Waverly Virginia Native's New Book Celebrates Family Life Lessons from the Soil, Faith and History

RICHMOND, Va. - Dec. 7, 2013 - PRLog -- One of the things Deborah remembers about growing up in her 1960s, extended family, rural Virginia environment was that almost every black family had a vegetable garden. Theirs was a pretty nice one— the plot’s yield very important to their wellbeing. On this life-enriching piece of land, her grandparents planted a variety of crops: string beans, collard greens, butter beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers, just to name several. They set aside some of the vegetables for the family to eat right away, shared what they could with other families, then canned the rest so they’d be readily available to them in the winter. Joseph (Joe) Everett and Pearl Cargill Parker easily saw the fruits of their labor. How? Because the family wasn’t hungry! Deborah knows that this garden was a promised land for her grandparents, as poor black folks of the 20th century, they had more freedcom and control in that plot of ground than anywhere else on earth. They spent a lot of time and energy in that garden, tilling the land and working their planting wisdom. They had a toolshed which housed all the resources they needed to produce a beautiful and plentiful harvest.

As they were both rooted in their faith, it’s likely they did much praying there as well. Because this garden was also a sacred haven, akin to a bush harbor, a place our enslaved ancestors used to worship in secret, that was situated amongst the soil on which they labored, but they carved out as their own, and like my grandparents prayed to God for deliverance, peace and prosperity beyond that little plot of land.

He who does not cultivate his field will die of hunger.
Guinean Proverb
And from her grandparent's wisdom  and purposeful acts in how they used a toolshed to pull out what they needed to succeed in their agricultural efforts, Deborah set her life goals for educational and career success. Growing up in the civil rights era, she also remembers Dr. Martin Luther King's final speech with a proclamation that "We as a people will get to the promised land." Taking it to heart, she went in search of, even experiencing an exodus before getting back on track with the lessons from her grandparents.

“So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
If you have found it, there is a prospect,
And your hope will not be cut off.”

Proverbs 24:14

More information on Tools to Cultivate the Promised Land can be found at:

http://toolstocultivatethepromisedland.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ToolstoCultivatethePromisedLandbyDeborahLParker

Available on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Tools-Cultivate-Promised-Land-Grandparents/dp/1489597581

Deborah L. Parker is an author, speaker, army veteran and Chief Inspirer of The DPJ Training Group, a motivational speaking, leadership and personal development company. She believes in using the wits and gifts that God gave her to be of service to others professionally and personally. A person of faith, she was raised by a determined single mother in the home of her wise grandparents, who planted in her the importance of a strong value system. Building on this background along with her experiences as a corporate manager and army reserve officer, Deborah has authored four nonfiction books, spreading her practical and inspiring messages that speak to life’s setbacks and triumphs.  One a motivational memoir entitled, Navigating Life’s Roadways: Stories of Insight from My Odyssey and Inspiration for Your Journey, released in July 2011. In her 2^nd book Life is A Review: Observations and Collections of My Passages Through the Times, released in June 2012, Deborah invites readers to browse her 25 year compilation of essays, blogs, speeches and poems.  Her 3^rd book, For People of Strength, Soul, and Spirit: Seven Guidelines for Life & Career Success (October 2012) focuses on goal achievement based on cultural foundations of the African American community. And her latest 4^th bookis, Hardcore Leadership: 11 Master Lessons from My Airborne Ranger Uncle’s “Final Jump” (February 2013), which chronicles the in charge persona and legacy of her late uncle with life mission takeaways for readers.

Deborah holds a B.A. in Sociology from the College of William and Mary and M.A. in Human Resource Development from George Mason University. She has also completed the US Army Command and General Staff College plus Dale Carnegie training seminars.

When taking a break, Deborah enjoys travel, reading and long walks.

Her website is: www.navigatinglifesroadways.com