Toteng's diary turns into a motivational book
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday July 13, 2018 13:54
However, Lonyalo Toteng has decided to go against this norm as she turned her diary into a motivational book.
Toteng’s Christian verse inspired The Beauty Of Life is a book meant to inspire the youth out there to put their problems unto God and strive hard to attain their dreams.
The 33-year-old young Motswana woman told Arts & Culture that she was going through a hard phase in her life when she started following a Christian motivational website where each day she would receive a verse from the Bible.
“During those hard times, I decided to turn to God. I followed an application that had a random promise.
Whenever I read those verses, I wrote down my thoughts concerning that particular verse as I felt that it was directly communicating with me. I wrote about my life’s experiences.
I later decided to turn my diary into this book so that I could motivate other young people who have gone through the same life challenges as me,” she said pointing at her book.
She said at times people tend to think that they are the only ones going through hardships in life, not knowing that there were others going through the same difficulties. Toteng added that she wanted to show other people going through the same situation and hopes to show them that she had made it through and so can they.
She added that some people had no one to turn to during difficult times and therefore she hoped her book could touch someone and save a life. The young writer explained that her target audience is mainly youth as many of them faceg a lot of tribulations such as unemployment, turbulent relationships and many more.
The 51 page-book has four chapters. In its introduction, Toteng writes, “This book is a testimony of who I am and how I came to be where I am today. It started when I chanced upon an application about the promises of God and it evolved into this book as I related the scriptures with what I have gone through and what I have observed through my journey in life.”
Chapter 1 titled, At The Crossroads reads, “Have you ever been at that point in life where everything seems to be going wrong? When it seems nothing you say or do is right and you start questioning what it is that you have done so wrong that you should be punished like this.
Then it starts weighing down on you in your heart and soul, so much that your heart and body start to physically ache.
You make countless visits to the doctor only for them to find nothing.”
The Beauty of Life was published at Letshwiti Publishers in February this year. It will be launched at Cross Gold in Sebele Mall on July 28, 2018 from 10am till lunchtime. Entrance fee is P130. It includes a free copy and refreshments.
The book is currently sold at KC Bookstores in Gaborone and other bookstores in Francistown. The author said it is affordable to potential buyers at P110.