Stepping out in 2014

As usual in 2014, I made my New Year's resolutions. I promised to promote my book more, lose weight, stay connected and finish school. There are so many things to be done in the Kingdom of God. I was prompted to write this post because of a message from Bishop Clarence McClendon. There is so much talk about the end times especially with John Hagee and the Four Blood Moons. The Four Blood Moons refer to lunar and solar eclipses that are to take place before the end comes. Sometimes, I find myself trying to figure out how to minister to people since I don't have a particular title in church or anything. I do at times try to minister to people on the job if I feel that is what I am led to do. I feel that if I am positive to an individual that is ministry enough. Sometimes the opportunities don't really present themselves. I have decided that my book is a witness when people read it. GLORY...THE HAIR is not just a book about a hairstyle gone bad. As one TV anchor so gleefully declared to me years ago, "This book is about relationships." That it is. GLORY...THE HAIR takes you inside various relationships. It deals with dating relationships, work relationships and church relationships. Relationships are key to promoting anything. I have found that to be true in publishing. I have read stories on how to get an agent and how people have queried agents and when they finally get an agent it wasn't one whom they have queried. Their information was just passed along to others. Completing school and working on a doctorate is about relationships. It is about maintaining a good relationship with your major professor who will be your dissertation chair. It is about developing a good relationship with other adult learners in your cohort. I had promised myself about two years ago that I wouldn't be entering another type of cohort but here I am. It seems that everything that is to be done is done by cohorts. I know I am in my 5th cohort. I was in a cohort when I was getting my initial certification to teach. I was in a cohort when I decided to get a middle school certification for language arts. When I was working on my Ed.S I was in a cohort and that was to continue on to a doctoral cohort. I left that school and went to the U of M where I am in a doctoral cohort. I was also in another cohort called Urban Education Center or UEC. So, when it comes to working with people in small groups, I think I got that down pretty good. Families are cohorts. Churches are cohorts especially in small churches or Sunday school settings. What exactly is a cohort? I am glad you asked. A cohort is any band of warriors or associates. How many cohorts are you in or have been in?