I promised to provide you with excerpts from chapters of the new book.  Do know that you are reading "raw and unedited excerpts."  The excerpts I share with you prior to the final edits and release may be altered by my editor once the time comes but in the meantime...enjoy!

I would suggest that you not make judgment on the excerpts as you will really need to read the entire book in order to understand the complete message.  One of the reasons I am writing this book is to be the voice for those that have at one point or another questioned their religion, been angry at God and/or have even walked away from religion for a number of different reasons.

Some may get so angry that they completely walk away from religion, God, etc. while others like me...will walk away only to return but with a much more personal recognition of what "God" means to us and a true authentic relationship with a higher power that resonates with our truth. Something that most people never feel comfortable enough to do.

This book will be my personal story, my journey from divorce from all things male, my ex-husband, God (since the God I grew up with was male) and MEN all together to a reconciliation with the same. The pages will be filled with humor, anger, humility, awareness, etc. essentially a myriad of emotions. Enjoy these excerpts and feel free to share any similar experiences that you have had.

HUGS! Anita

Holy Ghost or Holy Hoax?

I was one of those kids that would make smart comments like – “the holy ghost would have to track me down and jump on me directly if it wanted me to perform.” I can only imagine the look on your faces. I’m just telling my story, stick with me, I promise you will not get struck by lightning just for reading. These are my words and you will not be “condemned to hell” for reading them.

Did I not believe that God was real? Of course God was real. Did I believe that people could catch the Holy Ghost and be so moved where they would just break out in dance? Of course I did. Did I think that everyone that got up to dance was truly being touched … no I didn’t. Here is why.

Every Sunday at a particular time – between 1:12pm and 1:16pm a certain teenager would “catch the holy ghost.” Why should it matter to me if she was being sincere or not? Was I concerned that she wouldn’t get in to heaven for lying or that she would get struck down by lightning for playing with the “iron fist God” we had learned about? Uh, no! I was more concerned that each Sunday during this time she would use her “trance” to purposely hit me.

I know what you’re thinking…I was a teenager and it was all in my mind. Trust me, this is the same girl that for whatever reason decided that I was going to be the one that she would fight every night after choir rehearsal. I lived one block away from church and if someone wouldn’t walk me home from church, she would follow me and start a fight. It became a routine. The guys in my church would decided which one would walk me home and which one would hold her back until I got there. So excuse me for being a little on “notice.”

Well, needless to say…there is only so much aggravation one person can take and during one Sunday’s “show” I took it upon myself to avenge all of those months of her torturing me. I watched the clock. 1:00pm – if she hits me today, it will not be nice. 1:05 – I’m getting so tired of her picking on me, I haven’t done anything to her and she keeps on doing it. 1:10pm – I can’t continue to be embarrassed and harassed, by what right does she have to continue to do this to me. I’m going to have to take a stand. 1:11pm – Maybe she won’t hit me today and I won’t have to take a stand THIS Sunday. The next 60 seconds was the longest in my teenage history.

1:12pm, the shouting started right on schedule. I managed to move from my original position hoping this would confuse her since she always looked for me prior to “show time” so that I would be in direct aim of her flying arms. Arms start to swinging, body goes erect, shouting commences…I’m not in my usual spot…HA! I beat her at her own game. Just then she turns around locks eyes with me in my new position…changes the direction of her shouting then makes SURE she gets her punch in – wuuutttt!?!?! Did I just hear the boxing bell?

That was it…it was on. Looking back I can only imagine how mortified everyone must have been to watch me attach “the poor helpless girl who is giving her honor to God” but I had watched her patterns every Sunday and knew that this was a hoax; that she was a phony. I even moved out of her way this time to avoid the connection to no avail. She found me, redirected her course and made contact. Her mission was accomplished…well so was mine.

Did I get in trouble? You bet I did! Was it worth it? You bet it was!!! The “holy punches” she received that day from me in front of the entire church was ENOUGH to get her to recognize that I wasn’t afraid of her anymore; that I had enough; that the days of getting her boxing practice with me and pulling my hair was over. I had taken a stand…and checked off another observation regarding the behavior and the hypocrisy of the religion…hell I was living it.

Taken from the book "When God Pissed Me Off!!! My Journey From Divorce to Reconciliation with All Things Male" by Anita Charlot