[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t was the Summer of 2006 when I was transitioning as a director of a faith-based nonprofit in Washington, D.C. when I first met Rev. Romal Tune, a sharp and politically savvy minister navigating Capital Hill between the intersection of faith and public life. He gave me my first consulting job and introduced to me to a world of ministry in the public square. Currently, Rev. Tune serves as Founder & Executive Director for Faith for Change; a national non-profit that connects communities of faith with high needs schools to decrease the dropout rate and promote academic excellence.
But things haven’t always been so easy for Romal. In his new book “God’s Graffiti: Inspiring Stories for Teens,” Romal takes us through his remarkable journey. Born the son of a 17 year-old single parent and crack addict, Romal had to survive the rough streets of a neighborhood known as “Killer Crest Side” in Vallejo, California. From gang banging to drug selling and a family filled with dysfunction, Romal tells an inspiring story filled with hope and promise that your beginning does not have to determine your ending.
In God’s Graffiti, each chapter introduces the reader to men and women of the Bible who had to overcome challenges of family and community to be the leaders God called them to be. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions and a prayer which makes this an essential tool for churches and youth pastors who are working to heal wounds and inspire a generation to understand that God’s promise is bigger than your past and your pain.
Order God’s Graffiti
Jamye Wooten is the founder and publisher of KineticsLive.com ; a faith-rooted organizer that has documented social movements from across the United States, United Kingdom and Africa. He is the former program director of the Collective Banking Group, Inc. (CBG), a Christian ministry that draws together leaders from the faith, business, and public service sectors to develop and enhance economic empowerment strategies for the African American community.
