Each Life is a gift from God and what is done with it is a gift to Him in Return.

Author Statement - Ultimately, this is an inspiring story of empowerment for anyone looking to change the direction of their life. Born To Return The Gift is an urban novel that takes a raw gritty, sometimes profane look at the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects that often create mental anguish resulting in depression, as thoughts of suicide tinker with the mind that's suffering. It deals with this negative affliction that is commonly aggravated by issues of job insecurity, homelessness, sexual addiction, loneliness, racism, homosexuality, family dysfunction, domestic violence, alcohol/drug abuse, childhood molestation, repressed anger, and undefined FEAR. Through the experiences of one character and the characters with whom experiences are shared frustration, apathy, and despair alternate its clouds of darkness so failure seems inevitable at every turn. Faith in a Divine Higher Power sustains the main character to guide her understanding to her own purposeful importance. The story is evidence that it is not always the destination that's important, but the journey, as each fall bares lessons to be learned while strength in character and virtue is built as a result of endurance. The power of faith and forgiveness becomes paramount in the process. Born To Return The Gift is not a how to or self help book. Although faith driven, it is not preachy or judgmental and does not push one to believe, but attempts to bring the concept of spiritual forces into consideration. Biblical scriptures in the content of this book attest to the main character's upbringing in the church and the fact that God's Word is still hidden in her heart even though she wrestles with its correlation to the present world she lives in. As her faith wavers, her personal demons appear more real and larger than life in a recurring nightmare where her history is laid out before her. In facing the condition of her life the darkness that encompasses her is eradicated with light, giving her the strength to stand confidently as she pushes forward leaving the past behind with the conviction that she has the power to make things happen rather than just allowing things to happen. "A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life." - James Allen This dramatically entertaining story is meant to incite the spirit within. In looking at an ordinary person whose experience(s) might be recognized as your own or someone you know, it is sure to provoke personal thoughts that will have the power to inspire and empower. If the issues raised are foreign to you as the reader, you'll have the opportunity to learn what it's like for someone who seeks to overcome such impending obstacles regardless of fault. No matter what stage you are in life there's always a higher plane to aspire to and this novel encourages you to elevate your own altitude. We are all capable of rising from mediocrity and reaching a higher excellence in how we live and how we treat each other. Acknowledging the intensity behind other people's perspectives creates a foundation for understanding and helps us all rise in lifting up humanity as a whole. "To perceive the world differently we must be willing to change our belief systems, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds." - William James