Author Testimony
For as long as I can remember, I've loved God, writing, and telling stories.
I was brought up in a home where God was the Center of everything. My grandmother
whom we lived with was a pastor and our church started out in the basement
of our home. Needless to say, there was never an excuse for missing church
- we just had to walk downstairs. One would think that at playtime the furthest
thing from our minds would be church.
When we had playtime (and it was not often), my brothers and I would play
church. I was always voted the pastor and they were the deacons and congregation.
After I preached, they took offerings and I pocked their pennies. After our
play service, mock chicken dinners were served which consisted of 'Mary Janes,
potato chips and squirrels.
Though I loved God with all of my heart, I never envisioned being a minister
of the gospel - let alone writing Christian books. But in 1994 I answered the
call of God on my life and I attended a two-year ministry school. I continued
preaching and was ordained a couple of years later.
On the writing side, I always kept journals. From the time my children were
young until teenagers - I would make up stories to tell them. I believe I enjoyed
my imagined tales more than they. It just amazed me at what I could come up
with. I didn't recognize it at the time - but God had placed an anointing on
me to write and I didn't know it. Prior to this book, I wrote another but no
one showed any interest to publish it -- yet.
This book of praise is just a testimony of the faithfulness of God. I am so
excited at what He is doing in my life. One of the things I so vividly remember
about my conversation with God regarding books was this. God said "There
are those who will go to a book store, but won't go to church. Because of your
obedience to write, their hearts will be softened - they will be saved - and
church will follow."
I don't take writing lightly. It is serious and God has given me a passion
for it. To know that someone has been snatched from the gates of hell because
of a book you wrote, is a pretty awesome thing.
Of all the books I'm currently working on, it is no fluke that the one on
Praise is the first one published. To be honest, this didn't start out as a
book. It was something I did in my personal time with God. The whole concept
was birthed out of my intimate time with Him. I'm as surprised as anyone else
of His request to put in writing what I did privately.
Even the cover is a reminder of His wonderfulness. When I first saw it, I
was moved to tears. I didn't quite know why - I thought initially it was because
it was the first book of mine that was in print. Not so, when I went home,
I couldn't help staring at the cover asking God why I was so stirred. When
He didn't answer, I just moved on to something else. But then I began to praise
Him for the "vision coming to pass." I took my normal stance to
praise and He whispered "do you see how you're standing?" I answered "yes?" His
reply was "No - do you see how you're standing?" I was puzzled because
what did how I was standing have to do with praising Him. Then I got it, my
stance in private praise was emulated by the girl on the cover. No one knew
that but God and I. So when I look at that cover, I'm reminded that what we
do privately - God rewards openly.
Keep talking to God in private. Continue to read and keep praying that Christians
and non-Christians alike are drawn to our books so they too can experience
God's salvation, love and grace.
Gloria P. Pruett
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