Audio By Carbonatix

Christian artist Nicole C. Mullen is known by many in the Christian Community for her music, songs like My Redeemer Lives and other great hits. However, Nicole, wants to turn the table around and invite her audience and all who will listen into her words as an author. In her new book, It’s Never Wrong to Do the Right Thing Nicole, is clear it’s the people that she admires that have taught her lessons along her journey that have benefited her the most. What many may not know, is that Nicole has suffered and had to walk through hardships like everyone. In her new book, Nicole invited her audience into her world and wants them to know her outside of her music. 

Crosswalk: There seems to be a rhythm to your writing?
Nicole C Mullins: I love that observation. Honestly, that is the rhythm that I wrote through, and that's the rhythm that I live. And I believe the reader and the listener, they live that same rhythm. None of us gets the chance to live on the mountaintop and never face a valley. There are valleys for all of us. Hmm. I think during the valleys, we can remember that this too will pass. This is a season, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because you're with me. I wanted to showcase is really not just my story, but the story of heroes and sheroes and the stories of the readers to say, hey, this is where you two live, and in the midst of those valleys, we need Christ in the midst of the mountaintop. We need Christ, and we need courage to continue to make the right decisions that please God, and it's for the betterment of us and our families. 

CW: Why did you find a need to share some of your darkest seasons in the book?
NM: I believe that's where we all live. I think we all visit those seasons and sometimes we, in Christendom can pretend that we never go through dark seasons. We can pretend that only other people experience those pains and those setbacks and those heartaches. I found that in those seasons, that's where Christ has shown up the brightest, also in those seasons are where I can relate to even biblical characters and other heroes and sheroes of the faith. Without those hard seasons, there's no backdrop for Christ to shine. I just wanted to be one of the first to say, let me be honest, to show you where I have failed, where I have made poor decisions, but also let me showcase where Christ is still triumph. 

CW: Why do you think being authentic helps others?
NM: I'm still a work in progress. I was sharing with a single mom last night, and we were having a conversation and she said you know, I think maybe we ought to just become, I guess perfected in knowing just how to choose perfectly in every situation. I don't think it's always us knowing what to choose perfectly, when you're doing the right thing guidance and with wisdom and with prayer and with counsel, sometimes that other person will still do wrong. It doesn't mean you were wrong in choosing, because even when God made Adam and Eve in the garden, he said on the sixth day after making those two, he kept saying, it was good. Then he finally said it was very good. But even after he said it was very good, those two that he pronounced that blessing over, they still messed up. So, was God wrong? No, they were wrong. So, it's not always that we've made a wrong decision. We can't, choose for someone else, but I can still choose what I do in response to their choice. 

CW: You’re an actor, author, singer. How do you do all these things?
NM: Philippians 4:13, is the answer. I can do all these seasons, all these different crafts, all these different events, all these different peaks and valleys really through Christ who gives me strength. Because in myself, I know I'm not qualified to do half the things I've done, but I found that God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. 

CW: In the book you mention, going through domestic abuse. What do you want to say to the women or man who is walking through that season currently?
NM: Thank you for even asking the question. I would want to say that first of all, God sees you,  He knows you, He hears you and he cares. He's proven that all throughout the scripture, He also proves it in real time. Everyday lives of people like me, and he wants to show it to you as well. My, encouragement to you would be, first of all, calling him before you call anyone else. You might have to call 9-1-1, but before you even call 9-1-1, cry out to him first and then allow him to give you wisdom to download into your spirit what it is that you need to do. I promise he will comfort. He will lead, he will guide, he will provide, he will protect you. He will help you. He will deliver. He will rescue and he will redeem you. I'm proof of it. 

 Photo credit: ©GettyImages/NBC/Contributor

MAINA MWAURA is a freelance writer and journalist who has interviewed over 800 influential leaders, including two US Presidents, three Vice-Presidents, and a variety of others. Maina, is also the author of the Influential Mentor, How the life and legacy of Howard Hendricks Equipped and Inspired a Generation of Leaders. Maina and his family reside in the Kennesaw, Georgia area.

Audio By Carbonatix

Christian artist Nicole C. Mullen is known by many in the Christian Community for her music, songs like My Redeemer Lives and other great hits. However, Nicole, wants to turn the table around and invite her audience and all who will listen into her words as an author. In her new book, It’s Never Wrong to Do the Right Thing Nicole, is clear it’s the people that she admires that have taught her lessons along her journey that have benefited her the most. What many may not know, is that Nicole has suffered and had to walk through hardships like everyone. In her new book, Nicole invited her audience into her world and wants them to know her outside of her music. 

Crosswalk: There seems to be a rhythm to your writing?
Nicole C Mullins: I love that observation. Honestly, that is the rhythm that I wrote through, and that's the rhythm that I live. And I believe the reader and the listener, they live that same rhythm. None of us gets the chance to live on the mountaintop and never face a valley. There are valleys for all of us. Hmm. I think during the valleys, we can remember that this too will pass. This is a season, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because you're with me. I wanted to showcase is really not just my story, but the story of heroes and sheroes and the stories of the readers to say, hey, this is where you two live, and in the midst of those valleys, we need Christ in the midst of the mountaintop. We need Christ, and we need courage to continue to make the right decisions that please God, and it's for the betterment of us and our families. 

CW: Why did you find a need to share some of your darkest seasons in the book?
NM: I believe that's where we all live. I think we all visit those seasons and sometimes we, in Christendom can pretend that we never go through dark seasons. We can pretend that only other people experience those pains and those setbacks and those heartaches. I found that in those seasons, that's where Christ has shown up the brightest, also in those seasons are where I can relate to even biblical characters and other heroes and sheroes of the faith. Without those hard seasons, there's no backdrop for Christ to shine. I just wanted to be one of the first to say, let me be honest, to show you where I have failed, where I have made poor decisions, but also let me showcase where Christ is still triumph. 

CW: Why do you think being authentic helps others?
NM: I'm still a work in progress. I was sharing with a single mom last night, and we were having a conversation and she said you know, I think maybe we ought to just become, I guess perfected in knowing just how to choose perfectly in every situation. I don't think it's always us knowing what to choose perfectly, when you're doing the right thing guidance and with wisdom and with prayer and with counsel, sometimes that other person will still do wrong. It doesn't mean you were wrong in choosing, because even when God made Adam and Eve in the garden, he said on the sixth day after making those two, he kept saying, it was good. Then he finally said it was very good. But even after he said it was very good, those two that he pronounced that blessing over, they still messed up. So, was God wrong? No, they were wrong. So, it's not always that we've made a wrong decision. We can't, choose for someone else, but I can still choose what I do in response to their choice. 

CW: You’re an actor, author, singer. How do you do all these things?
NM: Philippians 4:13, is the answer. I can do all these seasons, all these different crafts, all these different events, all these different peaks and valleys really through Christ who gives me strength. Because in myself, I know I'm not qualified to do half the things I've done, but I found that God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. 

CW: In the book you mention, going through domestic abuse. What do you want to say to the women or man who is walking through that season currently?
NM: Thank you for even asking the question. I would want to say that first of all, God sees you,  He knows you, He hears you and he cares. He's proven that all throughout the scripture, He also proves it in real time. Everyday lives of people like me, and he wants to show it to you as well. My, encouragement to you would be, first of all, calling him before you call anyone else. You might have to call 9-1-1, but before you even call 9-1-1, cry out to him first and then allow him to give you wisdom to download into your spirit what it is that you need to do. I promise he will comfort. He will lead, he will guide, he will provide, he will protect you. He will help you. He will deliver. He will rescue and he will redeem you. I'm proof of it. 

 Photo credit: ©GettyImages/NBC/Contributor

MAINA MWAURA is a freelance writer and journalist who has interviewed over 800 influential leaders, including two US Presidents, three Vice-Presidents, and a variety of others. Maina, is also the author of the Influential Mentor, How the life and legacy of Howard Hendricks Equipped and Inspired a Generation of Leaders. Maina and his family reside in the Kennesaw, Georgia area.