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Every Little Step

/ LaShona Sellers / 1 Comment

Perfectionism can be an exhausting, heavy thing. We overthink everything and move on nothing because…well, it has to be perfect- perfect time, perfect place, perfect circumstances, the perfect plan, perfect execution, perfect people (whew, that’s a lot!) But with small intentional steps we push back, combatting illusion with the Truth & acceptance. With every little step we free ourselves to be all God created us to be and show up in this world the way He intended.

And with that, my steps have lead me here…

COMING SOON TO AMAZON…

Barnabas Blessings, the book, is on the way. Stay tuned for updates. Cover art & design by Ronaldo J. Sellers.

What’s on Your List?

/ LaShona Sellers / Leave a comment
My “To Read” list for the next few weeks.

As an introvert, I must admit that the idea of being confined to my home is a little dreamy. It’s exciting to think of all the books I could read. Of course as a mom, who has to telework, the dream does a subtle face-plant into reality but a girl can still try! So with our local library closing for two weeks, my family and I hit the stacks one last time (at proper social distancing of course) and filled a huge tote to our hearts’ delight. Can’t wait to crack these open! What’s on your list?

P.S. For anyone feeling the anxiety of the times here are a couple of reminders that bolster my faith:

Jeremiah 17:7 But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Just Finished…

/ LaShona Sellers / Leave a comment

I’ve always been intrigued by family sagas. And this novel delivered on so many levels. It’s a Palestinian family’s story spanning generations and the globe. From the Six-Day War to the invasion of Kuwait, the story is narrated through the lens of multiple family members. This novel was a reminder that no matter our differences we all share the human experiences of love, joy, loss, grief, and the search for a sense of belonging. A family and story that resonates long after the last page.

No Day Like Today

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Wow it’s been literally years since I’ve posted. I thought I might make a New Years resolution or a holiday declaration to jump back in but I figured there’s no day like today to start anew.  A lot has changed in the world of blogging in my absence  and I realize I’m probably way outdated here. But my goal is to simply write and for now I will do just that.

Been reading…She’s Still There by Chrystal Evans Hurst . It has actually been a catalyst for my return here. Her honest words of encouragement spoke to the girl who used to sit for hours filling notebooks with stories and poetry, who sometimes daydreamed about sitting on a talk show couch to discuss her latest work (thanks to Oprah’s Book Club). She spoke to the woman who has filled journal after journal with musings, stories and essays, who keeps picking up the dream but allowing life to knock it down again. A great read if you’re pondering “where do I go from here?”

Been writing…A few months ago I joined COMPEL , an online community of resources, training, and support for writers. I also entered my first contest there, for an opportunity to write a devotion for Proverbs 31 Ministries (you can read an excerpt over at Barnabas Blessings). I was commended on my title but encouraged to work on my lead in. I would be lying if I said the criticism didn’t sting a bit, not because it wasn’t valid or constructive (which it was and very kind); but simply because I’m human. In the far recesses of my mind existed a small shimmer of hope that someone would read my submission and say “She’s got it!” But, c’est la vie! I have work to do and life goes on. I’m just happy to say that I tried. I took a step toward my goal and that’s all that really matters.

The journey continues. Write on friends!

Love and Adoration

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Can I just gush a minute? About Jesus you ask? Well of course, He is absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me. My life without Him, I don’t even want to imagine! About my hubby and kids? Well I love them madly, they are my motivation, my home team, we are the four musketeers, one for all and all for one. But right now I want to gush about the thesaurus! Yes, one of the greatest inventions of the English language. Can I just say how many times this little resource has unblocked this writer’s blockage. Looove it!


So to address my blogging absence…LIFE. Nothing major, just the day-to-day, rolling -with-the-punches life of a wife and mom, who also returned to work outside of the home (because what moms do inside the home is no less work, just a different motivation and rewards). I’m also back in the saddle over on my Barnabas Blessings blog so be sure to take a peek there for some encouragement. I’ve been waxing poetic more than usual since taking a Modern Poetry class on Cousera so I’m intrigued to see where it will take me. And although I’ve been absent here, I have been writing, I have a composition book full of “stuff,” now to figure out what’s fit for public consumption and what may be for my eyes only.

Lastly, I’ve been doing ALOT of reading! Yay! Reading is my ultimate relaxation, like Calgon take me away type relaxation. I’ve discovered so many great authors and books to share. The latest is Digging to America by Anne Tyler.

Apparently I’m really late to the game considering Anne Tyler’s  first novel was written in the 1960’s but I’m excited to catch up on what I’ve missed. Digging to America is one of her more recent offerings (2006) and I love the characters. There are interracial, intercultural and international relationships that make it an engaging read and even better, it’s set in my stomping ground, Baltimore. I’m two thirds of the way through and recommend it to anyone interested in issues of family, immigration, adoption, and love in the “twilight years.” Curious? Happy Reading!

Freeman

/ LaShona Sellers / 1 Comment

To call Leonard Pitts’ novel, Freeman, simply moving seems somehow inadequate. Yet it moved me from tears of joy to tears of anger, from disbelief to acknowledgment. At the core it’s an epic love story, not only of the love Sam Freeman has for Tilda; an enduring love that compels him to walk thousands of miles, but the love of family as newly freed slaves search for loved ones, and self love as black men and women struggle to define their humanity and take back the dignity stolen by years of degradation. I was engrossed from the first page, at times so invested in the lives Sam, Ben, Prudence, Bonnie and Tilda, I had to put the book aside, the anticipation too great.  Mr. Pitts so completely and vividly conveyed the setting that there were a couple of nights my dreams transported me  back to the Civil War- torn South. This novel was amazing. I love my public library but  this novel warrants a visit to Amazon and a place on my bookshelf.

Just Read…

/ LaShona Sellers / Leave a comment

Small Island by Andrea Levy and I’m now on a mission to read every single one of her books.  Very seldom am I drawn to a book after seeing the movie adaptation but when Small Island aired on PBS (yes, I’m a public television junkie-PBS Kids, Masterpiece Classics, Independent Lens, American Experience…I love it all… but I digress) I missed the first hour of the four hour miniseries and was then put off by the ending. Not put off in a bad way but just left wanting more, thinking “I must have missed something.” The novel details the lives of Hortense, Gilbert, Queenie and Bernard. We follow Hortense and Gilbert from their homeland of Jamaica to 1940’s England where there lives intersect with Queenie and Bernard. I loved the way in which each chapter was a character’s point of view and I was amazed at Levy’s ability to give authentic voice to four vastly different characters. I think it’s the mark of a gifted writer to be able to capture the voice of a character totally unlike themselves (ie. a black woman writing as a white man, etc.) in a way that is not stereotypical or contrived. Andrea Levy is truly gifted. I loved this book and recommend it to lovers of historical fiction and anyone interested in learning about the black experience abroad.

Today’s Prompt:
Write in the voice of someone of the opposite sex.

Dude, when she told me I just freaked out. I didn’t know what to do! She was crying and all upset, and all I could think about was my scholarship and my parents. They are going to kill me, man! She’s asking me “What are we going to do?” and I’m like “What are we going to do? You’re going to take care of it! I’ll give you money.” I know, man. I can’t believe I said it either but I was just so scared.  I love her but I’m not ready for this. A baby, what are we going to do with a baby!