WEBVTT
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Okay.
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Hello, hello, hello.
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Um, welcome back to the uh 22nd episode of the podcast, Self-Published Woman Unleashed.
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I'm your host, Sparkle Smith, and I talk all things authors, uh publish authors, self-publish authors, and uh help you along the journey of personal and professional development.
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We have a very special guest to nominate.
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Um, we have author, uh Reverend Terry Jenkins.
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She's gonna be here and she's gonna discuss her new book entitled Not Perfect and Just Chosen.
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Um, and I'm going to let her share some things about herself, but I'm just gonna give a brief uh introduction about Reverend Terry.
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This is actually her second book with us.
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Um and um her first book was a devotional um called The Struggle is Real.
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And the second book is again not perfect, just chosen.
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It's a devotional for men.
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Reverend Terry is an author, a mighty woman of God uh with a calling on her life.
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She is a um minister of the gospel.
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She uh has been a minister of the gospel for very for many years.
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She's in one of the uh well uh needed uh helping professionals.
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Um and she's a social worker as well.
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Um and without further ado, I want to uh welcome Reverend Terry Jenkins to the stage.
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How are you today, Reverend Terry?
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Good, Sparkle.
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Thank you so much for having me.
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Oh, yeah, it's a pleasure.
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Thank you for coming on.
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Um and so um if you want to share just a little bit about yourself, if you um choose to, you can go right here.
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Just tell the uh we're gonna get into some questions, but if you want to share just a little bit about your background and you know um why what made you uh what inspired you to write the book Not Perfect, just chosen.
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So, in terms of my my background, uh, you're right.
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I am in one of the most needed helping professions.
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I am a licensed clinical social worker uh in a medical setting.
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And so um I spend my day walking along beside people: men, women, children who are experiencing mental health crises, or sometimes uh children who have been abused.
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And uh so I walk with people doing very difficult stages of their life through very fragile moments.
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And so what I love about being a social worker and also being uh clergy, the called of God is that in ministry, God uses all parts of me.
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And so um, you know, at my church, my pastor is so supportive of me.
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Shout out to Reverend Dr.
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Mitty Mews Jr., but so supportive of me uh utilizing my social work skills with the congregation, and so, you know, grief support, counseling, um women's ministry, um, God uses all aspects of me um in ministry and in social work.
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And so, in terms of what inspired me to write this book, there was a time when I was studying about being in the presence of God.
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And so I had just, you know, preached a sermon at my brother's church, and they they had altar call, and one of the gentlemen I prayed with him, and he um he was weeping, and he said, you know, I want to know what it means to be intimate with God, I want to know what it means to be in the presence of God, and Sparkle that stayed with me.
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And all I can tell you is that that moment was ordained by God because a couple of weeks after I remember just sitting down at my laptop.
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God gave me the title, not perfect, just chosen.
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God said, Write amen's devotional.
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God told me how he gave me the whole blueprint for the devotional.
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And I have to tell you, um, it was a two-year journey of writing.
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Um, and there were times when I just felt like I didn't measure up because here I am, a woman, right?
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Um and woman clergy, right?
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Writing a man's devotional.
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And so there were times when God had to nudge me and say to me, You're my chosen.
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Yes, I'm telling you to write this book.
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I'm telling you to write a book on men's devotional.
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You have prayed with men, you have uh walked with men throughout various difficult seasons of their lives.
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And so, daughter, why not you to um sit in my presence and hear my voice as I instruct you on how to um on how to encourage and inspire men to come into my presence, to make themselves vulnerable to me, and to hear a word from me and to um just have intimacy with me.
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Wow, that's awesome.
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That is so powerful.
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Um, it sounds like, you know, um how they say um sometimes the natural, uh the spiritual things are are not always understood in the natural, you know.
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Yeah um and and only a person with the natural thinking would think, okay, well, how can a woman write a man's devotional, you know, um just like uh Bishop Jakes years ago were woman that loose, and you know, it just became so popular.
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Um, and then, you know, in the same token, you know, and I'm sure God spoke to him from a spiritual context and gave him spiritual blueprints and things.
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And so um that is amazing how you know God ways are truly not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts.
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And um he uses the thing that uh men uh is that is not practical, you know.
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And sometimes if we just think practical, we'll miss uh what God is trying to say or we'll miss um the direction or the the answers that we need.
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Right, right, right.
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Yes.
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So I um I trust that uh any man that's listening that they would, you know, um be curious to to come and uh read the book.
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But um have a question too.
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Um what message do you think or hope that men take away from the devotional when they finish reading it?
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I think the main message is that God meets us where we are.
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Um being a clinical social worker, God shows me every day how to meet people where they are, and God does the same thing with me, and God does the same thing with his children, especially his sons, because you know, society um puts so much pressure on men to be strong and to not show emotions or to not uh be vulnerable.
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And the message is that God in the book, not perfect, just chosen, he used men of the Bible, his sons of the Bible, to talk to the men of today.
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The Psalms is filled with men who cried out to God, who made themselves vulnerable to God, who felt forsaken by God, who when they messed up, they went to God and they asked for forgiveness.
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And so the message is God meets us where we are.
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I tell people, even if you are someone who you're struggling with drugs, and maybe you have that needle in your arm, God can meet you at that moment and minister to you in a way that only God knows how to minister to you because He created us, right?
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And so He knows the struggles, He knows the weaknesses, He knows everything, He knows that we're not perfect, and so He doesn't expect us to be perfect, but even if you are at that moment, you have that needle in His in your arm, God will approach you and say, I love you, son.
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You know, I've chosen you.
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I still love you, I still have a purpose for you, I still have a plan, a good plan for you.
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Nothing you do can ever separate me, can ever separate you from my love, and God will, as I said, this image of a God who will go to the lowest depths of whatever our personal hell is and meet us there and lift us up out of it if we would only allow God to do that.
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And so that that is the main message that I want my brothers in Christ, God's sons, to take away from this book.
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And also, God desires relationship with us, he created us to be in relationship with him.
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God desires to hear our voice call him, God desires to hear his son say, Father, I want to talk with you, or God, I want to talk with you.
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He desires that.
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And we are blessed in the process because there is this intimacy that develops in the relationship.
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We get to see who we are to God, and we get to see who God is to us.
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And so those are the those are the things that I want men to take away from reading this book, not perfect, just chosen.
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Wow, and it looks like you answered several of the questions just with that one question, with the questions that I have, because my other questions would have been if you could sit down with a man who feels lost, discouraged, or far away from God, what would you tell him?
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And you explain, like if they are right there in the middle of the scene, you know, the the the uh track marks or um needle in your arm or whatever, you know, God meets us at our scene.
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He doesn't like uh ignore it or cover it up.
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Well, he covers it with his blood, but he wants to meet us right where we are.
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And I think that's the main theme of your message, even what you said, not perfect is chosen.
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We don't have to get ourselves together in order for us to come to him because if we could, we wouldn't need him.
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So yes, he loves us enough to where he comes to us.
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God went to him in the on the mountain.
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And so God comes to God comes to us, and uh, you know, men go through so much.
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I have three brothers, and I think, especially today in this climate of um, you know, just a lot of hatred and you know um racial division, constantly just praying for my brothers, constantly praying for my godsons as they have to grow up and learn how to navigate um things such as you know racism and um police brutality and and things of that nature, um, but to give them this gift.
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I I remember writing a part in the in the book um when I, you know, uh dedicated the book to my godson MJ, and I said, one day MJ will need the words from this book to encourage him when he needs it the most.
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Um, and sometimes it's you know not about if you've fallen into a sin, but sometimes if you feel like a failure, maybe you've lost the job, maybe your marriage has fallen apart or your marriage is on the verge of breaking up.
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Maybe you're suffering with depression or anxiety.
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Um, so much, so many things happen in life, and men sometimes they're not raised to, as I say, express their emotions.
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But but God, but God wants to meet you again.
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I I don't know why I keep saying that where you are, now he won't leave you there, but he'll meet you where you are and minister to you right there, and so that's um, yeah, it was it was just a pretty powerful experience uh hearing from God as He guided me uh with what men's stories to put in this book and you know what to say to the men.
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So um, yes, yes.
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Awesome.
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And yeah, so you answered another question.
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Why do you believe men sometimes struggle to be vulnerable about their faith, emotionals, emotions and struggles and weaknesses because of the pressure of society?
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You know, sometimes they have racial um uh encounters and uh because of the racial climate um that they have to navigate through just through life sometimes.
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May not be every day, but you know, and it may be you know at work or could be in the church if it's a you know biracial church or um, you know, workplace or just out and about.
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Um and so all of those things affect them, and then they have to be this strong big man because they're you know recognized as the pillar, um, you know, for their family, and just as a man is supposed to be the strong woman, but not realizing that you know, the most important part of us that needs to be strong is our so you're especially you know, in that relationship with God, that's what he wants to do.
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Relationship with God, yeah.
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Um so important.
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And so with that uh another question, and you kind of answer it somewhat, but how can a man strengthen his relationship with God while still balancing work, family, marriage, friendships, and everyday life?
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Still thinking through that of particular question.
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I know it's hard for me being single and balancing so much, but um I remember uh the uh the words to this song that they sing um at my church, and the song says, It's time to talk with God.
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And the question that they'll ask the congregation is, do you have a minute?
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Just one minute.
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And so um when I talk to people about spending time with God and when they, you know, they have a lot to balance in their lives, I tell them you would be surprised what two minutes with God, the peace that it brings you.
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And to start, maybe you start with two minutes.
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Um, maybe while you are driving to work, you ignore the phone and you put on gospel music, or maybe you just decide while you're driving, you just focus on the goodness of God, or you just focus on um what it means to be grateful or your blessings, and all of those things I think that we don't realize, um, but the spiritual um, the spiritual activities of prayer, of gratitude, um, even taking that inward journey and looking at ourselves, all of those things can lead us closer to knowing that we need to spend time with God.
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And so if you have five minutes, just five minutes, just to sit in God's presence, or five minutes just to be in God's presence, um, you would be surprised uh what comes out of that.
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And then you start carving out more time to spend with God.
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Yeah, and people that will take the excuses from people because they may say, Well, I don't have time, I got this on my plate or that on my plate.
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But two minutes, I mean, it takes you two minutes to uh get your bags or something to get to go to work or something, you know.
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People scroll on social media more than two minutes.
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Right, right.
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So, you know, and and but then you know, once they s just take those two minutes, it's just all about a decision, and then God shows up, then they're gonna want to increase the time anyway.
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Right, right.
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You're gonna want to increase your time, right?
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Because in his presence there is fullness of joy, um, and there is affirmation.
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And so I tell people just start with two minutes or just start with uh even a minute, but just take that moment, just take that moment.
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Awesome, and looks like you answered uh all the questions with what you shared, uh, the information you shared.
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It was timeless wisdom.
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And so um, as we are almost at the end, uh um I I would like you to say a prayer for the men.
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Um what is your prayer?
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What would your prayer be for the men?
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Um, those who read it, those who you know are seeking God, um, who struggle with you know flaws and perfection and trying to be perfect but not measuring up.
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Um what's your prayer for them?
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And what do you hope God do does in their life as a result of reading the book?
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I think in terms of my prayer, um, in the book, um the book is divided into um 12 months, and every month is devoted to a man in the Bible.
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And after um, you know, you read his stories, their questions to answer, and then their spiritual activities that will allow you to spend time in the presence of God.
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God used the men of the Bible, his sons of the Bible, to speak to uh his sons of today.
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And what I want, my prayer would be that as men read the book, that they would see their story in David's story, um, their story in um Paul's story, their story in Joseph's, uh, the earthly father of Jesus.
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They would see their lives and their stories in those men's stories, and it would bring them, it would allow them to see how gracious God was with these men, how he walked with these men, how he talked with these men, how he protected them, um, how he even had to uh correct them because a father loves their son.
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To where if they have to apply words of correction, then they do that.
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But the most important thing is that God desires relationship.
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And so my prayer is that as men read the book, that they would see themselves as chosen.
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That God chose them.
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The word of God, and I was looking at this, the word of God in John 15th chapter, 16th verse, Jesus tells his disciples, you did not choose me, but I chose you and I appointed you.
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And my prayer is that men would understand when you come into the presence of God, you don't have to perform.
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Just be who you are.
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Understand, God already knows your heart's desires.
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God already knows your imperfections.
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God knows your challenges.
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He knows your strengths.
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He knows all of those things.
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He just wants you.
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And so my prayer is that men would start to spend more time in the presence of God, that men would start to um cry out to God, to open up their hearts to God, to bring all of them, to bring everything that has been troubling them, that they they would bring those things to God and they would watch God move in their lives.
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I pray that God would talk with them about the importance of what it means to walk in purpose and what it means to be passionate about being who God has called them to be.
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And then from that relationship then comes a sense of identity of who they are in God.
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And from that relationship will come their purpose, that clarity about who they are called to be, who they are created to be.
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And most importantly, they don't have to have it all together.
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They'll never have it all together.
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None of us will.
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As long as we live, we're going to make mistakes.
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But nothing will keep God from loving us, and nothing will keep God from completing the work that God has started in us.
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Wow, that's powerful.
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And you said something key that um once they seek God and uh spend time with him and get to know him and get in their work, the your main prayers that they understand their identity.
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Um, because a lot of things is performance-based, but once they really understand their identity, they don't have to, you know, and that will help them not want to perform and just be themselves.
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Just be themselves, right?
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Right, right, right.
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Amen.
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Powerful.
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Um, another question.
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Oh, what is your favorite uh month or chapter?
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Because the book, everyone is broken down into you know chapters, but there's different months.
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Yeah, 12 months, and then there's a bonus uh addition to it.
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So there's 13 of them.
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Uh, what is your favorite uh uh month uh of the book and or chapter slash month and why it would have to be January and that month is Jacob.
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I mean, I'm sorry, Joshua, and the title of it is I have the book right here.
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The title of January is Do It Afraid.
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Yes, yes.
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Let me let me just make sure the title of January is yes, do it afraid.
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You can show them, you want to show them?
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Show them uh yep.
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I don't know if you can see it.
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Oh, with the blur, okay, but they'll should they'll see it at the end of the um okay the uh podcast.
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So January, Joshua's story.
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Um, do it afraid.
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Joshua's standing at the brink of change.
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He has a new role in leadership.
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His mentor Moses is dead, and yet he has been chosen to lead these people to the land that God has promised them.
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And so I can imagine uh uh transitional stages of life are difficult for me.
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Uh, you know, I get very anxious, but Joshua is is standing there, and God is there with him, saying to him, be strong, be courageous.
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I'm gonna be with you.
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I was with Moses, I'm gonna be with you.
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Now it came with conditions.
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You got to, you Joshua, you gotta trust me.
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You you gotta keep the commandments, you know, um, because sometimes when God calls us to do a work for him, as he called Joshua to do, we get nervous, we get anxious, we answer the call, but then we go off and we forget to ask God day by day, how do I walk out the call?
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And so with that chapter, doing it afraid, sometimes you just have to take that step and do what God has called you to do.
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And God will be there to encourage you every step of the way, as He was with Joshua.
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So, yeah, do it afraid.
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Because sometimes that's what we have to do when uh we are faced with a turning point in our lives, or even, you know, the image I saw was at the beginning of every new year.
00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:34.480
You know, you're on the brink of a new year, but you sometimes are afraid to go into that new year because maybe last year wasn't the best, but God still says the new year is coming.
00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:39.279
You still gotta go into the new year, but I'm gonna be there with you.
00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:40.880
Amen.
00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:41.519
Amen.
00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:49.680
And that's awesome because a lot of times when we talk about fear, you know, uh, God has not given us the spirit of fear.
00:29:49.839 --> 00:30:02.640
Of course, it's not of him, but like you said, with Joshua, he did it afraid, but at the same time, he recognized or he was reminded, God told him he's in the battle with you, he's in the fight with us.
00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:07.759
And sometimes we go through things in life, we we like, okay, Lord, where are you?
00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:16.160
But he reminds us he's in the fight with us, even though the fight is still going on, you know, we think that's a sign that he's not with us, yeah.
00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:21.759
And um, you know, but that's because we're looking with our natural eyes.
00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:29.519
Um but once we accept, you know, Lord, you're with me, his presence is gonna override that thing.
00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:37.920
And then eventually the fear is gonna diminish because we are we really we focusing on that he's with us, yeah.
00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:39.599
Right, right, right.
00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:42.400
And we do it afraid anyway, yep.
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:43.200
Mm-hmm.
00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:45.680
So awesome, awesome, awesome.
00:30:45.839 --> 00:31:16.160
And um, guys, um in the transcript of the podcast, the information for those of you who are interested in uh purchasing the book and you're curious to know more about the book, and if you're getting needing some type of daily directional devotion, if you want to be closer to God and you um want to be, want to have some structure in your life biblically or scripturally, and have a guide, you know, on a month-to-month basis and even a week-to-week basis, because each month has weeks.
00:31:16.240 --> 00:31:17.839
It's broken down to four weeks.
00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:27.200
So there's scriptural information that you can read, that you can, you know, study, and then you can write down your reflection or what God is saying to you.
00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:34.079
Um, it's it'd be great to help you develop your um personal relationship with God as a guide.
00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:49.200
Also, for those men who are in ministry and they have a men's ministry, and you want some type of scriptural foundation to direct your of the men that you're leading, this will be an awesome um book to get, awesome devotion to get.
00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:53.279
Um, and so the the transcript will be at the end.
00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:58.640
There'll be a QR code to scan where you can purchase a book and you can learn more about the book.
00:31:58.880 --> 00:32:05.359
Um, and in closing, do you have any final words, um, Reverend Terry?
00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:27.279
I thank you, Sparkle, for the opportunity to uh be on the podcast and um just want to, you know, again encourage the men to get the book, get the book, and um I guarantee you we it will be a blessing.
00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:29.920
It blessed me to write it.
00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:33.599
So I know it will be a blessing for you to read it.
00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:36.000
Awesome, awesome.
00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:38.240
Well, thank you all for tuning in.
00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:42.079
Um, and uh again, don't forget to get the book.
00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:45.680
Uh, men and women, but especially men, get this book.
00:32:45.759 --> 00:33:01.039
If there's a ladies, if there's a man in your life, like a father, a husband, and even a pastor, someone a part of men's ministry, or someone you you're wanting to minister to, you don't want to um end this year without getting the book.
00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:10.880
And until next time, um listeners, uh, thank you for tuning in to, and we're gonna have a Reverend Terry back on maybe sometime next year.
00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:17.039
Um, and she may talk about another book or she may talk about a subject uh that we haven't.
00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:19.359
But again, thank you all for tuning in.
00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:28.319
I'm your host, Sparkle uh Smith of the uh Unpublished Woman, uh the uh unpublished woman um podcast.
00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:29.680
Have a great day, y'all.
00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:04.959
Okay.
00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:07.200
Hello, hello, hello.
00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:14.480
Um, welcome back to the uh 22nd episode of the podcast, Self-Published Woman Unleashed.
00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:25.760
I'm your host, Sparkle Smith, and I talk all things authors, uh publish authors, self-publish authors, and uh help you along the journey of personal and professional development.
00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:28.320
We have a very special guest to nominate.
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Um, we have author, uh Reverend Terry Jenkins.
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She's gonna be here and she's gonna discuss her new book entitled Not Perfect and Just Chosen.
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Um, and I'm going to let her share some things about herself, but I'm just gonna give a brief uh introduction about Reverend Terry.
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This is actually her second book with us.
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Um and um her first book was a devotional um called The Struggle is Real.
00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:06.959
And the second book is again not perfect, just chosen.
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It's a devotional for men.
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Reverend Terry is an author, a mighty woman of God uh with a calling on her life.
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She is a um minister of the gospel.
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She uh has been a minister of the gospel for very for many years.
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She's in one of the uh well uh needed uh helping professionals.
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Um and she's a social worker as well.
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Um and without further ado, I want to uh welcome Reverend Terry Jenkins to the stage.
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How are you today, Reverend Terry?
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Good, Sparkle.
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Thank you so much for having me.
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Oh, yeah, it's a pleasure.
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Thank you for coming on.
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Um and so um if you want to share just a little bit about yourself, if you um choose to, you can go right here.
00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:18.719
Just tell the uh we're gonna get into some questions, but if you want to share just a little bit about your background and you know um why what made you uh what inspired you to write the book Not Perfect, just chosen.
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So, in terms of my my background, uh, you're right.
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I am in one of the most needed helping professions.
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I am a licensed clinical social worker uh in a medical setting.
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And so um I spend my day walking along beside people: men, women, children who are experiencing mental health crises, or sometimes uh children who have been abused.
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And uh so I walk with people doing very difficult stages of their life through very fragile moments.
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And so what I love about being a social worker and also being uh clergy, the called of God is that in ministry, God uses all parts of me.
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And so um, you know, at my church, my pastor is so supportive of me.
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Shout out to Reverend Dr.
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Mitty Mews Jr., but so supportive of me uh utilizing my social work skills with the congregation, and so, you know, grief support, counseling, um women's ministry, um, God uses all aspects of me um in ministry and in social work.
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And so, in terms of what inspired me to write this book, there was a time when I was studying about being in the presence of God.
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And so I had just, you know, preached a sermon at my brother's church, and they they had altar call, and one of the gentlemen I prayed with him, and he um he was weeping, and he said, you know, I want to know what it means to be intimate with God, I want to know what it means to be in the presence of God, and Sparkle that stayed with me.
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And all I can tell you is that that moment was ordained by God because a couple of weeks after I remember just sitting down at my laptop.
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God gave me the title, not perfect, just chosen.
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God said, Write amen's devotional.
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God told me how he gave me the whole blueprint for the devotional.
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And I have to tell you, um, it was a two-year journey of writing.
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Um, and there were times when I just felt like I didn't measure up because here I am, a woman, right?
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Um and woman clergy, right?
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Writing a man's devotional.
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And so there were times when God had to nudge me and say to me, You're my chosen.
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Yes, I'm telling you to write this book.
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I'm telling you to write a book on men's devotional.
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You have prayed with men, you have uh walked with men throughout various difficult seasons of their lives.
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And so, daughter, why not you to um sit in my presence and hear my voice as I instruct you on how to um on how to encourage and inspire men to come into my presence, to make themselves vulnerable to me, and to hear a word from me and to um just have intimacy with me.
00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:10.800
Wow, that's awesome.
00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:12.399
That is so powerful.
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Um, it sounds like, you know, um how they say um sometimes the natural, uh the spiritual things are are not always understood in the natural, you know.
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Yeah um and and only a person with the natural thinking would think, okay, well, how can a woman write a man's devotional, you know, um just like uh Bishop Jakes years ago were woman that loose, and you know, it just became so popular.
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Um, and then, you know, in the same token, you know, and I'm sure God spoke to him from a spiritual context and gave him spiritual blueprints and things.
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And so um that is amazing how you know God ways are truly not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts.
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And um he uses the thing that uh men uh is that is not practical, you know.
00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:17.360
And sometimes if we just think practical, we'll miss uh what God is trying to say or we'll miss um the direction or the the answers that we need.
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Right, right, right.
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Yes.
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So I um I trust that uh any man that's listening that they would, you know, um be curious to to come and uh read the book.
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But um have a question too.
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Um what message do you think or hope that men take away from the devotional when they finish reading it?
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I think the main message is that God meets us where we are.
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Um being a clinical social worker, God shows me every day how to meet people where they are, and God does the same thing with me, and God does the same thing with his children, especially his sons, because you know, society um puts so much pressure on men to be strong and to not show emotions or to not uh be vulnerable.
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And the message is that God in the book, not perfect, just chosen, he used men of the Bible, his sons of the Bible, to talk to the men of today.
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The Psalms is filled with men who cried out to God, who made themselves vulnerable to God, who felt forsaken by God, who when they messed up, they went to God and they asked for forgiveness.
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And so the message is God meets us where we are.
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I tell people, even if you are someone who you're struggling with drugs, and maybe you have that needle in your arm, God can meet you at that moment and minister to you in a way that only God knows how to minister to you because He created us, right?
00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:50.399
And so He knows the struggles, He knows the weaknesses, He knows everything, He knows that we're not perfect, and so He doesn't expect us to be perfect, but even if you are at that moment, you have that needle in His in your arm, God will approach you and say, I love you, son.
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You know, I've chosen you.
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I still love you, I still have a purpose for you, I still have a plan, a good plan for you.
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Nothing you do can ever separate me, can ever separate you from my love, and God will, as I said, this image of a God who will go to the lowest depths of whatever our personal hell is and meet us there and lift us up out of it if we would only allow God to do that.
00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:42.320
And so that that is the main message that I want my brothers in Christ, God's sons, to take away from this book.
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And also, God desires relationship with us, he created us to be in relationship with him.
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God desires to hear our voice call him, God desires to hear his son say, Father, I want to talk with you, or God, I want to talk with you.
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He desires that.
00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:13.440
And we are blessed in the process because there is this intimacy that develops in the relationship.
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We get to see who we are to God, and we get to see who God is to us.
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And so those are the those are the things that I want men to take away from reading this book, not perfect, just chosen.
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Wow, and it looks like you answered several of the questions just with that one question, with the questions that I have, because my other questions would have been if you could sit down with a man who feels lost, discouraged, or far away from God, what would you tell him?
00:11:48.639 --> 00:12:00.960
And you explain, like if they are right there in the middle of the scene, you know, the the the uh track marks or um needle in your arm or whatever, you know, God meets us at our scene.
00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.200
He doesn't like uh ignore it or cover it up.
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Well, he covers it with his blood, but he wants to meet us right where we are.
00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:14.639
And I think that's the main theme of your message, even what you said, not perfect is chosen.
00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:20.399
We don't have to get ourselves together in order for us to come to him because if we could, we wouldn't need him.
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So yes, he loves us enough to where he comes to us.
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God went to him in the on the mountain.
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And so God comes to God comes to us, and uh, you know, men go through so much.
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I have three brothers, and I think, especially today in this climate of um, you know, just a lot of hatred and you know um racial division, constantly just praying for my brothers, constantly praying for my godsons as they have to grow up and learn how to navigate um things such as you know racism and um police brutality and and things of that nature, um, but to give them this gift.
00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:54.720
I I remember writing a part in the in the book um when I, you know, uh dedicated the book to my godson MJ, and I said, one day MJ will need the words from this book to encourage him when he needs it the most.
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Um, and sometimes it's you know not about if you've fallen into a sin, but sometimes if you feel like a failure, maybe you've lost the job, maybe your marriage has fallen apart or your marriage is on the verge of breaking up.
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Maybe you're suffering with depression or anxiety.
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Um, so much, so many things happen in life, and men sometimes they're not raised to, as I say, express their emotions.
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But but God, but God wants to meet you again.
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I I don't know why I keep saying that where you are, now he won't leave you there, but he'll meet you where you are and minister to you right there, and so that's um, yeah, it was it was just a pretty powerful experience uh hearing from God as He guided me uh with what men's stories to put in this book and you know what to say to the men.
00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:15.519
So um, yes, yes.
00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:16.879
Awesome.
00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:19.759
And yeah, so you answered another question.
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Why do you believe men sometimes struggle to be vulnerable about their faith, emotionals, emotions and struggles and weaknesses because of the pressure of society?
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You know, sometimes they have racial um uh encounters and uh because of the racial climate um that they have to navigate through just through life sometimes.
00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:53.360
May not be every day, but you know, and it may be you know at work or could be in the church if it's a you know biracial church or um, you know, workplace or just out and about.
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Um and so all of those things affect them, and then they have to be this strong big man because they're you know recognized as the pillar, um, you know, for their family, and just as a man is supposed to be the strong woman, but not realizing that you know, the most important part of us that needs to be strong is our so you're especially you know, in that relationship with God, that's what he wants to do.
00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:21.600
Relationship with God, yeah.
00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:23.360
Um so important.
00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:39.039
And so with that uh another question, and you kind of answer it somewhat, but how can a man strengthen his relationship with God while still balancing work, family, marriage, friendships, and everyday life?
00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:42.639
Still thinking through that of particular question.
00:16:43.120 --> 00:17:00.159
I know it's hard for me being single and balancing so much, but um I remember uh the uh the words to this song that they sing um at my church, and the song says, It's time to talk with God.
00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:05.200
And the question that they'll ask the congregation is, do you have a minute?
00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:06.960
Just one minute.
00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:26.799
And so um when I talk to people about spending time with God and when they, you know, they have a lot to balance in their lives, I tell them you would be surprised what two minutes with God, the peace that it brings you.
00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:30.720
And to start, maybe you start with two minutes.
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Um, maybe while you are driving to work, you ignore the phone and you put on gospel music, or maybe you just decide while you're driving, you just focus on the goodness of God, or you just focus on um what it means to be grateful or your blessings, and all of those things I think that we don't realize, um, but the spiritual um, the spiritual activities of prayer, of gratitude, um, even taking that inward journey and looking at ourselves, all of those things can lead us closer to knowing that we need to spend time with God.
00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:35.839
And so if you have five minutes, just five minutes, just to sit in God's presence, or five minutes just to be in God's presence, um, you would be surprised uh what comes out of that.
00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:40.319
And then you start carving out more time to spend with God.
00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:48.240
Yeah, and people that will take the excuses from people because they may say, Well, I don't have time, I got this on my plate or that on my plate.
00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:56.720
But two minutes, I mean, it takes you two minutes to uh get your bags or something to get to go to work or something, you know.
00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:59.680
People scroll on social media more than two minutes.
00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:01.119
Right, right.
00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:13.680
So, you know, and and but then you know, once they s just take those two minutes, it's just all about a decision, and then God shows up, then they're gonna want to increase the time anyway.
00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:14.960
Right, right.
00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:17.519
You're gonna want to increase your time, right?
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:24.000
Because in his presence there is fullness of joy, um, and there is affirmation.
00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:35.759
And so I tell people just start with two minutes or just start with uh even a minute, but just take that moment, just take that moment.
00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:44.480
Awesome, and looks like you answered uh all the questions with what you shared, uh, the information you shared.
00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:46.319
It was timeless wisdom.
00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:54.559
And so um, as we are almost at the end, uh um I I would like you to say a prayer for the men.
00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:58.079
Um what is your prayer?
00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:00.240
What would your prayer be for the men?
00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:12.240
Um, those who read it, those who you know are seeking God, um, who struggle with you know flaws and perfection and trying to be perfect but not measuring up.
00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:14.720
Um what's your prayer for them?
00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:19.680
And what do you hope God do does in their life as a result of reading the book?
00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:36.079
I think in terms of my prayer, um, in the book, um the book is divided into um 12 months, and every month is devoted to a man in the Bible.
00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:50.640
And after um, you know, you read his stories, their questions to answer, and then their spiritual activities that will allow you to spend time in the presence of God.
00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:59.200
God used the men of the Bible, his sons of the Bible, to speak to uh his sons of today.
00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:26.079
And what I want, my prayer would be that as men read the book, that they would see their story in David's story, um, their story in um Paul's story, their story in Joseph's, uh, the earthly father of Jesus.
00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:59.519
They would see their lives and their stories in those men's stories, and it would bring them, it would allow them to see how gracious God was with these men, how he walked with these men, how he talked with these men, how he protected them, um, how he even had to uh correct them because a father loves their son.
00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:06.160
To where if they have to apply words of correction, then they do that.
00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:11.359
But the most important thing is that God desires relationship.
00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:22.160
And so my prayer is that as men read the book, that they would see themselves as chosen.
00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:28.079
That God chose them.
00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:46.000
The word of God, and I was looking at this, the word of God in John 15th chapter, 16th verse, Jesus tells his disciples, you did not choose me, but I chose you and I appointed you.
00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:56.079
And my prayer is that men would understand when you come into the presence of God, you don't have to perform.
00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:58.319
Just be who you are.
00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:05.119
Understand, God already knows your heart's desires.
00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:08.640
God already knows your imperfections.
00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:10.480
God knows your challenges.
00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:12.160
He knows your strengths.
00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:14.240
He knows all of those things.
00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:16.160
He just wants you.
00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:46.640
And so my prayer is that men would start to spend more time in the presence of God, that men would start to um cry out to God, to open up their hearts to God, to bring all of them, to bring everything that has been troubling them, that they they would bring those things to God and they would watch God move in their lives.
00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:27.519
I pray that God would talk with them about the importance of what it means to walk in purpose and what it means to be passionate about being who God has called them to be.
00:24:52.960 --> 00:25:02.319
And then from that relationship then comes a sense of identity of who they are in God.
00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:13.440
And from that relationship will come their purpose, that clarity about who they are called to be, who they are created to be.
00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:17.759
And most importantly, they don't have to have it all together.
00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:19.599
They'll never have it all together.
00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:20.880
None of us will.
00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:24.319
As long as we live, we're going to make mistakes.
00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:35.440
But nothing will keep God from loving us, and nothing will keep God from completing the work that God has started in us.
00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:38.799
Wow, that's powerful.
00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:53.440
And you said something key that um once they seek God and uh spend time with him and get to know him and get in their work, the your main prayers that they understand their identity.
00:25:53.599 --> 00:26:05.839
Um, because a lot of things is performance-based, but once they really understand their identity, they don't have to, you know, and that will help them not want to perform and just be themselves.
00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:08.079
Just be themselves, right?
00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:10.079
Right, right, right.
00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:10.720
Amen.
00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:12.000
Powerful.
00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:13.759
Um, another question.
00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:18.559
Oh, what is your favorite uh month or chapter?
00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:23.279
Because the book, everyone is broken down into you know chapters, but there's different months.
00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:27.200
Yeah, 12 months, and then there's a bonus uh addition to it.
00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:28.640
So there's 13 of them.
00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:46.880
Uh, what is your favorite uh uh month uh of the book and or chapter slash month and why it would have to be January and that month is Jacob.
00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:53.440
I mean, I'm sorry, Joshua, and the title of it is I have the book right here.
00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:57.759
The title of January is Do It Afraid.
00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:00.720
Yes, yes.
00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:06.559
Let me let me just make sure the title of January is yes, do it afraid.
00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:09.039
You can show them, you want to show them?
00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:12.400
Show them uh yep.
00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:14.079
I don't know if you can see it.
00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:20.160
Oh, with the blur, okay, but they'll should they'll see it at the end of the um okay the uh podcast.
00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:23.759
So January, Joshua's story.
00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:25.839
Um, do it afraid.
00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:29.039
Joshua's standing at the brink of change.
00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:31.599
He has a new role in leadership.
00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:41.279
His mentor Moses is dead, and yet he has been chosen to lead these people to the land that God has promised them.
00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:51.279
And so I can imagine uh uh transitional stages of life are difficult for me.
00:27:51.440 --> 00:28:07.680
Uh, you know, I get very anxious, but Joshua is is standing there, and God is there with him, saying to him, be strong, be courageous.
00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:09.279
I'm gonna be with you.
00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:12.319
I was with Moses, I'm gonna be with you.
00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:14.799
Now it came with conditions.
00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:18.720
You got to, you Joshua, you gotta trust me.
00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:40.079
You you gotta keep the commandments, you know, um, because sometimes when God calls us to do a work for him, as he called Joshua to do, we get nervous, we get anxious, we answer the call, but then we go off and we forget to ask God day by day, how do I walk out the call?
00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:55.200
And so with that chapter, doing it afraid, sometimes you just have to take that step and do what God has called you to do.
00:28:55.599 --> 00:29:02.880
And God will be there to encourage you every step of the way, as He was with Joshua.
00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:05.599
So, yeah, do it afraid.
00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:19.759
Because sometimes that's what we have to do when uh we are faced with a turning point in our lives, or even, you know, the image I saw was at the beginning of every new year.
00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:34.480
You know, you're on the brink of a new year, but you sometimes are afraid to go into that new year because maybe last year wasn't the best, but God still says the new year is coming.
00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:39.279
You still gotta go into the new year, but I'm gonna be there with you.
00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:40.880
Amen.
00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:41.519
Amen.
00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:49.680
And that's awesome because a lot of times when we talk about fear, you know, uh, God has not given us the spirit of fear.
00:29:49.839 --> 00:30:02.640
Of course, it's not of him, but like you said, with Joshua, he did it afraid, but at the same time, he recognized or he was reminded, God told him he's in the battle with you, he's in the fight with us.
00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:07.759
And sometimes we go through things in life, we we like, okay, Lord, where are you?
00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:16.160
But he reminds us he's in the fight with us, even though the fight is still going on, you know, we think that's a sign that he's not with us, yeah.
00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:21.759
And um, you know, but that's because we're looking with our natural eyes.
00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:29.519
Um but once we accept, you know, Lord, you're with me, his presence is gonna override that thing.
00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:37.920
And then eventually the fear is gonna diminish because we are we really we focusing on that he's with us, yeah.
00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:39.599
Right, right, right.
00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:42.400
And we do it afraid anyway, yep.
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:43.200
Mm-hmm.
00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:45.680
So awesome, awesome, awesome.
00:30:45.839 --> 00:31:16.160
And um, guys, um in the transcript of the podcast, the information for those of you who are interested in uh purchasing the book and you're curious to know more about the book, and if you're getting needing some type of daily directional devotion, if you want to be closer to God and you um want to be, want to have some structure in your life biblically or scripturally, and have a guide, you know, on a month-to-month basis and even a week-to-week basis, because each month has weeks.
00:31:16.240 --> 00:31:17.839
It's broken down to four weeks.
00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:27.200
So there's scriptural information that you can read, that you can, you know, study, and then you can write down your reflection or what God is saying to you.
00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:34.079
Um, it's it'd be great to help you develop your um personal relationship with God as a guide.
00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:49.200
Also, for those men who are in ministry and they have a men's ministry, and you want some type of scriptural foundation to direct your of the men that you're leading, this will be an awesome um book to get, awesome devotion to get.
00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:53.279
Um, and so the the transcript will be at the end.
00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:58.640
There'll be a QR code to scan where you can purchase a book and you can learn more about the book.
00:31:58.880 --> 00:32:05.359
Um, and in closing, do you have any final words, um, Reverend Terry?
00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:27.279
I thank you, Sparkle, for the opportunity to uh be on the podcast and um just want to, you know, again encourage the men to get the book, get the book, and um I guarantee you we it will be a blessing.
00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:29.920
It blessed me to write it.
00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:33.599
So I know it will be a blessing for you to read it.
00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:36.000
Awesome, awesome.
00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:38.240
Well, thank you all for tuning in.
00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:42.079
Um, and uh again, don't forget to get the book.
00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:45.680
Uh, men and women, but especially men, get this book.
00:32:45.759 --> 00:33:01.039
If there's a ladies, if there's a man in your life, like a father, a husband, and even a pastor, someone a part of men's ministry, or someone you you're wanting to minister to, you don't want to um end this year without getting the book.
00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:10.880
And until next time, um listeners, uh, thank you for tuning in to, and we're gonna have a Reverend Terry back on maybe sometime next year.
00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:17.039
Um, and she may talk about another book or she may talk about a subject uh that we haven't.
00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:19.359
But again, thank you all for tuning in.
00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:28.319
I'm your host, Sparkle uh Smith of the uh Unpublished Woman, uh the uh unpublished woman um podcast.
00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:29.680
Have a great day, y'all.
