When Least Expected™

If Tomorrow Never Comes…

Manchild — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 05:01:01 +0000

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.

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Book Review: Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness

Manchild — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:20:32 +0000

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.”

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Browsing Beneath The Book’s Cover

Manchild — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:03:04 +0000

This post contains the chapter titles to Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness, “When Good People Become Great.” As time permits, I will begin inserting brief excerpts from each chapter of this introspective, inspirational story about “personal leadership” to inspire you 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. 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”

Chapter 1– “Working Together For Good”

Chapter 2 — “Back To Square One”

Chapter 3 — “How The Story Begins”

Chapter 4 — “The Importance Of Struggle”

Chapter 5 — “Joy, Peace, And Good Feelings”

Chapter 6 — “Distractions, Distractions, Distractions”

Chapter 7 — “Detoured, Detained, But Not Denied”

Chapter 8 — “After The Fall”

Chapter 9 — “The Greatest Lie Ever Told”

Chapter 10 — “The Seeds Of Self-Hatred”

Chapter 11 — “Crossing Jordan’s River”

Chapter 12 — “To Whom Little Appears Given”

Chapter 13 — “Heart-Breaking, Heart-Broken, But Hopeful”

Chapter 14 — “Dry Bones, Abandoned Visions, And Forgotten Dreams”

Chapter 15 — “Pain And Pleasure”

Chapter 16 — “Without Respect And Confidence”

Chapter 17 — “A Three Word Revelation”

Chapter 18 — “The Gift Of Greatness”

Chapter 19 — “One Root, One Tree, One Fruit”

Chapter 20 — “Lessons Lived And Learned”

Chapter 21 — “A Preview Of Coming Attractions”

Chapter 22 — “Despise Not Humbled Beginners”

Epilogue — “Talent Alone Is Not Enough™”

Quick question. Which one of the aforementioned chapter titles inspired you to sit up in your seat and say “Hmmmm” when you first saw it? When time permits, please post a comment to let me know which one has peaked your curiosity the most.

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B.M.A.D.™ In 2008: Free Troy Davis Rally In Atlanta

Manchild — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:51:29 +0000

For those of you who don’t know, B.M.A.D.™ In 2008 means “Bloggers Making A Difference™ In 2008.” Mr. Troy Anthony Davis, a Death Row inmate for the past 15 years, needs your help, your presence, and your support to help save his life. Mr. Davis is yet another Black man whose accusers have admitted that they “incorrectly” identified him as the perpetrator of a crime he was found guilty of committing.

Because America’s criminal justice system remains flawed beyond belief as evidenced by the heinous murder of Ms. Kathryn Johnson by undercover Atlanta police officers, I am “against” the “Death Penalty.” It’s undisputed that a disproportionate number of Black men are falsely arrested, falsely accused, and found guilty of crimes they didn’t commit. But by grace still go you and I.

Ms. Laura Moye, from Amnesty International, is hosting a “Free Troy Anthony Davis Rally” on the steps of City Hall building in Atlanta, Georgia this Saturday, May 17, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. Click on the words “Free Troy Anthony Davis” for additional information. Click on the words “Sign The Petition” to help save the life of a man who doesn’t deserve to die for a crime he didn’t commit.

Thank each and everyone of you who live in the Atlanta metro area and choose to attend Saturday’s rally for the gift of your time. If you can’t attend, call somebody, sign the petition, and do what you would want somebody to do for you. Together, we can make a difference. I’m willing to try. Are you? I hope so.

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When Does A Girl Become A Woman?

Manchild — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:24:45 +0000

On November 5, 2007, I asked a question to my fellow bloggers that arose during the final editing phase of Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness. The question posed,

“When does a girl become a woman?”

Marva, author of Opinionated Black Woman and Woman To Woman, responded by writing a post worth reading. As a gesture of my gratitude to MarvalusOne for taking the time to answer my question, I’ve decided to spread some link love by sharing her reply.

Click on “Sunday’s Thoughts On Tuesday: Womanhood” to read her reply. I hope you enjoy reading her post as much as I did. If time permits, please leave her a comment.

Thank you, for helping to spread some love on Good Friday, a day when Jesus Christ loved us enough to die on an old rugged cross in order do what had never been done. Because He lives, ….

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Hope For Hump Days: Greater Is He

Manchild — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:48:15 +0000

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

1 John 4:4

Quick question. Who or what is still keeping you from steppin’ out of the darkness of the hopeless that Despair creates and crossing the troubled, white-water rapids of Jordan’s River? Think about it.

“Greater is He” who dwells within me than ______________.

End this sentence by “filling in the blank” with the name of your biggest antagonist, your biggest obstacle, your greatest weakness, your worst bad habit, your biggest fear, or whatsoever is exacerbating your efforts to beat the odds with God’s help. As you already know, “impossible ain’t nothing but a word” to Greater Is He.

May completing the aforementioned sentence inspire you to face your biggest and deepest fears so you can begin to honestly believe that you can achieve great things and do what you’ve never done before. Overcoming your crisis of faith will challenge you to believe that you can achieve what you previously thought was an impossibility.”

But be forewarned! Steppin’ outside the imaginary box of your comfort zone will severely test your faith in God and challenge your ability to trust God when the invisible fist of Adversity strikes. I double-dog dare you to see if you posses the inner core strength to stand in the menacing face of whatsoever can make you faint each time you try to take the first step across Jordan’s River.

As many of you who’ve been reading this blog already know, “personal leadership” is an “act of faith.” Leadership is a personal choice that will always be yours alone to make until a defining moment in your life occurs and challenges you to “live, love, and lead like Jesus Christ did — by example.”

As evidenced by the Prologue to my book, Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness, “When Good People Become Great,” always expect the unexpected to happen when least expected.

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