Stanice Anderson – An accomplished author and speaker, she has published books via small, 12-Step Programs: A Resource Guide for Helping Professionals to large publishing house, I Say A Prayer For Me: One Woman’s Life of Faith and Triumph to self-publishing her latest book, Walking On Water When The Ground Ain’t Enuf. Stanice’s books have been featured in everything from Essence and New York Times to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Searchlight. Publishers Weekly’s review wrote, “Gripping with a novelist’s eye for dialogue”. “Maya Angelou’s literary talent and Iyanla Vanzant’s prayerful insights”, was the praise from the Washington Informer. Anderson has also written articles published in national magazines. She was at the forefront of the “Dotcom” boom working behind the scenes at USAToday.com. Stanice is also is a principal publicist along with her son, Mike, with Anderson Tucker Agency. In April 2011, Stanice was featured in Black Enterprise Magazine in two-page spread entitled, “Self-Made Miracle.” She is outspoken, passionate and has a unique knack for social media and connecting with people from all walks of life.
To learn more about Stanice, you can check her out at her website and on Twitter and Facebook.
WALKING ON WATER WHEN THE GROUND AIN’T ENUF is a testament to the love, power and grace of God in our daily lives. Stanice Anderson’s mosaic account of her journey over troubled waters toward unwavering faith is meant to inspire, encourage and uplift. Her gripping real stories, captivating testimonies, soul-stirring monologues, and cadenced spokentry, read like intimate conversations with a trusted friend. Get ready to laugh, cry, praise and walk on water. Come on! Get your faith wet.
I’ve been a fan of yours for a while now, Stanice. I occasionally go to your pages just to see what you’re doing and to perhaps get that one sentence that I know will have me thinking, reflecting, and moving in a direction that is good for me. You definitely have the inspirational touch with whatever you do. As your words and story are an inspiration to others, what are FIVE things, people that inspire you and your endeavors?
- Sharon Ewell Foster – Acclaimed novelist, client and friend. Her tenacity and perseverance is finding the truth, humble spirit, boldness in writing that truth into her books, and the way she freely pour of her knowledge into those willing to listen—like me.
- Patrice Gaines – former Washington Post Reporter, author, speaker, and friend. Her life story inspires me. Someone gave me her book, Laughing in The Dark, in the late 90’s and told me she had a similar story and that like I aspired to do; she rose from the ashes and had gone on to do great things with her life. I was encouraged as I read Patrice’s words that I could indeed write my memoir and encourage others as she encouraged me. We later met, as God orchestrated that meeting through my first book, 12-Step Programs, in 1999. She agreed to read and wrote a testimonial. We’ve been friends ever since. She became my publishing world mentor and introduced my work to her then-agent, Denise Stinson; who later became my agent; then, publisher of my 2nd book, I Say A Prayer For Me (Walk Worthy Press/Warner).
- My son is another inspiration and teacher in my life. Through his unconditional love and watching him grow as a man, he helped me let go of my prejudices toward men. Since I had been a rape survivor, residues of resentment and unforgiveness lingered in my heart. My son showed me, through his incredible perseverance, kindness and forgiveness of me as I had abandoned him during my addiction, that all men were not dogs. That I couldn’t keep blaming all men for what these three men did to me in my youth. Now, as a single father of three, I see him sacrifice, bravely, and astutely raise my grandchildren, he inspires me daily.
- The incredible and faith-filled women that God has populated my life with; especially, my recovery sponsor and mentor, Dorine Phelps. She taught has poured her love, knowledge and experiences into my life for the entire 26 years and counting that I’ve been free from the bondage of active addiction. I mean, common-sense, simple, yet powerful things like, “Stanice, you’re so busy holding on to the old stuff; that you’re going to mess around and miss the new and good stuff that God has for you. Let it go!” Oh, and this one, so simple, I almost missed it, “It’s alright to be a fool; but don’t keep being the same damn fool over and over again.” Shonell, this was the kind of education that laid the foundation for everything that was yet to come.
- The last shall be first! God’s Word. I’ve learned to live, breathe and practically apply it to my everyday living situation. My foundational verses, which keep me walking on water when the ground ain’t enough are Jeremiah 29:11-13, “God says, ‘I alone know the plans I have for you, plans for prosperity and not disaster; plans to give you a future and a hope,” and Revelations 12:11, “We overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony…” That’s what I do, share my testimonies and the hope in God that I’ve found, from pages to podiums—every opportunity I’m given.
Many of us have “Come to Jesus” moments when we are touched in a way that moves us to a new level of understanding, that opens us to more, new opportunities, that shows us that we’re more than we think we are. Can you talk to us about one of your “Come to Jesus” moments and illustrate FOUR ways in which you grew, found new opportunities from that moment?
Shonell, I love your phrasing of that reality! One of my “Come to Jesus” moments would be when I, with a child’s heart, decided to trust God and literally take Him at His Word, “you have not because you ask not.” I said a prayer for me and asked God to make a way for me to go to a 12-step convention in Los Angeles, CA. A woman I was mentoring to at the time, gave me a round-trip ticket, without me asking her. I saw this as my sign from God that I was to go. While I asked my parents for money to augment my $40, which was all the spare money I had to take with me, they both denied me the help. I went anyway with my $40. I called ahead and asked the convention committee for an “indigent” registration package. They said, “Yes.” I had no hotel reservation nor money for a room, but I went anyway. My mom said, “You’re going to LA with only $40. I wouldn’t go to Silver Spring, Maryland from D.C. with $40.” That did not deter me. My response, “I’m trusting God.”
Well, I parked my car at the airport with $20 of my $40 and boarded the plane. Once there, I realized I didn’t even have the flyer telling me where the convention was. I simply asked the bus drivers where they were taking the people who did a lot of hugging when they saw each other. Well, they said, they noticed that too and told me to board the bus, as they were all at the Convention Center in Anaheim. When I got there, the convention committee said I had been clean and sober too long to get an indigent registration package. And it dawned on me, as I pulled my bags through the lobby, that I had no hotel room. I stood in the middle of this sea of people and cried. I heard my name. Stanice. I looked and it was my friend who had given me the flight tickets who said she had forgot to tell me but, “I purchased a full registration package for you.”
Someone tapped me on my shoulder. As I turned around, I saw another friend from my hometown, Washington, DC. He asked why I was crying, I told him, I didn’t have a room; he proceeded to offer me his room and he would bunk with a friend. He walked me and my overpacked luggage five blocks to his hotel room and gave me his keys. It went on like this the entire weekend. One miracle after another. Actually, I tell this story in my book, I Say A Prayer For Me. Only God could have orchestrated all that happened that weekend; look, Shonell, I even came home with gifts for my son, mom, dad, and change from the $40. My return flight was in Row Two in First Class and… oh, I won’t tell everything.
What four things did I take-away from that “Come to Jesus Moment”: (1) God is faithful, even when we are faithless; (2) God is most ‘def Jehovah-Jireh, God The Provider; (3) help can come from whom and where you least expect; and (4) God cares about absolutely every detail of our lives.
As you make clear on your sites and in your words, what you are and what you do now are a reflection of what God has moved you to do. His words speak loudly when you “encourage, inspire, and motivate others to discover and live God’s marvelous plans for their lives.” What are THREE verses from the Bible that encourage, inspire, and motivate you the most–and why?
I’ve already answered with two verses in previous question. Now, let me add a third verse, “God will show you wonderful and marvelous things you know nothing about.” For someone with as curious a nature as mine, this verse quenches my thirst to the core. WOW. God will do that for me? Show me? Wonderful and marvelous things? I love it. What a promise, He keeps over and over again in my life. Makes me want to soar in Him; knowing that even more will be revealed. Now, that’s exciting!
Having a message is one thing…but having avenues in which to disseminate that message is a completely different beast altogether, especially in our digital age with so many social networks and other means to get a message across. What are TWO ways you have been able to spread your message to more people?
I was thinking about this today [9.12.2011]. I’ve had an online presence, including a website and email, since 1999, with the publication of my first book. God had given me the advantage of working for USATODAY.com at the time I started writing what has become my signature lifestories and sending them out via email–writing and emailing these stories daily to as few as 16 friends to encourage and inspire them. I looked at it as sharing my testimonies, which I had begun to understand was a major part of my purpose; afterall, I had first been given the opportunity to share my story with people in 12-step recovery community at about six months clean and sobers and then with the world via The 700 Club in 1986. So, I saw that hope was contagious. It was on a 700 Club broadcast that I heard somebody and watch their story reenacted that I related, broke through the walls of my denial, accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and asked a family friend to help me get into an addictions treatment center.
So sharing my testimony, in emails when that technology became available to me was a natural progression. From these emailed testimonies, I saw how God was building a ministry for me. Soon came the literary agent, book deal, books, and more speaking opportunities than before my internet presence.
With my natural curiosity, love for people and communication, once social networking became available; i.e., Blogging, FaceBook, Twitter, and LinkedIN, it was opportunity to interact with my reader-friends and broaden my reach for Jesus.
Reflect on everything you’ve experienced, everything you’ve gone through in your life–what is ONE word that best encapsulates that journey for you?
RESILIENCE
***BONUS QUESTION: What projects are you currently working on?***
I’m really excited about my new assignment as publicity architect for acclaimed author Sharon Ewell Foster, and her new fact-based novel, The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part One: The Witnesses. To represent such a significant, history-changing, stereotype-smashing work like this and for such a brilliant writer is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’ve also been given the opportunity to work with young people 13-21 years old, using the arts to help them find their purpose and raise their self-esteem.
On the making books end, my son and I are currently republishing and repurposing my first memoir, I Say A Prayer For Me: One Woman’s Life of Faith and Triumph. It will now be a “To-Go” eBook Series, entitled, I Say A Prayer For Me: Fast Food for The Spirit. Each eBook One thru Seven will include a menu of seven (7) of my signature true lifestories. Each lifestory is made up of (1) the testimony, (2) the segue which pulls the story into the reader’s life, and (3) the prayer with related scripture.
Stanice Anderson
Chick Lit Gurrl