Aarti Deegwal
In her book Acts of Faith, Iyanla Vanzant offers a passage for every day of the year to inspire and motivate people of colour. Vanzant is a life coach, writer, and public speaker, and in this book, she addresses the four main areas that cause stress and imbalance in people's lives: our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with the world, our relationship with each other, and our relationship with money. The book is a meditative and uplifting guide to living a successful life.
What You'll Learn
The book is a collection of daily inspirational passages
Acts of Faith: Daily Meditations for People of Colour by Iyanla Vanzant is a collection of daily inspirational passages, each accompanied by a short essay, to help readers reflect and gain wisdom. The book is intended to be read a page a day, with each day of the year having a unique quote or message. The passages are pulled from a variety of spiritual teachings and practices, to appeal to a wide range of faiths and disciplines.
The book is specifically aimed at people of colour, addressing the four basic areas that life coach Iyanla Vanzant considers to be the greatest sources of stress and imbalance: our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with the world, our relationship with each other, and our relationship with money.
Vanzant encourages readers to be honest with themselves, to be kind and loving to all people, to forgive themselves and others, and to refrain from thinking, saying, and doing anything that does not bring peace or joy. She also encourages readers to respect the beliefs of others, particularly those that are different from their own.
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It is specifically aimed at people of colour
Acts of Faith by Iyanla Vanzant is a book of daily meditations, aimed at people of colour. It is a thoughtful and inspirational book that explores the unique pressures on people of colour today with great insight and sensitivity.
The book is divided into sections that address the four basic areas that Vanzant considers to create stress and imbalance for people: our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with the world, our relationship with each other, and our relationship with money.
Each day of the year has a unique inspirational quote or message, along with a short essay to assist in reflection and wisdom. These messages are pulled from a variety of spiritual practices and teachings, to assist spiritual people across faiths and disciplines.
Acts of Faith is an invaluable resource for people of colour in search of motivation and support as they journey on their spiritual path. It is a meditative and uplifting guide to living successfully.
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The passages are taken from a variety of spiritual teachings
Acts of Faith is a book by life coach Iyanla Vanzant, offering daily inspirational passages and meditations for people of colour. The passages are taken from a variety of spiritual teachings.
Vanzant considers that there are four basic areas that create stress and imbalance for people: our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with the world, our relationship with each other, and our relationship with money. The book addresses all four issues in turn, providing an uplifting guide to living successfully.
- The Koran, Sura 4:155
- A Yoruba proverb
- Maya Angelou
- Minister Louis Farrakhan
- St. Francis De Sales
- Paramhansa Yogananda
- Dr. Harold Bloomfield
- Sun Ra
- Bettina Flores
- Paul Robeson
- Marilyn "Omi Funke" Torres
- Bawa Mahaiyaddeen
- Mari Evans
- A eulogy of Horace Harris
- Matthew 7:7
- Another Yoruba proverb
- Jewel Diamond-Taylor
- Ralph Ellison
- Molefi Asante
- Matthew 5:29
- Linda Green Beatty
- Dr. Benjamin Mays
- Oprah Winfrey
- Ralph Stevenson
- Kwame Nkrumah
- Deborah Gregory
- James Baldwin
- Sally Jessy Raphael
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The book addresses four areas that create stress and imbalance
In her book Acts of Faith, life coach Iyanla Vanzant identifies four areas that create stress and imbalance in people's lives. These are:
Our Relationship with Ourselves
Vanzant encourages readers to be honest with themselves and to stop making excuses for their actions. She suggests that we should not be afraid to look at our faults and that we should not let criticism stop us from being our true selves. She also highlights the importance of self-esteem and how we should not let others destroy it.
Our Relationship with the World
Vanzant notes that we should not let the world's view of us govern our self-worth. She also advises readers to be mindful of their thoughts, as these will determine their environment and approach to life.
Our Relationship with Each Other
The author emphasises the importance of forgiveness and peace, even when dealing with difficult people. She also suggests that we should not be afraid of separation or divorce, and that we should not fear being alone.
Our Relationship with Money
Vanzant notes that we should not let money govern our self-worth. She also suggests that we should not be afraid to ask for what we want and that we should not let our skin colour limit us.
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The author, Iyanla Vanzant, is a life coach and TV host
Iyanla Vanzant is a six-time New York Times bestselling author, life coach, spiritual teacher, lawyer, and television personality. She has written 17 books, which have sold over 10 million copies collectively, and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show 20 times.
Vanzant was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1953. Her mother died from breast cancer when she was two, and she was raised by her paternal relatives. She attended Medgar Evers College and Virginia Union University and has a Juris Doctor degree from the City University of New York School of Law and a Master's degree from the University of Santa Monica.
In 1983, she was ordained as a priestess in the Yoruba tradition and given the title "Iyanla", which means "great mother". She currently resides in Maryland and is an ordained New Thought minister.
In addition to her writing career, Vanzant has also enjoyed success as a television host. From 2001 to 2002, she hosted the TV series Iyanla. She then served as a life coach on the show Starting Over from 2004 to 2006. Vanzant also hosted the award-winning breakout hit Iyanla: Fix My Life from 2012 to 2021. The show was the number one reality show on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Vanzant has received numerous accolades for her work. In 2000, she was named one of the "100 most influential Black Americans" by Ebony magazine. In 2012, she was listed as the seventh most spiritually influential living person by Watkins' Mind Body Spirit magazine. In 2016, she was named to Oprah Winfrey's SuperSoul100 list of visionaries and influential leaders.
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Frequently asked questions
While the book does focus on the unique pressures on people of colour, it can be a thoughtful and inspirational read for anyone.
The book addresses four basic areas that create stress and imbalance: our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with the world, our relationship with each other, and our relationship with money.
The book is written in a meditative and uplifting tone, with a unique inspirational quote or message for each day of the year.
Iyanla Vanzant is a life coach, writer, and public speaker. She is also the host and executive producer of the award-winning TV show 'Iyanla: Fix My Life' on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Yes, there is a 25th-anniversary edition of the book published in 2018.
