As a sign of respect, I’m dedicating 2011 to the women that God has gifted to the blended, extended families of humanity’s culturally diverse global village. Since I am the “first man” my daughter will ever love, it’s my responsibility to lead by example. I  choose to love, honor, respect, and protect my baby girl and my wife, KWiz, with my life because as comedian, Mr. Steve Harvey, often says during his morning radio show, “That’s what real men do.“

Whenever time permits, please participate in my year-long tribute to “man’s most valuable resource” by posting a comment about the books you’ve read that were written by and about women.  Hopefully, the men in your lives will do the same. Why?

We, as men, have so much to learn about the wise women God has commanded us to love unconditionally 24/7/365.   As evidenced by Ephesians 5:25-27 NASB, and Ephesians 5:33 NASB, isn’t it interesting that God did not ask women to do the same?

According to the Scriptures, God only asked the wives of men to “respect” their husbands. Do you ever wonder why? If not, reading, “Marital Love,” by Biblical Foundations For Freedom will challenge you to dig deeper into the reasons why God is challenging men to “earn” the respect of the wives in our lives.

Despite what one too many may believe, the men who have chosen to love, honor, and respect all women are hanging our ears on every powerful word you speak. Our hearts, minds, and arms are open as we both humbly and respectfully enter into your powerful presence. We see you!

We, as men, have a lot of work to do to repair the damage that’s been done by the words that have come forth out of our mouths. Matters not how much hearing the sobering truth that makes people free may hurt. We will not run away and hide in our man caves because we’re “here to stay.”

We will not defend, nor justify, our actions by scapegoating the “sins of other men.” We will not blame our misogynistic, dehumanizing, demeaning, demoralizing, devaluing, denigrating, and dishonorable behavior on what happened in times past. If we try, don’t hesitate to check us and if necessary, kick us to the curb until our actions speak louder than our words.

There’s a plethora of excellent books for women and men to read who still may not understand “how” to do better because they still don’t know better.  As always, the choice to seek wisdom and get understanding will keep you from falling to your knees with tears in your eyes while saying, “Baby, please don’t go!!“

Yesterday is now history.  Wise women don’t care and don’t want to hear about what “so-n-so” did yesterday. Two wrongs don’t make it right. Today is a new day.  Women the world over are hurting today because of what’s still happening today. I’m challenging all men to simply say, “ I hear you!” whenever any woman chooses to challenge us, confront us, and constructively criticize us.

Difficult? Yes! Impossible? Not! Together, we can beat impossible odds and complete what may appear to be an impossible task with God’s help. Are you willing to try? For our women’s sake, I hope you will take the time to let our “unsung sheroes” know beyond the shadow of any doubt that we hear their cries for our help.

So men, let’s not blow it this time because we may never again get a second chance to earn the respect and the love of the women who birthed us, nurtured us, cared for us, raised us, supported us, stood by us, cried and died for us, paved the way for us, and saved us from ourselves when nobody but Jesus loved us in spite of ourselves.

During the month of June, I will give the women an equal opportunity to highlight the real men who have courageously risen to the occasion during what I honestly believe is yet another divinely ordained opportunity for women and men to experience tremendous personal growth.

How many of you believe leaders are made, not born? How many of you believe women are better leaders than men? Please feel free to elaborate so women and can engage one another in what I hope will become a mutually rewarding discussion.

Meanwhile, please keep praying, without ceasing, those fervent effective prayers that will availeth much for each of us as the next generation of leading men individually, and collectively face our fears and embrace Change.

The choice to spin from within and begin something new with our God-given gifts will test our faith in God, ourselves, and each other.  With God’s help, the mighty men in your lives will learn to respect “the power of a wise woman’s words” as our humbled souls turn in the refining fire of Adversity’s fiery furnace. We’re listening to you!

Copyright © 2007 ~ 2011 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” ~ Amos 3:3 KJV

S.I.N.™ Stop Incivility Now™ Quick question.  How many more women and children must die for nothing before real men like you and I rise up and start walking together in peace while working together as one to help cultivate a culture of civility? Think about it.

When the world least expects it, a swift paradigm shift will happen that is going to change the way men see women, treat women, relate to women. Matters not the colour of their skin. Real men will choose to Live, Love, and Lead United™ to stop the culture of incivility that condones sex trafficking, rape, and slavery in any form. Difficult? Most definitely! Impossible? Not!

Imagine the endless parade of possibilities that will appear when the women that real men love, honor, and respect finally stop living with Fear. My challenge to all who read this is simple. Stop Incivility Now™! Dare to dream bigger and act like you honestly believe it’s possible to beat impossible odds with God’s help.

As always, the choice for “this one” and “that one” to agree as one that it’s time to do something that has never been done before is theirs alone to make.  But please don’t take too long before deciding to do the right thing by letting love lead the way because it’s much later than you think. Can you imagine a world without women? I can’t. Can you? I hope not. S.I.N.™ Stop Incivility Now™

Copyright © 2011 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

Quick question.  Now that you’ve finally finished celebrating the beginning of yet another new year, what’s next on your agenda? Do you have a plan for 2010?  Think about it.  Maybe 2009 wasn’t a good year for you.  If not, what will you choose to do differently in 2010?  For the first time in you life, will you choose to see yourself differently, to think differently, to live differently, to love differently? Imagine the parade of possibilities that will appear when you challenge yourself to do something you’ve never done.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;  A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.“  Ecclesiastes 1:1-9 KJV

For reasons only you and God know, did you discover that you lacked the courage to “let go and live” your “Big Dream(s)” in 2009? Did you fail to dig deep enough inside the place where you hid your secrets to discover why you chose to remain fearful instead of becoming powerful enough to conquer your biggest and deepest fears?  Why?  What are you still afraid you’ll find during your introspective search for the truth that will inspire you to “let go and live” your “Big Dream(s)” in 2010? Think about it.

I challenge you to seize this opportunity for personal growth to take time, to make time, to sit down in your secret place and have a quiet talk with God and yourself.  Humbling, isn’t it?  While on bended knees, ask God to give you the inner strength to face the truth about yourself.  Yes, it will hurt to accurately identify in plain and simple terms the main reason(s) why you repeatedly failed to exceed the self-imposed limitations your own eidetic imagination erected in 2009.

What “bad habits” must you let go of and replace with “good habits” before you can boldly and courageously live your life like never before?” Think about it. What “bad choices” did you make in 2009 that you cannot afford to make in 2010? Have you failed to forgive yourself for what you did, or didn’t do, in 2009 to sabotage your own success? If not,  don’t you think it’s time you did? Think about it.  Like unconditional love, the gift of “Forgiveness” is one of those priceless, eternal gifts that never stops giving.

Do you finally “know yourself” well enough to feel safe and secure within the comfort of your own skin to begin “living without limits , loving without conditions, and leading like Jesus Christ did – by example?” If not now, when? Think about it.  Do you honestly believe that you have the courage to let go of what’s still weighing you down or holding you back long enough to live “for the first time” in your life? If not, don’t you think it’s time you finally started making a difference in your own life before too soon becomes too late to do so? If not you, who? Think about it.

What, or who, are you still anxiously holding on to right now that you need to let go of by faith before you can honestly expect to excel, succeed, and achieve your “Big Dream(s)”  in 2010?  If you don’t own a journal to write introspective, empowering notes to yourself, do yourself a huge favor.  Get up, go out, and get one.  If you’re a creative person like me, create your own.  Imagine that!   Because Change is inevitable, you’ll definitely need one to track your journey during such an unpredictable season as this.  Remember, some things are just too personal to share with anybody else except God.

Before we part ways this day, please take a few minutes to define “Greatness.”  What does Greatness look like? If Greatness walked by you right now, would you recognize it?  “Can Greatness Be Measured?“  Think about it.  As always, the choice to love yourself enough to “let go and live your Big Dream(s) in 2010″ is yours alone to make.  Enjoy the journey.

Copyright (c) 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.

“Easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” — Frederick Douglass

“I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors, and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.” — Abraham Lincoln

“Not everything that is faced can be changed.  But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” — James Baldwin

“When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” — Audre Lorde

“To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.” — Edgar Allan Poe

“The final proof of Greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment.”                  — Elbert Hubbard