This is the Story of My Call to Write!

It's a bit long, but I feel strongly impressed to share this.

Too many people give up on dreams.

This is a message for someone.

You want to walk away from that dream?

Don't! Wait on God. You want to give up? Don't!

You are on a brink of a miracle. Wait!

I have shared this testimony many, many times. At a Women's Social in January 2016, I was asked to write three goals of what I wanted God to do in my life. One of five I had written was seeing the children books be published by a publisher.

Eight months later not only were they picked up, but I was asked to write same story line for a Christian audience; and best part I had nothing to do with it.

God moved in the heart of a friend who knew nothing about this. I never met her, and she lives in the other side of the world. My friend Malene sent me a message on Facebook. "Twin, (that's her name for me) God spoke to me in prayer. He told me to take your book to a publisher. He's no ordinary publisher. His publishing is known throughout our country and outside. Please, Twin, send me the book!" I sent her the book.

Malene went to his office and hand delivered my book, "Surrender." The publisher called me to tell me he was going to publish my book. That was one of the five goals I had written down.

He then asked, "What other books do you have? I told him the other books were secular on education and it wasn't a good fit for his audience.

He persisted, "Ok, is there other books?"

I said, "I have a children series, but they are secular."

He asked that I send him the books because he wanted to see them. I did.

Second phone call, "I like the series. I met with the editors. We can make them to fit our audience. Are you willing to add to this series?" Of course, I did. Now we are here. He published both secular and religious and in Spanish!

49 books, he published for me!

The 2nd and 3rd goals I had written just 8 months earlier answered.

God didn't just publish the secular series the women in my group and I prayed for. God handed me an entire new audience, and in another language too. God honors us when we honor Him first.

Look at this passage: "..but now the LORD declares, 'Far be it from Me--for those who honor Me I will honor.." 1 Samuel 2:30

I'm struck by God's strong statement, especially, the word, "Declares!" I looked up the definition of this word immediately because it jumped off the page at me. Here's one of the definitions to my surprise. Here's the fourth definition of the word, "declare": to publish, to proclaim. Honestly, People, how in the world am I supposed to ignore this definition as I'm about to share with you, this story?

You see it's really not about me and you. In my case, God used my life to "Publish" if you will. My calling is to bring forth his thoughts and ideas to help children who have learning differences. He used my life to speak life into those children who struggle in their academic careers. He used me to "Publish" His ways on how to teach children in the classroom for success. He used me to, "Publish" his promises of what it means for us when we surrender our lives to Him. Do you get the picture? Do you get the meaning?

This story of my children series didn't start in a good way. I had brought my ideas, concept, and even received $20,000 to bring about the first book. I trusted the other person I was working with. I brought the person onto my board even. We had a meeting on how this was going to work. It was written in our board minutes, and it was voted on. We "wrote" the story together. I said it in words, and she penned it. She was going to be the author, and my name would appear as "with"; and my name would be much smaller in size to hers. I agreed because I already had 15 books at this point, and for me, it wasn't about my name on it. The reason for my small name on it was to comply with the foundation rules and regulations. The money was granted to me. I wasn't being paid for writing. The money went to publishing the book and sending free of charge to every library and school in Massachusetts.

So we wrote the book. The illustrator did the illustrations, and the book was about to go to print. It was on the press. The woman calls me, "I've been praying about this. I feel God saying your name needs to get off. You didn't write the book. I did. God told me He didn't call you to write."

I still remember where I was standing. I was in my daughter's room. I had to lean against her closet, I was about to faint for real. I was thinking, "No, I didn't hear this right. It cannot be!" Unfortunately, I did hear her right. The foundation wasn't going to agree. It had a stipulation that my name had to appear. I knew this was going to be a problem. It was after the fact. I signed a contract with the foundation.

I called the foundation, I spoke with the CEO personally. He told me, "Teresa, you know how much I love you. Your name must be on this book. Make it small. Do whatever you need to do, but your name must appear on this book." I called the person I was working with 'Listen, please your making a huge mistake. Remain the author. Make my name "with Teresa Allissa Citro' as small as you want. My name must be on it." The books went to print, and already there was talk about television. I met with those who would take the book to television while book was being printed.

Then the books arrived at my office along with a letter from a law firm. We had no permission, no rights, no nothing with books. If I was ever disappointed in a human being, even causing me to get angry, that was the only time I experienced such disgust, disappointment, and anger.

I had to go to my board who were just as angry as I. We had a board meeting on this and we had brought her in, and we had voted, everything was there in black and white. I told my board, who know the story and are also friends, "I am disgusted, I'm very angry, I'm disappointed and I don't give two hoots about this book. I am recommending we give back her book. Let her publish it, its hers to do whatever she wants. I'm keeping my hands clean, spotless before God. God will avenge me! I'm in the right."

Our lawyer told me "If you want to fight this, you will win because your an established author, a grant you got, and it's in your minutes, which she approved. Are you sure you want to let the book go?"

"God is who I take my marching orders from, and God said, 'Give back the book.'" I told him.

The lawyer told me, "You have to destroy every book. Books must be destroyed."

Let me tell you, I fought back the tears. As my office closed that night, my assistant called the garage removal service, instructed them to come overnight, and take and destroy thousands of books we had in our storage room. I cried all the way home.

Next, I had to call the foundation. Can you say, "Embarrassed, humiliated, I wanted to crawl underneath my desk?"

He told me, "Teresa, I'm angry at her not you. I know you, I have great faith in you. Everything your hand touches flourishes. I'm impressed by you. I don't want you to give up. Your very talented. I believe in you. And this God you always speak about. He seems to use you always in amazing ways. I'm not going to sit back and let you be destroyed by this. I'm writing you another check for $20,000. Go write another book. I'm standing behind you!"

My assistant, Sonia, was in my office, and we couldn't believe what just happened. I decided to work with another person. This time I penned my own words, and it was still my story line. We wrote the book, this time legally, with a contract. You would think everything was going to run smoothly... Not so. After that book was written we had issues, too.

I told Sonia and my board, "I'm done! I'm not going to do anymore children's books. I had enough. This story line caused me grief, and wasted my time. It's over, moving forward."

Three years go by...

The Vice-President at LDW, approached me, "Teresa, what's happening with the children's book series?"

"Nick, don't go there!" I reply.

"Teresa, I think you and I should write those books!" He said.

"Nick, I'll think about it." I replied as I didn't want to be rude, and I had no intention of writing any book.

He calls me again. "Teresa when are we going to start writing the book?"

I tell him again, "Nick, I appreciate your confidence in me, but I failed two times. You know that saying, 'first time shame on you, second time shame on me?' Well, the third time I don't want to go there. No, I'm not writing any book. I can't and wouldn't allow our friendship to be lost, too. I have lots of things to do. I don't need another book."

He said, "I'm not giving up on this, I think you and I will make a good team."

I didn't want to be rude, so I tell him ok let me get back to you.

A few weeks go by, and he calls me again. "Teresa, are you ready for the children's book?"

Oh God, I thought, please make him stop asking. I was about to tell him "Nick, please don't ask me again. This is a dead subject to me. The answer is No. I failed twice, I'm not setting myself up for a third failure. No!"

When all of a sudden I heard as clear as day a voice in my head, God's words "Rise up, I have given you many story lines for this series. You have picked the wrong people. I have brought you the one I want you to write with. Get up and write the book."

Nick was saying, "Teresa are you there?"

I was in shock and arguing with God. "God, I don't want to do this. No, give me something else to do."

Nick on the other end, "Teresa, you there?"

I finally answered Nick and God,

"Nick, because you're persistent, and while you were saying a thousand times, 'Teresa are you there,' God said he brought you to me to write these books. Nick, this has been a very painful experience thus far. Please, Nick, don't fail me."

Poor Nick! He's an awesome well respected and admired professional with literally countless awards and recognitions and top notch; You can't get better then him. He was named best international author. Here I'm telling a man that could have chosen anyone much greater then me not to fail me. Humbly Nick responded with, "Don't worry I wouldn't I promise." Well he kept his promise. We are on book #6 in this series, and book# 7 in teacher and parents.

Today this palette of books came up as a reminder. It brought up the memories of the other palettes of books that had to be destroyed. God still spoke to me this morning. Through this passage and that word that jumped off the page "Declares" and its definition.

Just two days ago there was another message God sent me via one of my Board members and friend. Pastor Obinna. He told me, "Teresa, as I prayed for you, God showed me He has given you many books to write. Many books that are inside of you."

It is no surprise to me God would confirm that was of Him via this passage this morning and that word. You see God honors us when we honor Him. He blessed me because I refused to fight two other people who were in the wrong. I didn't pursue anything for my own desires. Nick and the publisher came to me.

What has gone wrong in your life that you didn't cause? Have you given up because of something that happened? Have you stopped doing what God has called you to do because you got hurt or burned? God is saying to you today to rise up, to get up, to trust Him and do what He asks of you. Honor Him and He will honor you!

#TopicArticle #hope #dreams #purpose #publishing #books #children #living #determination #persistence