Part 2 Empowering Community Through Publishing: The Abundant Life Story and the Power of Perseverance

Have you ever witnessed the transformation of a singular idea into a force that uplifts an entire community? That's precisely what happened with the Abundant Life publication, which our guest today passionately brought into being for Gary, Indiana. We get under the skin of this remarkable story, discovering how a local magazine metamorphosed into a thriving platform offering books and consulting services. Together, we explore the depth of the mission: to empower the community by showcasing resilience and achievements, using personal tales and biblical wisdom to highlight that our talents are destined to serve a purpose beyond ourselves. This episode is an ode to the spirit of gratitude and the unyielding belief in multiplying our gifts to enrich those around us.

As we wrap up Women's History Month, we're reminded that the road to success isn't just paved with cheers; it's also lined with the ones who doubted. Through candid conversations, we learn about the grit it takes to persist despite setbacks and the beauty of acquiring new supporters with each step forward. Our guest shares how they faced initial rejection in the publishing world, only to emerge stronger with a resolve that outlasted the naysayers. These stories are not just tales of triumph; they're fuel for anyone on the brink of forging their path, proving that persistence doesn't just break resistance—it forges new bonds and paves the way for achievements worthy of celebration. Join us in extending blessings and encouragement to those who boldly venture forward, writing their own history with every courageous stride.

Welcome to The CJ Moneyway Show Podcast! The Podcast Show where we Unlock Potential, One Dream at a Time. Today, we have another guest whose journey is truly worth hearing. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the Moneyway experience.

Don't miss out on CJ Moneyway's book, "Both Eyes Open and Both Eyes Shut." And get ready to pre-order his upcoming release, "The Issues of Life," coming soon. Moneyway aiming to inspire!

Thank you for listening to The CJ Moneyway Show! Don't forget to share this episode with your friends, leave a comment, and drop a review. Be sure to tune in every Tuesday and Friday for more inspiring journeys. Who knows, your story might be next. 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:44

Oh yeah, and so with the writing and everything, what was the inspiration behind the Abundant Life publication?

Speaker 2: 0:54

To provide a platform in the city of Gary, indiana, where people from Gary Indiana could have a positive voice and a fair chance to be represented. Well, when I started the company, the only media outlets that existed were portraying the people of Gary as if we had no life, no purpose, no direction. As if we had no life, no purpose, no direction. And so when I first started, I started the magazine. It was called Gary Life Magazine and that magazine was to promote positive news about the city of Gary.

Speaker 2: 1:35

the people who visited here, the people who worked here, lived here, went to school here, made a positive difference here and then I started publishing the books because, once again, people didn't have a positive platform to share their stories and so it was out of just the pureness to want to see people represented as the resilient, diligent, faithful people that we are in the city of Gary. But then, once I was able to connect to people online, I was able to take publishing like, open the doors to people everywhere, and I started the consulting department, because when I started in business and when I started my nonprofit organization, I would ask people for help and they would look at me strange and some people would not share information that was valuable and that didn't make sense to me.

Speaker 2: 2:30

And so when I started our consulting company, I made a promise to God that I would help people and give them platforms to publish their books and to launch their businesses, and so that's when I started and that's why I started.

Speaker 1: 2:46

To me that's awesome, because a lot of people don't have the heart to help others. You know, it's like I never forget. I was talking to my father before he passed away. He was in the hospital at the time, you know, back surgery, and it was on a Thursday. I'll never forget.

Speaker 1: 3:04

I called him and I say and I was thinking about the scripture where, you know, they was in the boat and they was fishing, and he say that, and Jesus came on the boat with Peter and he say well, cast your net to the other side.

Speaker 1: 3:19

And Peter say I've been out here all night. You know, I ain't caught no fish. What's going to happen? What's going to make a difference if I put it to the other side? And so he say that he put it to the other side and he began getting all these fish, and so much so that the boat began to sink. And so they had to call the other fishermen from the shore to come and help them unload some of the fish off of the boat. And I told my father, I say that what I saw in that, what he showed me in that, is that a lot of times people will rather drown with everything that they have than to share what they have, and so that's why you know I can relate that to what you're saying is that you're not taking all of this, what God gave you, just for you, because a lot of times God gives us things for others.

Speaker 2: 4:16

Yes.

Speaker 1: 4:17

And so it doesn't just be, he's going to take care of me. I mean, look at the background, look how lovely your outfit is, especially your background, god.

Speaker 2: 4:29

I am thankful and I believe my sharing is gratitude based. I'm saying I'm so thankful that God chose me for this purpose and God has taught me all that I've learned. Just is God given. I did not go to school for journalism, I did not go to school for publishing, I did not go to school for photography. I did not go to school for television production, photography. I did not go to school for television production, and yet God has allowed me to publish 10 magazines, 16 books, produce 13 television. That's all God gave me, wow 13 television programs.

Speaker 2: 5:13

Yes, sir, someone saw the magazine when I started and they said we want to bring these stories to life. And so my husband and I together, he built the TV studio backdrop and I did the production.

Speaker 1: 5:30

You know, I say all the time too, I tell people all the time too, is that when? You know I don't want to get into the story, but it's somewhat of the story of the guys that got the talents right. Yes, and the one got so many talents and then he went and multiplied it. And then the other one got talent and he went and multiplied his. But the third one, he went and buried his in the earth. That's what the Bible say. And so when the man came back, the other one said I did this, he multiplied. He said good serving, he gave him more. The other one I went and did this, gave him more. The other one, he say well, you know, unfaithful serving, blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 1: 6:08

So, to make a long story short, I believe that a lot of us not including you, a lot of us bury our talents OK, that's one. Our talents, okay, that's one. But, like, what you're saying is what I got out of that too, is that when you begin building on something and planting that seed on something, that talent is going to multiply into different branches of talent, which I'm listening to you say writing, publishing, magazine, media, those are. You utilize one talent, which I'm listening to you say, writing, publishing, magazine, media, those are, you utilize one talent to multiply a whole branch of talents, and that's what I think that God is all about. It's all about multiplying. But you have to use what he gave you to utilize you know what I'm saying to take you to the next level. But if I bury him in the earth, see, if I bury him in the earth, then what I'm looking for I'm not going to be able to receive it, because I didn't want what he gave me.

Speaker 2: 7:15

You are absolutely correct, sir. That's one of my favorite stories in the Bible because it literally talks about the principle of the original intent and purpose of God, that is, to multiply whatever gift you've been given, I beg of whoever listens to this don't bury your gifts. You were sent to earth on assignment to utilize your gift to make a positive difference in your world, in your family, in your community, in the world nationally, in the world globally, and a prime example of that is this interview. You see, I didn't know you and you didn't know me.

Speaker 2: 8:13

Know you and you didn't know me, but I showed up as a speaker at a graduation to operate in my gift and, as you reminded me today, that was 16 years ago 16 years ago and so walking in our gifts will open doors that we don't even know exist yet, and if there's anyone who's doubting whether or not they have a gift, here's how you determine if you have a gift or not.

Speaker 2: 8:38

You want to know, I want to know If you're breathing, because when we originally were created, god gave us the breath of life. God would not waste breath if you didn't have a purpose. You are alive and you are breathing because you have purpose, and your purpose is for the world that you're in right now, and it's for the time that you're in right now and it's for the time that you're living in right now. And so I encourage you no, I beg you to discover that purpose and start living that purpose, because, as you reminded me 16 years ago, walking in my purpose that I discovered at 80 years old and made the decision to live my life on purpose, honoring the purpose God gave me. It made a positive difference in your life. If we're breathing, we owe God to live our purpose.

Speaker 1: 9:43

Yes, and you know just to piggyback off of what you said, and one thing that I've learned in this life too that a lot of times your purpose, people are dependent or looking for you to come through. God has strategically placed people for you to talk to, to be around to lay hands on, you know, and to encourage, inspire. But if you're not operating where you're supposed to be, then those people that God has placed waiting for you, they won't get it either, because you're stuck.

Speaker 2: 10:28

You know you're stuck, you're absolutely correct, and I even want to speak to geography.

Speaker 2: 10:34

Wherever you are, live, don't use that as an excuse to not live your purpose, because what I'm going to say is I hear a lot of people read my bio and talk about what has been done, but I want to speak to where it has been done. For 44 of the 45 years that I have been alive, living my purpose, it's been in the very same city where people have asked can anything good come out of Gary, just like they asked can anything good come out of Nazareth. It's been done in a city where people who have said the people there don't want better. No, we do want better and we build better and we teach better and we open doors better in this generation than people really know or give us credit for doing. And so I want to speak to the people who may be living in a community where people have doubted that any good could exist in that community and tell you yes, it does exist, and you are the difference maker who's going to make a difference. Because I spoke about 44 years here.

Speaker 2: 11:52

The one year away I was in college in Atlanta, but as soon as I came back, my college roommate describes it as a whirlwind we started a nonprofit organization that to date we've reached 21,000 children in the city of Gary, the state of Illinois, the state of Missouri, and we've taken them out of communities that are under-resourced and taken them on college tours, to tour businesses, to teach them entrepreneurship, to teach them how to get to college if they want to go to college, or trade school if they want to go to trade school. And so all I'm saying is there are no excuses. Geography, your zip code, is not even an excuse.

Speaker 1: 12:38

And I totally agree with you. You know it's all within you, you know even and I know that is one of the questions I want to ask you, but like just what you were saying, because sometimes, like where we're from, as we talked about, sometimes, when you stick out and you begin doing things out of the norm that other people are not doing, you tend to get backlash Not necessarily backlash, but a lot of times when you're looking for the support where you think that the support is going to come from, it don't come there, and so it becomes discouraging at times. So this is what I'm piggybacking off what you said. And so, whoever listening, now, if God gave you a plane and he showed you, as we was talking about with Joseph, and he showed you the plan and ain't showed nobody else, you move on.

Speaker 1: 13:37

You can't worry about what other people are not understanding how God wants to use you. They will figure it out. Because the same purpose that you have and the people that's knocking it, because the same purpose that you have, and the people that's knocking it, that don't want to follow you or just want to kill your dreams, as I say, are the very same people that God going to bring you back to, to pull them out. So you know. So you keep doing what you're doing and don't let people discourage you. I had to get in that mindset.

Speaker 2: 14:18

So today, at the time of this recording, it's March 30th 2024. This is officially the last weekend in Women's History Month.

Speaker 1: 14:29

Happy Women's who. I want to tell you that to Happy Women's History Month.

Speaker 2: 14:33

And today I had the opportunity to moderate an international queen summit with women from around the United States and a queen from Ghana. During this summit, one of the queens I believe it was Dr Robin Jha. She said persistence breaks resistance. If you keep going the people who resist you because they may not even have the capacity to understand you or support you one of two things will happen Either they will turn over from resisting you and transform into a supporter, or they will move out the way because they realize you're going to either roll with me or get rolled over we will not stop living our purpose.

Speaker 1: 15:34

That's it. You just got to keep moving and, as you say, I think, a lot of times, as you say with the geographic, that it's a lot of times, as you say with the geographic, that it's a lot of people that want to move on, but it's so, you know, discouraging when you first start off doing, and I had to learn that the hard way too, when I first wrote my book. I published my book in 2015 and, man, you know, it's like who like?

Speaker 2: 16:00

where y'all?

Speaker 1: 16:00

at. You know what I'm saying like, like, like, where my sales at, where my Facebook friends, where my real friends, and so this time around coming to do this, I tried to bring people on. It didn't work out, and so now I'm at the. So I had to get to the point where the Holy Spirit told me it's not for that.

Speaker 2: 16:22

That's right. Your audience will hear you, see you, receive you. Everyone is not our audience, and sometimes the people who start with us don't stay with us, and so when I heard the queen say today persistence breaks resistance, it means you break through and get to where God intends you to be anyway. It means you break through and get to where God intends you to be anyway, and at every level of life, there may be new people that will be your supporters. I want to say also congratulations on your book. Thank you, you told me about it. I invested because I believe in you. Thank you At every phase.

Speaker 1: 17:02

You're welcome Too much about it because you don't ask me. I really don't tell them, I'm just moving. And so I had to tell her today because I thought You're welcome. I came downstairs, I told her. I said you know what I'm going to tell you, just like I told the people in my video, because people don't think, because people feel as though that they're not rocking with you you know that they're not supporting you, as we're talking about, and that they're not listening to your stuff that it means that it's not going anywhere. I said I beg to differ. I say because I see the downloads, I see the interviews that I'm getting, I see the reach, because it's even broader now. I say I see how many downloads and, like you said, I got people in. I told her. I said I got people in New York following me. I got people in California following me, people in Miami, texas, chicago. And I told her. I said I got 419 people in India, as you said global. I said following me. So I see the numbers. So that's what's giving me the push to keep pushing to bring on awesome people like you and you know more awesome people.

Speaker 1: 18:28

I just had a girl, a young lady, not too long ago that I interviewed. She wrote a book. She's from Gary too. She wrote a book called Black Pearl, pretty interesting book. I'm not an avid reader but I started reading her book and it's pretty good.

Speaker 1: 18:43

And she had a real story to tell, like you said, with the girl that came to you and, uh, she was blind and couldn't see and y'all had to do it through the audio. She had a disease called stargate when she was losing her sight and you know it took her out and you know she said she was on the floor and she heard a guy speak to her and told her to get up. She said, from that moment that she got up, she couldn't stop writing. She wrote four books within that time span, you know, with no writer's block or nothing, and just continued writing. So I give my girl, terrence Maria, a shout-out. I'm going to call her my little sister now because, just like me and you, I didn't know her. But we you know what I'm saying we got a bond now and so, yeah, so I encourage her and you know I encourage you to keep doing what you're doing. You're doing wonderful, big things in life. Keep inspiring, keep entertaining, keep helping and may God continue blessing you in everything that you do.

Speaker 2: 19:46

I speak, blessings over you, your wife, your entire family, your business, your vision, your books, your platform that you're sharing over your YouTube, over all of your socials or social media, wherever people find you. I pray blessings over those platforms and it is my hope and my prayer that your persistence, it will pay off in exceedingly great rewards in your life, in this generation and for generations to come.

Speaker 1: 20:21

I receive that in the name of Jesus. I appreciate that. Anything that you would. You know how can people follow you? You know your handles, youtube, facebook.

Speaker 2: 20:31

On social media, so I am on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok as T Speaker. Author. I have a YouTube channel. That is my name, which you see on the screen. You can find me on YouTube, Tabetta Patterson, LinkedIn, Tabetta Patterson. And the biggest source of information for everything that I shared today is our website, and that is wwwabundantlp1.com. Abundantlp1.com. We have the bookstore there. We have all of the books out there my history, my journey and ways that you can reach out, partner with me, work with our company. It's all online Abundant LP1 dot com, and I look forward to what is to come with your productions.

Speaker 1: 21:31

I appreciate it, hey. So before we leave, I know you've written 18 books, eight in circulation, 10 published. If you had one book right now to tell my audience to go out and go get right now, which one would it be?

Speaker 2: 21:45

It would more than likely be the one entitled From Morning to the Morning. It was the one that I wrote and dedicated to my mother. It has helped people get through grief so that they can get their lives back and get unstuck. It is one that I teach at colleges, corporations, to families, to children, because grief is something that can be all-consuming if you don't put a stop to it and get your life back.

Speaker 1: 22:18

Y'all heard it here From morning to the morning. Go grab the book Teveta Patterson, founder of Abundant Life Publications, world-renowned author, talking to the queens now right here on the CJ Money Race Show. What's up, my good people? Thank you for listening to the CJ Money Race Show. Hey, tune in next week. I got another exciting story to tell. Man, I got this guy named Eugene Williams, former principal in Virginia. Hey, the guy got a heart for taking people to where they need to go and where they want to go. Man. So you got to check out this story from Eugene Williams June 7th. You don't want to miss it. What's up, my people? This your boy, cj Moneyway. Hey, be on the lookout for that.

Speaker 1: 23:00

Steel Town Records coming back to rebirth for GI. They coming back with a record label looking for independent artists, looking for producers, looking for artists. They coming back full of hey, check out the merchandise. Got some hot merchandise. Got some polos with Michael Jackson on the front. Check it out in my links on the podcast show. Check out my Facebook page out. Check out the Steel Town website. Hey, grab you some merchandise. Man, support the city of GI. We coming back, peace.