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Tuesday, January 4, 2011

In This New Year...


Many promises are made with each new year. Some resolve to lose weight, be more proactive in pursuing their goals, or developing and engaging in healthier relationships. All of these things are good … as they are rooted in God.

Our decision to live a better life is achievable, but we must be focused and determined to work toward those goals. My goal, rather prayer, is to develop a closer relationship with God. At the end of each year, I try to look back on what I’ve learned versus beating myself up over what I cannot change. I take the lessons taught in the previous year and apply the knowledge obtained in the next. Knowing what to do is good, but what good is it if that information is never applied?

In this first issue of the year, I implore each person to examine themselves. Not a vain introspection of how much money one can make or what model of vehicle one can drive, rather those things that aren’t tangible. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal,” Matthew 6:19-20.

When we lay the foundation with God, whatever we build upon Him is prosperous. Be careful to note that this success is not what the world may deem successful, but rather what God says is. He knows what we want, more importantly, what we need. “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart,” Psalm 37:4. What an encouraging Word from God. He sums it up simply in Matthew 6:33 with “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these other things will be added unto you.”

The key is having faith in God; trusting Him at His word: His Holy Word. Faith must be activated. As evidenced in the following article by Renarda Williams, Stanice Anderson displays her strength as a woman walking on water.

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Stanice Anderson is Walking on Water with Faith in God
By Renarda Williams

Everyone has had their share of trials and tribulations in life. Having a foundation and faith in God always can help overcome obstacles such as depression, unemployment, and homelessness.

Inspirational speaker, author and performance artist Stanice Anderson, fully understands the problems people confront on a daily basis. She overcame heroin addiction, abusive relationships, rape, low self-esteem and a near death experience to rise and share her testimony to strengthen others.

Photo courtesy of
Stanice Anderson

I first met this Washington, DC native in 2003 when I interviewed her for my printed newsletter—The Empowerment Initiative (now an online newsletter) in Monroe, Louisiana—about her first book I Say A Prayer For Me. But I ended up submitting the interview to Straight Up Newsletter. I was inspired by her spiritual and uplifting book. During that time, I faced several ordeals in my life and Anderson's book played a major role in helping me overcoming them. I, in turn, developed a good friendship with her.

Anderson's new book, Walking On Water When the Ground Ain't Enuf (Shout Glory, LLC, Washington, D.C., 2010) takes over where her last book left off. Anderson encourages, energizes, and empowers readers with her words of wisdom, delivered to her from God, with testimonies about her life described as "walking on water" with faith and belief in God to overcome obstacles. Some of Anderson's stories are humorous, but they also focus on the harsh reality of dealing with issues.

Recently, I interviewed Anderson via telephone about Walking On Water, and its significance in delivering a powerful spiritual message.

RW: I Say A Prayer for Me was a powerful, inspirational, and spiritual book. So what type of message are you delivering in Walking on Water?

Published by
Shout Glory, LLC
SA: The message is a testimony of the love, power and grace of God. We are not alone ... we have to trust in Him because He is always there!

The book's message also states that whenever you are in the midst of crisis ... God will always be there to lift you up.

I share my story with others to show them how God has brought me a mighty long way throughout my life. I faced unemployment, double knee surgery ... [but] God boosted me in spirit.

God gave me a way to express myself through this book to help people. Bring togetherness [and a connection] with people. I still have relationships with readers of I Say A Prayer For Me.

My book will encourage people to never give up; mainly, because God will never give up on you.

My son (Mike Tucker) thought it was best to publish Walk On Water during the holidays because of what people face at that time.

RW: How important is this book toward addressing the trials and tribulations that people are confronted with today?

SA: It is major. You need to exercise your faith. Faith is like a muscle; you use it to go to God and ask how to deal with your circumstances.

Trials and tribulations are like secrets. You cannot hide them; you need to hit them head on! Get real! You do not need to be isolated and focus on the past because it will hold you back.

I use "Spokentry"—a combination of spoken word and poetry—to talk about my trials and tribulations. People need to have "Water-Walking Gatherings and Write Shops." We need interconnections. Life is a war. God has given me an international ministry. I have readers in Kansas City, Missouri to Paris, France.

For example, one woman almost committed suicide until she saw the cover of I Say A Prayer For Me and was moved. Her mother gave her the book and it literally changed her life. That’s God’s hand.

When I faced my latest ordeals it caused me to write Walk On Water. When I look at my own story, I look at what God has brought me through ... God must have more for me to do.

RW: You have some amazing testimonies in this book. Are they geared more toward leading more people to trust and believe in God during these tough times?

SA: Yes. God gave me the title “Walking on Water” in 2006. I did not want to write it, but my son said, “I am going to promote you ... I am going to put something together.” We put together a one-woman show Walking On Water at a night club in DC in ’07 and over 250 people attended. I told different stories, sang and did spokentry.

I continued to write stories and a book began to take form. The cover for the book came from a woman in California. She drew a picture of a woman on the water. My son asked recording artist Raheem DeVaughn’s personal painter Demont "Peekaso" Pinder to paint me on the water. Next Mike pulled together picture and painting to create the awesome cover of Walking On Water.

My 6 year-old granddaughter, Michal Zoe Tucker, helped me with the interior book design. She is writing a book about her loose tooth, "The Tooth is Loose."

RW: Do you think your book will make people feel you are telling their story?

SA: Yes, I am writing from their perspectives. My book is like a ministry. I love to see the light come on when people read the book. I also want to make them laugh.

RW: Out of all the things you accomplished, what other goals do you have for the next year?

SA: I want to lecture, conduct “write shops” and do more Spokentry. I also want to teach, especially about the writing process; and how to write a book and get it published. I want to put Walking On Water in E-book form by February 2011 and do a second printing of I Say A Prayer For Me.

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To find out more about Stanice Anderson and to read a free first chapter, please visit http://www.trywalkingonwater.com/

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In Closing,

It is my prayer that in this new year, God blesses us with more of Him.

In Jesus Name,
~Renee

To submit a testimony or an article for contribution, please email me at renee@reneeallenmccoy.com

Scriptures used in this article are from NKJV (New King James Version)