Blessings and Miracles

Book excerpt: BLESSINGS & MIRACLES is a moving memoir that will have readers cheering for a young Shashicka as if they knew her. And upon finishing the story, readers will come to realize they do know her. She is the young girl standing at the bus stop, the young boy getting into mischief on the street corner, the kids loitering in the park or cutting class at school. Shashicka represents the battle and triumph of so many children of color who find themselves being raised in single parent homes, forced to grow up too fast, too soon. "When I was fifteen, and I had my baby and my mother told me to leave her house I believe God had abandoned me. As I was walking in the streets, I was thinking that no one cared about me; I didn't really have anywhere to go. I cried out to God asking Him why? Why would he do this to me? Why did it have to happen to me? I felt totally alone and I thought that God had forgotten about me -- but just for a moment. I had a couple more moments of, "Why me, God " like when I almost lost my daughter. I really questioned God a lot then, especially while I was locked up. I didn't understand why when I was doing everything right, when I was working so hard, why I had to go through all of this. But though I questioned God, He was always there." Fortunately for her, the opposition allowed her to find passion early in life. A light touch from a caring person can leave a lasting impression and after caring for her ailing grandmother, Shashicka turned her compassion for the sick and shut-in into a career that has not only given her a wonderful life, but has helped others to thrive. Shashicka's accounts of her early years force readers to think about the obstacles before them and re-adjust before throwing in the towel. Through her life readers will come to see that the problems we face are often the mental and emotional workout needed to strengthen us for the journey to destiny. Readers will find inspiration as they witness a young girl's enduring will to succeed, the daunting pursuit to find lasting love and the quest for entrepreneurship. "When I look back over my life today, I see that there were plenty of times I had to stretch my faith, but the major time for me was when I just couldn't get my license. Having to do that three times was a lot. And the lady who was responsible for giving me the license spoke such negativity into my life. I remember crying so hard, that I couldn't even speak. Then, I talked to my mom and she helped me to stretch my faith. That was when I went back for the third time. And, I did it " At the age of 21, Shashicka was a married mother of two who had become the youngest person in the country to obtain a home health care license. She started her first business Miracle Health Care in Brunswick, GA. Today she has seven locations in the state of Georgia. BLESSINGS & MIRACLES offers a uniquely personal, deeply intimate look into the complicated past of a teen mom and her will to succeed. Each chapter of this memoir carries the reader from tragedy to triumph, as this young girl grows into a woman-a successful business woman, despite numerous setbacks.