Bio of Sharon Moore Stenhouse (aka) a’Kihoro
I truly believe that “There is no testimony, without a test.” As an African-American baptized, confirmed and raised in the Anglican Episcopal Church I learned very early that faith is the foundation of all that we do and become in life. My formative years, steeped in ritualistic traditions of the Episcopal Church, found me longing to seek the god reflected in the contemporary gospel songs I heard on the radio. After receiving numerous denials to begin studying and singing gospel in my church, I left and eventually joined the Baptist church of a long time friend.
This lead to a new kind of Bible study, afforded me the opportunity to sing the very songs that spoke to my heart and to perform for three years with the Interfaith Community Singers. It was during this transitional period that I discovered the true power of faith.
In 1997, after a spontaneous decision to take a leap of faith, I quit my job as a continuing medical education program coordinator and concentrate on a consulting business, created in 1995, to target faith-based organizations and offer the knowledge and skills I acquired as a professional meeting planner, and a graphics and publications designer. My very first client was the late Minister Pat Kelly’s Lifeline Ministries. Through working with Min. Kelly I was given the opportunity to write an article “On the Greatest Team…the Lord’s Team” for Unity in the Spirit Magazine in 1998.
Although, for economic reasons, I returned to gainful employment I still maintain my consulting business, a’Kihoro SPIRITUAL CREATIONSTM.
Faith…is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
Late one evening in 2002, while mindlessly watching television, a silent stillness came upon me when the Holy Spirit brought forth these words audibly from my own mouth… “Sharon, you have breast cancer.” It would not be until a few months later I was diagnosed, scheduled for surgery and the subsequent treatment.
My medical team admired the calm and resolve I maintained, and some did not seem amazed by my admission that I already knew what the outcome would be, because the Lord told me so. I believe that God was giving me a testimony to his greatness, and I would be successful in my treatment. As a survivor of breast cancer and through continued study of God’s word, I am able to share my faith with others.
Of course, I questioned how God would have me do this. Reflecting back on my childhood, I remembered writing imaginative stories of love, romance and adventure in my composition notebooks…none of which exist today. Through prayer and discernment, I came to the understanding that I needed to release the past and ultimately found the vehicle to let go by delving myself into writing. I truly believe my writing is God ordained.
The first and perhaps the most cleansing writing experience began as a monologue, in the form of a personal letter, on spousal abuse. In the beginning the words were just a jumble of remembrances and thoughts of the abuse I suffered in my marriage, however once I began to realize a sense of release the writing began to flow, and I penned “Can’t Hold On Forever.”
During this period, my faith walk took another turn. Over the years while worshiping in the Baptist church, I began to miss my Episcopalian background…the quite stillness, the simplistic commonality of prayers for the people, and taking communion whenever we gathered for worship. God sent warriors to do his bidding and brought me back into the fold through a very loving couple walking with me in this journey, and I rejoined the Episcopal Church. Once again, I knew the Holy Spirit was speaking to me.
Four years later, Gods intervention took hold again, I found myself writing poetry and participating in a weekly open mike night which birthed my first poem “Why Not Me.” Within a few months, I had written thirty poems and transformed the monologue into poetry. One thing appeared a constant every time I openly read the poems …Gods lessons and word was directly or indirectly the voice relayed. At this point, I felt the need to find a vehicle to reach as many people as possible. I self-published my first book of poetry.
Amani na Mapenzi: Love & Peace (The Poetic Writings of a’Kihoro), © 2007, speaks in a spiritual voice to young adults, African-Americans, abused women, and just plain folks. It is a collection of poems, with a touch of “Mother Wit,” that draw upon life, Agapē love, self love and the things we love with emotion and wisdom-at times with a sense of humor-from adolescence to today.
The title Amani na Mapenzi is taken from Kiswahili with a literal translation of peace and love. Purposely I reversed the translation to “love & peace” because I believe one cannot have peace without first knowing how to love. Additionally, my pen name a’Kihoro literally means “spiritual.” I wanted the title to get people asking, “What does it mean?”
An audio of the poem “Today” resides on my Web site www.akihoro.com.
Within the next few years, I will be fully retired and plan to develop my ministry concentrating on seminars for spiritual writing and the technology of self-publishing targeted to persons who believe they have something to say, but do not know where to begin. I also intend to continue studying and writing.
Currently, I am working on my second book of poetry and just completed much of the research for a novel, not yet titled, which I plan to publish by the end of 2008. The book is a historical fiction with a back-story that travels through time to the late 1800s. ###
© 2007 – All Rights Reserved
