Solomohn Nallshi Ennis, Interview #80

Name: Solomohn Nallshi Ennis

Where you live: Chicago, Illinois

What you do as a vocation or avocation? I am a writer, editor, and publisher.

Your two favorite books: Faith and The Good Thing by Charles Johnson (The smartest, purest, most creative work I have ever read).
How to Read Literature Like A Professor by Thomas Foster (Foster, and my professors Michael R. Molino and Kevin K. Collins ignited then waved the flames of my fiery passion for literature).

Your two favorite songs:"Lord You Have My Heart" by Delirious? (I know it is fairly new but it is one of my favorites).
"Here In The Real World" by Alan Jackson

Why you are interested in spirituality? Because I love HIM. Lord, how I love Thee. I am interested in spirituality because it is where I met God. It is the place of our connection. It is where my soul receives the Gospel and is nourished by the Bible.

Your favorite quote: "If you live this life and do not gain compassion for your brothers and sisters—you have lost something."–Minister Louis Farrakhan

Your favorite web sites:Oneplace.com,
biblegateway.com,
youtube.com,
puresexradio.com (Biblical sexual purity)

Your hero?
I have so many, but each precious one can has this characteristic: They are witnesses for the Lord.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? This is such a difficult question. What I want to learn requires pain, and I do not care for pain. However, because His yoke is easy and His burden is light, and His grace is sufficient—I have asked the Father for: wisdom, patience, discernment, Revelation knowledge, and a heart and life that is committed to the cause of Christ.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" I believe this place is in Alabama. My mother, Barbara Ennis, and my father, Solomon Heard, were born there. I always feel a cleansing, refreshing connectedness there. God has spoken to me through my parents more times and in more ways than I will ever be able to count, and when I walk the dirt roads of my parent’s old towns, I feel a completeness and a closeness that defies comprehension.

Laurie Larsen, Interview #79

Name: Laurie Larsen

Where you live: Normal, IL, USA

What you do as a vocation or avocation? Systems Manager by day, fiction author by night. I spend my day job in the high tech world of computer systems. When I get home I reserve some energy and creativity for my fiction writing. My fourth book, Preacher Man, was published in January – an inspirational romance about a woman recovering from a difficult divorce who falls in love with a minister – something she never pictured for her life since religion wasn’t a regular part of her upbringing. It’s a powerful story about forgiving yourself for the mistakes in your life, so you can open up to the redeeming forgiveness of God.

Your two favorite books: It’d be easier for me to name two of my favorite authors, rather than narrow it down to actual books. The southern author Pat Conroy writes my favorite books in the world – so rich and emotional and full of beautiful language. And I’d have to say J.K. Rowling is my second favorite, for the sheer inventiveness, creativity and magic of the world she built.

Your two favorite songs: Again, artists, not songs. Billy Joel’s probably my all-time favorite musician, followed closely by Elton John.

Why you are interested in spirituality? The whole idea of a greater being, a heavenly Father who created us, helps us and loves us, has always intrigued me. Day to day life can be tough, and I’m grateful that we have help and guidance from someone much bigger and more knowledgeable than ourselves to get us through.

Your favorite quote: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

Your favorite web sites: Well, my own, of course! http://www.authorlaurielarsen.com/ – this is where I promote my own books, as well as keep an active journal on the writing life. I have a constant book giveaway contest, photo albums and other fun stuff.

Also a great resource for romance writers, in particular, but all writers in general: http://www.passionatepen.com/ . I refer to it often.

And a blog I’m occasionally a guest on: http://twrpclimbingrose.blogspot.com/ It’s a blog for teens who love to read. My next book, coming out in July is a Young Adult novel, The Chronicles of Casey V. This is the blog for authors of my publisher, The Wild Rose Press.

Your hero? My hero has always been, and continues to be my mom, Carol Parlette. She is a loving and kind soul, and seeks to do good in the world. She’s fun, she’s generous, she’s selfless. She’s a wonderful role model, not only as a mother, but as a woman, a Christian, and a friend.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Patience with others, especially when they do the opposite of what I’d do!

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" I feel most spiritually connected when I’m surrounded by music. I love instruments and vocals that make my heart soar with the beauty of the lyrics and melody.

Linda Eve Diamond, Interview #78

Name: Linda Eve Diamond

Where you live: Dania Beach, FL, USA

What you do as a vocation or avocation? I'm the author of several books in the areas of self-help, business, education and poetry. My poetry book is called The Human Experience and my latest book, Rule #1: Stop Talking, is a fun, self-help guide to listening that offers practical advice and a spiritual thread. Beyond writing, I give talks and listening skills seminars and poetry readings.

Your two favorite books: One of my favorite little story collections is called Einstein’s Dreams, and Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s The Little Prince will forever be in my heart.

Your two favorite songs: Two of my favorites are “Everybody Knows” and "Dance Me to the End of Love" by Leonard Cohen.

Why you are interested in spirituality? I believe that what is essential is what we explore beneath the surface and that if we live on the surface we barely live at all.

Your favorite quote: “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." EB White

Your favorite web sites:

A Children’s International Sponsorship Website:

http://www.liftoneproject.org/site/TR?px=1611338&fr_id=1040&pg=personal

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals): http://www.peta.org/

Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org/

FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting): http://www.fair.org/index.php

Your hero? My dad, Michael Diamond, whose work can be found at http://domesticviolenceclause.org/

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? I think that we can create our worlds but that creativity is stifled and directed by fear and a tendency to react instead of create. I make a practice of careful inner listening, but it's a process. (Being human is a constant restriction to achieving perfection!) But I do move along—perfectly imperfect—in the right direction, and I hope to continually become more creative and less reactive.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" I can feel connected in lots of places, but deeply in Sedona, AZ, and pretty much anyplace where mountains are.

Websites:

http://lindaevediamond.com/

http://listenersunite.com/

http://www.youtube.com/user/LindaEveDiamond

Jean Russell, Interview #77

Name: Jean Russell

Where you live: Chicago, IL, USA

What you do as a vocation or avocation? Advocate for thrivability by nurturing change agents

Your two favorite books: very hard to say, but I have grown a ton from The Four Agreements and Tolle's New Earth

Your two favorite songs: hmm, again, hard to say in general.

Why you are interested in spirituality? because nothing in the world feels so clear to me as being an experiencer of the world evolving itself, which has brought me tremendous serenity.

Your favorite quote: Lately, it is "Act always as if the future of the universe depended on what you did, while laughing at yourself for thinking that whatever you do makes any difference." -- Buddhabut it changes every season depending on where I am.

Your favorite web sites: wikis, blogs, and microblogs - community spaces of the long tail.

Your hero? So many! Depends in which domain you mean, for example: The grain of sand which has been so transformed over so much time. Gandhi. Many of my friends. Tracy Gary. My own highest self.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? How to recognize the spiritually radiant, so I can learn from those who are so open to learning.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" I feel most spiritually connected when I have a sense of spaciousness and reflection. For me this often happens in transit - on planes, trains, and cars! But it is also acute when immersed in a tranquil state of nature - from mountains to dessert to forests and plains.

I uploaded a picture of a waterfall that I took while in Oregon. I twitter as @nurturegirl, blog at nurturegirl.net as well as thrivable.org, and my website is nurture.biz

Becky Garrison, Interview #76

Name: Becky Garrison

Where you live: New York, NY

What you do as a vocation or avocation? Religious satirist

Your two favorite books: I can't narrow down my library to just two favorites. The Bible is the one book I "try" to read every day.

Your two favorite songs: That's a sheer impossibility - lately, I've been chilling to the musical gifts offered by the artists collective Proost UK (http://www.proost.co.uk/)

Why you are interested in spirituality? I always find myself getting so busy that my prayer life keeps falling into the theological toilet once again. Whenever I get too disconnected from God, I always end up with this religious rash as though I'm suffering from some devotional disease. I end up walking around bowlegged like I have a case of the spiritual rickets. Reconnecting through God through prayer, ritual or even just a solitary walk in the woods helps me to start walking along this admitted crooked path. I'll never have all the answers but the more I talk with God, I learn to start asking the right questions.

Your favorite quote: "Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God."-Lenny Bruce

Your favorite web sites: Here's a few sites that help me think, laugh and love ...
The Jesus Manifesto http://www.jesusmanifesto.com/
Jonny Baker http://jonnybaker.blogs.com/jonnybaker/
Naked Pastor http://www.nakedpastor.com/
The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus http://asbojesus.wordpress.com/
The Revealer http://www.therevealer.org/
Tall Skinny Kiwi http://tallskinnykiwi.typepad.com/tallskinnykiwi/
Wittenburg Door http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/ (Yes, we're on extended hiatus but like Arnold, we'll be back).

Your hero? Mary Magdalene - Even though the disciples dismissed her firsthand account of Jesus as nonsense, she stuck to her guns. (See Luke 24:11) Their initial lack of respect for her demonstrates how women were perceived in first century Judea. You'd have to be one gutsy gal to go against the cultural milieu of the times. BTW-I'm going to go medieval on anyone, who dared to call Mary Magdalene a prostitute.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Righteous anger, which is one of the best weapons in the satirist's arsenal, can eat me alive if I'm not careful. Jesus must look at some of my moves and shake his head. But then he takes me in his arms and loves me. Why can't I do likewise to those who let me down? As much as I want to be the humble tax collector, I often come off as the self-righteous judgmental Pharisee. (SeeLuke 18:9-14) Time after time, I fail to put the Greatest Commandment into practice. I hate when I get in the way.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" While I attend a number of alternative worship/emerging services, it is on the water where I truly worship. I really seem to connect to God when I'm seeped in her handiwork albeit through fly-fishing, kayaking, or walking on the beach.

http://www.beckygarrison.com/

Sharon M. Jones, Interview #75

Name: Sharon M. Jones

Where you live: Hayward, California

What you do as a vocation or avocation? I wear a few hats. Primarily I am a mother, wife, Nonfiction Author, Gospel Recording Artist, Inspirational Motivational Speaker, Evangelist, teacher, preacher and multi-level Leader in my church on a local, district and state level. To sum it all up, I use my voice to empower and inspire people.

Your two favorite books: She Found It In The Clouds, The Holy Bible - King James Version

Your two favorite songs: "Believe in Miracles" and "Hope Song"

Why you are interested in spirituality? I am interested in spirituality because spirituality is my foundation and a major part of who I am as a human being. Spirituality is within me and dictates my day to day movements, thoughts, goals, accomplishments and purpose.

Your favorite quote: "All things are possible, if I can only believe"

Your favorite web sites:
http://www.juliabettencourt.com/
Authorsden.com
Taxi.com
SafeplaceMinistries.com
Your hero? my father, Dr. J. A. Williams

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Because my life has been Divinely ordained, I have a responsibility to God and to myself to be the best human being I can be, and to strive to reach my maximum potential, simply because I impact people on a day to day basis either positively or negatively.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" Jamaica, West Indies, and my back yard

http://www.sharonmjones.net/

Chintamani Yogi, Interview #74

Name: Chintamani Yogi

Where you live: Nepal

What you do as a vocation or avocation? teaching and social work

Your two favorite books: Geeta and books of Swami Vivekananda.

Your two favorite songs: 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'(it's composed by Gandhi) and 'Nam Shivaya...

Why you are interested in spirituality? because it gives ultimate satisfaction to our life; spirituality makes us closer to our own heart and gives completeness to our life. Similarly, it's the only way to save humanity and enjoy the life.

Your favorite quote:
"Arise, Awake, Stop not,till the goal is reached" (from Upanishad)

Your favorite web sites: many... ones which work for value based education, peace, and spirituality and serving poorest people

Your hero?
Mahatma Gandhi, The Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Yogananda, Martin Luther King.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? serving humanity through spirituality...

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"

when I see children I feel more connected with spirituality and when I see poor people crying then I feel I'm there with them; similarly, when I see open sky, shining stars, smiling moon then I feel more connected with spirituality...

www.cmyogi.org