In Nothing is Too Hard for God (and the excerpt below), Leslie is dealing with her feelings about black men dating/marrying white women. How do you feel about interracial relationships? Does it bother you when you see black men with white women or white men with black women? Why?
C. M. Jones is well on her way to becoming a household name. She has just completed her second publication, Nothing Is Too Hard for God, and launched a publishing company with her family, HortonJonesInc., that also mentors young writers. In addition she has begun to offer writing seminars and motivational speaking services. When asked about her endeavors, C. M. Jones has said that writing and mentoring is her ministry and she does it all to the glory of God.
Her debut novella, I Still Do, which was published through Author House but is now apart of the HortonJones, Inc. portfolio, sold thousands of copies in the United States and abroad. This Christian ficton writer indeed is no stranger to writing creative and inspiring stories. She began writing at the young age of eight years old while acting in her elementary school drama club. C. M. Jones has written countless poems, musicals and short stories that include themes of redemption, forgiveness and a real picture of the things that can happen in life, when you have faith in Jesus Christ.
Visit her online at http://www.cmjonestheauthor.com.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Nothing Is Too Hard for God is the sequel to the novella I Still Do. These three best friends are back to take you on a journey through their past and into their future. This book is full of truth, faith and testaments to what God can do when we submit our lives to Him.
Do you want to know how God brought Deborah through her haunted past and into His saving grace? Would you like to know why Damien was disloyal to Karen and if their marriage can really survive after his affair? Last, but not least, if you want to know how Leslie’s heart went from being as cold as stone to being full of love, then you must read Nothing is too hard for God.
Just when you think you have it all figured out, this novel will take another turn.
AN EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 14 of Nothing Is Too Hard For God
“No, I don’t want to talk about it; let’s just pretend that I came here to help you pick out your clothes and that you didn’t call me over so we could talk about Charles,” Leslie whimpered.
“Child, please, you think you know everything. Let’s go inside and talk, and I’ll let you see my outfit for the wedding,” Vicky snickered.
Leslie knew that she was right about Charles calling Vicky, so she decided to tell her everything.
“Ma, do you remember when Vernon left you for that white woman? I never got over that.” Leslie continued without giving Vicky a chance to respond. “I hated him for it. We were a family, and he just left us. I remember it like it was yesterday. I came home early from volleyball practice, and he was packing his bags. I asked him where he was going, and he lied to me. He said he had a trip to go on for work and that you probably forgot to tell me about it.” Leslie stood up and started pacing about the room. “You know Ma that was the day I learned how to tell when a man is lying. Yup, Vernon taught me that if a man starts trying to explain himself for no reason, he’s lying.” Leslie had begun to cry but couldn’t understand why Vicky appeared to be frustrated.
“Leslie, what does any of this have to do with Charles?”
“Well, Charles and I are going on a vacation after the wedding. We are going to Florida, and since his parents live there, he wants to take me to meet them, but we got into an argument when he told me that his mother is white.”
“What kind of argument, Leslie, and what difference does it makes what race his parents are?” Vicky said in an irritated tone.
Leslie could hear the irritation in Vicky’s voice, so she thought that she should tread carefully. She had the feeling that she was in for a verbal whipping.
“Well, Ma, I just don’t approve of interracial relationships. I just don’t see why our black men can’t ¾ ”
“Our black men?” interrupted Vicky. “Let me tell you something. Girl, whether you are Black, White, Hispanic, or Interracial, it doesn’t matter; we are all God’s children. And, let me guess, when you learned that Jason’s father was married to a white woman, that brought back all of the memories of Vernon?” Vicky yelled.
“Well, yeah!” Leslie said in a confident tone. She was trying to reassure herself that she had a right be angry.
Vicky stood up and walked around to the side of the bed where Leslie was now sitting.
“You know what, Girl? You are the most educated yet foolish person that I know. Are you trying to tell me that you are going to let something that happened when you were in high school keep you from marrying the man of your dreams, the man that you know God has given you? Les, I don’t know why Charles puts up with your stubborn rear. You need to grow up and apologize to that man and go and meet your mother- in- law. After all, you should know what it’s like to fall in love with someone regardless of his or her race. You love Charles, and he is interracial,” Vicky said in a reprimanding tone, although, she knew that sometimes Leslie didn’t take correction too well. Vicky was hoping that Leslie wouldn’t leave because she still hadn’t told Leslie the real reason why she’d asked her to come over.
Leslie listened to Vicky, and it was as if a light bulb had come on in her head. Charles was the best thing that had ever happened to her; he was the one that had led her to Christ two years ago. They loved each other, they worshipped God together, and he was so patient with her. Not to mention that, he loved Jason like he was his own. Jason would be turning seven years old in July, and he hadn’t spent any time with his father since he was one year old. He was, however, very fond of his soon-to-be stepfather. Leslie thought about all of these things, and she also thought about when she and Charles first met. It was a feeling that warmed her soul.
In this particular passage, Leslie is dealing with her feelings about black men dating/marrying white women. How do you feel about interracial relationships? Does it bother you when you see black men with white women or white men with black women? Why?
View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/NothingisTooHardforGod.
CM, thanks for joining us at RAWSISTAZ today!
To answer your question, interracial relationships do not bother me, but I do have a problem when a man/woman says “I don’t day black men/women because they all…” as it lumps everyone together. To me, love is love. Do what makes you happy, but I will admit when I see an interracial couple I always wonder why they aren’t with the same race.
-Tee
Hello Tee and thanks for the reply. I do not think that you are alone in windering why.
Thx for the response.
I do indeed mean *wondering why* Can you tell that it was late at night for me…rofl. Have a good one Ladies
Why is this topic still interesting?
I live on an island of about 12 thousand people a stone’s throw from Manhattan. Every kind of family racial mixture you can imagine and people from over a hundred countries live here in peace and harmony. My church has a white minister, a black Choir director, a Spanish chair person of the deacon board, and the choir is multi-racial, multinational, and multi-talented. After years working in the United nNations, many of them head of a big research section in which I was the only black person and thirty-three years living on this island, race is the last thing worrying me (except, of course when it is the reason for injustice or unfairness). I do not consider it my business who dates who, who marries who or who sleeps with who. On this island, our children of interracial marriages are high achievers, every one of them. And in this community none of the interracial marriages I’ve known of have been broken by anything other than death. I can’t say that for the marriages in which couples married within their race. I’m not saying interracial marriages are better. I just wonder why anybody cares about something that does not concern them. As usual, I have injected something that will cause controversey. But as one of my Columbia University professors used to say (on all his arrogance): I don’t ask you to agree with me, only to think about it.
What she said
Welcome CM, Hey Tee…
It does not matter to me at all…my grandmother is cherokee, my grandfather somali…but I know it seems to be the black white thing…have never been bothered by it, at all. I have a niece who dates all races…she is looking for love and joy…period. The only issue I have if I have one at all is when one race says they only date opposites…that speaks of something more than preference…I barely notice it any more…
angelia
.-= angelia´s last blog ..BELIEVE THAT~ =-.
Hello Angelia,
I come from a family that has Cherokee, Blacks and Whites as well. I know what it’s like to come from a family with a mixture of cultures. I don’t have an issue with interracial dating either.
I don’t see anything at all wrong with dating outside of your race. I think you should be with whoever makes you happy. However, I do agree with Tee that you should not base your dating preference on a decision to stereotype an entire race based on your bad experience(s). I am married to a white man and we have been together for going on 15 years and we have enjoyed a very blessed relationship. This was not something that I sought out, as I have dated men that were the same race as me as well as other, it just turned out that he was the one that I connected with.
.-= Janaya Black´s last blog ..Obie Trice Launches New Label =-.
Interracial couples may make me take a second glance, but it’s because I write interracial romance and wondering would the woman like to read my books. (LOL) Okay, I made that part up. I’d have to ditch a good portion of my family if I cared about whom they love.
I love so many people in every ethnic group imaginable. Who am I to question what others chose to do? Like Tee, though on some TV programs I’ve heard silly AA women saying silly things concerning race and wish they were something other than AA. I don’t care who they date but don’t put down Black men in the process. And don’t say there are no good black men. I have been married to one for 40 years and the mother of one for 38. Other than that I could care less.
Dyanne
Hey what happened to my gravatar?
Dyanne
My sister married a white man, who I love to pieces. My nephew is marrying a hispanic in November. Another nephew is dating an asian. I will very quickly and very loudly say that you love who you love and should pursue what makes you happy. But if I’m being totally honest with myself, I need to figure out why I get this pang of rejection in the pit of my gut when I see black men with any other race. I don’t feel this when I see white men with any other race or asian men with any other race. Just some soul-searching I need to do for myself.
D.J.
D. J. McLaurin,
I appreciate your candor. I love it we can talk amongst ourselves and truly be open. I must say that I used to have an issue with interracial dating but after years I realized that my issue came from me being cheated on by a black man with a white woman. However I never realized that my issue with black men and white women came from that experience until I finally forgave him.
I definitely agree with everyone. Dissing a whole race because of a bad experience with one or two individuals is a cop out. I do find one thing interesting: I read somewhere black women are the least likely to date interracially. Supposedly there is a shortage of black men–which, if anything, is a good reason for black women to “jump the fence”–and yet, most black women refuse to do it (at least, according to the statistics).
That’s steadfast loyalty right there, considering black men are quick to experiment with the “other.”
.-= James W. Lewis´s last blog ..By: The Cost of Doing Business — The Pantheon Collective (TPC) =-.
James that is very interesting and I would have to say that it’s probably truly a matter of loyalty. As black women, we do often times feel like the Black Man belongs to us. We even refer to them as “our black men or our black brothers.” My husband and I were just talking about that. I think it’s a love that we have for our Black men that causes us to address them that way and then causes some women to feel betrayed when they see Black men with a woman of another race. When actually a lot of how you feel about this depends on how you were raised, where you were raised and your dating experiences.
Hello C.M. and Tee,
As a black woman who had a biracial son, I see nothing wrong with interracial dating. Yet as I have gotten older my choices for a mate has also changed, in that I am more attracted to and prefer my black men. With love race shouldn’t be an issue, yet if that brother or sister is successful there are always questions and wondering on why they choose to marry outside of the race which is apparent with skin tone. To me race shouldn’t be a issue, because with so many interracial babies produced everywhere, in my opinion we all have a little of everything mixed in our blood.
Torrie,
Can I ask what made your preference change? I do indeed think that we all have a little of everything mixed in our blood, no matter how far back in the family line it goes.
I have no problems with interracial dating. I say to each it’s on we are all human and I don’t understand after all of this time while some are still tripping over it. I love, love and love to see people in it. It gives me hope that everyone can find it so they can be happy too.
I know I’m late and all, but I made it. I’m getting married to a black man in September, and we’ve been together for 6 years. I love him with all my heart, and my parents and sister do too. And his parents love me. But that’s not to say that I don’t know that some people still look at us in a disappointed/upset way when we go out together. I think he notices more than me, because in general I am oblivious to other people. But the opinions of anyone other than the two of us would never make us not be together. My hope is that by the time my kids are old enough to date (ugg, the thought of it!) being biracial just won’t be that big of a deal anymore, and maybe it’ll be harder to find someone who isn’t biracial than the other way around. So obviously I’m all for interracial relationships:) I think love is the most important thing in a relationship, and if you got that, you’re off to a good start (a better start than many!)
Melissa,
First let me say congratulations on the upcoming nuptials. Also, in my opinion I do not think that kids who are interracial get as many stares as the actual interracial couple. An addition I do not know if people will ever really stop caring about this issue because as long as there are people in the world that are racist, they keep this kind of confusion going, whether they teach it to their kids or just spew their hate into the atmosphere. Either way you are right to say and feel that the only thing that matter is you and your soon to be husband. Love is what matters most and anyone who finds it no matter where you find it, is blessed.
I’m past late joining this party, but i’d like to say I see nothing wrong with dating anyone.
My mother raised me to be colorblind and in Detroit, you can’t help but see the speckles, but we never judged by the outside of someone’s skin.
I’m glad I’ve done the same for my children and I hope this is passed on to generations to come.
Being that I write I/R in some of my books, I actually don’t choose what color they’ll be. My characters voice and mannerisms choose and finally what validates this is the controversy that is caused by my protaganists being together.
Love is love and wherever you find it that’s where you should be.
.-= Sylvia Hubbard´s last blog ..LABW UPDATE: New Single Mom Advice for Sandra Bullock and others =-.
I have a few questions about this discussion. What about the children who are born to mixed couples? Is it fair that they may have to deal with rejection from prejudice family members? Is it fair that they may feel out of place? What is the responsibilioty of the parents to the children who are a product of a mixed relationship? What can parents do to help the children cope and grow up mentally healthy?
Thank you for hosting C.M. Jones on the Nothing is Too Hard for God Blog Tour.