CONNECT!
MY FORGOTTEN SELF
  • Home
  • About the Book
    • Fun Activities
  • About Lynyetta
  • About Coaching
  • Order Book
  • Contact
  • Media
    • Media Kit
  • Blog

My Transformation: From Dishrag to Oprah to Treasure

9/4/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
The publication of My Forgotten Self has been quite a journey-- so many ups, downs, and unexpected turns.  This weekend I am hosting a pre-launch book event at the Decatur Book Festival where I will sell (and give away) advance copies of the book (and other goodies)!  I am extremely excited about this opportunity and to be honest, I'm also tired.  I had no idea how looooong this road was going to be and what publication would require of me.  However, as I take a moment to glance in my rear-view mirror I feel my fatigue giving way to awe. 

I can see the ways in which Tiev's tale in My Forgotten Self mirrors the spiritual journey of so many of us: 

-Tiev begins her journey struggling against the false messages of those around her.
-I began this divinely inspired journey struggling against the false message of myself as a dirty dishrag. 

-After many amazing events, Tiev's tale concludes with her casting aside the false beliefs and limitations placed upon her.  She goes forth carrying deep truths about herself as an invaluable spiritual being.
-After a profound publication journey, I sit here  KNOWING that I am... we ALL are far from dishrags.  I sit here KNOWING that we are valuable treasures. 

For me, this journey has been about more than the publication of a book.  I can see the ways in which Tiev's tale mirrors the spiritual journey of so many of us.  As with Tiev, this journey has transformed my relationship with myself, with those around me and with God.  To honor this rear-view moment, I will reflect on how this spiritual transformation began. 

This month marks my one year blogiversary (YAY!). Last year when I began this blog I started with four posts describing how Tiev's tale in My Forgotten Self was gifted to me in the most unexpected way.  Months later, I wrote a post about my inspirational visit with Oprah (who hasn't she inspired :-) ).  I have compiled all of them here.  Take a glance at the beginning of each post and if you feel led, click on the title to read the entire piece.


Have you experienced a spiritual transformation?  Did your view of God, others, or yourself shift as a result? If so, how so? Comment below!
A Dirty Dishrag Like Me
Picture
“Relative to God, we are like dirty dishrags!” The words from the Baptist pastor hit my ears like the shattering of fine crystal, and were followed by words like, “unworthy,” “less than,” and “dark.”  Leaving the sanctuary, instead of floating out with a renewed sense of faith and passion, I was dragging under the heavy weight of difficult emotions; outrage, confusion and even shame, simmering within me.

When God Smiles
Picture
“Mommy, can you read me this story?” My toddler asked as he dragged his new book across the room.

“Sure!” I exclaimed, hoisting him onto my lap.

As I read, I stopped and thought, “children’s books…humph…they are so complicatedly simple.  I could NEVER write one of these!”

I know now that at that moment, God was smiling broadly. My ground was tilled and ready to receive another seed, and this seed would burst through into my very being.


Not of Me but Through Me
Picture
Broadway! Okay, not quite...
The group exercise was not over. The facilitators asked us to choose one story to turn into a play. Almost in unison, the entire group turned to me. I was honored but at the same time detached; my mind was still reeling in disbelief and doubt. We had one hour to put together a "play." We made props, designed scenes and chose music.
It was show time!


Divine Doors
Picture
They say God opens doors.  Through those doors dwell persons and experiences that assist with our growth, progress, and recognition of our Spiritual selves.  Words, actions, intentions and emotional energy play into and support this process.  A process through which we are gifted with mighty tools, invaluable lessons, and loyal companions.

Paths to Purpose
Picture
“You are purposed to speak about spiritual concepts in a way that allows people to understand them on a deeper level… though you will ultimately reach this goal, your path will be longer because you are held back by your fears.”   
This was shared with me by a stranger approximately eight years ago.   Ironically, the very fears he named limited my ability to even consider the unfamiliar path of which he spoke.  


Quick Note: This weekend I will be at the Decatur Book Festival in booth #609. I will be selling and giving away advance copies of My Forgotten Self!  On Saturday @ 11 am in the Emerging Writers Tent I will give a brief talk about the book. I hope to see you there!
Namaste!
Don’t forget to subscribe to this blog. Also, check out my Facebook page and "Like" it to receive helpful insights and updates!


Copyright © My Forgotten Self Blog, 2014-2016. All rights reserved
0 Comments

Book Journey 4: Divine Doors

10/20/2014

2 Comments

 
Picture
They say God opens doors.  Through those doors dwell persons and experiences that assist with our growth, progress, and recognition of our Spiritual selves.  Words, actions, intentions and emotional energy play into and support this process.  A process through which we are gifted with mighty tools, invaluable lessons, and loyal companions.  

Door to Direction
Following the powerful group experience, I nervously shared My Forgotten Self with friends, like Ursula, a New Thought minister. It elicited the familiar silence and then, “You really need to publish this!” She continued in an equally serious tone, “Such a deep and universally relatable story.”  “Universal?” Another seed planted.  Sensing my hesitation, she suggested I share it with people who “know writing” and could give me feedback: “Go to this writing group!” she directed.  

Door to Guidance
In walked Warren  Smith, a youthful-looking, shiny-headed, white male with kind eyes. He introduced himself and began teaching story elements—plot, conflict, character. . .  I tried to keep up with the words and corresponding white-board sketches.  Following this brief, intense lesson, Warren read his own piece.  Other readers followed, everyone giving and receiving compassionate feedback from Warren and the group.  

I nervously read My Forgotten Self and met the tell-tale silence.  Finally, the first comment:

“When are you going to publish that so I can buy copies for myself and my granddaughter?"  

“Granddaughter?” There it was again--a children’s book?!

Others chimed in with compliments. Warren suggested ways to improve the tale.  Before leaving I took his card.  

Our first meeting:

Warren: “we as writers…”  

Me: “I’m sorry, who’s we?”

Warren: “You and me.”

Me: *laughing* “Oh no, I’m not a writer.”

*25 minutes of encouragement, redefinition and debate later*

Me: “…so, what you’re saying is, I’m a writer?”  

After that intervention, Warren became my writing coach and much more: editor, networker, agent, and therapist.  I playfully dubbed him, “Tiev’s Godfather.” He’s thankfully held my hand from the beginning. I now confidently call myself a WRITER!

Door to Manifestation
Warren's First assignment: write down ideas describing the book's illustrations.

Warren's Second assignment: find someone bold (or crazy) enough to transform my ramblings into meaningful pictures.  Oy! I pitied the fool!  

Warren suggested illustrators.  I finally met Michele Phillips and instantly liked her!  Her easy going style, sense of humor and open mind attracted me.  After her first drawing, it was confirmed: Fool? Not on your life! Insightful and brilliant? Absolutely!  She connected my descriptive ramblings to the visual world, and built upon them magically.  There they were; my thoughts manifest!

My reaction to first seeing Tiev was reminiscent of the way I felt when I first looked at my children’s faces after birthing them—wonderment, excitement, mystical.   

Theeeen...nothing...screeching halt…life kicked in and My Forgotten Self was, for all intents and purposes, forgotten; collecting megabyte dust on my hard drive.

Door to Divine Harassment 
Fast forward, four very full years later; I was re-visited by the same Divine Friend who gifted me with Tiev's once-upon-a-time tale.  My Forgotten Self was now bombarding my mind! Once a month became once a week became once a day until I literally shouted, "OKAY! I'LL PUBLISH IT!"

The second start was slow, like pressing the big red button on an old conveyor belt in an abandoned factory: contacting Warren and Michele, reminding everyone about the book and illustrations; outlining timelines and agendas; contacting publishers, etc.

Ah, now you’re all caught up! Illustration is taking place. My “team”—Michele, Warren and the Holy Spirit (and countless others in support)— are graciously supporting this process. 

As doors continue to swing, I would be honored to continue sharing the gifts and lessons I pick up along the way. Stay tuned!

​Related Post: Paths to Purpose


Copyright © My Forgotten Self Blog, 2014. All rights reserved

2 Comments

Book Journey 3: Not Of Me But Through Me

10/6/2014

4 Comments

 
Picture
Broadway! Okay, not quite...
The group exercise was not over. The facilitators asked us to choose one story to turn into a play. Almost in unison, the entire group turned to me. I was honored but at the same time detached; my mind was still reeling in disbelief and doubt. We had one hour to put together a "play." We made props, designed scenes and chose music.

It was show time!

Act 1: Dreams and Wishes
I played Tiev. I leapt with excitement and joy, depicting her passion-flooded mind, overflowing with endless possibilities. I was elated- and winded- as I jumped through the air.

Act 2: Doubts and Weights
My fellow group members lined up to play Tiev's family members. As I stood before each of them presenting her dreams, they literally handed me weights representing doubt and fear. By the end, I was heavy; her fiery passion doused with confusion and anger.

Act 3: Divine Union and Worth

My group members were re-cast. I held hands with the gentleman now playing I Am. We whisked by each group member, whose orientations and actions depicted truths about Tiev and her purpose. In the end, we jumped through a hoop representing Tiev's transformation, invaluable purpose and worth in the eyes of I Am. I felt renewed, hopeful, and impassioned. She had come full circle and I was leaping again. The joy and excitement had returned; her literal weights were cast aside, clanging as they fell to the ground. Promising to never leave her, I Am was by my side jumping higher and with more excitement than I could muster.

A Real Gift
Before we parted for the day, the gentleman who played, I Am, approached me. "Thank you for writing and sharing that story. I want to be that for my daughter. I want to encourage and not discourage her," he said looking shyly to the ground. Then he lifted his eyes to mine and added, "You have a real gift!"


In that very moment, his words knocked down the walls of detachment, disbelief, and anxiety that were blocking me from a profound but simple insight. I met his gaze again and spoke the words, "Yes! Not of me but though me."

Spirit had gifted me with Tiev's tale. I was right, "I could never write" such a story in and of myself. Another seed firmly planted. Now, what to do with it? God had others lined up and waiting to help me discern the answer to this very question.

​READ Book Journey Part 4: Divine Doors


Copyright © My Forgotten Self Blog, 2014. All rights reserved

4 Comments

Book Journey 2: When God Smiles (aka Once Upon A Time)

9/17/2014

2 Comments

 
Picture
“Mommy, can you read me this story?” My toddler asked as he dragged his new book across the room.

“Sure!” I exclaimed, hoisting him onto my lap.

As I read, I stopped and thought, “children’s books…humph…they are so complicatedly simple.  I could NEVER write one of these!”

I know now that at that moment, God was smiling broadly. My ground was tilled and ready to receive another seed, and this seed would burst through into my very being.

2 Weeks Later…

“The only rule is that the story must begin with the words, ‘once upon a time,’” announced the facilitator from ArtReach (a group therapy training program which used creative arts to help soldiers heal from combat trauma).    

I wrote the words at the top of my notebook paper -- once, upon, a, time. 

After that, everything shifted. The words began to pour out of me.  At one point, I uttered, “Slow down! I can’t write that fast!” I had to write one and two word notes in the margins to remember what to write two sentences from then. 

The next and more profound realization was that many of the lines were the very words and phrases that seemed to "glow" before me as I read the Bible.  

Returns the Ghost of Story-Time Past

The exercise ended and we group members were invited to read our stories.  I was still wrestling with the notion of "my story" given how it was conceived and felt nervous to read; however, I read the lines and listened for the groups response.

“This you cannot be!” I heard them chuckle.

“You can and must be all of these things.” They gasped.

“Do not let others define what they did not create.” Their astonishment turned to moans of recognition.

I finished; they were so quiet.  Eventually, the man to my left spoke, "Wow! You wrote that in twenty minutes?!” 

“More like transcribed!” I thought.

The woman in front of me said, “I needed to hear that. It’s like you wrote that for me.”  

The facilitator chimed in, “It reads like a really deep children’s book.”  

“Children’s book?!” I chuckled as my mind flew back to holding my son and reading his new book while uttering the words, “I could never write one of these.”  

God's smile was clear; the seeds' contents had blossomed within me.  Little did I know, the last profound message of that day had yet to arrive; its carrier, one of my fellow group members.

​READ Book Journey Part 3: Not of Me but Through Me


Copyright © My Forgotten Self Blog, 2014. All rights reserved
 



2 Comments

Book Journey 1: A Dirty Dishrag Like Me

9/2/2014

8 Comments

 
Picture
“Relative to God, we are like dirty dishrags!” The words from the Baptist pastor hit my ears like the shattering of fine crystal, and were followed by words like, “unworthy,” “less than,” and “dark.”


Leaving the sanctuary, instead of floating out with a renewed sense of faith and passion, I was dragging under the heavy weight of difficult emotions; outrage, confusion and even shame, simmering within me.  I wondered, “Does God share this respected man’s perspective? If so, why would God spend any time with us humans? With me, especially?  I mean, if the average person is a ‘dirty dishrag…’” I pondered as I cycled through the sins of my life, “how could a God that supposedly loved me—supposedly, unconditionally loved me— possibly share this perspective? 

“NO!,” yelled the Outraged part of myself in deep protest. “He is WRONG!

“But,” whispered the Shame toting part of me.  “What if you are just hanging onto wishful thinking?  What if in the eyes of God, we are only fit for...dirty dishes?”


READ WHAT BY WHEN?!?!

“The entire Bible, in six months…let’s do it!” I found myself typing these words to my Facebook friends.  For years prior, I felt a deep conviction to “Big K-Know” the Bible. However; for years, my reaction to this task had been one of dread.  From my perspective the Bible had all the trappings of a book that I was least likely to finish: it is reeeally thick; has small words, and thin, I mean, tissue paper thin, pages.  Also, one college degree and two graduate degrees taught me well how to read for the gist vs the depth.  I feared pooping out within the first week and having to drag myself across the finish line… if I finished at all! 

Finally, like Jonah in the whale, I gave up and decided to extend the “Bible Challenge” invitation to my Facebook friends.  One actually took the bait.  In the end, we developed a group and attracted over 100 people.


DISHRAG BE DAMNED!

Despite my anxiety, once I set the intention and had “friends” backing me, something happened; I began to feel an enduring joy related to the task.  Every night, I retreated to my bedroom and read the scheduled lesson.  And each night I felt a renewed sense of wonder and excitement.  Stories and Bible verses seemed to leap off the page, deep insights seemed to glow before me and mental images seemed to further deepen and enliven my experience. 

For the first time, I understood what people meant when they called the Bible the "living word."  Indeed, this book was now bursting at the seams with life!  I couldn't write my insights and questions down fast enough; insights about wisdom, humility, stillness and meditation, compassion, "fear" of God, God within us…wait, what?

God within us?

There it was plain as day, Luke 17:20-21, “The kingdom of God is within you.” 

My Shame based part was up for the debate: “But dirty, unworthy, dark dishrags!”

“You are a little less than the angels” (Psalm 8:5).

“But dirty, unworthy, dark. . .”

“You are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).

“But dirty, unworthy--”

“You are Treasures” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

“But dirty--”

“You are the image of God” (Genesis 1:27)


“But--”

“You are of God!” (1 John 4:4). 


IT’S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW.

I did not know it at the time, but these words, these sources of balm for my soul, were only the beginning…only the initial seeds of grace that would ultimately lead to my shedding of shame and the “dirty dishrag” theory; seeds that once planted, would gift me with the recognition and reclaiming of My Forgotten Self.

READ Book Journey Part 2: When God Smiles


© My Forgotten Self Blog, 2014. All rights reserved

8 Comments

    Intention

    My intention in writing this blog is to inspire you to fully embrace your youryydivine worth; fearlessly live your yosoul's purpose; and faithfully encourage others to do the same.

    I truly hope you enjoy your time here!

    Copyright © My Forgotten Self Blog, 2014-2016. All rights reserved.

    Popular Posts

    Author Interview: Spiritual Insights and Parenting Wisdom in a Child's Tale
    A Dirty Dishrag Like Me
    Divine Conversations on Forgiveness
    Paths To Purpose
    Practical Faith: 3 Steps to Perceive and Achieve Your Vision 
    Strive to be Self-Centered: 4 Tools for Internal Peace
    Lessons from the Ashes, Part 1: Self-Awareness
    3 Key Questions to Keep Your Spiritual Streams Flowing in Hurtful Relationships

    Categories

    All
    Book Journey: My Forgotten Self
    Parenting
    Purpose And Vision
    Relationships
    Self Empowerment
    Spiritual & Emotional Healing

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required
    Email Format

    Archives

    January 2017
    September 2016
    May 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    Book Journey: My Forgotten Self
    Parenting
    Purpose And Vision
    Relationships
    Self Empowerment
    Spiritual & Emotional Healing

    RSS Feed

Copyright © My Forgotten Self website and contents. www.MyForgottenSelf.com, 2014-2017. All rights reserved. Athens, GA.
Photos used under Creative Commons from x1klima, eflon, Gruenewiese86, erix!, ToGa Wanderings