It seems that I have been writing and telling stories all of my life. As an introvert, I often find solace in my solitude, and occupy my time with creating content and imagery that resonates in the imaginations and hearts of my audience. I know how to help other people tell their stories, I was trained for that. However, when it comes to book writing, what it requires of me, feels vastly different. There have been times throughout this process, when I have been stifled in my work out of trepidation of the amount of transparency that writing a 
book garners. Similar to that of a painter, who tries to strike the right balance between light and shadow, have been trying to find my balance of the truths that the Lord has reserved from me to ponder in my own  heart, and those insights that He desires for me to share, so that others may be blessed, inspired and encouraged in the ways that they need it most. My overarching attitude I suppose, is my desire to be obedient to what the Lord has commissioned me to do in this unique season of my life. All throughout scripture we see parables about the process of sowing and reaping.  I sense by the Spirit, that now, is the time for me to sow my time, my energy, my creativity, and my best efforts into completing this project, in faith that it will reap a bountiful harvest for everyone connected to it, which includes you the readers. I am most excited about that!

My process for writing this book started almost seven (7) years ago. At the time, I didn't know that it was going to turn into something like this, but I knew that the content I was writing, served a greater purpose in that season of my life. I often save that I serve through my writing. Writing is how I minister most authentically. As I do so, I pray for the Holy Spirit to anoint the work of my hands to write what is on the Father's heart for me to share with the people to whom I am called to be relevant. I seek wisdom and insight through the reading of scripture, and spend time with the Lord conversing and receiving from Him, a strategy, a plan, a blueprint, of what He is requiring of me; not only in writing, subsequently in life. I believe that the greatest message we can ever preach, is in the details of our lives. I can see now, that this book is  being developed and will eventually be birthed out of my intimate relationship with the Lord. 

The more pragmatic steps that I took to start was to get myself organized. I wanted to collect the words of revelation that the Lord has given me over the years, jot them down and keep them in one place. I then began to research best practices for self-publishing, attending webinars, IG Lives of authors and other writers  whom I follow on social media to learn about their journeys and I most recently, took a Crash Course in Communication on How To Write A Book, offered by my favorite Bible Study teacher and "mentor, Havilah Cunnington.  I have been following Havilah's career for some time now, I own a majority of her books, I attend her free workshops, and I really admire her work ethic, her transparency, her approach to writing, and her ministry. She has taught me so much. I consider her to be the trusted friend I have yet to meet. As I was going through her "go-at-your-own-pace" course, I received so many gems that I had never considered when writing a book. Things as simple as setting up your space to write, carving out a designated time to  write every day, guarding your writing hours, creating a writing schedule for yourself. So simple and easy to implement, regardless of your starting point. These were gamechangers for me!

For this project, I had to backtrack, and really think about how I wanted to approach  what, at the beginning , seemed like such a daunting task.  As I do in all things, I committed my work, and all that I would learn to the Lord. Including Him in every stage of this project and in my life is essential for me. I invite Him into my  creative space, and He is faithful to meet me there. Next, I carved out my writing hours. I am naturally, more of a morning person. I feel most productive, creative and efficient in my tasks when I start my day around  6 or 7AM.  Now, I admittedly haven't gotten up quite that early in a while, so I had to provide myself with a bit of grace period to become reacclimated to the idea and the discipline. I am inspired by the dawning of a new day, and feel energized when the house is still.  I learned from Havilah's course, the importance of setting up my writing space, so I turn on my Edison Light desk lamp, play my writer's playlist that I created on Spotify, put my phone on "Do Not Disturb", exchange morning pleasantries with my parents,  grab a cup of tea or coffee, and from 7Am to 10Am, I write, without interruption.  I now know why authors call that time sacred. It really is almost a spiritual experience, and when you invite the Holy Spirit to create along with you, it absolutely becomes one. 

It took me a while to learn how to format the book for the dimension requirements for Amazon KDP Publishing; their tutorials have been very helpful throughout this process. Once I got the hang of it, I went back to  reformat some other projects I have in the works in a similar fashion. I called upon friends as well to assist me with cover art and graphic design elements and the Lord met me tremendously in this area as well, because I had been prayerful regarding who  He wanted to be a part of this work, and He placed the names and faces, of those He wanted me to reach out to. When I did, I was humbled by the response of many of them; their excitement, words of encouragement, and support was overwhelming in the best of ways. My biggest take away from all that I have learned up to this point is to say yes in faith, and not no in fear. 

As I prepare to release this book out into the world, I am feeling a plethora of different emotions, but the  one that is most evident is humility. I am humbled to be used as a vessel of the Lord in this way, to spread, hope in a world that is hurting. Just like in the book of Esther, I am beginning to believe that "Perhaps this is the moment for which I have been created." (Esther 4:14)

Stories have always been a part of my life.  In the earliest memories of my childhood, I can recall back to the times when my sisters and I would come into our parents bedroom and nestle up beside our mom, and she would tell us tales that she would create on the spot, about the adventures of the three of us. That was when I was introduced to the power of words and got a glimpse of how I could illustrate with them to create vivid pictures, through story, in the imaginations of my hearers.  My mom shared  with me, a sweet memory of my youth; she told me that she had had a conversation with  her friend and coworker, Miss Carol as I would come to know her,  who in meeting me as a toddler, said that I was very imaginative.  My mom later echoed a similar sentiment, and said to me "Ari you're a writer."  My  response to her was, "Mommy, I don't know how to write."  She then reassured me that though I didn't know how to hold a pen to paper yet, the gift was still there, waiting to be developed in me. She said, "You write with your words."  That, I think,  set me on a path of discovering my love for writing.  At this point, I admittedly have an embarrassing amount of journals, almost all of them filled to capacity, and in them are myself expressed on paper at my most vulnerable. In those pages, I am my most transparent, authentic and true. The tapestry of their content, reflects the ebbs and flows of my life's most trying and triumphant seasons. Nevertheless, it is me, fully exposed to myself. Through the exercise of writing, I am able to do a bit of introspection, and better understand my world and the world around me. I've coined the phrase, "I think with ink." Writing is my most natural form of creative expression, and in a lot of ways, it is my safe space. 

At heart, I am a logophile, which by definition, is a lover of words. I have tried my hand at many types of writing namely: poetry, music, and journalism.  I began sharing my writing more publicly, when I was in high school. I joined the poetry club and would perform pieces that I'd written at an event called Coffeehouses.  Then, when I was in undergrad, I studied Communications, and was introduced to Journalism, in which I majored. During my freshman year, I enrolled in a 300-level course, called "Feature and Magazine Writing." Despite the fact that I was the youngest person in the class, the only freshman in a room of juniors and seniors, I never felt more at home.  One the first day of classes, my professor Mr. Shealer, said, "Everybody has a story, it is the job of the journalist to find the story, and to tell it well."  That one statement, ignited a passion and fire in me, and helped me to channel my focus. I learned the importance of being intentional with my choice of words, and by doing so, building a story, one word, one true sentence at a time. The goal of my writing is that it is authentic to me as the writer, and evokes and imparts something into the readers of my work.  As a Communication Studies major, I also learned about the field's five objectives: objectivity, autonomy, public service, immediacy, and ethics. I henceforth, govern my writing by these objectives, as a standard practice.  I dabbled in writing music as well, as an amateur lyricist, writing songs for myself to perform at the campus Coffeehouses/Poetry Nights and even for the Gospel Choir of which I was apart! 

As the Founder and Chief Serving Officer of my Faith-based, Brand Development and Social Media Marketing company, Simply Ari Media, I work alongside the Holy Spirit, to help creatives and start-up companies develop, hone, and share their brand voice and brand story consistently across digital spaces and platforms in the most organic, unique, innovative, and creative ways possible.  I am blessed to say earnestly, that I love what I do. I love being able to tell the stories of the world. I am humbled and grateful for each opportunity I have, to be welcomed, for a few precious moments, into the lives and spaces of those with whom I interview and serve; and aide in the process of getting their stories and messages out to the world through my platform.  In 2019, I felt an unction in my spirit  from the Lord, almost as if He was saying to me, "Now it's your turn [to tell your story]."  In obedience to what I believe I'd heard, I began penning my own narrative: one that was birthed out of my intimate relationship with the Lord along with my experiences.  This first book, is a compilation of just a fraction of the insights that the Lord has revealed to me over the years in my time of devotion spent with Him.  Just as He is the Author and Finisher of our faith as believers, He too, is the true author of this work, I am solely a vessel, who humbly said "yes" to the the request of His heart. 

It is my prayer and most sincere hope that it resonates with you in a deep way and that it inspires you on your journey of becoming all of who the Lord has called and created you to be.  
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