Empowerment: Steps to Your Destiny

By La'Shunda Thomas

This book is about changing your attitude and your perception regarding your life. It allows you to see things regarding your situation through Gods eyes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543418293

La'Shunda Thomas

La’Shunda Thomas a native of Lansing, MI is a life strategist, author, poet, mentor, community leader, and political activist. La’Shunda embarked on a journey to educate area youth in the community and instill pride in their heritage. Wearing these hats has allowed Mrs. Thomas to fulfill her God given purpose to touch and encourage individuals to reach their highest potential by changing their mindset. The most important role for La’Shunda Thomas is that of a supportive wife and loving mother. Mrs. Thomas is the mother of five girls, who she is raising to be respectful, engaged, young ladies, teaching them to honor their mother and father. La’Shunda has mastered critical listening, child development, mentoring, and she has a keen insight to building relationships. La’Shunda is committed to her walk with Christ, her husband, children, family, and community.

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Preface

Recently I came to the realization that I have been a very negative person. When I finally took a look at myself, I realized that not only had I become negative but I had also become bitter, angry, hateful, and discontent. If you had asked me to describe myself, my response would have been nice, outspoken, feisty, funny, and even sweet. One day, I started looking around and began to notice the reactions of people who would encounter me. I asked my husband on several occasions what kind of person I was; in response, he basically described me as a bitter, angry, and mean woman. Of course, I would think he was just upset because I would often tell him what I felt or what I was thinking. I knew that if anyone could describe me, it would be me, and that was not the description I would have given myself. I was not interested in the looking glass theory but was more into my own egotistic ways.

One day, I had a spiritual encounter that allowed me to see what was going on clearly. This encounter allowed me to see my response when my husband would get on my nerves or my response when an annoying person would call or even my temper when my children would do something I did not approve of. My response would be irritated, snappy, angry, and zero-tolerant actions that usually would be followed by my mouth opening up and saying exactly what I wanted to say. I found this was my response at home, at work, with my parents, and even at church toward my pastor and fellow church members. I did not understand what was going on and wondered why it seemed that everyone was out to get me.

I became so negative that in my head, it seemed that my husband did not care; I swore he did not love me. I decided at one time that I would just leave him. When it came to the children, I felt like running away, then I began calculating when they would finally move out of the house and head to college. At work, I felt like everyone was plotting against me and had started becoming cliquey. While at church, I was no longer a part of the youth choir and did not want to be a part of anything else. I had begun to give up and just wanted to be alone and bitter. Of course, to me, none of this was my problem, but the problem was everyone that was surrounding me. During these times, I would hear this still, small voice say, Could it be everyone else that is the problem? Could any of this be you? I would then respond with a no and give my reasons on why it could not be me at all.

Day after day, things seemed to only get worse for me. I began to feel depressed. I wanted to quit my job and just wallow around in my own self-pity. I ended up going on a six-month stress leave from work and attempted to let God do his work in me. While being off, I began to see a professional counselor, went to my pastor for counseling, and I also tried many new recipes. I thought it would be a very joyful time, but unfortunately, six months was not long enough to fix a lifetime of issues that were deeply embedded within me. Six months was not long enough to change the mentality that I had picked up so many decades ago. Unfortunately, I did not get to the bottom of why I was feeling the way that I felt, which left me returning to work the same as when I left six months prior.

Years had passed by, and I still did not quite understand what was causing that feeling of defeat. I tried to change my outlook, but I still ended up with the conclusion that it was everyone else with the problem. That is one of the great things about God—when you go to him in prayer about others, he will always shine the light back on you and your flaws.

As I look back at that time in my life, I find myself very thankful to God that my spirit would not let me rest. I am thankful that God kept shining a light back on me, allowing me to see myself. I am very grateful that my spirit would not allow me to give up and die in the wilderness. I started sincerely