Lord lead me...

Good Year so far...

2011-09-28T22:07:00.000-07:00

I am one happy writer. I have a wonderful agent this year, my book is over half done (I have been doing some rewriting)....I plan to finish by year end. All in all not a bad year.

I have been so blessed. Many new friends have come my way and I continue to pray for those around me that seek comfort...physically, emotionally or spiritually....

Feel free to share your prayer requests....Be Blessed

2011-09-19T22:23:00.002-07:00

Today I am a bit nervous. I am having 2 lumps removed from my right breast and I ask my friends to pray for me. I am not afraid because I have the Lord with me every day. So please pray…

Now, more about the fun I am having with my book. It is coming along so well. I have had a bumpy ride lately with moving, having surgery and to beat the band, my computer stopped 3 days before the warranty was out and I couldn’t get it to the repair person until the warranty was GONE! What can I say. I am blessed that I was able to purchase a wonderful desktop for my office. Now I can stay grounded and uninterrupted when I am writing. So all good things come to those who wait….

I have a vacation planned in a few weeks. I have a housesitter arranged so my little dogs won’t miss me too much.

I hope everything is going well with my friends. I have been offline for a few weeks with my computer problems and some surgical procedures in the past and very near future.

I still can’t believe that I get up every morning, get a cup of coffee and go to work in my office. I finally have one room that is my own. I am surrounded by pics of my family. As you can imagine there are books EVERYWHERE. I did go through them and was able to recycle a few, but the ones that remain I do intend to keep. I have a habit of lending my books out and then needing to replace it. That is my way of getting others interested in my friends books.

This one of my favorite pics of my grandson, Jackson. It was taken over a year ago, but it catches the twinkle in his mischievous eyes. I will add a pic of my granddaughter asap. There is a shot of her that I haven’t yet down loaded. It is worth the wait.

We were headed to the Great Smoky Mountains to spend a couple of days. It’s just a short ride for us. I love the view as we get closer to the foothills. The sight of those magnificent peaks fill my heart with such admiration for our creator.

I will check in soon, life is so blessed with tiny miracles, we only need to look over the daily grind and find something each day to be grateful for. As most of you know I suffer greatly with Fibromyalgia and RA. A good day for me means that I won’t have to use my wheelchair or walker. It means I can make it around the house on my own with the assistance of my furniture…to lean on when the back spasms get to bad. So…everyday I try to find something specific about that day to be grateful for. I am not just filling you with hot air. I must keep looking for the good in things and people. My book and my family and friends are what God has given me to keep my chin up and keeps me leaning on him for his strength and support….

Good Nite all!

Tina

Lord lead me...

My Writing Journey by Author Tricia Goyer

2011-06-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

My Writing Journey by Author Tricia Goyer

This is a wonderful and uplifting site for everyone, not just writers. I found comfort within Tricia's testimony. Please check it out for yourself. I promise you will be touched.

From the Heart: Guest Blog by Terry's client Pam Meyers

2011-06-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

From the Heart: Guest Blog by Terry's client Pam Meyers

What a blessing for Pam. I pray that God will continue to open doors for her. Joyce Hart is my agent, with the same agency. I have been blessed with having her to represent me. Usually a writer must have a finished manuscript, while I have been working on my book for over 12 years, I haven't completed it yet. I should have it done in a month or so. It is a Inspirational Historical Romance based in the Great Smoky Mountian National Park...in a place called Cades Cove. I plan to make this a series....the first book starts just after the Civil War and the forth book ends when land owners in Cades Cove are forced to leave their land when the Park was opened in the 1940's. While the historical facts will be as accurate as possible, the characters are purely fiction.

I hope to go on and write other books based on the National Parks in the US. Right now I call it the "National Park Series"

From the Heart: CHRISTIAN ROMANCE HONORED AS BEST FIRST BOOK WITH HOLT MEDALLION

2011-06-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

From the Heart: CHRISTIAN ROMANCE HONORED AS BEST FIRST BOOK WITH HOLT MEDALLION

Jennifer Hudson Taylor was awared with the Holt Medallion. What a blessing for her. The Lord is opening a door that will lead to untold blessings.

Congrats Jennifer

The power of Love

2011-03-07T09:20:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered about the power of Love? Every person on the face of this great planet is seaching for it. The search may vary. It may be a single person looking for a spouse to spend thier life with. It could also be a person looking for admiration and acceptance within the business world.

It could be someone looking for love from their family or a family member. There are far too many variations to mention here, the point I have pondered on for some time is the fact that we ALL need love. The subject of romance in every romance novel on the market, is what generates the sale of these books. The cover of the book jacket is the first promise that is made to the reader. I have often bought a book based primarily on the book cover and the story overview written on the back of the book. I make a decisione to purchase the book in less than 60 seconds.
Knowing this makes me work even harder on the plot of my novel. I want the reader to know that when they buy one of my books, they will live vicariously through the main character. They will understand her challenges and will be rooting for her to find love everlasting before they read the last page.
Life is much like that, but too often people don't really know the person they are with. It is impossible to know exactly how this person will be after marriage. We all pray that our spouses are exactly who they have appeared to be. It is also wonderful when we discover they make even better spouses than dating partners.
When we are married if they are less than they led us to believe, then most of us strive to create the romance we need in our relationship. The desire to give love and to receive it is part of how God made us. We were designed with a desire to "worship" and we all too often choose the wrong thing to worship. God must be first in our lives and he promises to full fill our every need. He promises us "all good things" and we can rest assured that God always gives what he promises.
What do you search for? What is the most important thing in your life? I would love to know. I would love it if you would leave a comment and share with us how loves translates to your world.

Excerpt from Love Will Find a Way

2011-02-23T20:18:00.001-08:00

PROLOGUE
Sara pressed her palm to her chest, willing the pain to subside if only for a moment. The pencil shook in her hand, cold and final as she scribbled a note on a torn piece of paper. The pain worsened, time was running out. Dear God, please give her peace when she finds I have joined her father and brother. Ease the burden of being all alone. Give her the courage she needs to follow my last request.

The burning in her chest was unbearable as her eyes raced over the words she had written. Hot tears slipped into the soft lines of her face, falling without sound onto her heaving chest. It felt as though all the air had left the room. Dear Lord, I don’t want to leave her. You gave her to me years ago Lord, now I am giving her back to you. Guide her footsteps as the she does what she must. Please take care of her for me.

Weak and exhausted with the fight to stay alive, her arms fell to her side. It was useless to wipe at her tears. She turned her head toward the door. Jessica would be home any day now. Sara prayed that her daughter would honor her request. Sara felt a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Jessica was so headstrong, her daughter had taken after her and for that she was now thankful. Her hands slid off the note that rested on her chest and fell to sides on the bed.

The fever clouded her mind. Was she directing her daughter in the right direction?

Organization = Time

2011-02-23T19:49:00.000-08:00

Organization for me is a must. Everything I do, housework, photographs, Closets, cabinets and especially my writing, must be organized. Today I looked at the 12 large notebooks of material that I should have at my fingertips when I sit down to write. If I am looking for information on stage coach lines in 1870, I need that info available with a click of my key board. To say the least, those notebooks and the info within them must be transposed into my OneNote program by Microsoft. If you haven't tried this wonderful program...START NOW! You create "books" and

then pages with information. I have over 100 books with thousands of pages, filled with history, how to work progams on my computer, my book plot, history of the area, things my characters would be doing in 1870 in a Valley called Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National
Park. My characters are fictional, but the history is very accurate. My goal is to have all of my research in OneNote before next Monday....at that time, I will start a fast, writing frenzy to finish my novel within a couple of months. I am learning how hard it is to judge when my novel will be complete. When I think I am making headway, I realize that a certain technique or a layout or weak plot exists and I must rewrite. Rewriting is a bain for most writers as I understand it. Since I am new to the "novel" scene, I am quickly learning from my more versed friends that I should expect the unexpected. So off I go...getting my notes organized so can make a dent and increase my word count each day. Don't forget to pray for me...

Praise the Lord

2011-02-22T19:19:00.000-08:00

I am so blessed. Joyce Hart with Hartline Literary has offered me a contract. I will receive it in a few weeks. Until them I will continue to work on the finishing touches of my book. I still have several chapter to rewrite. I have always, and i do mean ALWAYS dreamed of being a writer, but to be writing for the Lord, I feel unworthy. I know he gave me the desire to write, to create something that could be of help to someone else. When I open a clean notebook, with a sharpened pencil, my heart began to beat faster. There was something about the experience that I didn't understand. Now I know that God was working on my life even then. I am so blessed and I know I say that often, but I have to praise my Heavenly Father for each blessing of my life. While I have have been very sick for several years, he has allowed this dream to come true. I am well enough to write from home, and do most of my marketing from home. There will be times when I might be asked to attend a function. I can do that as long as I have my electric wheelchair for a backup.

God truly is an amazing God...Thank you Lord!

2011 is a New Beginning

2011-01-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

A new year and a new beginning for me. Last year I learned so much about writing. I wanted to thank my many friends that spent their valuable time to teach me bit by bit about the writing business. When you learn something, no person or thing can take that away from you.
I treasure every bit of education I have ever had. This year pray that my book will be contracted. I write about 3 thousand words each day. What a great blessing to make new friends and to do something I have dreamed about for years.

Wow...am I dreaming?

2011-01-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

I must be dreaming. I just submitted a proposal to a wonderful literary agent. She asked for a proposal after she read my synopsis (outline) and I was so excited. It took me several weeks, because I keept second guessing myself. I was so afraid that she might now decided to sign me as a client. Well, I reviewed it for the last time, and pressed the send button. Panic and elation coursed through my viens. Immediately I fell to my knees in prayer. I had been praying as I prepared the proposal, but now there was no going back. I should know something in a few weeks.

Join the 4/4/4 book Challenge!

2010-11-23T21:04:00.001-08:00

Here is how you do the challenge. It's simple. First, you need to post about this challenge on your blog and tweet about it, facebook it, etc. so that people know about the challenge and can join the fun. After you do that, post a comment with a link to your blog so I will know who is participating. Once this is finished, start listing the books you've read that were released (or copyrighted) no later than 2006.

The original challenge was started by Michelle Sutton. The books were to be read by December. I am a late starter and I'm sure she would love to know we are starting on Thanksgiving. You need to have read at least four books that fit this criteria. You can either list the four books you plan to read ahead of time and then cross each title out when you finish them, or you can list four blank numbers and fill the titles in as you read them. I'll do the latter (see below.) Also, make sure to post the copyright date of the book next to the number, title, and author's name.

For example, if I planned to read (or have read after beginning the challenge) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers I would note whichever edition I've read and post the date. The latest edition was released in 2005. The first edition was in 1991. Either one would fit the criteria. So I'd type it like this...

1. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (1991)
2.
3.
4.

Are you allowed to read more than four? Sure! List them all. But to be fair, you can't list a book you have already read prior to the challenge, and you can't list a book you are re-reading. The books listed can only be first time reads that were published prior to 2006. I would love for all of the books listed to be Christian title as well (to promote reading back listed or out of print titles) so if at all possible, please review and list Christian fiction. If you want to add this challenge to your blog or webpage you can find the code at the following Blog. http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com/2010/08/new-reading-challenge-read-4-books.html

Wow! How blessed I am...

2010-11-21T13:25:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to take a moment to say that God has blessed me so much. During the past weeks my depression has decreased and I concentrated my focus on finishing my book. There is an agent that has asked for a proposal, that alone is a HUGE blessing. If I contract with this specific agent, it will mean a great deal. She is awesome, I hear great things about her and she is a Christian. What more could I want?

My hubby finally found a job and he was so excitted when he returned to a company that he used to work for. They are like family to him, and he truly is home again.
Pray for me as I continue to work on my proposal. I want it to be as perfect as possible before I send it to the agent. IF she signs me on as a client, I will be shouting about it from the mountain tops...
Have a blessed weekend.

Open Doors

2010-11-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

Close a window and a Door will open...

I have to say that God has been so good to me. We all have trials and problems to resolve, some more than others. Recently a door opened for me. A very respected Literary Agent asked me to submit a full proposal for consideration. WOW!!!
I have prayed for this day and often wondered if it would ever come, it has! Why do we question God?? He tells us that he will provide for us and he will bless us when we live according to his will.

I am far from perfect. I make mistakes everyday and yet here is an open door that I never really belived would happen.

The stories of writers working on several books before becoming published always haunted my mind. I have worked on this one Novel for over 10 years. The first 3 years was dedicated to research. At that time, computers were too expensive for me to own one, so I did research the old fashion way. I visited the area many times, I read everything I could on the area and the people that lived there during the 1800's. I visted the visitor center at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park so often that everyone there knew my name.

I have attended writers classes, worked on perfecting my prose etc.. so I guess you could say I have written several books. Each time I learned more about Point of view, format, grammar, guidelines to published an Inspriational Novel, I would rewrite the story again and again...each time I prayed it became better and better.

So WOW WOW WOW! God is answering my prayers. This agent is very respected in the industry. I am honored she is considering me as a client. I don't feel comfortable right now to release her name, but soon I pray I can tell you who she is and then you will realize how blessed I am.

Answered Prayers!

2010-10-08T21:31:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed. I have been working on my novel for over 10 years, when I think about that I pause, often reflecting on what my motivation has been. I know that although almost every writer out there will tell you they do it for "a special reason" and that becoming actually self supporting through their writing alone, is a dream realized for a selected few. With this in mind, I have always written because I don't have any other option. I am unhappy when I am not creating and

editing on my novel, I feel as though a piece of me is missing. God has allowed for me to write and the story I will share comes from within my heart. It was found deep within the recesses of my imagination, the imagination that God gave me when he created me.

IF I sound a little philisophical, please forgive me the rant...you see I am excited because an agent has requested a full submission from me. I have been reworking my first three chapters and preparing the documents that are required. In a few days I will release this submission into the vast and scary world of the "web" to be reviewed by someone that has made a living doing just that...well, that and also contracting with authors that look promising, I pray that I will be one of those blessed few.

I didn't think this day would ever come. You write, do research and then write some more....then suddenly a miracle happens and it catches us off guard. Why do you think we are so surprised when something good happens for our career? I think that we all have read how hard it is to break out into this world of publishing. We buy all the correct books that tell us hot to plot, how to create believable characters, and how to write believable dialogue....then WOW....

That is how I feel now..WOW WOW WOW!!!! Thank you God for believing in me when I failed to believe the dream you have for me....thank you,

Why do I write?

2010-05-04T16:43:00.000-07:00

That is what I want to tell everyone LOL. I have several sites and I have had to decide which ones are my personal blogs. and which one will be my BOOK BLOG....well my Official BOOK BLOG will be www.tinarobertsauthor.wordpress.com

I post on all of my sites, I will post on various topics here and hope that you will follow ALL of my sites. Each one has a different "personality" and serves a different purpose.
Part of this post has also been posted on my Book Blog, but I thought that it was also relevant here. So here Goes:

I started to write when I was very young. A clean sheet of paper was all I needed. That desire grew more urgent as I grew older. Now it is my pupose in life. I want to share my writing with you through my dreamworld that I have created within my own mind. The characters have evolved over the years as I keep adding more information to the story I wanted to tell one day. Well.....that day is here now.

I love to write. It is 2:30am now and I can't go to sleep until I have written all I can. When my brain dries up, then I will sleep...only to get up and begin to write again.

I believe that a true writer has it in their blood. It is something that they have to do. At least that is how I operate. I do have to pull myself away from my computer to clean the house and do all of life's mundane activities. The only thing that can draw me away from my computer, without any grumblings is a visit with my grandchildren. I am 47 and lucky to be young enough to enjoy them. My Severe Fibromyalgia does play some cruel tricks on my body when it is in full flare, but my babies love to ride on my lap in the electric wheelchair that is a necessity for me when my legs refuse to do what they were designed to do. I am just grateful that my hands work wonderfully, no matter how the rest of my body feels LOL.

I am doing rewrites at this time but here is a snippet of what my book is about. PLEASE leave a comment to let me know if you think you might like to read it when it is published. I have 2 publishers requesting a final (YAY), but I can only submit to one at a time....so pray I make the right decision. So without any more delay...here is the snippet:

A romance blooms in a small Cove Community in the Great Smoky Mountains just after the Civil War.

Love will find a way... is a 60,000-70,000 (word count can be adjusted) word inspirational romance novel set in post Civil War Tennessee. When a fever claims the lives of her family, Jessica Marshall embarks on what will be the most important journey of her life. She is compelled by grief to leave Texas in search of an Aunt that she has never met. The small isolated community of Camerson Cove is deep within the Tennessee Mountains, isolated from the world outside. With the end of her long trip near an end, a horrible accident leaves Jessica with no memory of who she is.

Grant Barclay was expecting the arrival of a nanny for his children on the ill-fated Stage Coach on the day of Jessica's arrival. When no other passengers were found, this brooding stranger offers her details of who she is and why she is in Camerson Cove, she is shocked to learn that she is the Nanny, for which he paid passage on the coach that brought her to this small, but welcoming Cove Community. He expects her to care for his two motherless children. Something about this man pulls at her tattered heartstrings. The sadness in his dark brown eyes haunts her as she takes the first steps into a new life meant for another woman.

My Journal

2010-04-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

I read an article on an Agents blog. The article that caused me to pause was about keeping a journal every day. I used to keep a journal on a semi-regular basis. Now I realize how important that is to my writing process. I am learning just how much is involved when you want your writing to be profitable and blessed by God. I know that in the Bible it tells us when we are "doing" things, going about our daily lives, that we are to do those things as though we were doing them for God. If we do this, then we will find ourselves committed fully to whatever is at hand.
In my life right now, my writing and my fellowship with God is the most important thing. There are so many aspects to actually living a "writing" life. You pray, write, research, pray some more, journal, critique, work with other writers, join writing organizations, keep your web page and blogs as current as possible and AGAIN...WRITE THAT JOURNAL!
It is a never ending cycle, but a cycle that creates energy within me. When ever I am writing or participating in any of the above actions, I find myself gaining energy and momentum. It is a wonderful life and I am doing it because I was called at a very young age to write. I didn't understand at the time, but when I would get a new notebook with the "clean pages" blank and ready to be filled, I was so excited. As I grew older I began to understand my feelings.
As I have discussed in earlier blogs, since my health has keep me from working outside my home, my writing has become a full time endeavor for me. So while outsiders may think I am burdened with my sickness, I am finding that it is really a blessing. It allows me to follow the dream I have always had and gives me the opportunity via friendships I have made online to share God with others.
So...really I am blessed. God is taking a life changing event, something that could be seen as a burden, and turned it into a blessing for me.
Now I can't wait to get to the store and buy a new journal...a journal of my journey, so that I always remember what a blessed life I do have.

My Writing Blog. Keep up with me and my book.

2010-04-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

Visit my writing blog at http://www.tinarobertsauthor.wordpress.com/
I also have my pesonal webpage up and running. Visit it at http://www.tinaroberts.net/
Each blog will have some different elements. This current blog is the oldest with varied posts and some great webpages listed near the bottom of this page. See you on the web! Tina

2010-04-02T20:25:00.001-07:00

This time of year makes me so aware of what God offered to us, his only son, so that we could be saved through the blood that Jesus spilled for us. He accepted all of our sins that day, and when I sin or make a decision that I know he is not happy with, I know that I cause him pain. God is capable of loving so deeply. For that reason, we can cause him pain........he feels pain beyond anything we can ever experienced. I can never do enough for my Lord, but I am so blessed to know that I am one of his Children. I pray that something I write....in my book, or in my magazine columns...that will help someone. That is all I have to offer him. My praise through prayers and song also serve as a way that I thank him. The pain I deal with daily is nothing compared to what he suffered. My short life, suffering, pain or disappointment from others will be over in a flash. Then I will spend a pain free existence with my Heavenly Father forever. I have no reason to complain. I hope that I ccan give back just a small portion of what he has given to me.

Have a Blessed Easter.

Thank you Lord!

2010-03-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

Today was a gift from God. I had pain, worse than usual, but God allowed me to work through the pain. He opened up his mouth and gave me the perfect beginning for my Book. I have been doning rewrites as most of you know, but the beginning have been a mystery to me. Where do I start the story. I need to have the "Story worthy problem" at the beginning of the book. The "surface problem" can follow very quickly. As my readers are drawn into the book, the surface problem can be a basis for much conflict,,,but the "story worthy problem" will be in the background causing wonder and suspense. This problen is the actual true conflict that the book withholds. It is introduced a little at a time. The reader will be blown away when the problem comes to the full surface. As you can tell, I have planned this book over and over. I want it to be a blessing to those who read it. My thanks to my heavenly Father for opening his mouth, and allowing me to type what he has sent....Blessings to everyone..

Hair pulling time!

2010-03-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

I am having a blast...really I am. The rewrites on my book have caused some type of explosion in my brain. These new conflicts keep popping into my head. I thought I had the book written DUH! Obviously not. Where were these ideas when I wrote it the first time LOL...well back to work. Talk to ya soon!

Facebook | Tina Roberts

2010-03-13T12:35:00.000-08:00

Facebook Tina Roberts

Tina Marie's profile on Yahoo!

2010-01-22T23:32:00.000-08:00

Tina Marie's profile on Yahoo!: "Yahoo"

2009-12-10T16:08:00.000-08:00

The Smell of Fall

2009-10-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

I prayed....I opened my eyes this morning and tried to pretend as thought my body was betraying me with every breath I took. The asthma and Fibromyalgia were at war with other. I am not sure who was winning, but I knew I would be fighting back at both of them. I need and wanted to pray...just to give thanks to him for being alive. So I took a deep breath, eased myself up onto my wheelchair (It was a wheelchair day...not a cane day :'(

and rolled into the living room. The house was quiet and I spent some time with Jesus. He is always there, just beside me, he never leaves and I know that I can always count on him. The pain does begin to ease. More than anything I want to be able to go outside and to smell the damp, brightly colored leaves that carpet my lawn. The trees hang heavy with colors of crimson, orange and bright yellow. Fall is my favorite time of year. I know that most people favor Spring or Summer...but to me, during the Fall season, God is showing us just how beautiful his creations can become. It is almost time for them to rest, just like me when I have to rest from working on my book. I may not want to stop typing or reading, but I know if I rest as I know God is telling me to do, I will be able to accomplish much more when I feel better. Mother Earth is a lot like that. It is only after she has shown us just how beautiful she can be, she shed her brightly colored sheath and stands before us, almost as if she has died. Never fear...She is not dead, just resting...resting so she can come back in full swing to leave us awe stuck again. Thank you God for giving us such perfect examples to live from.

I am still dreaming....

2009-10-21T18:27:00.000-07:00

I know it has been over a year since my last posting, but the past year has held many for me....some I won and some I lost, but in Gods eyes they were all winners. You see.....I have to remember to look at this life through the eyes of God. We often do not understand why we must suffer or why our faith is tried, but we have to remember that God is GROWING us...GROWING us to be better Christians. We fall so short of the mark, but he still loves us. God is always there for us and when we emerge from out tunnel we are better for it.
Yes..it would be wonderful is we didn't have any trouble, sickness or pain in the world, but isn't that what Heaven is all about! I am on my way to Heaven...are you? I want everyone to know that I look forward to those day free of trouble, pain or sickness....if it were not for the darkness we wouldn't appreciate the light. That is why we are "humans that need a redeemer". Christ is that redeemer and he is my ticket to Heaven. Praise Him!

Take it the the Lord

2008-07-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

Why do we so often try to fix all of our problems ourself before taking it to the Lord? I am still learning to turn things over to God FIRST....before I mess it up with my stuggles to fix a situation. I can't do it...only God can.

My depression has gotten pretty bad, and last night I finally prayed for help. Why did I wait so long? Why did I cause myself untold suffering because I did not turn to the Lord first? I make this mistake over and over again. God, through his magnificence does not punish me, he simply waits until I look up and turn things over to him. Thank you my dear Lord for being there for me, always having your hand outstreched and for loving me even though I am unworthy.

Back now!

2008-07-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

I have been away for quite some time. I have been sick over the past few months and busy getting my "regular" website up and running. But here I am again. It is my desire to post here frequently enough, so that my friends can join me on my journey. Writing a novel has posed a great learning experience for me. I write for online magazines, but writing a novel that will speak to the reader, lift them up and bless them is my dream of all dreams. I pray daily before I even touch my keyboard, that God will lead my fingers and inspire my mind to create characters that come to life on the page.
I hope that when the book is finished, that God will gain the glory for what he has helped me accomplish, for I can do nothing without him. He is my publisher, editor, agent and friend. Above all he is my Savior! Praise his name.
Many of you know that I suffer from severe Fibromyalgia, blood clotting disorders and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. That makes things a bit difficult because I never know what each day holds. One day I am walking normally, the next I may be in my electric wheelchair...but God is there with me, carrying me on the days I can't walk on my own.
People often ask me if I pray for healing, and I say yes...but healing can come in different forms. God has NEVER failed to heal someone, but it may be only when they meet him after death that the healing comes.
I am amazed at how the "sickness" I have has richly blessed my life. I have made friends that I would not have made otherwise. I have learned not to rely simply on myself, but to rely on God. You see, I was what I call a "Fix it Fox"...I was contantly helping someone else, trying to fix my problems without God's help and jumping ahead of him. That is not the way he wanted it, so I believe he slowed me down. He slowed me down so I could hear his still small voice. He slowed me down so that I have to pray constantly for his strength. He slowed me down so that he could have my entire heart and that is what he ultimately wants.
Every problem we have, every disappointment we have, every blessing we have serves only to bring us closer to God in some way.
I have lost a daughter, had 9 misscarriages, had a husband that was near death many times with his own illness, watched my husband die and then return with his own "life after death" testimony. I have become ill physically too, but each of these incidents served only to bring me closer to the father. Finally...he has my heart.
Please look inside yourself. God wants to be your first love, your trust. But most of all he wants your heart completely dedicated to him. He wants to be your first love.

Another day ~

2007-07-09T03:25:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning in pain as usual...but I was still grateful for a new day. I try to never lose site of the fact that the pain I have is here for a reason. Maybe it is here to keep me close to God, maybe it is here to help me focus on what is important in life. I am not sure why I must suffer from the pain of Fibromyalgia, but I accept it as part of my life.

Even with the pain, I am a blessed woman. I have a wonderful husband, a wonderful family who supports my efforts as a writer and a dream that keeps me going. I have been introduced to a wonderful publisher who is willing to help me make my dreams come true....what more could I want?

I am determined not to let pain, discouragement, or negative comments from others to get me down. God has a plan for my life and he already has fought every battle for me....why should I fear anything?

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining.....I am praising God in ALL things, good and bad. We have to remember that some of the things in our lives that we, or others, think of as "bad" are actually blessings. We just have to step back, take a deep breath, and keep walking toward the light.