JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Zari Banks, author of O Lord, Forgive Them: 30 Days of Praying for Your Enemies
(Smarty Pants Publishing)
O Lord, Forgive Them: 30 Days of Praying for Your Enemies is a devotional that helps you make a covenant with God to be obedient to His command to forgive those who’ve hurt you through commission or omission of action. When you make an agreement with God and commit to it, He rewards you beyond your wildest dreams.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write O Lord, Forgive Them: 30 Days of Praying for Your Enemies?
Zari Banks: After losing everything material I owned over a 2-year-period my ex was awarded temporary custody of our 9-year-old son in 2011. I went through months of searching to hold onto to any semblance of sanity.
After I stabilized from separation from my son, I fasted and asked God what I did I have to do to get my child back. God spoke to my spirit and said, “Pray for your enemies.” I “wrote” O Lord, Forgive Them in my journal where I write a lot of prayers. It’s simply a record of my process of going from blind obedience to freedom through forgiveness.
JP: What sets O Lord, Forgive Them: 30 Days of Praying for Your Enemies apart from other books in the same genre?
ZB: O Lord, Forgive Them is different because it was live-action at the time. It wasn’t written after I learned how to forgive. I was recording this prayers as I was learning how to forgive. You know people always say, “Forgive, forgive, let it go,” but unable tell me exactly how to go about it. This book walks you through forgiving others step by step.
And, no it’s not just a 30-day process. I still pray those prayers on days when my mind replays hurtful things. And, I’ll continue in the process until I can invite everyone who’s ever hurt me over for dinner and serve them like they were the Lord Himself.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to O Lord, Forgive Them: 30 Days of Praying for Your Enemies getting out to the public?
ZB: Honestly, just sharing my testimony is the key to my success and getting O Lord, Forgive Them to the public. As I share my story, others gasp, and then realize if I rose from the gutter – complete and utter despair and wanting to die – and within 13 months have a best-selling devotional on Amazon that they can do the same and more.
And, that what it’s all about; encouraging others. You know, I asked God to kill me or rescue me after I lost custody of my son, and He rescued, so I have to share His goodness.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish O Lord, Forgive Them: 30 Days of Praying for Your Enemies?
ZB: My process of learning to forgive began as a 30-day commitment for me, so I prayed with that specific focus for 30 days. But, O LOrd, Forgive Them took about three months start to finish.
JP: What’s next for Zari Banks?
ZB: I’m presently editing books and assisting with the publishing of several authors. Also, I have some opportunities for appearances at several churches to present and share my books.
http://facebook.com/authorzaribanks
http://www.linkedin.com/zbanks
First, being on JoeyPinkney.com is an honor. Second, I realize forgiveness is hard, but God is the God of increase. If we put forth any effort to obey Him, He pours in the power to help us. And, He rewards excellently. Someone might tell you do it because God said not for the benefit, but that’s God saying that. God says Old Testament to New: I’ll reward for EVERYTHING you do/say/think for good or bad. Forgiving brings rewards for your good.
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