Growing into Greatness with God
by Janet Autherine
GROWING INTO GREATNESS WITH GOD: 7 PATHS TO GREATNESS FOR OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS
In Growing into Greatness with God: Seven Paths to Greatness for Our Sons and Daughters, author and mother of three boys Janet Autherine encourages kids to see themselves as unique and amazing—already blessed with what they need to succeed in life and achieve their God-given dreams.
Readers learn how to grow in love, faith, courage, leadership, happiness, gratitude, and confidence through the inspiring stories of Bible heroes such as Abraham, Sarah, David, and Hannah.
Each chapter includes a brief summary of two Bible stories, with reflections on each, and concludes with three action-oriented suggestions on how to put the lesson into practice.
Dreams are essential to life, and kids need to be inspired and encouraged to live life to the fullest. Growing into Greatness with God offers biblical examples of how people have nurtured what God has planted in them and teaches kids how to do the same in their own lives.
Growing into Greatness with God inspires kids and young adults with wisdom applicable to their daily lives and empowers them to always love themselves and to be their best selves.
Purchase Growing into Greatness with God by Janet Autherine
Juvenile non-fiction; Children and Young Aadult inspiration
http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Into-Greatness-God-Daughters/dp/0991200004
AMAZON BOOK REVIEWS FROM READERS
5.0 out of 5 stars By Gladis Griffith
Growing Into Greatness with God is a very inspirational and motivational read. A bedside must have, which can be read over and over, as you will discover nuances with every reading. I recommend this book for kids and adults alike!
5.0 out of 5 stars By Monica Mitchell
Completed reading Growing into Greatness with God: 7 Paths to Greatness for our Sons and I love it. OK, so I am an adult but the book is a great read for adults and should be ideal for children of all ages—including myself. Seriously, this book does convey the message that Every child matters, that Every child is valued no matter his or her race or economic background. The book also has lessons of love, kindness and friendship. The biblical stories and characters used to teach the lesson is unique and does get the job done. All parents, teachers and Sunday school teachers should read this book to their kids
5.0 out of 5 stars By Sarah Whittle Spooner
This a beautiful sweet book that provides an opportunity for all to have a discussion with their children of any age about spirituality and the importance of developing a sense of greatness within! And it is a book for all faiths -- even those (like my family) who don't identify with a particular religion but want our children to grow up knowing that there is more to the world than what they can see and that they possess a strength and power within themselves! Thank you to the author!
5.0 out of 5 stars By Quanita Pokolo-Hassell
I use Growing Into Greatness With God as a devotional and quiet reading moment with my children. There are steps at the end of each section that you and your children can discuss and reflect upon. It's so good to see a book that tells the story of the Bible in a way that children can understand. It provides the foundation in which children can grow in their relationship with God, and in a way that they can relate to. Growing Into Greatness With God provides the applicable tools by which children can live by. It references great people of the Bible, how they live, and the choices they've made. It reminds children that they are children of God and destined for greatness. Great book!
Excerpt of Growing into Greatness with God
Samuel was a man of God. One day, God sent Samuel to anoint a king. Samuel went to the house of Jesse. Jesse had seven sons that he thought had a “kingly” appearance, but when he took them to Samuel, God told Samuel that they were not the chosen ones. Reluctantly, Jesse took David to Samuel. David was a shepherd and a small boy. However, God looked beyond David’s outward appearance and focus on the boy’s heart. In David’s heart, God saw a boy who was strong, courageous, and loyal and who loved God above everything else. God saw that David was growing into his greatness.
You Have a Beautiful Heart
What is in your heart? Is it filled with love for everyone, even those who do not look or act like you? Would others describe you as someone who loves God above everything else? Do you have dreams of being a doctor, a firefighter, an astronaut, or even the president of a country? Dream on! When you can, add to your dreams concrete steps to achieve your goals. There are people who will try to define you by your outward appearance and your worldly possessions, but only you and God know the contents of your heart. And it is those contents that will lead you to greatness.
Three Ways to Grow in Love
Step outside of your inner circle. Perform an act of kindness for a stranger. Sit or play with someone new at lunchtime. Tell someone something that you like about them.
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© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Janet Autherine. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only.
Purchase Growing Into Greatness with God: Seven Paths to Greatness for our Sons and Daughters by Janet Autherine
Link: http://amzn.com/0991200004
Intimate Conversation with Janet Autherine
Her juvenile nonfiction book, Growing into Greatness with God: 7 Paths to Greatness for our Sons and Daughters is inspired by her own journey from poverty to a successful legal career. She believes that every obstacle can be a stepping stone to success. The book teaches children and young adults to recognize the greatness they were born with and empowers them to nourish the virtues of love, faith, courage, leadership, happiness, gratitude and confidence within themselves.
Her book conveys the following message: Every child matters. Every child is unique. Every child has been born with greatness. Her personal journey is discussed on the website: www.GrowIntoGreatness.com, in the post, MY STORY.
BPM: Tell us about your passion for writing. Why do you write? What drives you? What impact do you want your book to make on the readers?
I was a shy child who loved reading and music. Books were my best friend and I spent a lot of time with fictional characters from each book that I read. Those stories stayed with me and I began to visualize my own stories. I write because there are many stories in my heart that I would love to share with the world. I know from personal experience that a good book can inspire and empower children and take them on journeys that are greater than their current circumstances. I would love for every reader to feel empowered to “roar to their own beat.”
BPM: Our life experiences, challenges and success help define who we are on a personal and professional level. At what point in your career did you discover your real worth and own it?
Growing up in Jamaica, I was raised by a village of people of great faith. They instilled in me a love for reading, excellence in academics and always doing more than is required. When I moved to Philadelphia, I lost my way because of the criticism of my introverted nature and strong Jamaican accent. I had a difficult time finding my voice. Early in my legal career, I began to listen to my heart and the people close to me to determine my strengths; I identified 3 things - writing, listening and giving meaningful advice. My friends always told me that I was a good listener and that I gave great advice but it came so naturally that I did not value those traits.
I discovered that your voice does not have to be the loudest in the room to have an impact, and in both my writing and my legal career, I have been able to embrace these gifts. It took about 30 years to own my God-given strengths, I hope that the book, Growing into Greatness with God, will empower children and young adults to own their great talents and gifts at a very young age.
BPM: How can one live an authentic life, true to self, personally and professionally?
Search your soul and identify the things that will motivate you to get up every morning and live life boldly. I attended a workshop by life coach, Theresa Watts Campbell that helped me to discover that I am motivated by meaningful relationships, a peaceful existence and the desire to make an impact. I now say yes to the things that fit into those 3 core values and no to the things that are a distraction from my core values.
The key to living an authentic life is to identify what is non-negotiable in your life, focus on those things and rarely stray from that path. The book, Growing into Greatness with God, fits into my desire to make sure that every child is reading, writing their own stories and embracing their gifts; I had to say no to several other opportunities that would have distracted me from that goal.
BPM: How do you balance your personal life with your professional?
I am a wife and mother of 3 young boys. I also have a full time job in the legal field, I write and market my book, Growing into Greatness with God, and I find time to exercise and to spend time with my friends. I learned from Ms. Oprah Winfrey and other successful women that you can have it all but usually not all at once. This means prioritizing yearly (this year I will write my second book), monthly (this month, I will eat well and lose 5lbs), weekly (I will reach out to 2 friends that I love this week), daily (my most important goal today is to teach my son how to play chess).
Spend 3 to 5 minutes before getting out of bed to meditate on your 3 most important priorities for the day. Be realistic with your expectations so that you don’t set yourself up for failure. If you can accomplish the things that are most important to you, every day will be a success.
BPM: Do you feel as if your writing is making a positive impact on readers, women, or the world?
As a new writer, I am a work in progress when it comes to making an impact but I love when kids get excited about reading, Growing into Greatness with God and I love when mothers tell me that they read it every night with their children. I want children to go to bed with positive inspiration and wake up feeling good about themselves and ready to take on any challenge.
BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book?
The words of inspiration and empowerment in the book, Growing into Greatness with God has been in my heart for many years but I was not sure how to present the stories. One night, I was reading, of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, by President Barack Obama, which inspires children through stories of great Americans, such as Dr. Martin Luther King and Jackie Robinson and I had my answer. I wanted to inspire children in the same manner but using the beautiful bible stories that empowered me when I was growing up. I started writing and remained focused until the book was published.
BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special?
The main characters in Growing into Greatness with God are heroes of the Bible. Each character represents a powerful virtue, such as wisdom, courage and loyalty. David stepped forward when everyone else was fearful and bravely fought the bully, Goliath; he was a small boy but he had a brave heart. When faced with pressure from his peers to pray to the King, Daniel stayed true to his own beliefs even though it meant sleeping with a den of lions. Ruth demonstrated loyalty and confidence by refusing to leave her elderly mother-in-law even though it would have been acceptable to do so in her community. Through their stories, as well as “actionable” words of wisdom, children and young adults learn to embrace their unique gifts and “roar to their own beat.
BPM: Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured if your book? If so, discuss them.
There are numerous books available to children but certainly not enough that were written to inspire and empower them. Our kids are often told to be average, to fit in with the crowd and to hide their talents. If we can encourage our kids to discover their talents and then embrace them in the spirit of love and gratitude, we will build a generation of confident leaders.
BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
As a mother of 3 boys, I often feel like I am talking to a wall when I shared valuable life lessons with the boys. As I was writing Growing into Greatness with God: 7 Paths to Greatness for our Sons and Daughters, all the advice that my elders gave me came flooding back. I learned that we need to be mindful about what we say to our children because even though they may seem disengaged, they are listening and they are watching our words and deeds.
BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I am working to build a community of authors who seek to inspire our children. I would love to get inspirational books into the hands of every child, especially those who would not be able to afford these books. The first step is to support these authors by sharing their stories on my website - http://www.GrowIntoGreatness.com.
The next step is to create a multicultural author’s event that will benefit the community by exposing under-served communities to those who can inspire a new generation of writers and leaders.
BPM: A Legacy is something that is handed down from one period of time to another period of time. What legacy do you hope to leave with your books?
Every child needs to feel special! I want the legacy of Growing into Greatness with God to be the empowerment of children. After reading this book, every child should walk a little taller, knowing that he or she in uniquely made and molded with only God’s finest ingredients, filled with the virtues of faith, courage and love, and has amazing talents to share with the world.
BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Growing into Greatness with God is available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Into-Greatness-God-Daughters/dp/0991200004
Additional information about me, additional advice for parents, giveaways and information about upcoming projects is available on my website: http://www.GrowIntoGreatness.com.
Connect with Author Janet Autherine
Twitter: http://www.Twitter/Autherine
Pinterest: http://www.Pinterest.com/Autherine
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/GrowingIntoGreatness
Growing into Greatness: http://www.GrowIntoGreatness.com
Purchase Growing Into Greatness with God: Seven Paths to Greatness for our Sons and Daughters by Janet Autherine
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Into-Greatness-God-Daughters/dp/0991200004