Deliver Me From Me by LaToya Early

Life happens to everyone. The question I pose is how do we respond to what happens to us?  Do we allow life’s problem’s to consume us? Make us bitter? Or better yet destroy us from within.  The reality is that we all have been there.
As a female, I come to find that during the difficult times of our life, we have a tendency to dwell in a negative energetic surrounding. I call it the "stuck mode situation."  Sadly this mode can remain with us for weeks, months, years, and yes...even until death. Unfortunately some of us never heal from the pain that was exposed us.

Speaking from the direct opposite of the spectrum, there are many women who want to heal from life's obstacles. The inner conflict simply lies within where or how do I start? My personal response of-course would be to read a self-help guide for healing specifically for women.  The book I’m recommending for 2014 is Deliver Me From Me by LaToya Early. 

Ladies in the short read you’ll receive a very tall message on how to start on your personal journey towards happiness and freedom.  In this guide, you’ll read nonfictional monologues based upon real life stories of women who have endured some real “heavy stuff.”  Early breaks down every real life situation and provides the tools necessary to break down the mental “stuck mode” chain.   

What I loved most about this book is the realness and the pure sincerity the author allows you to see in the delivery of her word usage. This book was written by a woman with a genuine spirit on a mission to help hurting women everywhere from all walks of life. We need more people like her in the world to spread these messages of hope.   Thank you Latoya for sharing your insight on how to face personal demons head on one day at time.    

 

My Culinary Critique on Beans and Cornbread Located on Northwestern Highway

The south east region of Michigan has many soul food restaurants to choose from. In-fact, most of them have a solid reputation for serving up some of the best food nationwide.  Having a taste for this popular African American cuisine, I decided to venture off to Beans and Cornbread located on Northwestern Highway.

From the parking lot, I could smell the aroma of the food from outside.  Entering the restaurant, I was hit with the sound of smooth jazz playing and the scent of sweet potato muffins. The staff was most gracious and spoke to me minutes after coming through the door. Unlike most soul food restaurants, this place of business has family dinning side, and a separate section that allows you to order your meal and sip on your favorite alcoholic beverage at the same time.

Very impressed with their menu choices, I decided on salmon patties, fried okra, and collard greens accented with red onions.  The salmon patties were awesome.  I appreciate the fact that they were not a conglomerate of seasoned breading and I could actually taste the fish. The greens were to die from!  Although I’ve had better tasting fried okra, it wasn’t’ half bad either.   The next time I visit, I’ll most likely select an alternate in the of place okra.  

Beans and Cornbread definitely ranks high in my opinion.  I’m recommending that anyone in the mood for some delicious soul food give them a try. 

She That Findeth by Kim Brooks

A reader of various types of genres; I’ve read my share of “spiritual reads.” Because the sole purpose of this classification in general is to elevate your mind body and soul, my mood after the completion of one is usually one of somberness.  That was until I read SheThat Findeth by Kim Brooks.

Shenita Love, a 35 year old single native of Detroit and devoted church woman is tired of her relationship status.  In-fact, Love is so fed up with being single, that she takes the advice of friend “Male Diva” Rashawn, who pumps her up to become more aggressive on her conquest to find her soul mate.  Enthused by the words provided by her male bestie, she decides to pump her dating game up to full speed. Many comical and very humorous moments are exposed through Shenita’s dating encounters.  I found myself laughing a lot throughout the entire novel and asking myself, “Where on earth did these men come from?”

Love’s friends and “church sisters” personal struggles with being single also add another dimension to this novel making it definitely the “spiritual read” to read.    What I love the most about Brook’s latest novel is the pure realism behind it all.   Despite of this book being classified as a fictional read, it possesses many characteristics of nonfictional read. Many lessons are taught throughout the entirety of this book. I am pleased to say that this book is one heck of a read.