Welcome to another edition of Flashlight Moments in the Dark. I hope you have been keeping up. This week is our third week and I have the pleasure of interviewing Norma L Jarret.
Me: So tell us, who is Norma L. Jarrett?
Norma: Norma Jarrett is a believer who seeks to encourage and inspire through the use of her creative gifts.
Me: What is the driving force in your life?
Norma: My desire to encourage and inspire women and to help them understand how fearfully and wonderfully he has made us all.
Me: How do you balance family, faith and your passion/business?
Norma: It is not always easy. I think you have to continuously commit it to God. Especially when you know you have not honored your time as you should. God is the great balancer. Me: What was the single most devastating experience/challenge in your life and how did you overcome it?
Norma: Losing my mother shortly after I graduated from college. She was my best friend. (next to my father) Her death was so unexpected and heart breaking. I can’t say I have completely gotten over it but it forced me to grow closer to God. I wandered around plugging that whole with accomplishments but on He could fill that space.
Me: How do you build confident expectations in your dark moments?
Norma: On the professional, I talk to God a lot but also have a few trusted sounding boards. I read the word and other motivational material. I pray and use affirmations and I try to stay around passion infused people. On the personal side I journal, stay connected to spirit filled but balanced friends, listen to praise and worship and attend church. I do lots of “self-talk” and remember everything is a season. It is also wise to have a great prayer partner.
Me: How does your understanding of the future give you hope for the present?
Norma: I know that God holds the future. I have learned hard lessons about anxiety and fear. Some of our biggest mistakes occur when we get out of God’s timing. It sounds cliché’ but you do have to live in the moment. (Business or Personal)
Me:What does it look like practically for you to “turn to the cross” in your business/ministry.
Norma: It means quiet time for me. I have to shut everything down. By nature I am a socialized introvert so turning inward comes natural. It means getting up a little earlier to pray and meditate or something simple as sitting outside and soaking up nature.
Me:What advice would you give your younger self?
Norma: You are so much smarter, together and more beautiful than you give yourself credit for. Don’t ever let anyone else assign your value. Have fun and enjoy every experience in life.
Me:What can we look forward to from you this year? OR What are you working on?
Norma: I am working on two non-fiction books. Place and With Dignity and Grace.
I hope you enjoyed Norma’s transparency and see that even through uncertainty, we owe it to ourselves to push through the process and glow in the dark. Also Journaling play an important role in intentional thinking and reflection. There is still time to get your FREE Light Pearls in the Dark Prayer Journal. All you have to do is preorder In the Dark
Now let’s find out more about Norma,
Bio: Norma L. Jarrett, J.D. is the award winning author of Randomhouse novels, Sunday Brunch, Sweet Magnolia and The Sunday Brunch Diaries (Essence bestseller) and other works: Bridal Brunch, Brunchspiration, Christmas Beau, Love on a Budget, Valentine’s Day…Again??? and Salt and Sky. Her work has been featured in USA Today, Essence, Ebony, Publisher’s Weekly, Rolling Out, Southern Living, Upscale, Hope Magazine and other media. Norma has been a featured guest on The Yolanda Adams radio show, ABC 13’s Crossroads, Outlook Houston, Majic 102, Atlanta’s V103 and other media. Among other honors, Ms. Jarrett has received a Certificate of Congressional Recognition for her literary work. She has served as a panelist and/or speaker at events such as the Baltimore Book Festival, Miami Book Fair, Faith & Fiction Retreat, Harlem Book Fair, the Essence Music Festival, Christian Book Lovers Retreat and other venues. Ms. Jarrett is a graduate of North Carolina A & T State University and Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Norma is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and a founding member of The Anointed Authors on Tour. She is married and resides in Houston, Texas, where she attends Lakewood Church. Visit her website at http://www.normajarrett.net.
You can also keep up with Norma on Social media
@jarrettwrites7 (Twitter)
@Authornormajarrett (Instagram)
@jarrettwrites7@aol.com (e-mail)
Enjoy the rest of your week
Blessings
Unoma
PS: Have you listens to the Anchor Talk Podcast? A small burst of inspiration and encouragement rooted in Scripture and laced with personal stories to keep you anchored in hope during uncertainty
Listen on Stitcher Listen on iTunes
Unoma Nwankwor 
“passion infused” people I like that. Thank you so much for Sweet Magnolia.