Focused for Purpose is a Christian inspirational guide that combines scripture, personal testimony, and spiritual coaching to help readers cultivate a mindset of intentional living for God. Why was this an important book for you to write?

This book was written first as a help to myself, with the hope that it would also help someone else. In all honesty, I was the focus for writing this book. In chapter five the topic was ‘Distractions,’ which are primarily designed by the enemy to pull you away or delay the God-given purpose for your life. In my book, I mentioned how the Holy Spirit guided me through the scriptures and advised me that not only will writing this book help me but anyone who reads it as well who may be battling with distractions. Let’s face it, distractions is not a new or unfamiliar territory that the enemy uses. We have all faced this struggle at some point in our lives. One of the scriptures used in the book is found in 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: This means there is nothing new under the sun that you experience, that someone else has not gone through or will go through. I always want people to know that they are not alone on an island by themselves; and God is always ready to guide you out of whatever circumstance or situation you may find yourself in. God will provide a way of escape, but it is up to us to take it.

I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?

The hardest thing to write about, I would say, is admitting to the fact that after being born-again for over fifty years, I still could have an issue with distractions. I would think after being saved for all these years I would have had this battle well fought. But let me tell you, the moment any one begins to think you have any area in your life taken care of or think that you have somehow arrived because of your many years of walking with God, let me tell you to stop right there. Never boast of where you are in your relationship with God, if you do, this may be your biggest distraction of all. The enemy (Satan) would love for us to think we got this, he wants us to relax in our prayer time, and to slack off from reading God’s Word. I always say, we need to be in the habit of repenting and asking God for forgiveness every day. There is not one day that goes by in a 24-hour period, that we do not either say, do, or think something in a way that does not meet the standards of our Holy God. The problem with some may be that they fail to be honest with God. When you fail to be honest, or come clean with God; you are then opening yourself to succumb to whatever distractions the enemy brings your way. If you cannot be honest with God in the quiet times of prayer, then you will never be free. In John 8:32, it reads, “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” This is one of the reasons why I give scriptures throughout my writings. Any book can be a help or an encouragement to whomever chooses to read them, but it is only the Word of God that will have the truth and the power of God’s anointing to set you free.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

In this book, I shared what I know has helped me through the years, and that is having a solid foundation in the principles and guidelines from the Word of God. This has been a bedrock for my journey as a believer of Jesus Christ. Whether you have been taught this early in life or in your later years, whenever you are a doer of God’s Word it will help you in whatever you set out to do. To be frank, nothing else can give you the direction that is needed for you to have a life of abundance where you receive the satisfaction that will last throughout your lifetime. Jesus came that we might have life and that we would have it abundantly. The key word here is ‘might,’ which means it is available but you must surrender your life to Jesus, to receive it.

Another point discussed was knowing your circle. I found this to be an important help that can have an impact on how you are influenced. Your circle can influence you in a positive or negative way. This is why you must be diligent in how you maintain the right associations that can help or hinder the outcome for what you want for your life.

I mentioned also the importance of protecting your heart, and committing your ways to the Lord. Protecting your heart is really where it all begins. Our heart is where our life is shaped, it directs our decision making. When we guard our heart by protecting what we see, hear, and allow in our thoughts, we can better control its effects before it produces wrong or negative actions.

Lastly, we must not leave God out. In Proverbs 16:3, (NLT) it reads, “Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.” Here, we see the importance of including God in all we do. As I mentioned in my book, there are many who care nothing about God, and have no desire to include or acknowledge Him in any of their ways, and some of them have plenty of life’s treasures, but are not satisfied nor have the peace that passes all understanding. I will be the first to tell you, that even when you commit your ways to the LORD, this is not a guarantee that everything you do will go your way, sometimes it goes the opposite of what you wanted or thought it should go. But when your trust is in the LORD, you can rest in knowing that God has your best interest in mind and will work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28). Trusting God comes with a peace that the world knows nothing about nor can they take it away from you.

What do you hope is one thing readers take away from Focused for Purpose?

The one thing that I want readers to take away, not only from this book, Focused for Purpose, but every book I write; and that is the importance of having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ before they leave this earth. This is why I place in the back of every book, the ‘Prayer of Salvation,’ so it is available to anyone who chooses to receive Jesus Christ, but may not know how to go about it or what to say. But to answer the question regarding, Focused for Purpose – I would want readers to be clear on the reason why they were created; and that is to give God the glory with their living. When you do this, God will guide you in the direction that will lead you into fulfilling your God-given purpose.

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