The Power of Us: How to Win in Marriage and Business - Passion. Pain. Truth. Faith.

By Sulaiman Mausi and Lesleigh Mausi

Yes, You Can Build a Loving, Passionate Marriage 

and a Thriving Business with Your Spouse

Have you dreamed of running your own business? Does your vision include working with your spouse? Are you r

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Power of Us Brand
• Release date: May 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781737139720

Book preview

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This publication is designed for informational and inspirational purposes only. The content seeks to provide authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and authors are not engaged in rendering legal, financial or mental health advice. If legal, financial, mental health or marital counseling is required, the services of a licensed professional should be sought.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Power of Us: How to Win in Marriage and Business – Passion. Pain. Truth. Faith.

Copyright © 2021 by Sulaiman and Lesleigh Mausi

Published by The Power of Us Brand

Rolesville, NC

www.ThePowerofUsBrand.com

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the authors, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law, with proper citation. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below.

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-7371397-0-6

Audiobook ISBN: 978-1-7371397-1-3

E-book ISBN: 978-1-7371397-2-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021910952

Cover Design by Mass Appeal Graphics and Design

Cover Photo by Chris Charles

Interior Design by JERA Publishing

First Edition

Entrepreneurship, Marriage, Business, Faith.

In the spirits of Raymond, Xavier, Joyce and Nonnie;

To our legacies Sulaiman Jr., Ahmad and Nasir;

And for couples everywhere who build, persevere and triumph together;

—May our lives and this work serve as proof that love ALWAYS wins.

Contents

Foreword

A Note From The Authors

Introduction

Her Story

His Story

Our Story

Our Promise to You

Chapter 1: Foundation

Foundation | His Story

Foundation | Her Story

Foundation | Our Story

The Power of Foundation

Chapter 2: Faith

Faith | His Story

Faith | Her Story

Faith | Our Story

The Power of Faith

Chapter 3: Work Ethic

Work Ethic | Her Story

Work Ethic | His Story

Work Ethic | Our Story

The Power of Work Ethic

Chapter 4: Entrepreneurial Spirit

Entrepreneurial Spirit | His Story

Entrepreneurial Spirit | Her Story

Entrepreneurial Spirit | Our Story

The Power of Entrepreneurial Spirit

Chapter 5: Family

Family | Her Story

Family | His Story

Family | Our Story

The Power of Family

Chapter 6: Love

Love | Her Story

Love | His Story

Love | Our Story

The Power of Love

Chapter 7: Fidelity

Fidelity | His Story

Fidelity | Her Story

Fidelity | Our Story

The Power of Fidelity

Chapter 8: Grace and Forgiveness

Grace and Forgiveness | Her Story

Grace and Forgiveness | His Story

Grace and Forgiveness | Our Story

The Power of Grace and Forgiveness

Chapter 9: Communication

Communication | His Story

Communication | Her Story

Communication | Our Story

The Power of Communication

Chapter 10: The Power of Us: No Limits

Acknowledgments

Sulaiman’s Acknowledgments

Lesleigh’s Acknowledgments

Foreword

By Dr. Jeffery and Sandie Chapman

The Power of Us is a well titled, beautiful love story that encompasses the truth of the third element in a marriage, God. When God is the core, His truth triumphs over the mistakes and imperfections of a husband and wife. Through Sulaiman and Lesleigh’s story, we not only see grace and forgiveness, but we see God and mankind; Christ and the church - true agape love in action.

Sulaiman and Lesleigh share the history of how they were raised so differently - one a Muslim, one a Christian - to how they met in a club, got married, raised children, started a business, dealt with sickness, and fought through infidelity. They share it all.

Confession is the first step in deliverance, and the Bible instructs us to confess our faults so we may receive healing. When Sulaiman confessed his infidelity, not only did their marriage heal, but he began to heal.

And while Lesleigh had every right and reason to leave according to worldly opinions, she stayed to show her husband and her boys agape love. She chose to forgive and heal. Sulaiman experienced redemption and refused to walk in shame. Instead, he walks in forgiveness.

Their transparency shows strength and maturity that can only come through experience. And it’s from their experiences that they’ve gained much wisdom. Their message of forgiveness is so real, raw and relatable that it will bring hope and encouragement to married couples in any stage of their relationship.

The Power of Us covers the ingredients your marriage needs to not only survive but thrive. It renews hope in the institution of marriage and the God who created it. And Sulaiman and Lesleigh’s story proves that God is a restorer of what may seem hopeless.

The Power of Us (Sulaiman, Lesleigh and God) is a life changing, therapeutic read for all.

A Note From The Authors

Thank you for your purchase of this book! While this is just a tiny glimpse into our life, our prayer is that it will be transforming for the audiences we are called to impact. When authoring this book together, we wanted to be sure our independent and collective voices were clearly understood.

Each chapter includes four sections: His Story, Her Story, Our Story, and The Power of ____. Each Her Story section is written in first-person point of view from Lesleigh’s perspective, while His Story sections offer Sulaiman’s perspective.

Every Our Story and The Power of ____ section is written from a first-person plural point of view. We refer to ourselves collectively using we and our. But when referring to ourselves individually, we use Sulaiman and Lesleigh instead of using I.

The audiobook version of The Power of Us features male and female voices that differentiate the authors’ perspectives. While this results in the dialogue being slightly different from the printed version, it offers a unique layer of enjoyment for the listener.

We hope you will enjoy your experience with The Power of Us: How to Win in Marriage and Business.

Introduction

Her Story

The year was 2015. I rushed home from the hair salon on a warm November afternoon in Durham, North Carolina to find Sulaiman, my husband of (at that time) sixteen years, sitting on the couch in the great room watching television. Somewhere in the house, our two sons Sulaiman Jr. and Ahmad, were distracted by the things that hold the attention of ten and fourteen-year-old adolescent boys. I took advantage of the moment alone with my husband. Something was going on with him and I couldn’t figure out what it was. For months he’d been gaining weight. He started smoking cigarettes regularly and his eyes looked jaundiced. Whether it was stress related, financial, medical or other, I intended to get to the bottom of it.

I dropped to my knees in front of Sulaiman and looked up at him.

Something’s going on, I said. You’re putting on weight. Your eyes are yellow. Are you sick? Whatever it is, I got you. We can get through it together.

Nothing’s wrong, he insisted.

But earlier, a prodding from the Holy Spirit while I sat under the hair dryer had sent me home determined to get answers, and that still, small voice told me not to let up until I got the truth from him. As much as he resisted, I kept pushing.

Finally, Sulaiman said, "If you really want to know, I’ll tell you. Come with me to get some cigarettes. He grabbed an entire bottle of Hennessy and told me, Let’s take a ride."

Since when, I wondered, do we need an entire bottle of Hennessy to talk?

With the boys safely situated in the house, I locked the door behind us, got into the truck with him and we went for that ride. We pulled into the gas station around the corner and Sulaiman got out to pump gas and buy more cigarettes. In the stillness of the SUV, a million questions flooded my mind: What could it be? Is he ill? Are we in financial trouble? I breathed slowly to calm my thoughts.

And then, I heard a voice from deeper inside myself say, "There’s a baby."

I can’t lie. At first, I thought it was the voice of the devil. I started rebuking and praying God would remove that negative thought from my mind, because surely this message wasn’t from Him. It couldn’t be!

When Sulaiman returned to the truck, we pulled out of the gas station and parked nearby in a secluded corner of the Harris Teeter supermarket parking lot. Night had fallen, and the anticipation of what he had to say was palpable in the air.

I waited quietly as he poured two red Solo cups of Hennessy, turned to face me in the passenger seat, and looked me in my eyes. And then he said the words out loud.

I’ve got a son.

My husband of (then) sixteen years, the father of my two sons, was now also the father of an eight-month-old baby boy.

I still to this day can’t find the words to explain what I felt in that moment. Shock, sadness, anger, and rage don’t seem to sum it up. I could not understand how I had missed what was going on. I questioned what kind of man would be so reckless as to risk our entire family and life together for something so selfish as an affair. I questioned what kind of wife I was not to have seen or sensed what was going on with my own husband.

My husband.

A careless affair.

Nine months of pregnancy.

And a baby. A whole eight-month-old baby.

His Story

Lesleigh was right. She had no idea what was going on with me. I had avoided telling her for as long as possible, but the stress of holding that secret was literally killing me. Months before, a DNA test had confirmed the child was, in fact, mine. I’d already told my mother and my brothers there was a good chance he would be. During one of my concerts that August, I even confided in hip hop icon Nas, who my youngest son was named after, as he and I watched Erykah Badu’s performance from the stage at Chene Park (now The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre) in Detroit. But I couldn’t bring myself to tell my wife. I couldn’t hurt her like that, and I was sure that once I did she would leave me.

Both of my businesses were doing well. Financially I was rolling, selling out concerts left and right in Detroit and North Carolina. It should have been one of the best times in my life, but I had this secret and it kept me in my own private hell. That day before Lesleigh came home and confronted me with her concerns, my brother Malik had advised me to let her know what was going on. When she approached me and questioned me so relentlessly, I knew the time had come.

It was dark outside as we sat isolated from the other cars in the grocery store parking lot, and I stared into the depths of her eyes as I said the words, I’ve got a son. It was the hardest sentence I’d ever spoken in my life, and my wife broke down. Lesleigh cried and fired questions at me. And I had to accept the fact that, once again, I had hurt the only woman I have ever truly loved. Everything I’d ever wanted for my family, the example I wanted to be for my sons, the protector I wanted to be for my wife, everything she and I had worked for together was all out the window.

From the moment I said the words, I did my best to answer her but the whole conversation was a blur to me. The sense of relief that would eventually come from having finally revealed the truth hadn’t set