DREAM B.I.G. IN 3D

DREAM B.I.G. IN 3D
PAUL WILSON JR.

Monday, February 8, 2010

DREAM B.I.G. in 3D

Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly. ~Langston Hughes
Having placed an eviction notice on lack, struggle and underachievement, I boldly declared my 2010 mantra to be WE WIN IN 2010! This is for my personal life, business and spiritual life as I have been called by God to Pastor Faith @ Work Christian Church.
Dream B.I.G. in 3D, by Paul Wilson Jr., comes at the perfect time to keep this powerful train moving forward. In the book, Wilson uses the acronym B.I.G. which simply means to live a Bold, Innovative, God-inspired life.
This I believe epitomizes the WE WIN IN 2010 mantra. Wilson has broken the book into 3 sections and they each build on each other seamlessly. So often we get a glimpse of another living out his or her dream and are wowed! But that quickly fades because we haven't invested in a process which would lead us to Discover Your Dream, Define Your Dream and finally Drive to Your Dream. These are the three foundations on which the Dream B.I.G. concept rests.
If you are experiencing lack in any area of your life, Wilson has mapped out a plan to propel you forward. Finally, if your dreams aren't B.I.G. enough to live on beyond your earthly time then your dream hasn't been B.I.G. enough! Your dream should be a part of your legacy. Wilson uses another powerful acronym to keep you with a laser-like focus on your B.I.G. dream-E.C.H.O.:
Embrace God's Plan
Conquer Fear
Harness Your Passions and
Optimize Your Opportunities and Situations.
Paul Wilson Jr. has started something B.I.G. here! This is a great training tool for small businesses and professional career planning and is a great addition to the library of anyone seeking to push their faith-journey to the next level and for anyone ready to DREAM B.I.G. To purchase your copy today click on the book image above.

Monday, February 1, 2010

I CHOOSE TO STAY: A BLACK TEACHER REFUSES TO DESERT THE INNER CITY By Salome Thomas-El

"Someday I will find a way to help kids believe in themselves, I vowed to myself, someday."

These are the words of Salome Thomas-El also known as Principal El. If you are a native or long-time resident of Philadelphia you may have heard of him-especially if you are a sports fan for he spent several formative years at the famed PRISM cable network. He has interviewed, developed relationships with and provided mutually rewarding exchanges with the likes of Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Michael Jordan and many, many other sports greats.
If you're not a sports fan-chances are you are still quite familiar with Principal El he is the dynamic young, gifted educator who having many opportunities to work in the best schools both private and public in the Philadelphia area-chose to stay in the inner city. Choosing to work in arguable one of the worse schools in the inner city, Vaux, Principal El has left an indelible imprint on the lives of many students, parents and fellow educators for many years to come.
By implementing a simple "formula" based upon his own experiences and observations, Principal El has been able to inspire young, gifted, talented African-American students to reach their academic goals and rise above the environment in which they live daily. This formula includes a recognition that education is key to the attainment of many of life's goals-noting that had it not been for a great relationship he had with a former teacher that led to his job with PRISM, upon completion of his undergraduate studies-he too may have become a glaring statistic that many minority youth are--of not reaching their goals and potential. He understands that,"kids in the inner city need to get a good education just to compete. They also need someone who could motivate them and get them involved in their own success."
Just as Principal El chose to stay in the Inner City he also acknowledges that it is also a choice to get a good education. Only one who has a healthy view of his heritage and legacy of his African-American slave ancestry could both commit himself to and "fight" vehemently to teach the least of these. Principal El having shown a personal commitment to educational attainment over the possibility of a very lucrative cable television career stands heads and shoulders above many who have given up on the Inner City and its most worthy young people.

Reading this book has reinforced my personal belief and commitment to giving back to the community or society that has produced me, maintaining a laser-like focus on the goal of pulling our youth up, and joining forces with others who are currently doing this great work. Principal El is one such individual whose commitment and unselfishness has led him to great success and back to television as he is a member of The Dr. Oz Show's "Core Team Oz" which airs on CBS weekdays-please check your local schedule for programming times and by all means purchase the book by clicking on the book image above.

Celebrating Black History Month with the Best Authors You May Have Never Heard Of!

Happy Black History Month! I am so proud, happy and elated to be a Black Woman an African-American woman who loves to write and loves to read! I have been blessed to be exposed to many, many dynamic authors of all races, nationalities and religious backgrounds. In the coming months I will share some of them with you but this month is dedicated to four dynamic African-American authors whose work has captivated my heart, mind and spirit.

I have two requests of you as a reading community:
1. Please read the reviews posted on this site and pass the link along to 5 people; and
2. Purchase one of the books from the author's site. It is not good enough to gain knowledge and have no vehicle to implement change within your sphere of influence.

Celebrate with me the marvelous work of these wonderful African-American authors.

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Art of the Apology: How to Apologize Effectively to Practically Anyone

"Without forgiveness, there's no future."~ Desmond Tutu (cited on page 159)
In this ground-seizing book, The Art of the Apology: How to Apologize Effectively to Practically Anyone, author Lauren Bloom has taken her years of expertise as a litigator and crafted a powerful reconciliation plan and mediation resource that can be used in both corporate and non-corporate settings. The book opens with a poignant question, "Why Apologize at All?" Bloom suggests four possible reasons from salvaging your relationships to it simply being the right thing to do.

I am moved by the detail with which Ms. Bloom provides advice that can be used in every day situations thus emphasizing the importance of cleansing our hearts and minds through apologies. The book is written in layman's terms indicating the author's desire to have the book transcend genres.

A well-thought dissertation on delivering effective apologies, steps to take prior to making the apology and the best timing for an apology. These are all indicators of the author's recognition of the central importance of apologies and forgiveness in humanity.

If you are building an organization of any form or involved in basic human relationships-this is a must read!

Lauren Bloom is a Washington D.C. attorney who writes, consults and speaks about business ethis and the art of the apology. She is also a contributing writer for TheStreet.com Purchase the book at www.theartoftheapology.com

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Are You Under LAW OR GRACE: Being Free to Love God Daily by Bob Bennett

"It is vital for you to see the distinction between "law and grace." They are totally separate, but necessary, in God's plan of salvation-and must never be mixed. The law brings condemnation to lead us to Jesus-grace. Grace brings forth life-God's life in us."

While on vacation, in August, I took a few good books to read and Bob Bennett's Law or Grace topped the list. It is an in-depth study undertaken by Bennett to make a clear distinction between the Law of God versus the Grace of God.
Bennett carefully takes the reader through Scritpure after Scripture to ensure that the people of God and beyond know without a doubt that because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, at Calvary and subsequent Resurrection, and the grace humanity received as a result--we are FREE!
As a Seminary Professor this book lines up with many of the required texts assigned to my students and should make its way to all Seminary recommended reading lists and to your book shelves.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Too long since I've posted...

to this blog! I am so sorry but the time has taught me some very valuable lessons.
1. Ensure that you have the capacity to sustain the volume of business a new venture generates: DvineExpressions Book Club had a highly successful debut at the 2009 Book Expo America. The success has generated unspeakable business that we quite frankly were not prepared to handle.
2. All Self-Published Christian Books are not created Equally: I have read many books, both fiction and non-fiction, and have been pleasantly surprised and disappointed at the same time. However, the process has taught me that destructive criticism is not the call from God but constructive criticism with solutions is!
3. Consult with God with ALL aspects of the business! There are some opportunities that are not divinely scheduled-cancel them.

I have done some reading and want to share with you the great work happening in the body of Christ. Stay tuned for reviews of great books.

Rev. Deb