Growing up a pastor’s son isn’t alway easy

By Josie Jones

The Kansas City-based author, Lorenzo Harrison, has released his debut children’s book, “Tyler’s Talents Unleashed,” a story that follows a young pastor’s son who faces the challenges of balancing his singing opportunities and academics with his family’s church priorities and responsibilities. As a pastor’s child, Tyler is faced with all the pressures of doing life his parents’ way. When Tyler is found stuck in the middle of a song rehearsal and a big church event, he has to try to balance it all.

Not only does the book showcase the significance of the use of communication at an early age, it also demonstrates self-confidence and holds community values at the center.

Harrison, who grew up in south Kansas City, is a recognized speaker and local minister, known for the mentor work he has been doing with youth. Harrison shared that some of the inspiration for this book comes from his own experience as the son of a preacher, as well as the children he works with in after-school programming.

“..I wanted to create a story that made sense and put into real terms something that actually happened,” Harrison said. “There are other kids that are walking in the same shoes as I am. They are always at church. But they never get to live the life that they want, to go after their own talents and dreams and not their parents’ all the time.”

Harrison hopes that the children who read his book will dream big, try new things, but still remember their core principles and their foundation of faith.

“I really want to make sure that kids are aware that having big dreams is important, and it’s okay to have those,” Harrison said. “How can we as people around them help them reach those dreams and still not lose your faith, family, and passion for church.”

The other message that Harrison points out was how he wanted to give kids the push to go down a new avenue, even if it is trying something that is new to parents as well.

“Just giving those kids encouragement to say, It’s okay to step out and ask and say, ‘Can I try this out and see how this works for me?’” Harrison said.

Harrison highlights that his book displays the beauty of a strong family connection, and that is one of the reasons he believes his book stands out.

“[The parents] take a step back and realize that maybe they put too much on their child, and the child figures out that the parents want to embrace that,” Harrison shared.

Harrison’s passion for this character, and his writing will not stop after just this one book. “Tyler’s Talent Unleashed” is a ‘gonna be’ series– currently Harrison is working on book two of the five he hopes to release in the upcoming years about Tyler.

“I’m still storyboarding it out on where we are going to take it. I want [readers] to meet Tyler’s friends and how having a great core group of friends is helpful when you’re on a journey trying to figure out what you want to do,” Harrison said.

Harrison gives his advice to adolescents who are trying to balance everything, while standing firm in their values.

“You will be the person who stands out from the crowd, and everybody’s unique in their own way,” Harrison states. “Don’t try to change or conform to what other people want you to be, just be you.”