A New Chapter: A Special Announcement from Pastor Nic

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What if the journey to freedom is intertwined with your greatest challenges?" Join me on this very special episode of Beyond Sunday as I reveal the deeply personal and transformative journey behind my upcoming book, "Be Free," set to release on January 20th, 2025. Sharing a story almost a decade in the making, I recount the rollercoaster of life changes, the unexpected twists at South Shore Community Church, and the relentless drive to put pen to paper once more. Discover the heartfelt moments that shaped this labor of love and how they inspired a book that invites you on a profound journey of liberation and discovery.

This episode isn't just about a book release; it's about the empowering message of freedom that I am passionate about sharing. Drawing from invaluable lessons from our church's recovery ministry, I've learned more from real-life struggles and triumphs than any formal training could offer. Many are trapped by their pasts, yearning for freedom that seems elusive, but the truth is, it's within reach. Let’s explore together the truth that can set us free and spread this message to those who need it most. Your support means the world to me, and I can't wait to embark on this exciting chapter with you.

https://www.nic-williams.com/team

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 0 (00:00):
Hey podcast world.
Today is a special episode ofBeyond Sunday where I wanna
share something very personal.
A little over eight years ago,I started a journey to write a
book.
The book got released in 2016,in the middle, honestly, of one
of the craziest seasons of mylife.
If you know that story, theshort version is I was on staff

(00:21):
at a local church in Sarasotaand their theology changed
overnight.
By the end of that week, I hadresigned and just didn't know
what I would do.
I had some incredible friendsin a band I was in called
Reverend Barry and the Funk.
At the time, I was having agreat time with that.
Chris Shadow, one of thosefriends, gave me a job
immediately, just so I couldcontinue to take care of my

(00:43):
family.
Other churches in our communitywrapped around us and we were
more loved than we ever feltfrom strangers beyond the people
that we actually knew, and soit was an incredible season of
learning.
In the midst of all that, Ibecame the lead pastor of South
Shore Community Church inSarasota, florida, and released
my first book about four monthsafter taking that position.

(01:05):
The book is called when Fearand Faith Collide.
If you've not read that, youcan jump on Amazon and buy that,
and I would be honored if youdid that and left a five-star
review.
Those are always helpful forlocal authors.
But that was a journey.
That book probably needs to berewritten.
I've come a long way in mywriting style and what I think,
and so I probably should re-upthat book.

(01:26):
But we'll save that project foranother day.
When I released that book, Ithought in the next year I would
release a second book.
I knew exactly what I was goingto write on.
I always had an idea of two orthree books in my head and so I
thought, man, I will startwriting.
Life just got in the way.
Our church started to grow, myresponsibilities of lead pastor
became overwhelming and Ientered an interesting season of

(01:49):
ministry.
Church growth, plus COVID, plusa construction project, plus
some staffing issues justoverwhelmed me to a point where
writing wasn't fun and writingwasn't something that I was
going to do.
Fast forward probably sevenyears from that point and I
realized, man, I still had adesire to write at least one

(02:10):
book the book that I hadoriginally started out to write
after my first release, and Ibegan to dive into what that
looked like, began to research,began to take notes and, all of
a sudden, a book began to form.
So I'm thrilled to share someincredible, exciting news with
you today.
After years of heartfelt effort, reflection and overcoming

(02:32):
numerous challenges, the timehas finally come.
So today, to my podcastlisteners, I'm announcing this
first, so if you're listening tothe podcast, you're hearing
this before anybody else, minusthe about 10 people in my life
that know this is happening.
But I'm letting you know, I'lllet social know and my church
know in the next couple of weeksbut podcast people I'm

(02:53):
releasing my new book, which iscalled Be Free, and it'll be
available on January 20th 2025.
This book has been a labor oflove for me, shaped by
experiences and insightsgathered over a journey that's
been both challenging and deeplyrewarding.
Be Free, though, is more thanjust a title.

(03:13):
It's an invitation.
An invitation to explore thedepths of freedom that comes
from understanding, acceptingand acting on the truth that can
truly set us free.
The back cover of the book saysit all, inviting readers into a
journey of liberation anddiscovery.
This book is my heart pouredout in words, a culmination of

(03:34):
years of learning and living AtSouth Shore.
We have a recovery ministry onSunday nights.
We have about 200 people thatcome to that, and I have learned
more, maybe, from that group ofpeople than I have from years
of seminary and doctoraltraining.
My life has been turned upsidedown as I've looked at so many
people searching for what itreally means to be free.

(03:55):
Yet they're letting their past,their baggage, the things of
their life hold them back fromtruly experiencing that freedom,
and that freedom all of asudden becomes just a carrot out
in the distance that we hopeone day to attain.
But the truth is, the gospelsays that Jesus came to set you
free.
It is for freedom that he hasset you free, right, and so

(04:18):
here's the thing.
I need your help.
I can't do this alone.
The truth is, releasing a bookinto the world is a daunting
task.
It's like sending a part ofyour soul out into the open,
hoping it'll find a place tocall home in the hearts of
readers.
That's why I'm reaching out toyou, my listeners and the
community that has supported methroughout these years.

(04:40):
I need your help to launch thisbook successfully.
If you've ever found value inour time together on this
podcast, in our church, in ourrelationship, if you've ever
been moved or challenged by whatyou've heard.
I want to invite you to join mybook launch team.
As a member of the team, you'llreceive a pre-release
electronic copy of Be Free.

(05:01):
I'll ask you to read it.
Share your honest review assoon as the book goes live.
But it doesn't stop there.
I hope you'll love the bookenough to want to own a copy
yourself and help spread theword through your social
networks, by word of mouth, toyour friends.
Plus, as a special bonus,you'll get a sneak peek at my
next project, slated for late2025, and even have a chance to

(05:25):
influence its development.
Yes, along with announcing mysecond book release, I'm also
announcing that I am alreadyworking on a third book that
hopefully will come out laterthis year.
I can't tell you howlife-giving it has been to sit
and just read the Word of Godand allow what God places on my

(05:46):
heart to be penned into a book.
Now, if you're thinking, man, Iwant to join that launch team
and hopefully everybody isthinking that To join the launch
team, just visit my websitenick-williamscom slash team
Again, nic-williamscom backslashT-E-A-M.

(06:09):
There'll be a link to it belowthe podcast as well.
Fill out the form and you'll beall set to start this exciting
journey with me.
After this form gets going fora week or so, I'll start
contacting you and let you knowwhere we're at in this journey.
Now, along with the book, I'vegot some other surprises that
will be released along thisjourney.
I don't want to talk aboutthose just yet.

(06:30):
One, because I can't give youeverything today.
And two, what if they don'thappen?
I am running a marathon rightnow to try to wrap up and button
up all the things that I'vebeen dreaming about with this
book.
This book Be Free has thepotential to change lives and,
with your help, we can make sureit reaches those who need it

(06:50):
most.
I believe in the power of thiswork, not just because I wrote
it, but because of thetransformation I've witnessed in
those that I've shared thismessage with to date.
Together, you and I can turn aripple into a wave, so thank you
for considering thisopportunity to be a part of
something bigger.
Your support not only means theworld to me, but can also make

(07:11):
a world of difference to someoneelse.
Let's make this launch aresounding success.
Thank you so much for joiningme today.
I can't wait to give you moreinformation about what God's
doing through this book andthrough my life, hope you have
an incredible week.
God bless.