CHALLENGED TO CHANGE

Two of the most important dates in your life are the day you are born and the day you discover who you are. Challenged to Change is a life-saver designed for everyone who wants to improve their quality and longevity of life for themselves and others. This book is also for those who feel they are living beneath their privilege and desire to live the life they were meant to live. My hope for you is, after reading this book, you'll understand that no matter where or who you are right now, when you end your journey, you'll not only be in a different place, but you'll be a totally different person. As a native of Detroit, Michigan, once known as The Murder Capital of the World, I graduated from the Detroit Public Schools. Life in the city taxed, challenged, and awed me. I moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan, and attended Eastern Michigan University. While attending the university, I went through a divorce, became a single parent, and transitioned to remain in Ypsilanti, Michigan, which is a rural environment, quite the contrast from Detroit. As a senior in college, one of my male classmates and I were studying Sociology when he said, "Cheryl, why don't we exchange your African Album for my book, The Power of Positive Thinking, by Norman Vincent Peale?" "Sure, why not; I love to read." The impact of this book provided long-term changes and helped me fulfill long-forgotten dreams and goals. Reading the positive-thinking principles eventually led me to change from attending church occasionally to becoming a regular member of an unfamiliar church culture. I was eventually born of the water and spirit. Yes, I am born again! żMy journey started as an immature Christian, moving from victim to victor. This process required me to change my heart and my mind, to refuse to allow Satan to creep into my thought process. I needed to redirect my path and follow Jesus' footsteps. These first steps were the driving force of my journey. Philippians 1:6* states, "Being ż 2ż żconfident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." As long as you are still drawing breath, it's never too late to change, and you are never too old to accept Jesus and begin your new life in Him. The words of "The Serenity Prayer," by Reinhold Niebuhr, have helped me get through many difficult times. I often find myself asking God to give me the ability to make the changes I need to make in order to live the life Jesus wants for me. Sometimes, I need to pray for strength to accept things that I cannot change. Then, of course, there is always the fine line between the two; that's when I ask God for the wisdom I need in order to live according to His Will. I also find comfort in the Bible. Proverbs 3:5-6 is God responding to me in a clear and concise way. I keep this prayer close to my heart and flip to it often to obtain, maintain, and sustain a focused and intentional life with significance. I am not writing ż 3ż this book, but paving the way for us by praying this book into print.