Enjoy this Interview of Angelique Cooper McGlotten as she shares with
us her new book Living Backward: The Gift
Of Hindsight In Building A Truly Significant Life
Imagine
looking back on the sum total of your earthly years . . . and
realizing that your reasons to rejoice are far greater than your regrets. Living Backward is your
invitation to discover the powerful gift of future-oriented hindsight and
reap the incredible rewards it offers. As we grapple with today’s fleeting
problem or tomorrow’s important choice, the ability to “live backward” provides
us with not only a new perspective on our lives but also a powerful tool for
creating true joy by fulfilling God’s plan for us. We desire to matter, and God
knocks on our hearts, beckoning us to open the door to a life of eternal
significance.
By way of word pictures, analogies, and personal
anecdotes, Living Backward facilitates a head-to-heart
understanding, helping us internalize key biblical principles so we can truly
experience their life-changing power. Only then can we achieve genuine success,
weave enduring significance into our lives, and make the most of the precious
time we’ve been allotted.
LORILYN: What inspired you to write Living
Backward?
ANGELIQUE: Remember what it was like many years ago to
read book after book—some biblically sound and some not so much—in my earnest attempt
to live a life pleasing to God. I could never seem to figure out how all the
advice and directives in the books fit together.
After reading hundreds of
books on all aspects of the Christian life, I was finally able to gain a solid
biblical understanding of God’s eternal purpose for me and how to live what I
learned. Many years later, I discovered that many sincere followers of Christ
have the same struggle I once had. Namely, how do I practically walk out God’s
plan for my life? What does a Christ-exalting life look like? How do I grow
from who I am into the person God created me to be?
My heart also ached that so
many of God’s people don’t really know Him, nor have they truly tasted and seen
that He is good (see Psalm 34:8) and infinitely worthy of our lives bringing
Him honor and glory. That’s when God birthed the desire to write this book: a
discipleship tool that condenses into one volume those major topics and key
principles a person needs to know and understand in order to fulfill God’s
purpose for creating us. In short, a book that contains the essentials that I
desperately needed to know those many years ago when I was searching.
Drawing
on God’s Word, my spiritual journey and experience, as well as the wisdom and
knowledge gleaned from my extensive reading, I wanted to help others connect
the dots in their own lives without having to pore through so many books.
LORILYN: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
ANGELIQUE: Like anything else, we get better with
practice. So write and rewrite, then write some more. Put time and effort into
honing your craft if it’s truly important to you. Consider joining a writer’s
group where your writing can be objectively and constructively critiqued. If
you intend to publish your work, do your best to understand the ever-changing
publishing landscape and to fully understand the advantages and disadvantages
associated with traditional versus independent publishing. Lastly, join the
John 316 Author Network! J You can’t possibly know
everything, so it’s great connecting with other authors/writers to share,
learn, and grow together. I personally have gleaned much from the wealth of
information that is shared amongst this wonderful group of people.
LORILYN: What is your favorite time of day to write?
ANGELQUE: Late at night—for some reason I think most
clearly in the wee hours of the morning when the house is totally quiet.
LORILYN: What is something most people don’t know
about you?
ANGELIQUE: I love to play the drums. Many are surprised
when they discover I play in the worship band when we gather on Sunday
mornings.
LORILYN: What are your favourite types of movies?
ANGELIQUE: I really enjoy movies that are inspirational,
paint an engaging redemptive story, or highlight the triumph of the human
spirit.
LORILYN: Is there anything you would like to say to
your readers?
ANGELIQUE: We all know that a GPS works based on a
reverse principle—starting at the intended destination, it works backward to
our current location. In a similar way, Living Backward challenges us to chart
the course of our existence from the end of our lives. Then working backward,
we engage life through the lens of time elapsing, not accruing, as we typically
do. This mindset enables us to grasp that with each passing year we haven’t
just gained more time to live—we’ve also lost some of the precious,
irretrievable time we’ve been allotted to create significance in our life. So
if we truly want our lives to count, we must wisely redeem the time as we
pursue our God-given purpose.
LORILYN: What is your favourite Scripture verse and
why?
ANGELIQUE: Isaiah 26:8-9 because for
me it encapsulates the longing and passion that God desires us to have both for
Him and the advancement of His glory.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
Keep on
seeing, but do not perceive.’
LORILYN:
What authors have inspired your own writing?
ANGELIQUE: John Piper, Elisabeth
Elliott, Randy Alcorn, Jerry Bridges
*~*~*~*
Angelique Cooper McGlotten, originally from Liberia,
West Africa, holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of
Virginia. Having woven the gift of future-oriented hindsight into her own life,
she knows firsthand its power to both shape our purpose and infuse our lives
with joy and meaning. Through a variety of venues, the author has mentored (and
continues to mentor) hundreds of adults and young adults alike. Angelique
regularly speaks at women’s retreats, women’s groups, and conferences on
various topics pertaining to the Christian faith. She
is also the author of a book of poetry titled The Weaver’s Thread. Angelique resides in northern Virginia
with her husband and the three children entrusted to them by God.
You can learn more about Angelique at the links below:
Angelique will be
hosting a Twitter chat on Thursday night at 9pm EST (October 1, 2015). Join in the conversation using: #LivingBackwardChat
Angelique is also
giving away a free copy of
Living Backward to someone who leaves a comment on why he or she would love
to read her book. We need ten comments to give one away. I hope you will
participate and possibly win her book Living
Backward.
To purchase an ebook of Living Backward from Amazon, click here.
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