In many cultures scars are beautiful—they denote honor and standing. Through intricate patterns, man-made scars share the story, the timeline, and history of the one who bears them.

But I didn’t grow up in one of those places. I was born in Texas and grew up in Illinois . And though some people may consider Texas wild and the Midwest no man’s land, in both those places scars are not considered a good thing. Growing up with four brothers, I always seemed to be falling down—on my knees, my elbows, my chin, and I even gashed my ankle up pretty good. My mother invested in a lot of cocoa butter, rubbing that chocolate-smelling hard fat on my wounds, hoping that her only daughter wouldn’t be a scarred up mess that would bring shame on the family. “Be careful now.” Pain and worry made her frown. “You don’t want to wear stockings and have scars showing through.”

When I was a girl, wearing sheer stockings was a right of passage. Stockings meant everybody could see your legs, it meant attention from boys, and it meant someday there would be a trip down the aisle. But not if your knees were scarred; no one wanted to see dark marks and raised, torn skin. I would have to be perfect for anyone to want me.

The truth is that I was scarred and I worked harder at covering those scars than at anything else I did in my life. My family was financially stable and did all the right things—went to church, marched in parades—but just beneath the surface . . .

I learned to be a keeper of secrets—at least I used to be. Others in my family were brought out as symbols of my family’s beauty and accomplishment. But I was the hidden librarian of my family’s shame, failure, fear, broken-heartedness, anger, and depression.

My career, like meth for a junkie, helped dull the pain. If I could just get more—more money and a longer title–that would cover the shame and make everything better . . .

It took me years to realize that my own scars–the ones on my body, on my heart, and on my spirit–that make me beautiful.

ABOUT SISTAHFAITH

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people? (Jeremiah 8:22, NIV)

Twenty-five women, including Bunny Debarge, Sharon Ewell Foster, Stanice Anderson, Claudia Mair Burney and Marilynn Griffith, tell their stories of coming full circle from tragedy to triumph. Each contributor keeps it holy, keeping it real in these raw, relevant tales of redemption and restoration. Think of it as Prozac for the Christian Woman’s Soul!

A twelve week study is included for churches and book clubs. Instructions provided on gathering your own SistahFaith circle.

Join the network of sistahs at http://sistahfaith.ning.com/.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sharon Ewell Foster is an acclaimed author, speaker, and teacher. She has contributed to Daily Guideposts, Tavis Smiley’s Keeping the Faith, and to the Women of Color Devotional Bible. Her achievements include: the Christy Award, the Gold Pen Award, the Romantic Times Best Inspirational, Publisher’s Weekly starred reviews and the Essence Bestseller List. Sharon also ghostwrote a NYT bestselling novel. Visit her on the web at www.SharonEwellFoster.com.

Why self-esteem and what is it exactly?

Self esteem is the extent to which we like, respect and accept ourselves. It reflects our overall evaluation or appraisal of our self worth. It encompasses our beliefs, emotions and behavior. However, many people operate from the perspective of what others think of them and it fuels a cycle of dissatisfaction and discontentment. Instead of finding peace within themselves and being the unique and distinct person God created them to be, they live a life based on who they think others want them to be. As a result then of achieving high self esteem they find their self esteem constantly under attack.

It has been said that 2 out of 3 people at any given time suffers from low self esteem, and low self esteem can negatively affect every part of our lives. If the negativity goes unaddressed, it can completely ruin our lives. If at the core of it all is low self esteem, we must address this issue if we want to live joyous, productive, and purposeful lives as God intended. From my experience it all starts with changing the way we think. The way we think is essential to winning over negativity and boosting self esteem.

Why is self-esteem important to you?

Self esteem is important to me because after dealing with a difficult separation and divorce, I found myself struggling to rebuild my self esteem. That whole experience had taken me down a road of despair and depression like I had never experienced before. High self esteem had never been a problem for me so when life became difficult and it challenged me to question myself, I was completely thrown for a loop. It caused me to question my self- worth and value, and in the end I really struggled with accepting myself. I started thinking something must be wrong with me.

Now, based on the Word of God I knew this wasn’t true but I still struggled. Once I was able to regain my confidence and repair the damage to my self esteem, I begin to see that I had gotten lost in my emotions when it really was about what was going on in my head. High self esteem starts with what we think! Of course, sometimes we suffer from ‘thinking stinking’ and that can present a different set of issues; overall, I learned that to develop high self esteem we must examine what we think because that is what shapes our perspective and allows us to accept ourselves along with the challenges of life from a more positive perspective than negative one. That’s why I focused my book on positive affirmations for accepting me.

What can a person do to build high self-esteem?

I would recommend starting with what I call my ACCEPT Principles:

A – Learn to accept your strengths and weaknesses. As humans we are a work in progress. Everyone has an up side to who they are and a down side. It is our down side that continues to remind us of our humanity and keeps us seeking to be better and do better. Often our weaknesses are just unguarded strengths that we must continue to manage them if it is something we can’t change but our weaknesses DO NOT make us a bad person.

C – Concentrate on the positives. It is real easy to focus on the negative and our world is full of them. However, to focus on the positives it starts with making a choice to do so. From there you make a commitment to release any and all negativity; negative thoughts, negative emotions and negative relations. The Bible says ‘think on these things …whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever is of good report.’

C – Connect to your passion and you’ll connect to your purpose. Find the things in life that you are really passionate about and involve yourself in them. That will do more to help you have the confidence that you need to succeed and win over any adversity life presents. Also you will notice how much happier your life will be because of it.

P – Persevere. It has been said when the going gets tough the tough gets going. In this life we will have trouble, as the Bible tells us so we must hold fast to the faithfulness of God and His promises to never leave us alone. When tough times now come my way, I often affirm and encourage myself with the scripture that says ‘this too shall pass.’

T – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your understanding. We may not see the hand of God at work but we must trust that He is at work on our behalf. That is called the providence of God.

If the ACCEPT Principles helps us build high self-esteem, what helps us maintain it?

Here are seven simple steps that we all can do every day. Building or rebuilding self esteem is the most difficult. Maintaining high self esteem is a lot easier if we implement these steps.

1. Smile often to yourself and to others. Greet others when you see them and ask how they are and how their day is going. This helps build positive relationships with others.

2. Eliminate the negative. When a negative thought enters your mind, stop and immediately counter it with a positive thought about the same subject.

3. Be nice to others and be nice to yourself. Conversely, don’t degrade others and don’t degrade yourself.

4. Face your fears and forget your failures (after learning from them). Focus on your achievements and successes. Reward yourself when you succeed.

5. Quit thinking about trying to be perfect. No one is, so just accept that as it is. Don’t be too competitive and don’t compare yourself with others.

6. Don’t worry about what others think of you. Just be the best you that you can be.

7. Hang out with positive and optimistic people who also have high self esteem and self confidence. But when you are around negative people, try to direct your positive and optimistic thoughts in their direction. Don’t let them pull down your level of self confidence or self esteem.

Can you be a good person, a successful person, and still struggle with maintaining good self esteem?

Absolutely! Life happens to us all. Having high self esteem or good self esteem doesn’t exempt us from the trails and challenges of life. It does, however, puts us in a better situation to deal with them when they come.

Maintaining our esteem is easy but it is work. Sometimes our struggle comes because we are not putting in the work of being true to ourselves and what brings us satisfaction, joy and contentment. Remember, self esteem is not about our successes or failures but how we feel, see and accept ourselves. Living in a such a competitive and negative world that is constantly trying to get us to be something other than want we are can present be exhausting.

Does the focus on building and maintaining high esteem cause people to develop a false sense of security based on feelings that may not match reality?

I don’t think so. Self-esteem is a very powerful thing to have. When you have healthy self-esteem you are a more confident person, you are better at dealing with life disappointments, you build friendship with others more easily, you perform better in school and overall experience a more fulfilling life. It is an individual’s perspective on how they see themselves. No one can take that away or define that for the individual.

I guess any one of us could have a warped sense of ourselves but that wou
ld
be an indication of low self esteem.

Tell us about the creative process of writing this book?

Initially, I started writing a book on leadership but as I started the process, I kept coming back to this issue of self esteem. How can we lead others if we are struggling to lead ourselves? The more I reflected on that I started to reflect on my own personal experiences not only in the area of leadership but self esteem in general. That lead me to start writing down what had helped me get to the path I’m on today. What things did I have to do to overcome my fears, deal with the challenges life had presented to me and manage my emotions. These are all essential elements of being a good leader as well as having good self esteem.

In the end, I ended up writing over hundred affirmations that has been broken down into two volumes under the title of “When I Accepted Me.” We’ve just release volume 1 and volume 2 will be released in 2010. I divided them up into two volumes because I wanted to give people an opportunity to really reflect and internalize each affirmation to boost their self esteem. I’ve suggested to people to just take one a week (that’s why there are 52 of them) and internalize that one. Pray on it, see how it reflects in your life; maybe use it as a guide to write your own for that week.

I’ve encouraged some people to take on the 52 day challenge of reading one every day for 52 days straight and see if their perspective isn’t changed for the good at the end of it. Again, it is all about what is going on in our heads and when we receive positive information inwardly, we respond with positive behavior outwardly that leads to success in life …however, you may define success.

How can people get the book and what is some of the feedback you’ve received so far?

My book can be ordered from my website at www.sonjasamuel.com. It would be a great way to start the year and to recharge for the coming year. We are extending it at our special introduction offer of $14.95 because we want to get the book out into as many hands as possible. For me it is a tool for empowering others which is my personal mission in life.

It makes a great gift book for your friends, family and coworkers. I just gave them out as stocking stuffers and will be sending many out for Valentine’s Day as a way of saying I love and affirm you.

I have really enjoyed the feedback from people on how it has been such a pick me up for them when their emotions started to get the best of them and send them into a downward spiral.

One lady said she carries it around in her purse and when her day starts going south and she is ready to stick it to someone, she whips out her book, reads a few affirmation and it gets her back on track.

A lady told me about her husband that lost his mother this year and has been struggling emotionally. She said about once or twice a week she sees him reading through each page. She said she knows he’s gone through the whole book at least four or five times and she can see the difference it has made in his emotional health in dealing with the lost of his mother.

I am saved, single, and not having sex. I dedicated myself life and body to Christ at an early age. God didn’t come into my life in a storm. It was in calm; that I answered the call to become a follower of Christ. It was one of the greatest things I’ve ever done!  I am not perfect by any means. I have fallen short of the mark on several occasions. I just don’t love God but I am in love with Him. There is not a day that goes by that I am not mindful of Him.

I made a conscious decision not to have kids out of wedlock. I made a spiritual decision not to share my body outside the sanctity of marriage.  Now in my thirties, I am still standing fast to my vows. Through the passage of time, I’ve been tested and tried. I faced a rare ailment called catamenial pneumothorax. This is when a woman has a period and her lung collapse. The end result was my having an emergency hysterectomy at 28 years of age.  Years later I am still standing.

You are not married yet? You don’t have any kids? You’re in your thirties? Yes, to all the above. No. I don’t hear my biological clock ticking.  No. I don’t have any regrets about myself conscious decision to not have kids before marriage. And definitively no; I don’t feel old. Mentally that is. (Physically? we will save that for another discussion). For some unknown reasons; I have always been considered strange in my family.

Ok, so I eat out of plastic plates and spoons at restaurants and at my home. That’s not so strange. (Although, I feel guilty about using plastic ware as it’s not good for our planet. I really should go green).  Really, I ask of you, is it strange for me to have three different types of hand sanitizers in my pocketbook?  Is it strange to hold my own twenty for hour Jefferson ’s marathon?  I own seasons 1-6 on DVD!

I recall my younger years. Girls were primping get their nails and hair done wanting to impress the guys.  I was at library or in my room buried deep in a good book.  My girlfriend’s idea of having a good time was trips to the local shopping outlets.  When they were able to convince me to accompany them on one of their shopping excursions (and they were many) I would branch off. Ecstatically, to the nearest bookstore I would go. At the end of the day my girlfriend’s arms would be laden with the latest fashion in clothing. My arms would be filled with the latest releases from my favorite authors.  My friends love me dearly, but I could see the looks in their eyes saying, you are something strange.

Never had it dawn on me to change who I was to please that of others. Not that my family and friends asked me to do so.  I didn’t allow majority rules to change who I was as a person   At the time like all teen aged girls; I’ve gone through the ups and downs of finding voice and then using it.  And as a woman, I’ve gone through the rigors of life seeking to find my own identity. The process of life hasn’t always been easy. There were times when I had to get low with it. On my knees I would go to God in prayer.

When it was most difficult for me, I still believed God was going to provide my healing. You know—certain ones have to dig a little deeper. Stretch a little wider.  I had to get a little lower. On my stomach I’d go. When you want something bad from God, you forget pride.  I confess now the end results are well worth it. 

I’ve gained patience from my hellacious experience. I’ve developed confidence through faith. In the fullness of time God will unite me with the right one. Until then I remain focus; striving to stay in God’s perfect will and not permissive.   I am who God called me to be. Some may say I am strange. Others my say I am different. I say that I’m wonderfully and fearfully made.  I am one of God’s chosen. The certain one not forsaken. Chosen for Purpose. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vanessa Richardson is an author, poet, and playwright. She written several stage productions and have been blessed to perform them at various venues. Her stage productions include: Mama Rainey, Someone To Love Me, Why Do Bad Things Happens To Good People? Lord, I Don’t Understand, and The Fullness Of Time.
Vanessa wants her readers, to be aspired toward greatness, in spite of what circumstances, may dictate to them. "With God all things are made possible to them who believe" With faith we can leap over boundaries. We can break barriers and defeat the labels of rejection.

Vanessa realized that she had not just a story to tell but many stories. Relying on God; she wrote her first inspirational novel The Certain Ones, a spiritually impacting novel that inspires her readers to know that not everyone is called into greatness. Fact: Many can not handle the process that goes along with becoming great. Only the certain ones that endure can obtain greatness. Vanessa is currently working on her Fiction novel titled Love Found Me.

Big organizations, such as the American Association of University Women (www.aauw.org), are already making their 2010 applications available for interested ones to apply for fellowships, career development grants, and community action grants.

Others include the Association For Women In Mathematics (www.awm-math.org) – who are giving away thousands in travel grants for women to do research; the Moms In Business Network (www.mibn.org) – who are giving away grants for women to start businesses; and WebMomz (www.webmomz.com), who also are giving away business grants.

Even the Verizon Foundation (foundation.verizon.com) is looking to donate more grant money to women who are victims of domestic violence.

However it’s allocated, the millions of dollars in grant money available each year for women are investments in the talent, creativity, intellect and determination shown by them in various industries and fields of study. Women are huge contributors to the economy, the workforce, entrepreneurship, and to the development and management of non-profit organizations.

Such grants empower women in many different ways, and have proven to be extremely successful. As a result, every year, more and more opportunities appear for women from new organizations, government agencies, and corporations wanting to get involved.

For more information about grant opportunities available to women, visit:
www.GrantsForWomen.org

What are the implications of being a female pastor in the 21^st century? To be quite honest, both the best and the worst prevail at the same time. Incredible joys juxtaposed by the incredulous jeers of others who even in this day and time assert that women are to be silent in the church and prohibit them from preaching or teaching behind the sacred desk. This causes both delight and despair in the minds and hearts of women who only desire to heed and obey God’s call upon their lives. Such is my dilemma as a co-pastor who happens to be female.

I have been involved in full-time ministry since the age of twelve. It was then that I received the gift of playing the piano after being prayed for and having my hands anointed with oil by my former pastor (who ended up being my father-in-law years later). I loved the Lord with all my heart and promised Him then that I would always use my gifts for Him. I accompanied and directed four choirs, organized a worship team and taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School during my teen years. Little did I know that God was preparing me at a young age for greater works as a future pastor’s wife, co-founder of a Christian school and Bible College, an ordained minister, and the first female pastor in our church’s history. Those who are “the first” in anything also serve as trailblazers who are called to greatness at the expense of great suffering and sacrifice.

Many pastor’s wives and female pastors have expressed to me how they too have experienced both ends of the spectrum – finding fulfillment in their God-given gift of teaching or preaching but yet being ostracized by those who take Paul’s statement made to a few women who were causing dissension in the city of Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:34) as a doctrinal license to silence women of the past, present and future, thereby forbidding them to serve in any spiritual leadership role. The horrendous mistake of taking this scripture out of context to suppress the gifts of women has caused many to become angry, antagonized, bewildered and bitter, perhaps rightfully and certainly regrettably so. No woman or man for that matter can truly minister effectively with integrity if such heart issues are not yielded to and healed by God.

I have been to several churches where I was only allowed to speak from a podium placed on the floor because women were not allowed in the pulpit. I have also attended churches with my husband to support him as the guest preacher, and although both of us are ordained and have celebrated 23 years of pastoral ministry, he was ushered to the pulpit to sit with other licensed and ordained men while I was escorted to the pew to sit where I (allegedly) belonged – with the women. I cannot say that experiencing such dichotomy and dissonance has not taken its toll upon me, for I would be disingenuous in expressing the truth of my journey.

However, I have learned over the years to sing, teach and preach wherever God allows, and the platform whether on the floor or in the pulpit, has taken a back seat to God’s Spirit working through me as the prophet Joel proclaimed. I no longer focus on the double standards that exist throughout Christendom, but rather upon God who created, called, equipped and empowered me to proclaim the good news of the Gospel to a lost and dying world consisting of men, women, boys and girls who need a Savior.

What is it like to be a female pastor in the 21^st century? It is both a blessing and a burden at times, but it is truly rewarding as I embody and expect the fulfillment of Joel 2:28-29 and Galatians 3:28-29 in my own life as well as in the lives of others. Hence, I encourage everyone to embrace God’s Word in its entirety and to dismantle discrimination and doctrinal dogmas by celebrating the call of God upon the lives of His servants, irrespective of gender (and that, my brothers and sisters, is a daily choice).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pastor Natalie A. Francisco, Ed. D. is the Co-Pastor/Minister of Music, Calvary Community Church, Hampton, VA. She is also the Founder/Executive Director of the Women of Worth & Worship Institute. Pastor Francisco’s book,  Wisdom for Women of Worth & Worship: Lessons for a Life of Virtue, Value & Victory is now available online and in bookstores.

United States – January, 2009 - "Our children are crying out for our love, our attention, and our help. There’s a war going on between us and the world. The spoils of war are our children’s hearts, minds, and souls. We no longer have the luxury of leaving our parenting responsibilities to others. As mothers we must become accountable to ourselves, our children, and our God for the blessing He has placed on our lives by giving us these blessings from heaven. If not, we will continue to lose generations of children.

"Young mothers need to understand that parenting is not a joke. There is no glamor to the vocation of motherhood." There are dreams deferred, sacrifices made, and broken promises unrealized. Mother is a verb. It is something you do not just who you are. Your children emulate what they see, therefore, your days of clubbing and hangin’ out with the girl are essentially over, It’s time to grow up and grow up fast. Children are not dolls you can toss to the side when you’re tired of them. They are there forever.

"Many people believe children don’t come with an instruction manual, but I beg to differ. The Bible is a manual for every aspect of your life. For example, in the Old Testament there is the story of Hagar who was a single mother who had a child be a married man. As a result, she was eventually cast away from her home. She was in the desert all alone with her son Ishmael preparing to die: The angel of the Lord appeared to her after hearing her cry and the cry of her son. God delivered Hagar in that instant. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If he heard the cry of a desperate, cast out, discouraged, single mother then, He’ll hear you now."

Cheryl accredits this and other lessons taught to her through her mother’s examples and faith in God for her ability to persevere. "

Cheryl’s new book, The Ministry of Motherhood, discusses her journey from teen pregnancy, domestic violence, and single parenting, to successful mother, author, inspirational speaker and talk show host.

"Being a teen mom was by no means easy. It took digging way down inside and the development of a strong faith to overcome. My mother was no small part of that. She exemplified what it meant to be a mother; patience, unconditional love, dreams deferred, all of the things God required. "

Cheryl Donovan’s life is a true reflection of God’s faithfulness. Cheryl encountered God at an early age. Yet, at the age of 17, she found herself in a constant struggle as a teenage mother. Much of the struggle had to do with the lack of support she received from her estranged husband.

"I received a court order for child support when I got my divorce. I never received a penny," says Lacey-Donovan.

To add insult to injury, Cheryl says she tried to collect money through a private agency and was told everyone was trying to get money from her "ex".

Cheryl’s experience is not uncommon. She believes the attorney general’s office focuses more on mothers on public assistance because the government wants to recoup some of the money it pays out through public assistance.

"Even then, many mothers never receive a dime from the father of their children. Personally, I think the welfare system is designed for failure. If you’re not careful, you can become complacent and live within a generational curse of poverty. Public assistance should be used only as a hand up not a hand out.  That’s why I advocate mothers take a difference approach. You see, I had to learn that Child Support nor welfare were my source. My true source was God. Taking the attention from what my "ex" wasn’t doing and placing it on what God was doing and would do, changed my entire outlook. "

Cheryl says mothers need to stop focusing so much on receiving money from others and begin looking to God for provision and an abundant life. Cheryl says she had to look to God as her ultimate source because without Him she would surely have failed.
"The Bible tells us that God is our shepherd and we shall not want. (Psalms 24) It also tells us that those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. (Psalms 34:10) God came that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10 ) It takes an attitude adjustment to believe Him at His word. You must move from a place of material thinking to spiritual thinking. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6) When you can do this, God can open doors that no man can close.

"When you’re a teen mother, society has already stacked the deck against you. Everyone believes you’ll be on welfare the rest of your life and that your children will become statistics in the penal system. I for one chose to make society out of a liar. Having been a PK (preacher’s kid) I understood some fundamental truths about who I was. I knew that God would not forsake me. I worked hard and sought after God’s will for my life."

Cheryl wants the readers of her new book "The Ministry of Motherhood" to look at her journey from teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, and single parenting, to successful mother, author, inspirational speaker, and talk show host as a lesson in God’s grace, God’s mercy, and God’s favor.

"I chose not to be conformed to thin world which said to constantly engage myself in battle for money from a man who couldn’t even support himself. Instead, I allowed God to transform my way of thinking and my way of acting by reading, meditating on, and following His word. God’s promise to me is to make my way prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8) After my suffering, God has perfected, established, strengthened, and settled me. (1Peter 5:10 )

Cheryl’s two sons are now adults. Each of them is college educated and they both have steady jobs and recognize the importance of giving back.

"My ultimate job was to teach my boys about God and what He days about them. The Bible promises that when you do this your children when not depart from it even when they do everything in their power to deviate from the teachings."
Cheryl says she kept her sons busy in sports, academic pursuits, and church activities.

"I didn’t have much money; in fact I can remember many times sending the gas bill to the electric company in hopes that it would buy me more time until payday. Many times, the reason I didn’t have the money was because I paid for some activity for the boys. But, it was more important for me to keep them from being idol. God always provided.

Cheryl admonishes mothers to spend time with their children. She also believes they should be their children’s biggest advocate.

"My children still don’t believe we weren’t rich. We ate at every kids eat free establishment in the city. But, they learned how to behave when dining in a corporate setting. The thing is, it’s not always about money. If you’re creative and you do your research, you can find ways to spend quality time with your children without breaking the bank."

“I grew up with my children. They taught me just as much as I taught them. I thank God for that opportunity, but, I would not encourage anyone to take the route I took. Being a singe parent is in on way an easy task."

Cheryl Donovan is now an acclaimed author, inspirational speaker and talk show host. She is the founder of Worth More Than Rubies Ministries, a division of Imani Enterprises Unlimited, which provides a platform that finds Cheryl traveling across the country encouraging, inspir
in
g, and empowering women to look inside themselves for change.

To learn more about Cheryl or to have her speak at your next event, visit her at www.cheryllaceydonovan.com or email her at cheryl@cheryllaceydonovan.com.  To order a copy of Cheryl’s new book The Ministry of Motherhood, visit www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com

# # #

About Peace in the Storm Publishing

Peace in the Storm Publishing is a broad-based publisher whose strength lies in publishing quality books to reach the reader’s soul. Our motto is "Giving your Soul a Rise, One Page at a Time." Our mission is to publish entertaining and enjoyable works by gifted storytellers in all genres, including, contemporary fiction, mystery, romance, self help, general interest fiction, street-lit, erotica, non-fiction and Christian fiction.

About Booking Matters

Booking Matters Promotion Agency has successfully promoted hundreds of mainstream and self-published African American authors. With the creation of Booking Matters Magazine, the agency can effectively reach hundreds of thousands of people and promote an unlimited supply of authors between the pages of this unique literary magazine. With your help and never yielding support, Booking Matters Magazine’s reality will remain a success as it becomes a primary resource for many to read, enjoy and network. 

Call for Nominations, Deadline: October 17, 2008

New York, NY (BlackNews.com) – The Network Journal is currently seeking nominations for its 11th Annual 25 Influential Black Women in Business Awards. The selected group of honorees will be recognized for their contribution to the community and the success they have achieved in their businesses and professional careers. The awards are open to women who are business owners, or senior executives in the public, private, or non-profit sectors.

The Network Journal seeks applicants with a proven track record, as well as exceptional individuals who are up and coming in their field. The ideal candidate will be an accomplished professional with a commitment to excellence and their community. Women may be self-nominated or nominated by a third party.

Women may be self-nominated or nominated by a third party. The nomination packet must include a cover page, a current biographical profile, resume, two letters of recommendation, and optional supporting documentation of the nominee’s professional commitment and community involvement. The cover page must include the nominee’s name, address, telephone, cell and fax numbers, email address, place of employment, length of employment, and current title. It should also include the nominator’s name, address, telephone, cell and fax numbers, email address, place of employment and current title if the applicant is not being self-nominated. DEADLINE FOR ENTRY IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2008.

Please submit the completed packet to:

The Network Journal
25 Influential Black Women in Business Review Board
39 Broadway, Suite 2120
New York, NY 10006
OR
Denise@tnj.com

Upon acceptance, award recipients will be required to provide between five to ten photographs including a high-quality professional headshot. Honorees will also be required to submit other pertinent documentation. Failure to do so in a timely manner will result in immediate disqualification. Please be advised that photographs, age, birth date, title, and company of award recipients will be used on promotional items for the awards program including the March 2009 edition of the magazine.

For more information call 212-962-3791, or visit www.tnj.com/events/25women_form.php

The Network Journal is a monthly business magazine with more than 86,000 readers. The publication is distributed nationwide with a focus on the Tri-state area (NY/NJ/CT) and features business articles of interest such as finance, technology, industry focus and ideas for Black professionals and small business owners. More information can be located at the publication’s web site www.tnj.com

4 NATURAL HEALTH SECRETS FOR HER
By Makeisha Lee, Health and Nutritional Advisor

Mother’s day has come and gone, but women all over the globe will continue being the instinctive caregivers that they were designed to be. Although this is an inherent trait, we should be cautioned not to allow it to set the stage for unresolved stress. Why? Naturally, many health problems can arise. Here are 4 common ones and the secrets to counteract them quickly!

PROBLEM #1: Heart
According to senior cardiologist Dennis Goodman, MD, 50 percent of women die from a heart attack or a stroke. A lesser known fact is that estrogen is what protects women’s hearts, but when hormone levels drop the risks increases. Other major risk factors include being overweight and/or inactive with a waistline over 35 inches.

Natural Secret:
CoQ10 – recommendation is 50-100 mg daily for healthy women; up to 200-300 mg daily when heart disease is present.

Multivitamin – preferably choose a liquid formula that is designed to raise HDL (good cholesterol). HDL boosters are commonly administered by natural health professionals. Physical activity is always encouraged to maintain a healthy weight.

PROBLEM #2: Hormonal Imbalance
For women – stress triggers overproduction of cortisol which taxes the adrenal glands. Subsequently, more progesterone is used and this in turn creates an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. As a result women will experience mood swings, premature or severe menopausal symptoms and more!

Natural Secret:
Eating small meals – recommendation is eating small meals every 3-4 hours that have adequate protein, vegetables, unrefined whole grains along with good sleep and regular exercise.

Supplementation – to combat stress and provide adrenal support take a nutritional supplement that includes (200 mcg) of chromium which stabilizes blood sugar; at least (25- 50 mg) of B vitamins, (500 mg) of vitamin C; (250 mg) of magnesium.

*Magnesium glycinate (400 mg) before bedtime will relieve stress and improve sleep. Taking (3 g) of fish oil per day will further support overall healthy hormone function.*

PROBLEM #3: Sexual Dysfunction
No, it’s not just a “man” problem. Woman too may experience some level of sexual dysfunction at some point due to underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, thyroid/hormonal imbalances or emotional issues of not feeling loved and/or secure.

Natural Secret:
Peruvian Maca – helps stressed adrenal glands (hypothalamus and pituitary glands) and according to an Asian Journal study, it increases libido by 180%.

Choline supplementation – is helpful in increasing ACH activity which is involved in the build-up towards an orgasm through urethral/vaginal contractions. Recommendation is (1,000 –3,000 mg) along with vitamin B5 (500-1,500 mg) – 20-30 minutes before sex.

PROBLEM #4: Vaginal Yeast Infections
This type of infection in women has been linked to taking antibiotics, birth control pills, pregnancy, and even diabetes since there are high levels of blood sugar that invite and promote yeast overgrowth.

Natural Secret:
Vaginal Suppositories – look for natural ones that contain anti-bacterial herbs such as tea tree oil. Probiotics – It is advisable to eat organic yogurt with live cultures and/or take probiotics to restore the healthy balance of good bacteria within the body.

With your new-found secrets in mind always remember: Being a woman is all about “nurturing”; now it’s time to start with – YOU!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Makeisha Lee is a health and nutrition consultant. She is also the author of "Why Black People Can’t Lose Weight" available at www.WhyBlackPeopleCantLoseWeight.com and in bookstores nationwide.