“Can I be real?”
There is a lady in my church who stirs everyone up with high expectation and interest when she mounts the pulpit. She endears her listeners with what she speaks about and her mannerisms in body language. She goes by a nickname – ‘Can I be real?’ The pic below shows the real me. No make-up. No hair attachments.  No dyeing of hair. Just the real me!
Today, I want to be real. How many of you check up their posts on this forum –More Than Writers with some form of expectation?  Can I be real? I was disappointed about my December post. Just 2 responses [aside my comments]! It felt like when one calls out for a book launch or whatever. Thank God for the faithful few!  I can imagine how Lord Jesus must have felt when only one leper out of ten came back to say, ‘Thank you’. There has been so much encouragement given to us writers as Christians and in our writing.  I know that many members are not always on face book or able to respond to posts. Still, this 2022, let us encourage each other here. Can I be real?  It may seem some posts attract friends of the writer. [Hope not!!!!].  Let us make the extra effort.  The other day, a member mentioned her taking time to respond to all the posts she’d missed!! That is commitment.  Iron sharpens iron. We owe this to ourselves on this forum. I’m also addressing myself!
 
 

Sophia Anyanwu is British Nigerian, lives in SE London and is a part time tutor, writer and poet. She is a multi-genre writer but recently writes Christian fiction. Stories for Younger Generations was published in 2017 followed by The Confession, Turning the Clock Hands Backwards and Stories for Older Generations [Stories from the Heart]. Their Journey on Earth to Heaven was released on February 2018. All of Sophia’s books are available from her website: www.olusolasophiaanyanwuauthor.com , Amazon or local bookshops.

FOR YOU

1. SAY THIS PRAYER.

Thank You God for my life
Thank You for my family
Thank You for the strength in my physical body
Thank You for the job You have given me
Thank You God for the roof over my head
Thank You God for being faithful to me in previous exams and challenges
Than You God for listening to me when I pray
Thank You for forgiving me my sins
Thank You for adopting me in to Your family
Thank You for making me Your daughter
Thank You for erasing my past and setting me free
Thank You God for making me a new creature in Christ Jesus
Thank You because You have never let me down
Thank You because you said that if I ask, I will receive
Thank You because all things work for my good
Thank You for the good work You have begun in me because You will perfect it
Thank You because no weapon formed against me will prosper
Thank You because You never fail
Thank You God because my victory and honour come from You alone
Thank You God because nothing is impossible for You.
MAY YOUR GOODNESS,MERCY, LOVE AND TENDER  KINDNESS OVERTAKE ME IN THIS EXAM AND OTHER CHALLENGES IN MY LIFE AND HELP ME TO ACHIEVE NEW THINGS IN MY LIFE, TO YOUR GLORY. AMEN.
​

The buzz of excitement!
I’m excited! You might wonder as there is so much pain and conflict in parts of the world like Ukraine as I write!  Life still goes on and we can only continue to hold God’s creation in prayers. Back to my excitement. No, to all your thoughts about a published book, a completed manuscript, a compelling review, a contract offer… I’ll give you a clue. It couldn’t have been easy for our Papa God to have created the world in the time He did! He had it all planned out and like us, must have mulled over what things to prioritise.  It was hard work and it had to be perfect. What excited God was His doing something new and completely different from all His other works of creation. That was when He created you and I! He said, ‘Let us make man in our image’. Surely, it was the creation of Man that pleased Him the most. He must have been excited. How do we feel when we create new genres and works? Excitement.
In November last year, during the NaNoWriMo season, I birthed a new book of 50,395 words - Prophetess but this is not why I am excited.  Prophetess was created in 2 weeks and I rested for 14 days compared to our Papa’s one day rest but this isn’t why I’m excited. Like our Papa God, I have done something completely different from what I have done with all my other writings. Prophetess is a Christian Dystopian Fantasy fiction eliminating all the evil arising from war, sickness and unfulfilled dreams. My first attempt at this genre but that’s not my excitement.  Here is what excites me. All my other works were edited by me. Yes and I’m proud of the comments some people made in their reviews of my writing as ‘Nigerian English’! No offence taken.  It settled an awareness. Now for the first time, I have sought the service of an accomplished renowned editor! Watch the space.
 
God is excited in creating humans every second.  The Human species is a multi-genre of Beings, metaphorically! To me, Prophetess is new specie in its genre and created in the image of ‘British English’[for laughs].  Editing in its full entirety.  I am so excited. Can you step back a moment and ponder why else Papa God might have been excited in creating you and I? Is He excited when we birth new books as an extension of His creativity?
 

​ From Egypt to Canaan! Part 1
‘Everything we learn and experience has a purpose; it affects our perspectives and understanding.’ This is the last sentence from Ruth Johnson’s post –Sun, Sand, Sangria for the March 21st blog post.  That spoke to me and I decided to share how my life experiences in Nigeria in the 80s and 90s have blessed my writing according to God’s purpose.
 
 
 
On 4th February, I had a zoom interview with Brandan Conboy for his Dog in the Pod show.  [I’m mesmerised by that ‘Dog’ title and forgot to ask the meaning!] I mentioned what my life in Nigeria was like when the government owed teachers their salaries for months. Imagine if both parents are teachers!! It was like living the hopeless life of the Jews in Egypt.  I had remained devoted to God.  When a mass of believers are together in their pain, their faith gives a divine strength to hope until God provides a way out. I had continued writing and continued my job as a teacher even when unpaid.
 
 
 
Like God heard the cries of His people, mine was also heard. God sent a lady to remind me of my birth land and advised me to relocate to UK to teach!  It sounded preposterous. My manuscripts followed me, the way Moses carried his writings of their lives in Egypt over to Canaan. I never thought my writings would ever get published! It is amazing that people read our books and see God’s glory but never imagine the fire we have passed through or are passing through! Some of these experiences are reflected in my writings.
  In this land of Milk and Honey the Lord has brought us, may our writings continue to help people see God’s plan for their lives and increase their knowledge of God. Amen.
 
 
Sophia Anyanwu is a multi-genre writer and poet. Her books are available from her website: www.olusolasophiaanyanwuauthor.com , Amazon or local bookshops.