The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

NOT EVERYONE is fortunate enough to have been nurtured in an environment rich with essential values – honesty, respect, responsibility, generosity, forgiveness.

Therefore, when some of these persons grow up and become parents, they are ill-equipped and have little to offer their children when opportunities to instil such morals present themselves.

But parents and children can now glean practical wisdom about life from Bahamian author and pastor Dr Mattie Nottage’s newest book, “Secrets Every Mother Should Tell Her Daughter About Life”.

Dr Nottage, who is the president and founder of Mattie Nottage Ministries, celebrated the release of the book during a special women’s conference over the weekend.

The book is a compilation of some of the “inspiring power nuggets” that Dr Nottage shared with her own daughters in order to teach them how to live life best.

She said the book has the aims to inspire every girl, teenager and woman to achieve the goals God has set for her as she seeks to navigate through life.
The book, Dr Nottage said, was started more than a year ago, at a time when her daughter was about to leave the country to pursue her tertiary education.

As she could not physically accompany her daughter, Dr Nottage said she wanted to give her “power nuggets of wisdom” to inspire and encourage her while she was away from home.

“I thought it would be good, if over the years all the things that I have been teaching them and talking to them about as a mother I could put it in ink. I started writing those nuggets just so that she would get an understanding, so that when she got in college she would have something to hold onto. I started putting it in ink and when the time came I realised I had written 500 of what I call essential nuggets. As I was about to send it to the publisher, I thought to not only present it to my daughter, but make it available for women and young women all around the world to benefit from,” Dr Nottage told Tribune Woman.

Many Bahamian women and girls find themselves in an environment where their flaws are highlighted and their gifts or talents are not recognised or nurtured, she said.

Dr Nottage said she believes the positive affirmations in her new book have the power to change perspectives and ultimately the circumstances of women everywhere.

“Secret #1 in the book says, ‘Always remember and never forget that you are special; I love you and celebrate you for the gem that you are. Stay focused, stay true to God and stay true to yourself’. Another one that a lot of people like is Secret #80 that says, ‘Do not allow people to dump their garbage on your drive way, especially if you are planning on going somewhere.’ The reason why I wrote this particular secret to my daughters is because a lot of times God has a plan for your life and you have a plan for your life, and sometimes people have a tendency of attaching themselves to you because no doubt you are vulnerable and they try to take their issues or garbage and park it on you,” she said.

Dr Nottage said she believes the book will greatly impact the life of every young woman who reads it.

“When I first started doing youth work, the issues we are seeing today have exploded beyond what I saw some ten years ago. What we have seen is an increasing outbreak of promiscuity and violence with our teenage girls. A lot of young ladies are angry, frustrated, and a lot of them have been robbed or hurt. Many of their mothers are struggling as well or working numerous jobs, so they do not have the time to tell their daughters about sex or tell their daughters about managing money or how to keep their dreams alive. But I believe we will see the prospects of change where our young women are concerned,” she said.

Dr Nottage has produced and directed numerous stage plays, including “Last Chance Transformation Academy”, “You Have A Choice In The Matter”, “Talitha Cumi - Damsel Arise!”, “Christmas In Da’ Ghetto”, “Dealing With Delilah”, “Fragile Heart”, “Chain Breakers” among others.
She is a well-known international preacher, teacher, motivational speaker, life coach, playwright, author and revivalist. She is the president and founder of the Mattie Nottage School of Ministry, the Youth In Action Group and the Global Dominion Network Empowering Group of Companies.

Dr Nottage is married to Apostle Edison Nottage. Together they run the Believers Faith Outreach Ministries International in Nassau and Believers Faith Breakthrough Ministries International in South Florida.

She has ministered the gospel in places such as Ireland, Brazil, Africa, The Netherlands, throughout the US and the Caribbean. In addition to writing and producing plays, Dr Nottage is the author of “Breaking The Chains – From Worship to Warfare”.