Walk Worthy Press: I Say A Prayer For Me

Author Testimony

I am compelled out of gratitude, responsibility and reciprocal love for God through Jesus Christ to write, speak, sing, shout from the rooftops, bookstores, stages, sidewalks, churches, oil joints, crack houses, and prisons—everywhere God sends me—the good news that He brought me through to bring.

As I look back, I believe that the seed for I SAY A PRAYER FOR ME: One Woman's Life of Faith and Triumph was planted on a cool, dry September evening. Discouraged and perplexed, I called a childhood friend. "I pour my heart into the stories that I write and all I'm getting back are letters from editors who say how powerful my stories are and yet they reject them. If my stories are so good, why won't the Lord allow magazines to publish them?"

My friend's words were like well water on a hot and dusty day. I felt myself being refreshed and revived with every word she spoke, so I grabbed a pen and took notes. With authority—she spoke and with great abandon—I listened. These are some of the key things she said that night of September 10, 1998:

The stories you wrote have not found homes because they ARE the book—it's all one story.

Pray and write at top of page, "SHOW ME, LORD."

Big one for you—you never felt loved. In this work, you will find God's love!

God WILL use your writing to free people up—but he will use this process to free you up first. You cannot free anyone else until you are free.

One thing about receiving a Word that we believe is from the Lord—if it is from the Lord—it will be—in His perfect time. So, I prayerfully typed the notes and filed them away.

In the meantime, the page proofs for my first book, 12-STEP PROGRAMS: A Resource Guide for Helping Professionals came and I concentrated on that. April 1999 at 49 years old, I became a published author.

That summer, I felt led to do something to encourage my inner circle of friends. So, I e-mailed them the first installment of my daily series, FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT. I must admit that the daily offerings were quotes from famous writers and Bible verses, with a few of my words.

It seemed like my friends had a meeting and didn't invite me because most of them called with the same message, "You are an author now. We want to hear what you have to say!"

My insecurities taunted me; however, I sat down at my computer anyway. I prayed and then typed onto the blank page, "Show me, Lord." Within a few minutes, my creative juices were flowing and I followed my memories like colorized movies projected on a theater screen. The next day I e-mailed an original life-story to my list of 16 friends; including my son.

Within weeks, wonderful things happened! My e-mail inbox was overflowing with responses to my stories from people all over the world. Also, my FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT distribution list grew from 16 to over a thousand subscribers.

During the days, I worked as an Editorial Assistant for USAToday.com and nights; as an author and writer. I worked diligently on the next day's story.

A writing pattern developed that works for me to this day. I believe God knows exactly what is in our hearts and knows exactly what we need at any given time. Therefore, I pray in an effort to align my will with His perfect will as to what I write or say. Prayer also leads me into what I call "The God Zone." It's a place and space where my thoughts, soul, keyboard and whatever is in my heart connect to one another and becomes one. In my mind, I relive each story.

The Holy Spirit helps me forge through the some times dark passageways in my memories in order to get to the essence and lessons of the stories. Writing is an integral part of my journey to wholeness. As the writing of each story nears its' end, it feels like I am dancing in a vast, freshly-cut field. With my head to the sky, I bask in the warmth of God's light as it heals the old and newly broken places in my life and heart. It's like I'm dancing—undisturbed—on Holy Ground.

Then, an overwhelming need to pray comes over me. Most times with eyes closed I heavy-handedly tap out the prayers on the keyboard. The prayers became a vital part of the story—a kind of adhesive to seal the freshly healed places with the living Word of God.

Since Traci, one of my close friends, had insomnia, she agreed to me telephoning no matter what time I finished writing a story. I read the story while she prayerfully searched the Bible believing the Holy Spirit would lead us to the perfect verse that would breath life into the story.

Thus, God's blueprint for the stories in I SAY A PRAYER FOR ME emerged. It became evident that the three components—the story, prayer, and Word of God—were one entity.

The stories accumulated, as did the e-mailed responses from the readers who became known as "Fellow Feasters of the Food." Many of the Fellow Feasters encouraged me to keep the stories coming. Soon, my son and three of my friends boldly shared a collective revelation with me—"THESE STORIES that you write ARE your NEXT BOOK!"

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, sure you right," and to others "You think so, huh?" My insecurities vied to keep the truth from me. But in the stillness of the night, the Lord impressed upon my heart that it was so. This was to be the book that was prophesized through my friend, on that cool, dry, and desperate night of September 10, 1998.

A few days later, my friend and publishing world coach, Patrice Gaines, suggested that I call mega-agent, Denise Stinson. Again, insecurity and fear of failure stole their way into my thoughts; but God had already worked it out. Unbeknownst to me, Patrice forwarded some of my stories to Ms. Stinson. Then what I thought was the impossible happened—Denise Stinson called me. She expressed that she liked what she read thus far and wanted me to send more.

On the 10th of October 1999, I signed a contract with the Denise Stinson Literary Agency for her to represent me as agent for what was to be my "next book."

Gladly following the instructions Ms. Stinson gave me; I bought a copy of HOW TO WRITE A BOOK PROPOSAL by Michael Larsen and followed it to a tee, in writing my book proposal. So that I wouldn't be distracted, I used my vacation time and rented a cheap, off-season rate, efficiency on the waterfront of Virginia Beach. I researched and wrote from before dawn into the night, coming out the room only for walks along the near-deserted beach.

In January 2002, my agent, Denise Stinson, became my publisher and thus no longer my agent. This was an incredible sprint of faith for her and a baby dash of faith for me. Her publishing company, Walk Worthy Press, became an imprint of the humongous publishing house, Warner Books—which among other things meant worldwide distribution.

My baby dash of faith was consenting to her acquisition of my manuscript before the Walk Worthy Press and Warner Books' negotiations began. In my spirit, I knew that the manuscript the Lord allowed me to write was predestined to be a Walk Worthy Press book.

On Palm Sunday 2000 at 4:00 p.m., in my apartment bedroom, I finished the manuscript for what would later be titled, I SAY A PRAYER FOR ME: One Woman's Life of Faith and Triumph. I jumped, danced, and shouted praises to God through every room of my apartment until totally exhausted I surrendered to the sweetest sleep.

After submitting the manuscript, the tedious work began. God provided this project with some of the best editors in the publishing world. Although, they really worked a sister I learned so much through the process.

For the entire year preceding publication, all hell seemed to break loose. The closer the publication date the more I was tested. No matter what waves crashed and tossed my little tugboat in the vast sea of this life, I resolved to pray and praise my way through to the other side.

My job at USAToday.com was over. I was ineligible for unemployment. My husband walked out the night before 9-11. My son, Mike Tucker, moved in to help me and then was laid off his job. Health issues arose. Before long, my savings and my son's savings were depleted. The mortgage company set a date for my house to be auctioned. My husband initiated a divorce. My telephone and DirecTV were cut off and back on several times. They were threatening to shut down my web site and every door I attempted to enter hoping to secure a full-time job slammed shut in my face.

But God did not let my boat sink. As a matter of fact, He calmed the waves for me and, in my spirit, reminded me that no weapon formed against me and mine would prosper. A friend paid me to design two websites, churches and friends paid some of my bills and gave me food. Temp jobs as a clerk in a bookstore and a secretary in a church were truly blessings. A friend gave me money to go to the doctor and get prescriptions filled. I baked, sold, and my son delivered Mike's Mom Homemade Cookies. I signed the divorce papers—giving my now ex-husband absolutely no hassle. Although tempted, I did not return to cigarettes, drinking alcohol or using any other drugs. And in God's perfect timing, doors open that led to full-time jobs, with benefits, for my son and myself.

Bottom-line, God brought me through to the other side and as promised, no weapon formed against me or mine prospered. I made a decision at the onset that I would not be at my book launch reading with my head held down, having to confess that I lost my faith and I didn't triumph. I was not going out that way! So I did the most successful and powerful thing I know how to do—I said a prayer for me. God answers my prayers every day of the journey to wholeness. An authoritative but quiet voice whispers within my soul reminding me—"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)"

Stanice Anderson

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