When was the last time you picked up a book containing an idea so powerful that it challenged you to think differently, to see yourself differently, to live differently, to love differently, to lead differently? Do you still find yourself repeating the same self-defeating habits this year that you developed last year to justify your fear of Failure and Success?  As Dr. Phil McGraw would say, “How’s that working for ya?” If the truth be told, probably not very well.

Facing your fears and embracing Change will challenge you to replace your old habits with new ones.  I’ve heard Mr. Steve Harvey and others say, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done.”  Reading thought-provoking books that challenge you to pick up a dictionary will present divergent thinkers with ample opportunities to encounter ideas so powerful they can move mountains. Imagine that!

When time permits, I will post a series of brief excerpts from Come Morning for you to explore.  In case you don’t have a dictionary handy, just click on the links provided.  Don’t be afraid to dig deep. Ask questions. Take notes.  Start a journal if you’d like.  Yes, “reflective reading” is required. So please take your time and enjoy the journey. Doing so will reward you and enrich your reading of Come Morning in ways you’ve never anticipated.  Hopefully, you’ll discover the “novel idea whose time and season has finally come.” Since there’s always a first time for everything, expect the unexpected to happen when least expected.

By opening this book, your hands will unleash the catalyst that produces the paradigm shift responsible for setting a force in motion that can move mountains. Upon first glance, what may appear to be nothing but “creative chaos” will give you a reason to hope. Reading the text will challenge you to raise your level of thinking. Your heightened awareness will unearth the “forgotten dreams” buried beneath the “abandoned visions” still cluttering the “valley of sun-dried bones.” Your new perspective will bless your gifted soul with meaningful access to what can enable you to decode the source of your deepest fears – the truth. — Excerpt from “The Prologue”

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 KJV

Copyright © 2007-2010 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

COME MORNING, an inspirational story about personal leadership, will inspire you to believe it’s possible to achieve your Big Dream when nobody else does.  The optimistic attitude of an innocent child too young to know what lies ahead inspires a defeated man who has lost his passion to dream, to write, to live.

The protagonist of this provocative love story stops believing the truth that fallen, imperfect people like him with good intentions, bad habits, and great weaknesses like his can “rise to the level of excellence every Big Dream demands.”

Discover how to negate the “seeds of self-hatred” and how to nullify “the greatest lie ever told” and sold for a profit.  Before you stumble badly and bump heads with Adversity, Failure, Setback, and Poverty, find out why the term “self-esteem” is really a verb instead of a noun.

See why the next generation of leaders chooses to cultivate a “culture of civility” so women, children, and the elderly can begin to feel safe and secure within the comfort of their own skin.

Reading this compelling story about “a novel idea whose time and season has finally come” will give you a reason to believe in yourself again, to love loving you again, to remain hopeful until your morning comes.

When life happens and Adversity strikes, COME MORNING will inspire you to “keep rising to your feet after every great fall you survive until your eyes meet the greatness of God’s faithfulness.”

Copyright © 2010 by Roderick O. Solomon.  All Rights Reserved.

Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness is no longer available for purchase.

Here’s a thumbs up from North Carolina about Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness.

“It has been years since a piece of literature has evoked such thought and inspiration in me so to you…I am grateful. After completing the book, I was eager to share this with everyone I know. I let one of my family’s long term friends (a pastor) read the book. She was so moved that she decided to focus a few of her bible study and sunday school lessons around your work. This is truly a labor of love that has been well worth it.” –Ms. Dywanna Sheridan

Copyright © 2007-2009 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

“Nevertheless, there is at least one defining moment that occurs in the life of every generation when limit-testers, who honestly believe there are destined to become great, will choose to face their fears and embrace Change for the first time.” — Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness

After almost 2 years of waiting, what I’ve been calling “America’s Defining Moment” for 2008, has finally arrived. On Election Day 2008, American voters will get up and show up at polling locations to choose the 44th President of the United States Of America. During America’s Defining Moment, the whole world is watching America right now and anxiously waiting to see whether or not American voters will choose to face “our deepest fears,” overcome our biggest fears, and embrace Change. For our children’s sake, our generation cannot afford to get it wrong again.

Please click on “The Inspiration For Change“ if you’re a first-time visitor or just simply don’t remember what inspires Change.

For the first time, our generation can do something tangible to galvanize our fractured, financially faltering country, a country that has been racially polarized and emotionally divided from within for too long and for all the wrong reasons. For the first-time, our generation can achieve what the diligent descendants of our enslaved, albeit resilient, ancestors had enough faith in God to believe that the inspiring words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech would one day become a reality.

One of my “Big Dreams” for 2008 was to live long enough to witness President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama walk side-by-side into their destiny by beating impossible odds and completing the task before them with God’s help. The Obama family has done their part to give all Americans a reason to remain hopeful, a reason to believe that better days are coming, a reason to believe that we can all achieve great things. Matters not the colour of the skin our gifted souls are wrapped within.

My wife, KWiz, and I voted early. We both chose to cast our votes for President Barack Obama. Now, it’s up to each and every one of us to do our part to help the Obamas make history today as we pray on bended knee. Together, we can begin the arduous process of tearing down the imaginary wall that has divided America from within. Imagine the endless parade of possibilities that will appear if we choose to honestly believe that our generation can “achieve greatness.” But be forewarned.

“To impede Change, the predatory employees of Ain’t Fairusee’s mega-corporation must keep you and your generation from achieving greatness. Since your antagonists still believe the end always justifies the means, choose the battles you fight and the paths you walk wisely.” — Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness

Since Power concedes nothing without a struggle, will you have the presence of mind to choose the path you walk and the battle you fight wisely? Can you stop going-along just to get-along with the spiritually-blinded status quo who remain shackled and chained to a “win-at-all-costs slave mentality?” During America’s Defining Moment, what will you choose to do when Adversity strikes, when your cars get booted and towed away, when poll workers lack the resources they need, when the ballots are printed incorrectly, when the weather refuses to cooperate, when the police set up road blocks to intimidate you? Think about it.

During America’s Defining Moment, will you choose to love loving one another instead of loving to hate another person just because of the colour of their skin? Will you choose to do the right thing by casting your vote for Senator Barack Obama because voting for Senator John McCain simply doesn’t pass the common sense test? Do you have the inner strength of character, the confidence, and the courage to cross politically divisive party lines and dance to the beat of a different drum? I hope so.

For the first time, our generation can choose to elect a brilliant person, who just happens to be a Black man, as the next Commander-In-Chief of the United States Of America. Imagine that! Only God truly knows whether or not the culturally diverse members of humanity’s global village will choose to walk together in peace by faith and work together as one for the greater good during “our journey towards greatness.”

During America’s Defining Moment, always expect the unexpected to happen when least expected. Matters not what happens next. Trust God.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Copyright (c) 2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

“Congratulations, Solomon! This is a phenomenal story that people of all ages, races, creeds, and colors can relate. Your insight in uplifting each person through their struggle to achieve all goals in life is real.

I am currently reading it a 2nd time and finding new meaning in addition to my spiritual walk and appreciating all of my daily miracles. Keep up the great work.

May GOD continue to bless you and the words from your heart to the paper it is written on.”

– Ms. Petra Parker

If you live in or near Atlanta, Georgia, please come out to meet Manchild this Saturday, August 30th, 2008 at the 3rd Annual AJC Decatur Book Festival. Manchild, whose real name is Roderick O. Solomon, is scheduled to begin reading from Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness at 3:00 p.m.

Immediately after leaving the Pavilion Stage, Solomon is also scheduled to start signing this introspective, inspirational story about “personal leadership” at 3:20 p.m. Click on Atlanta Journal Constitution for driving directions and additional information about the Decatur Book Festival 2008.

Approximately 75,000 people are expected to attend this year’s Labor Day Weekend event.  If you’re an Atlanta-based blogger, please stop by and introduce yourself.

Copyright (c) 2008 by Roderick O. Solomon.  All Rights Reserved.

Yesterday’s homecoming celebration of Mr. Tim Russert, television journalist and moderator of “Meet The Press,” has inspired this post. To Tim’s wife, Maureen, may God’s love comfort you and your family during these difficult days. To Tim’s son, Luke, may your father’s precious soul rest in God’s peaceful presence always and forever.

Never again will my Sunday mornings be the same without the privilege of watching the one man whose effective example of “personal leadership” has inspired millions of ordinary, everyday people to “Go Get Em!!” May today’s post challenge all who read these words to live without limits, love without conditions, and lead like Jesus Christ did — by example.

If tomorrow never comes, how much more valuable would your yesterday become to you today? If you knew beforehand when your last tomorrow was going to come, what would you choose to do differently with the rest of your todays?

“For the first time,” would you choose to finally face your biggest and deepest fears? Would you challenge the people you love to dig deep enough inside the heart of their gifted souls to unearth the courage needed to learn how to love loving one another?

If tomorrow never comes, how would you choose to live the rest of your life today? Think about it. But please don’t take too long because it’s later than you think.

Copyright 2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

Ms. Marvalus, author of “The Marvalus View,” was one of the first bloggers who chose to invest in an autographed copy of Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness, When Good People Become Great.

“Manchild…

I finished reading your wonderful piece of work and I couldn’t wait to come over and tell you that it has inspired me beyond words!

I weep at the amount of inspiration you have given to me, and thank you for sharing this with us…I am going to do a write up on my site to share this book with my audience over the next couple of days…

Thank you again…blessings to you!” — Ms. Marva

Please click on “Marva’s Book Review” to read what Marva had to say about this introspective, inspirational story about “personal leadership.”

Copyright 2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

This “revised” post now only contains the Prologue to Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness, “When Good People Become Great.” As time permits, I will begin posting brief excerpts from this introspective, inspirational story about “personal leadership” to inspire you to “face your fears and embrace Change.” Only then will you choose to take the next step necessary to make your “Big Dream” come true.

In the meantime, please feel free to peruse “The Archives” to see how far this humbled beginner has come by faith since January 1, 2007.  As many of you know, I didn’t “choose to write this book.” Over 10 years ago, this thought-provoking, 272 page book chose me.   If I can beat the odds with God’s help and choose to “keep risin’ to my feet after every fall I survived,” you can do the same.  The choice to do so will always be yours alone to make. So choose wisely.

“But by grace still go I.”

The Prologue — “Always Expect The Unexpected”

Quick question. Did reading the Prologue to Steppin’ Out Of the Darkness inspire you to sit up in your seat and say “Hmmmm” upon first glance?  Hopefully, what you found has peaked your curiosity about what else you’ll find beneath this book’s cover.

When time permits, post a comment to let me know if you felt inspired you to “finish writing the vision” you prematurely abandoned in the “valley of sun-dried bones” sometime “after the fall” you survived.

Copyright © 2007-2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

I’ve posted Senator Barack Obama’s speech, “A More Perfect Union,” for those of you who still need a compelling reason to believe that this 2008 Presidential Candidate is a brilliant person who just happens to be a Black man whose time and season has come.

There’s absolutely nothing that Senator Obama’s critics can do to change the inevitable. Sit back in the safety and security of your own skin as you listen to Barack’s wise words prayerfully and carefully.