Books to Read, Share, and Grow With

Fired Before Work is more than a book about losing a job. It is a wake up call to stop depending on one paycheck as your only source of security.

Whether you are currently working a 9 to 5, have recently been fired or laid off, or simply know you need another stream of income, this book will challenge you to look at what you already have and start using it differently.

The truth is, a job can change at any moment. Companies downsize. Positions are eliminated. Hours are reduced. Businesses close. We learned during the global shutdown that depending on one source of income can leave you financially vulnerable.

But what if you started preparing before the emergency?

In Fired Before Work, Jerrica Brumfield teaches you how to use your current job as a tool for elevation instead of allowing your job to become your financial ceiling. You will learn how to begin shifting from simply working for money to becoming more intentional about making your money, skills, gifts, talents, knowledge, and resources work for you.

Throughout the book, you will be challenged to answer three powerful questions:

And if there is not much in your wallet right now, go back to the first two questions.

You may already have skills you can teach, items you can sell, knowledge you can package, services you can offer, or gifts and talents that can create additional income. Sometimes the opportunity you have been praying for is already sitting in your hands.

Fired Before Work will help you identify those opportunities, think differently about income, prepare financially for unexpected changes, and begin building additional streams of income before you are forced to.

Do not wait until you lose your job. Do not wait until your hours are cut. Do not wait until another crisis happens. Prepare now.

Your job can be part of your journey, but it does not have to be the only thing funding your future. It is time to discover what is already inside of you and around you and start putting it to work.

At Heartland Jr. High, Jacob is the new kid who refuses to stay quiet when he sees injustice. When he befriends Victor, a confident blind student, and Malachi, a homeless boy bullied for his appearance, the three form an unlikely bond that challenges everything their school knows about popularity and power.

Chris, the school's biggest bully, seems to have it all: new clothes, flashy jewelry, and a crew that follows his every move. But beneath the surface, Chris is hiding a painful secret, an abusive home life that has taught him to measure his worth by what he wears and who he controls.

As Jacob stands up to Chris, he does not just defend Malachi. He starts to see that the bully needs help too. When Jacob and Victor's families rally their community to support Malachi's struggling grandmother, Chris witnesses something he has never experienced: real love, real friendship, and real community.

Heroes of Heartland is a story about:

Perfect for ages 13 to 17, this book tackles tough topics with honesty, heart, and hope.

Written by 16-year-old Kasen M. Brumfield, a teen author from Mississippi who believes young people have the power to change the world, one act of kindness at a time.