 minutes, which would be part of his devotional series. Amazing, right? Flashback to 1982, the Lord spoke in a different way and Craig used punch cards from work to write different things God gave him. This process showed Craig how to teach and preach in a relatable way.  He continued to receive titles during his time at his previous churches in Illinois and Colorado and dated them on cards. He created the titles and he automatically generated the structure of the book. He didn't know what the titles meant but in his obedience, he allowed God to move and he wrote. When the devotionals came into fruition, it took a week to write most of the information. Some devotionals took research. Even the structure incorporated the mathematical and scientific side of Craig. He created spreadsheets and used various nomenclature to structure the book. From that process, the 1st devotional, "God's Plan" was published in 2008 and the 2nd devotional, "Overcoming Past Pain" was published a month later. The other books were written years later. Craig says that although he is visual in how he writes and how he sees, it was feedback that helped him during his isolation period as a writer. Yes, I said isolation period. Craig was used to talking to his clients and colleagues on a daily basis so writing became intimidating without feedback which sparked his methods for his processes.

So where did Craig's gift from writing blossom? Craig's writing journey began when he wrote stories in elementary school.  Next, in college, Craig's instructor gave an assignment that challenged him to be a better writer. "Don't stop writing!", his instructor encouraged.  Then at his corporate job, he received a revelation, "You know your stuff, but you can't communicate." God spoke to Craig and said, "If you don't finish writing, then you will miss your season." Craig struggled with leaving IBM because of the goodness of the company and the financial freedom, but he trusted God and in Feb. 2006, he walked away to pursue writing. This is the 9th year of his faith walk and the Lord has been faithful. God showed Craig that the things he learned in corporate America were not for corporate America, but to build up the church. He learned in college that his success was not in the natural, but in the spiritual. God gave Craig his abilities, and He was taking him somewhere.

Craig attributes his success to the support of his wife Peggy who unofficially became his official editor after offering her feedback on his initial writings and his diligence in writing. He says, that "just one word written down will help you remember what God is saying to you." Over the last 4 years, Craig's been sharing his devotionals at God's unction which has opened up opportunities to speak to men. One memory Craig recalls is when his 2nd book, "Overcoming Past Pain" was the most cathartic writing for him. Although it was a difficult story to tell, he's glad to have told it. Writing the book showed him who God was. Since the book's inception, it has been used at his wife's youth conference and NewBirth spent 9 months on what is considered to be a 30-day book. Craig shared just the introduction at a men's meeting and from that one moment, it allowed a 60-year old man to come forth and speak about dealing with his issues for years. Just hearing that alone blessed me and reminded me of the amazing things God does when we are faithful and obedient to the gift(s) and the messages He gives us to share with the world.

In the end, people didn't understand why Craig left IBM. Yes, there were sacrifices, the journey was tough and yes it was a hard transition, but Craig knew that if he didn't do this work that God placed in Him, then God didn't have anything for him to do and he would die. Powerful. Men of God, I pray that Craig's testimony will bless you and bring forth the urgency to be the man that God has called you to be. Women of God, I encourage you all to share this ministry with the men in your life. In order to have strong families, we have to build strong leaders. Remember, Phillippians 1:6, NKJV: "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."  All it takes is the Write faith and the Write vision.

For more information on BounceBack Ministries and Elder Craig Heath, check out www.bouncebackministries.com.

Facebook: Craig Heath

Also for more encouragement, tips, and accountability, listen to Sharon Frame's message from the last #JustWrite meeting here:

http://rs1035.freeconferencecall.com/fcc/cgi-bin/share.mp3/7127757100-194812-13.mp3


Look for #JustWrite on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1436559053226684/

~Lequvia Ousley ~

The Write Vision: Girl Talk with Lakia Brandenburg

I had the opportunity to chat with Lakia Brandenburg, wife, mother, wife coach ,and author of two books, "Picture Perfect" and "The Tiara". She has a publishing company called, "Perfectly Imperfect Publishing", which has been in business for 5 years. Speaking with her was like catching up with a best friend. She was very open and honest about her life as a woman of God and journey as an author.

Lakia's main goals as a wife coach is to build relationships with women and to give them the tools they need to be successful. Lakia shared with me that her calling as a wife coach came from writing books. Her dream was to publish a book. Through her dream, God brought forth her calling to coach women in marriages. She is the director of "The Wives Society," a mentoring program that empowers single women before saying, "I Do". Lakia says that sharing her story with the women prepared her for her calling, which birthed a "Wifestyle" newsletter and "Wifestyle" sessions. She attributes her success in her calling to having an understanding that, "If you create a vision for your life, then the doors will open." "When you trust God, then He will lead the way."

To the ladies who are reading this, I know that you can relate to juggling various hats of wife, mother, daughter, entrepreneur, etc. You all know that balance in those areas is one of the keys to a successful life. Lakia views balance as, "being in alignment". She believes that when things are balanced, they are perfect which is an illusion. "Being in alignment" means bringing everything into order by 1.Being aware and knowing that you are not a perfect woman. 2. Prioritizing. 3. Understanding that being in alignment is a learning process. Lakia states that having a support system from her spouse and girlfriends keeps her in alignment as well.

Speaking of processes, Lakia shares that creating a vision board was key to her writing process. With her vision board, she was driven everyday and she envisioned herself selling books, doing tours, etc. She wanted the vision badly so she spoke life into her board and made time to write daily. This one step led her to do vision board workshops for her classes. Her diligence led her to write her first book in 6 months and publish it in 6 months. It was the rejection from a publishing company which prompted Lakia to start her publishing company. Lakia offers three things as encouragement for  aspiring writers: 1.Create a vision board 2. Ask yourself, "Why are you writing? The "why" has to be big that the "how" doesn't matter." 3. Trust God and the process.

As a writer, Lakia has learned that "there is power in the written word. Words carry life. Everyone has a story to tell. All things are possible if you believe you can. Imagination is everything. Vision, vision, vision is important!! Life is simple; we're the ones that make it complex. Follow your dreams."

As we closed our conversation, I asked Lakia where does she see herself in 10 years. She says, "I want to be able to look back and say that I've empowered lives and relationships. I am a woman who continues to be an example, an inspiration for following and living your dreams. I am constantly growing on this journey and open for the journey."

The conversation with Lakia was more than just getting feedback. Lakia ministered to me. Her authenticity and transparency helped me to understand how the dreams that God places in us are sparked once we trust the process and believe God for His guidance.

For more information about Lakia Brandenburg,  her books, and business, please check her out on:

Facebook: personal page, Lakia Brandenburg, business page, Author Lakia Brandenburg
Twitter: @authorLakiaB
Instagram: @authorlakiab

Remember write the vision and make it plain, you are on the Write path!!



~Lequvia Ousley

The Write Prayers: An Exclusive Interview with Barbara Winters

Hey Just Write!! As we mentioned before on the Facebook page, The Write Moment blog is taking the opportunity to learn more about you as authors, editors, publishers, etc., and to get your feedback on the Just Write group.

This month’s featured author is Barbara Winters.   Here’s what Barbara had to say about her experience with Just Write:

Services

      1.       How often do you visit the Just Write FB page?  About 3 times a week

      2.       Are we meeting your expectations as an author?  Yes.

            3.   Have you met a new person as a result of joining the Just Write Facebook group? Yes, a few people. One person in particular, Barbara Kershaw, was someone who I knew briefly before. Being apart of the group allowed us to reconnect.

                         4.    Have you used the Just Write page to promote your services or your book? No, I use my Facebook page to promote.

Functions

1.       Are you familiar with the Just Write Support group monthly sessions? Yes, but I'm not able to attend as much.

2.       Do you attend writer’s conferences and workshops? Yes, the last conference I attended was with a publishing company.  I’ve also attended conferences with artists and editors.

3.       Have you read any of the previous The Write Moment blogs?  No. I need to engage more in the blog. I would also like to learn more about blogging.

4.       Do you understand the purpose of Just Write? Yes, I understand that it is a tool for aspiring and accomplished writers, editors, publishers, etc.

About Barbara

     1.    When did you write your first book? I published my first book in 2005.

     

     2.       What is the name of your book? “Prosperity in Prayer: A Book of Prayers for Living in Wealth"

     

      3.       How long did it take for you to conceive the book after the idea? It took about 5 or 6 months. I remember always wanting to write. I always filled my journal with stories and prayers. I decided one day that I was going to take all of my journals/prayers and compose them into a book.

   

    4.     What would you share to encourage an inspiring writer? Listen to God and get directions from prayers. Pray over what God is showing you as your purpose, audience, topic, and genre.

        

        5.    What have you learned as a writer? As a writer, I've learned that we all have a purpose. When a person practices writing, it becomes easier for them to put their thoughts on paper. Writing takes commitment; write everyday, whether it’s one paragraph a day. Writing is a process that can make you think about your own life. Writers should be inspired in their own thought patterns. Writing should be fun with workshops or as a way to inspire students.  

Thank you so much Barbara for your time, encouraging words, and insight to you as an author!

To stay connected to Barbara, please connect via:

Facebook: Barbara J Winters

Email: barjwin@aol.com

Her book, “Prosperity in Prayer” is available at Borders, Amazon.com, and Kindle

The Write Moment would love to feature you, so please check out the survey on the Facebook page in the Tabs file.

God bless and as always, when in doubt, #JustWrite!!