Hi there! Welcome back to my blog. Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to an author that I absolutely admire. If you haven’t read one of her books, do yourself a favor and get them. I loved Coming Home and The Someday List 🙂 She has a new venture Life Untapped. The stories on there are so relatable. I’m going to step aside and let her tell us more.

Unoma: Who is Stacy Hawkins Adams?

Stacy: I would describe myself as optimistic, loyal and somewhat shy. But behind what appears to be my reserved demeanor is a fun-loving, big-hearted person who wants to enjoy life to the fullest and wishes the same for others. I am a natural encourager; so seeing others thrive makes my heart smile. I’m also a deeply devoted mom, a lover of all things chocolate and a big fan of naps. Most importantly,  I am God’s grateful daughter.

Unoma: In 10 words or less can you create a quote that describes you and your purpose journey?

Stacy:  I write and speak to encourage, uplift and inspire others.

Unoma:  What is the driving force in your life?

Stacy: My relationship with God and honoring Him in all I do is my driving force, whether that be through my writing, my role as a devoted mother to my two children, or in my role as a sister, friend, colleague and community member.

Unoma: How do you balance family, faith and your passion/business?

Stacy: Ecclesiastes 3:11 is one of my life scriptures, and I’ve embraced the fact that life happens in seasons, and so can our purpose and passion. I do a lot of things (write fiction, write nonfiction, work a full-time job beyond writing, parent, volunteer, etc.) but I don’t always do them all at once! In some seasons I read more than I write (intentionally); in some seasons my role as a parent means other activities and goals must be sidelined; in some season they’re clicking all at once. As life ebbs and flows, so do my patterns of busyness and need, and I try to go with the flow and trust God’s timing for making it all come together as it should.

Unoma: What was the single most devastating experience/challenge in your life and how did you overcome it?

Stacy: Grief is always difficult, so I could say the loss of my mother 12 years ago; but about as difficult as that experience was going through divorce, because in many ways divorce is a death, too – death of your family as you knew it and death of many of your dreams.  I’ve been a single mother (who co-parents with my children’s father) for about five years, and that complete shift in my life and my children’s lives was huge. As any divorced person can tell you, overcoming this isn’t easy or fast, especially after a long-term marriage. But through much prayer, patience, self-care and support from loyal family and friends, my journey has shifted to one of discovering and appreciating beauty from those ashes. Persistence in this process has helped me ensure that my children having loving relationships with both of their parents and also has strengthened my inner peace and joy. (And FYI, because I have such a vast body of writing under my name Stacy Hawkins Adams, I don’t plan to change it, whatever the future holds. It will remain my pen name – or at least one of them.)

Unoma: How do you build confident expectations in your dark moments?

Stacy: I am an optimist by nature, so I always try to find a “silver lining” in whatever dark moments I encounter. I also deeply trust in Romans 8:28 and believe that every thing will eventually work out for my good, as long as I’m operating in integrity and excellence.

Unoma :  How does your understanding of the future give you hope for the present?

Stacy: I know that I can’t control the future; all I can do is give my best and be my best today. If I focus on doing that well, it’s just like climbing a set of stairs: you can only take one at a time, but if you keep moving forward, eventually you’ll reach your desired destination. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds of this: God has a future for us that is amazing and purpose-filled; we just have to do our part to get there.

Unoma : What does it look like practically for you to “turn to the cross” in your business/ministry.

Stacy: For me that is something I do daily, whether dealing with my routine tasks or facing an extraordinary opportunity.  It means revisiting particular scriptures that are my anchor; making sure I maintain a weekly prayer call with my prayer partner in addition to my constant conversations with God, and seeking wise counsel from fellow believers who I know have my best interest at heart.

Unoma:  What advice would you give your younger self?

Stacy: I would tell my younger self it’s okay to not always get it right. Sometimes the failures or missteps we experience are necessary to learn important life lessons, to become empathetic toward others or to grow in some way that will eventually help us live out our life’s purpose. I know for sure that the challenges and losses I’ve faced have not only made me stronger, but also have helped me empathize with others more deeply, and grant them the benefit of the doubt more than I might have otherwise.

Unoma:  What can we look forward to from you this year? OR What are you working on?

Stacy: While I love writing fiction, I will spend most of 2017 focused on my nonfiction writing, which is also a passion. I recently launched a new blog (www.LifeUntapped.com) and I’ll be marketing and growing this platform this year, along with blogging more regularly for The Huffington Post and sharing my writing in essays and articles. I also am toying with the idea of writing a short story or two, so stay tuned!

Wow! I hope you enjoyed that. Reading this makes the Stacy’s books I’ve read make so much more sense. I simply love them. You wanna know more about her…

Bio

Stacy Hawkins Adams is an author, journalist and writing mentor whose fiction and nonfiction help readers find confidence in their own stories. She has penned nine faith-based novels and one devotional book. Her recent titles include The Someday List, an Essence bestseller; Coming Home, a 2012 Target stores Recommended Read; and Finding Home, a finalist for a 2016 African American Literary Show Award. Stacy also serves as the parenting columnist for a Virginia-based newspaper and blogs occasionally for The Huffington Post. Learn more about Stacy at www.StacyHawkinsAdams.com and visit her blog at www.LifeUntapped.com.

Contact: Stacy@StacyHawkinsAdams.com

Nest week is our finale with Lara Mfon and with that, I’m sad to say that we have come to the end of this series. Please feel free to click on the category and read stories that you have missed. I promise you will be encouraged and empowered.

You are never alone in your struggles, the plan is to whatever you do, hold on to His promises and His plan.

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Blessings

Unoma