BOOK REVIEW: SPEAK TO YOUR LIFE: DAILY DEVOTIONALS
Book Review by Dennis Moore
February 4, 2010 (San Diego) -- Yesterday, I ministered to inmates at the George Bailey Center Jail in San Diego County, reading from Speak to Your Life, a book of daily devotionals by San Diego's Stellar Award-winning gospel radio announcer Lady Shaunte Garrett: “Today I will have an attitude of peace. I won’t get upset with petty things. I will be pleasant to everyone I come in contact with and will not fall for satan’s attempts to get me upset. I will resist him and he will flee.”
This was followed by the Biblical scripture: Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they will be called sons of God.
These inmates attentively held on to the words that I read from Lady Shaunte’s book, and later expressed an appreciation for being ministered to as we prayed together.
Since I also minister to inmates at the RJ Donovan Prison in San Diego County, Lady Shaunte’ has expressed to me a willingness and desire to read to inmates there. Her Daily Devotional for May 2nd, “Hope/Encourage/Endurance,” would be most appropriate: “Today I vow to be a prisoner of hope. I will be unshakeable in my faith and I will refuse to give up!” This is followed by the following scripture in the Bible as a reference point for her daily devotional:
Zechariah 9:12 Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I will restore twice as much to you.
The book exemplifies the author's values. A writer for the nationally syndicated Donnie McClurkin radio show, she is also a youth leader and mentor at the New Creation Church of San Diego and in her community. She has dedicated her book to her grandmother, Gladys Lee Garrett.
Speak To Your Life is as much about Lady Shaunte’ Garrett as it is about the scriptures that she quotes, as it is clear through each daily devotional in her book that she loves the Lord. Her biography resonates throughout each daily devotional.
Born in Oakland and raised in the San Francisco Bay area, Shaunte’ Garrett, AKA “Lady Shaunte,” was recently named the 2009 Stellar Award Winner for Gospel Announcer of The Year. The Stellar Awards is the highest honor in gospel music and is the premier African-American Gospel Music Award. This accomplished author and speaker, who is passionate about her faith, has been quoted as stating; “a walk of faith in obedience to God which has truly paid off.” She most recently served as Program Director and on-air Sunday mornings host for “Mighty Good Day With Lady Shaunte” at “The New Soul of San Diego,” 1240AM, since the birth of the radio station in 2004.Typical of the type of music that Garrett would have promoted, is the attached song from my former church in Chicago, the Apostolic Church of God here.
Lady Shaunte’believes her calling is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the masses. She gives honor and praise to God for all that she believes He does in her life. Thus, the driving force and inspiration behind her Speak To Your Life, Daily Devotionals.
I started my day reading from her book, which stated; “Today I will renew my commitment to God by taking a spiritual holiday. I will break from my usual routine and concentrate on drawing closer to God and the things of God. I will use this as a time to refresh my mind and body.” This was followed by the following scripture in the Bible as a reference point:
Numbers 28:1-2 The Lord said to Moses, Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: See that you present to me at the appointed time the food for my offerings made by fire, as an aroma pleasing to me.
In her book, each day Lady Shaunte’ gives different words of hope and encouragement from a Biblical perspective. These words of hope and encouragement are designed to resonate throughout one's consciousness in a way to bring readers closer to their Lord and Savior, at least in my interpretation. Each day readers of this book will be uplifted through scriptures and motivational messages.
I encourage readers to include Speak To Your Life in their daily devotionals. Truly, the books motivational passages will get your day started out right.
Lady Shaunte’ sums up her book by stating; “My prayer is that Speak To Your Life will encourage you to be all that you can be in Christ. That it would assist you in speaking victory over your life daily and that you would recognize the power that your words have over your circumstances."
For more information, visit www.ladyshaunte.com.
Dennis Moore is a member of the San Diego Writers/Editors Guild, a writer and contributor with the East County Magazine in San Diego, and LifeAfter50 Magazine in Pasadena, California. He has also written for the Baja Times Newspaper in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. He is the Book Review Editor for SDWriteway, a WebZine newsletter. He has written a yet to be published book about Chicago politics, The City That Works. Mr. Moore is also the President of Contracts & Agency, a consulting, marketing and promotions company. He can be contacted at contractsagency@gmail.com or you can follow him on Twitter at: @DennisMoore8.