I received the jpg of my back cover earlier this week which I've been trying to put up here, but for some reason the colors are all off. I wonder if it has something to do with the file it is. Anyway, believe me when I tell you, it is GORGEOUS!!!
So much is in the works now it can set my head to spinning if I let it. I have a friend working on promo bookmarks that are the prettiest I've ever seen while I'm working on getting a date set for a "release" party (Basically just friends, fellowship, and fun, oh, and a really cool door prize!) the Saturday after my book is released followed by a book signing at a local Barnes and Noble (LOVE that store!) the week after. My radio interview which I mentioned in my last post has been moved to Jan 8th which is perfect timing. And then in March I'll have a few signings and the Young Authors event at my old elementary school! I'm busting at the seams for that event!!! In the meantime, I've picked up a few duties at school which I'm happy to do because I love that place so much! And I also must work diligently on The Heart's Lullaby, tentatively scheduled for release in spring of 2011. It'll be here before I even know it . . . which is a very scary thought. Time really, truly does fly, doesn't it??? One of the moments that has stuck with me in The Heart's Journey Home is a scene where Kate is talking to her Grandpa Clayton about how forever seems like so long to wait before she can see her deceased husband again to which he replies in his wise way, "Take it from this old man, it's not."
It's really not, is it??? That's why it's so important to STRENGTHEN our relationship with the Lord. I'm certainly not preaching here. I need it probably more than many of you, and I don't know all the ways that it can be done, but a few ways that work the best for me is by fellowshiping with other believers and by praying and listening. Listening is the hardest one for me because some times, well, I just get so busy that I can't even hear myself think let alone listen to my God. Do any of you ever feel like that? A fellow teacher sent me an email story regarding this very thing. Maybe you've seen it. If not, this is how it goes:
A young man had been to Wednesday Night Bible Study where the Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice
The young man couldn't help but wonder, “Does God still speak to people?”
After service, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.
It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, “God...If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey.”
As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, “God is that you?” He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.
The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli . “Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk.” It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.
As he passed Seventh Street , he again felt the urge, “Turn down that street.”
This is crazy he thought, and drove on past the intersection.
Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street so at the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, “Okay, God, I will.”
He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.
Again, he sensed something, “Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street.” The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.
“Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going
to be mad and I will look stupid.” Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk so finally, he opened the door, “Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for some thing, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here.”
He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, “Who is it? What do you want?” Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. “What is it?”
The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, “Here, I brought this to you.”
The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, “We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk.”
His wife in the kitchen yelled out, “I ask him to send an angel with some. Are you an angel ?”
The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.
He knew that God still answers prayers.
Yes, He does and He still speaks to us if we will just listen.
PRAYER REQUESTS AND UPDATES: Please pray mightily this week for Chris Dekker.
Chris is a very sick young man. He has been diagnosed with H1N1, pneumonia, AND is now also suffering from Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. When I received this info on him, he was on a ventilator, fighting for his life every minute. Right now he has been medically paralyzed in hopes that will help his recovery. His doctors agree he is probably the sickest person in their entire hospital. Please pray for his complete recovery. Pray for wisdom for his doctors. Pray for peace for Chris's parents. Pray for strength for Chris. Pray that the Great Physician will heal Chris completely and that through this terrible experience Chris is strengthened physically and spiritually. I'm believing that the Lord has big, big plans for Chris, that Chris will not only heal from this sickness, but become a mighty soldier for Christ!
Other updates will come soon. In the meantime, please keep praying for those on our list. My prayer for you this week and especially during the hustle and bustle of this holiday season is that you take the time to LISTEN to the Lord.
Blessings to you and yours,
Jen
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Things are a Changin'
The leaves are turning. The colors just this past week have really become vibrant. I think this is one of my favorite times of the whole year. We all know what an amazing Creator our God is, but this time of year reminds me over and over again what a magnificent Artist He is! I love the warm and cozy feeling that fall brings to my heart - the fires in the fireplaces, sipping hot cider, and trips to the pumpkin patch. Have I mentioned that I love fall??? :o)
Well, about a month has past since my last post. Rats! I MUST get better at updating this site! A New Years resolution, maybe??? :o/ But there's been a lot going on to fill you in on! Things are becoming very, very busy in our house!
The girls alone are keepi
ng us busy! A
li is in mini cheerleading and Livi is deep into her first soccer season. They are both loving it . . . and I really love keeping them busy. When they get bored, they get unruly! Can anyone else relate??? Ha! Ha! They are both doing great in school. Ali floored me a few weeks ago. I had to stay home with Livi because she had strep throat and I told Ali that she could stay home and rest, too, to make sure she was well for our trip to Ohio, but she said, "But I want to have perfect attendance this year, Mama." Can you believe that??? Perfect attendance! I'm so proud of both of my girls!
Well, about a month has past since my last post. Rats! I MUST get better at updating this site! A New Years resolution, maybe??? :o/ But there's been a lot going on to fill you in on! Things are becoming very, very busy in our house!
The girls alone are keepi
ng us busy! A
li is in mini cheerleading and Livi is deep into her first soccer season. They are both loving it . . . and I really love keeping them busy. When they get bored, they get unruly! Can anyone else relate??? Ha! Ha! They are both doing great in school. Ali floored me a few weeks ago. I had to stay home with Livi because she had strep throat and I told Ali that she could stay home and rest, too, to make sure she was well for our trip to Ohio, but she said, "But I want to have perfect attendance this year, Mama." Can you believe that??? Perfect attendance! I'm so proud of both of my girls!Chris is doing great with his songwriting. It's a slow process, especially here in Nashville where there is a ridiculous amount of talent, but he's made all the right connections, and is really writing some great stuff. Just wrote one today that is really, really wonderful! I'm very proud of him, too! He's such a good provider for our family and I'm extremely blessed by him.
As for me, well I'm having the best year ever at school. My class is great. The teachers I teach with are as wonderful as you can get. God has big, big plans for Christian Community Schools and I feel so privileged to be a part of it. And God is also doing some amazing things with The Heart's Journey Home. I'm getting several endorsements in, which I am so humbled by. Kathi Macias, the very talented author of the book that I reviewed last month, My Son, John, said this about The Heart's Journey Home:
"In her debut novel, author Jen Stephens bursts on the literary scene with a warmth and charm that shines through her writing right into the reader’s heart. With down-home candor and skilled word-weaving, Stephens allows her story to unfold through believable characters, drawing readers in right from the beginning and carrying them on a pleasant journey with enough twists and turns along the way to maintain interest to the very last page. Congratulations on a great first novel, and I certainly expect to see more from this author in the future!"
As you can imagine, this endorsement brought tears to my eyes! It also makes me slightly nervous as I believe anyone who reads this endorsement will have high expectations for this book and I hope I don't let my readers down! Self conscious? Yes! This is my first try! *Chewing fingernails*
I also did a video trailer with a lot of assistance from our computer/year book teacher at school (who's a tech GENIUS!) to help generate interest for this book. I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on it. I'm hoping to get it put up here very soon, but right now the file is too big. :o( I'm also having troubles with my website. Grrr! But I won't let the tech problems get me down. Keep reading and you'll find out why!
Okay, now sit down because it gets even more exciting! At least for me it does. I was asked by a teacher at MY OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL to come and be the guest author at their Young Author event!!!!! I participated in that event . . . a certain number of years ago! :o) What an honor it is for me! I'm so overwhelmed with gladness I just can't even put it in words. Who would've ever thought, back when I was an 8, 9, 10-year-old, doing my little project, that I would one day come back as a guest author??? Really it has been a definite highlight this year and will be next year when I go in March. Pics WILL be posted. Count on it!!! Also in March I will be having a book signing at my hometown library and possibly at a Borders store in a neighboring town. A few weeks prior to those events, I'm working on planning a "release" party here near Nashville for the weekend of Valentine's Day. We'll see how that goes. And if all of that isn't enough to set your head spinning, just a few weeks from now, November 20th to be exact, I'm scheduled to appear on a local Christian radio show to discuss The Heart's Journey Home.
Whew! If that is still not enough, there is one more bit of news . . . The Heart's Journey Home is available for preorder on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, christianbook.com, and of course my publisher's website, sheafhouse.com!!!!!
So, I've been busy, and it's been great! But never ever too busy to pray!!! And that's exactly what I'm getting to right now.
URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS: Unfortunately both of these that I'm adding have lost loved ones.
Please pray for Jenny Hogg. Her husband was recently killed in a motorcycle accident. She has a 4-year-old daughter but has also recently had a miscarriage. My dear friend who is close to Jenny requested prayer specifically for wisdom and grace to handle the days ahead of her. I pray for the Lord to just hold her. Just hold her in the fury of this storm. I'm sure nothing anyone can say or do during this time will really be able to put a dent in the grief she's experiencing, but the Lord can. Pray that Jenny can FEEL the presence of God every single day. Pray that she'll come to know Him in a personal, intimate way, and that she'll begin to rely on Him in a way she never had to before.
Also, please pray for Joe & Shelley Butler and their family. Their oldest son was killed in an automobile accident early this morning. I just can't imagine what it must be like to have the holidays right around the corner, maybe Shelley had even bought her son a few presents, and now he won't be there with them. I can't wrap my brain around that kind of grief! But I know Someone who can. Our God WILLINGLY allowed His one and only Son to be killed only for the salvation of you, of me, of Joe and Shelley's baby boy, and I pray that they receive some comfort by the fact that their son is now visiting with His Son.
Please also continue to pray for the other requests on the list. I'll update them as I get updates.
I pray that you all have a wonderful week, a SPOOKtacular Halloween, and that you enjoy getting an extra hour of sleep as Daylight Savings Time ends this Saturday night. So don't forget to turn your clocks back! :o)
Blessings!
Monday, September 28, 2009
A Long Over Due Review
Good gracious! Once again time has gotten away from me. Lots has been going on with my family and with The Heart's Journey Home, but I will update you on all of that in a few days. One thing I will tell you, however, is that the first round of edits are done. YES! So I get a teeny tiny break and what would I rather do on a break but . . . READ!!! Now, I have some friends that can read more than one book at a time all while writing a book. While I LOVE reading, I have always been a slow reader. And I just don't do a lot of it when I'm trying to pour myself into my own novel. So, anyway, that's why I haven't put any reviews up . . . until now!
The novel I chose for my debut blogging book review is My Son, John by Kathi Macias. My Son, John is a riveting story of the depths of a mother's love. Liz Peterson's life is suddenly turned upside down when she finds out that her mother is brutally murdered. MURDERED! How would YOU feel if your mother was murdered??? Her life suddenly goes from upside down to shattered when her only son, her first born child, is arrested AND confesses to this heinous crime. How could her own child do this to her mother? How would you react/feel? I started this book with the mind set of, "Well, something like this could NEVER happen to me." But as Ms. Macias shows us so plainly in this compelling story, one bad choice can set in motion a life altering series of events. John was a typical young man trying to excel under the pressures of college and he made a bad choice - a choice that would continue to compound on itself until finally ending in the brutal murder of his grandmother. Liz goes through a complex series of emotions that, as a mother myself, I went through with her. Finally, with the help of her rapidly failing father, she came to the conclusion that would move any mother reading this story to tears. My Son, John is a story of love - the love children have for their parents, parents have for their children, and, ultimately, the love that our heavenly Father has for all of His children. It's a story about commitment and consequences and hanging on to faith through it all. I would highly recommend this book to any mother or mother-to-be.
PRAYER REQUESTS & UPDATES: I'm afraid I've gotten behind in reporting updates and adding new prayer requests and I hate that so much because I truly feel this is the most important part of my blog. So, to all those involved, I apologize that I haven't reported on your friends and loved ones sooner than this but rest assured they will be lifted up with prayer now!
I'm deeply, deeply saddened to ask you to pray for the family of Wendell Loveday who went home to be with the Lord on the 23rd, I believe. This is the brother of my dear friend, Connie, who was also Alison's teacher last year. Wendell had been sick and in great pain for years with rheumatoid arthritis (among other ailments) and was facing the possible amputation of his leg when he passed away somewhat suddenly. It is very easy for us to say, "He is not in pain any more," but for the days and months to come it doesn't help the emptiness and sorrow that his family is feeling in their hearts. Wendell was married to his wife, Peggy, for 40 years and they have a grown daughter, Stacey. Pray that they will all experience a comfort that could only come from the Lord in the days and weeks and even months to come, and also a peace that passes all understanding.
Also please pray for the family of Henry Dishaw, especially his wife, Diane. Henry had been sick with an enlarged heart and finally went home to be with the Lord on September 11th. Again, pray for comfort, a warmth that wraps around them like a cozy blanket. Pray for peace to descend on them like pixie dust and fill them with the hope of all of God's promises.
Also, please pray for the family of a man named John. I don't know his last name, but the Lord does. John was the CFO of a small company based in Birmingham. He'd been there for over 25 years. Last month John committed suicide leaving behind a wife, children, and grandchildren. There must be so many questions, many many never be answered. Please pray that his family will FEEL the Lord's presence constantly in the days, weeks, and even months to come. And that they will be comforted by the hope we have in the Lord.
Continue to pray for Romney McLellan who I recently received more information on. She has been diagnosed with intermediate grade large B cell lymphoma, but this cancer shows possible characteristics of advanced grade. Her LDH levels are elevated and also her anemia is a concern for the doctors. Her treatment is going to be much more difficult that originally anticipated. I've never hidden the fact that I'm NOT a medical person and medical terms are often lost on me (That's why I have my RN sis - my major source of info for anything medical in any of my books!) but my heart aches for this family because Romney and her husband have a two-year-old little girl, Marley, who is wanting her mommy. Please pray for strength for Romney. Pray that she can make it through her treatments better than anyone imagined she could. Pray for comfort and peace and patience for her husband and the rest of her family. Pray that her doctors will know exactly what to do to bring her back to restored health. Through all of this, pray that the Lord is glorified!
Similarly, please pray for Richard "Jim" McDonald, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins, B-Cell Lymphoma. He is beginning a new treatment today. Pray for healing and restored health. Pray for strength and peace. Pray for his family and doctors that they will know exactly how to help him and make him well again, that together he will have the support system needed. Please pray especially for his daughter Melinda who is one of the sweetest spirits I've had the pleasure of meeting recently.
This is an urgent prayer request. One of the girls who lived down my street as a kid now has a beautiful 17-year-old daughter, Monica Rose. Monica is battling liver cancer. I can't imagine what my friend, Holly, must be feeling right now. As a 17-year-old, already going through so many changes, I can't imagine what Monica must be going through either. Please, please, pray mightily for Monica. Pray that the Lord will touch her liver with His healing power. Pray that she will be strong and brave and obtain a faith that would amaze most adults. Pray for her doctors, that they will have the wisdom to know exactly what to do for her. Pray for peace for Holly and her husband that they would be bathed in a peace that passes all understanding. It's hard for us parents to let go of our babies, but Monica is always, always in the Father's hands. What safer place is there? Pray, my prayer warriors! Pray for Monica!
Also, please pray for Duane Sutton, the father of a fellow Sheaf House author. He is 72-years-old and was recently diagnosed with bone cancer. It showed up very suddenly seeming to indicate that it's an aggressive form of cancer, but the family is still waiting on details. He doesn't live near much of his family so right now that is the immediate prayer request. Also, pray that Duane will not be in pain, and that if treatment is an option it will be effective. Above all, pray that God's will is done and that His peace and grace surrounds this delicate situation.
I wanted to update you all on a few that still are/were on the prayer list: My best friend, Patty Smith, recently had a large mass in her abdomen discovered durning a PET scan. It is most likely cancer. She is going on Friday to find out how badly infested with cancer it is. Please pray that it doesn't "light up" AT ALL (which would mean there was NO cancer in it)! Regardless, she is very excited and hopeful to be going through a new, experimental treatment. If I get these figures right, I believe only 70 people are going through this study nation-wide. Please pray that the Lord works a miracle for Patty (and for all of us, really) through the doctors and scientists that have discovered this treatment. Pray for strength through the treatments. Her faith is so amazing. Pray that she will continue to always stand strong in her faith through this storm and that her family and friends will know exactly what we can do to help hold her up in her moments of weakness.
A little good news? Kristin Miller is fully recovered from her open heart surgery and doing FANTASTIC. And Dave Coleman, who underwent a radical surgery to attack his colon cancer aggressively, also has recovered completely, is back to work and his busy life as a husband, dad and grandpa. So for the time being, I have taken them off the list to make room for others. Also, Larry Harris is doing great and Trey Grant has almost completely recovered from his motorcycle accident and has started going back to work a few hours at a time, so I have taken them off the list, too.
Thank you for your prayers. I've seen it time and again, and I know you have too, that there is POWER IN PRAYER. Prayer changes lives - sometimes those needing the prayer, and sometimes those doing the praying. In a few DAYS (yes, days!) I will be reporting on the status of The Heart's Journey Home. I'm so excited with the progress that's been made and look forward to sharing it with you very soon! Until then . . .
Many blessings to you and yours,
Jen
The novel I chose for my debut blogging book review is My Son, John by Kathi Macias. My Son, John is a riveting story of the depths of a mother's love. Liz Peterson's life is suddenly turned upside down when she finds out that her mother is brutally murdered. MURDERED! How would YOU feel if your mother was murdered??? Her life suddenly goes from upside down to shattered when her only son, her first born child, is arrested AND confesses to this heinous crime. How could her own child do this to her mother? How would you react/feel? I started this book with the mind set of, "Well, something like this could NEVER happen to me." But as Ms. Macias shows us so plainly in this compelling story, one bad choice can set in motion a life altering series of events. John was a typical young man trying to excel under the pressures of college and he made a bad choice - a choice that would continue to compound on itself until finally ending in the brutal murder of his grandmother. Liz goes through a complex series of emotions that, as a mother myself, I went through with her. Finally, with the help of her rapidly failing father, she came to the conclusion that would move any mother reading this story to tears. My Son, John is a story of love - the love children have for their parents, parents have for their children, and, ultimately, the love that our heavenly Father has for all of His children. It's a story about commitment and consequences and hanging on to faith through it all. I would highly recommend this book to any mother or mother-to-be.PRAYER REQUESTS & UPDATES: I'm afraid I've gotten behind in reporting updates and adding new prayer requests and I hate that so much because I truly feel this is the most important part of my blog. So, to all those involved, I apologize that I haven't reported on your friends and loved ones sooner than this but rest assured they will be lifted up with prayer now!
I'm deeply, deeply saddened to ask you to pray for the family of Wendell Loveday who went home to be with the Lord on the 23rd, I believe. This is the brother of my dear friend, Connie, who was also Alison's teacher last year. Wendell had been sick and in great pain for years with rheumatoid arthritis (among other ailments) and was facing the possible amputation of his leg when he passed away somewhat suddenly. It is very easy for us to say, "He is not in pain any more," but for the days and months to come it doesn't help the emptiness and sorrow that his family is feeling in their hearts. Wendell was married to his wife, Peggy, for 40 years and they have a grown daughter, Stacey. Pray that they will all experience a comfort that could only come from the Lord in the days and weeks and even months to come, and also a peace that passes all understanding.
Also please pray for the family of Henry Dishaw, especially his wife, Diane. Henry had been sick with an enlarged heart and finally went home to be with the Lord on September 11th. Again, pray for comfort, a warmth that wraps around them like a cozy blanket. Pray for peace to descend on them like pixie dust and fill them with the hope of all of God's promises.
Also, please pray for the family of a man named John. I don't know his last name, but the Lord does. John was the CFO of a small company based in Birmingham. He'd been there for over 25 years. Last month John committed suicide leaving behind a wife, children, and grandchildren. There must be so many questions, many many never be answered. Please pray that his family will FEEL the Lord's presence constantly in the days, weeks, and even months to come. And that they will be comforted by the hope we have in the Lord.
Continue to pray for Romney McLellan who I recently received more information on. She has been diagnosed with intermediate grade large B cell lymphoma, but this cancer shows possible characteristics of advanced grade. Her LDH levels are elevated and also her anemia is a concern for the doctors. Her treatment is going to be much more difficult that originally anticipated. I've never hidden the fact that I'm NOT a medical person and medical terms are often lost on me (That's why I have my RN sis - my major source of info for anything medical in any of my books!) but my heart aches for this family because Romney and her husband have a two-year-old little girl, Marley, who is wanting her mommy. Please pray for strength for Romney. Pray that she can make it through her treatments better than anyone imagined she could. Pray for comfort and peace and patience for her husband and the rest of her family. Pray that her doctors will know exactly what to do to bring her back to restored health. Through all of this, pray that the Lord is glorified!
Similarly, please pray for Richard "Jim" McDonald, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins, B-Cell Lymphoma. He is beginning a new treatment today. Pray for healing and restored health. Pray for strength and peace. Pray for his family and doctors that they will know exactly how to help him and make him well again, that together he will have the support system needed. Please pray especially for his daughter Melinda who is one of the sweetest spirits I've had the pleasure of meeting recently.
This is an urgent prayer request. One of the girls who lived down my street as a kid now has a beautiful 17-year-old daughter, Monica Rose. Monica is battling liver cancer. I can't imagine what my friend, Holly, must be feeling right now. As a 17-year-old, already going through so many changes, I can't imagine what Monica must be going through either. Please, please, pray mightily for Monica. Pray that the Lord will touch her liver with His healing power. Pray that she will be strong and brave and obtain a faith that would amaze most adults. Pray for her doctors, that they will have the wisdom to know exactly what to do for her. Pray for peace for Holly and her husband that they would be bathed in a peace that passes all understanding. It's hard for us parents to let go of our babies, but Monica is always, always in the Father's hands. What safer place is there? Pray, my prayer warriors! Pray for Monica!
Also, please pray for Duane Sutton, the father of a fellow Sheaf House author. He is 72-years-old and was recently diagnosed with bone cancer. It showed up very suddenly seeming to indicate that it's an aggressive form of cancer, but the family is still waiting on details. He doesn't live near much of his family so right now that is the immediate prayer request. Also, pray that Duane will not be in pain, and that if treatment is an option it will be effective. Above all, pray that God's will is done and that His peace and grace surrounds this delicate situation.
I wanted to update you all on a few that still are/were on the prayer list: My best friend, Patty Smith, recently had a large mass in her abdomen discovered durning a PET scan. It is most likely cancer. She is going on Friday to find out how badly infested with cancer it is. Please pray that it doesn't "light up" AT ALL (which would mean there was NO cancer in it)! Regardless, she is very excited and hopeful to be going through a new, experimental treatment. If I get these figures right, I believe only 70 people are going through this study nation-wide. Please pray that the Lord works a miracle for Patty (and for all of us, really) through the doctors and scientists that have discovered this treatment. Pray for strength through the treatments. Her faith is so amazing. Pray that she will continue to always stand strong in her faith through this storm and that her family and friends will know exactly what we can do to help hold her up in her moments of weakness.
A little good news? Kristin Miller is fully recovered from her open heart surgery and doing FANTASTIC. And Dave Coleman, who underwent a radical surgery to attack his colon cancer aggressively, also has recovered completely, is back to work and his busy life as a husband, dad and grandpa. So for the time being, I have taken them off the list to make room for others. Also, Larry Harris is doing great and Trey Grant has almost completely recovered from his motorcycle accident and has started going back to work a few hours at a time, so I have taken them off the list, too.
Thank you for your prayers. I've seen it time and again, and I know you have too, that there is POWER IN PRAYER. Prayer changes lives - sometimes those needing the prayer, and sometimes those doing the praying. In a few DAYS (yes, days!) I will be reporting on the status of The Heart's Journey Home. I'm so excited with the progress that's been made and look forward to sharing it with you very soon! Until then . . .
Many blessings to you and yours,
Jen
Sunday, August 30, 2009
That Book
I've meant to make this post for 2 weeks. My excuse for not getting it done? Same as always - NOT ENOUGH TIME! School started three weeks ago and I believe it's shaping up to be our best year yet! My class is wonderful! I truly, honestly wake up every morning looking forward to going in and seeing them. I'm privileged to be a part of the most close knit faculty. I quite simply go to work with my family. It's a very special, Spirit-filled place.
In addition, edits on The Heart's Journey Home are almost done! We are getting closer to our destination on this road to being published. Some of it's been a blur. Some of it's been a struggle for me. ALL of it has been a satisfying experience. I've learned more about myself while on this journey, but, most of all, I've grown in my faith. I pray every time I open my document to work more on it that something that I'm writing will touch somebody's heart and lead them on a closer walk with the Lord. Kinda like what happened to me when a speaker came to our church two Sundays ago and told us this story:
"I don't want that book in my house and I don't want you reading it." That's what a father said to his daughter after he found her reading the New Testament that she'd received from a Gideon who'd visited her school earlier that day. The next morning as she sat eating her breakfast, she took it back out and got caught again.
"I thought I told you I don't want that book in my house and I don't want you reading it!" The father snatched the Bible, slipped it into the breast pocket of his shirt and left for work.
He never returned.
You see he was a miner and that day the mine collapsed. Rescue crews worked tirelessly to get to the men before their pocket of oxygen ran out, but they were too late. When they recovered the bodies, they found that miner father holding the small, Gideon Bible in his hands open to the Confession of Faith that is found in every Gideon Bible. It states: Confessing to God that I am a sinner, and believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross and was raised for my justification, I now receive and confess Him as my personal Saviour. After that confession of faith, the rescue workers found the SIGNATURE OF THAT MINER FATHER. Under his name, they found the NAMES OF THE SIX OTHER MINERS AS WELL!
I'm sure I didn't tell this story as effectively as Gideon Jess Dillon did, but how could you not be moved by this story? By the obvious way in which the Lord worked through the Gideon and the daughter, but also what struck me is that the Lord met those 7 men at their deepest, darkest hour. He was there when they signed their names and He was there when they took their last breaths. He didn't give up on them. There wasn't a time limit.
Shouldn't it be our constant mission as Christians? To reach out to the lost? To do our best to help them reach for Jesus before it is too late? It's not always easy to do, especially if they are even remotely different from us. We're so much more comfortable reaching out to fellow believers, but Jesus Himself said that he didn't come for the believers but for the lost. The Gideon people reach out to the lost. Missionary families like the Whited family that I wrote about in my last post are actively pursuing that goal, too, in a big way. I recently met the mother of a little boy in Olivia's Kindergarten class and am blown away by how the Lord is using her as a prayer warrior. She is reaching out to anyone who is seeking the Lord in a beautiful way. (Please check out her blog. It's wonderful and uplifting. For your convenience I've added the link below - A Journey to Freedom & Opening the Door.) I pray that in a teeny tiny way I can reach out through my writing.
PRAYER REQUESTS & UPDATES: There are several and I'm probably forgetting some. I'm so sorry. I need to keep better tabs and get them in sooner, but I'm just going to inform you of the names and briefly what their need is today.
First, please pray for the family of Jeanette Johnson, the mother of my very dear friend Jana Iwanowski, who passed away this past Wednesday. Jana is incredibly strong in her faith, but please pray for her in the days, weeks, and months ahead that she will have peace and rest comfortably in the Lord's promises.
Also, I need you to pray for the family of Ned Oeder who lost his battle with liver cancer and passed away recently.
Also, please pray for fellow author and MTCW member, Tamera Alexander, who recently lost her mother to cancer. Similar to Jana, Tamera is strong in her faith, but I don't guess it's ever easy to lose your mother.
I ask you, dear friends to pray for a friend from high school, Crystal Winkler, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer and it preparing for surgery. Pray for peace, strength, and, most of all, complete healing.
Update on my Olivia: As of August 7th, she was up to 190K platelets so she has been released from further monitoring. Yay! No more "poinky shots".
I want you to pray for the husband of one of my friends. The Lord knows their names, and I want to protect their privacy. She is a strong Christian and he is unsaved. Also, pray for her as it must be so hard to know the one you love so much doesn't have a relationship with Christ.
Lastly, for now, as I'm sure I've forgotten some and will be adding them soon, pray for Romney McLellan. A young mother who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Hopefully I'll have more info on her soon, but for now pray for complete healing and the strength she needs day by day.
I pray for all of you to somehow reach out this week. Reach out to the lost, the hurting, the downtrodden. Let them see Jesus is you!
In addition, edits on The Heart's Journey Home are almost done! We are getting closer to our destination on this road to being published. Some of it's been a blur. Some of it's been a struggle for me. ALL of it has been a satisfying experience. I've learned more about myself while on this journey, but, most of all, I've grown in my faith. I pray every time I open my document to work more on it that something that I'm writing will touch somebody's heart and lead them on a closer walk with the Lord. Kinda like what happened to me when a speaker came to our church two Sundays ago and told us this story:
"I don't want that book in my house and I don't want you reading it." That's what a father said to his daughter after he found her reading the New Testament that she'd received from a Gideon who'd visited her school earlier that day. The next morning as she sat eating her breakfast, she took it back out and got caught again.
"I thought I told you I don't want that book in my house and I don't want you reading it!" The father snatched the Bible, slipped it into the breast pocket of his shirt and left for work.
He never returned.
You see he was a miner and that day the mine collapsed. Rescue crews worked tirelessly to get to the men before their pocket of oxygen ran out, but they were too late. When they recovered the bodies, they found that miner father holding the small, Gideon Bible in his hands open to the Confession of Faith that is found in every Gideon Bible. It states: Confessing to God that I am a sinner, and believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross and was raised for my justification, I now receive and confess Him as my personal Saviour. After that confession of faith, the rescue workers found the SIGNATURE OF THAT MINER FATHER. Under his name, they found the NAMES OF THE SIX OTHER MINERS AS WELL!
I'm sure I didn't tell this story as effectively as Gideon Jess Dillon did, but how could you not be moved by this story? By the obvious way in which the Lord worked through the Gideon and the daughter, but also what struck me is that the Lord met those 7 men at their deepest, darkest hour. He was there when they signed their names and He was there when they took their last breaths. He didn't give up on them. There wasn't a time limit.
Shouldn't it be our constant mission as Christians? To reach out to the lost? To do our best to help them reach for Jesus before it is too late? It's not always easy to do, especially if they are even remotely different from us. We're so much more comfortable reaching out to fellow believers, but Jesus Himself said that he didn't come for the believers but for the lost. The Gideon people reach out to the lost. Missionary families like the Whited family that I wrote about in my last post are actively pursuing that goal, too, in a big way. I recently met the mother of a little boy in Olivia's Kindergarten class and am blown away by how the Lord is using her as a prayer warrior. She is reaching out to anyone who is seeking the Lord in a beautiful way. (Please check out her blog. It's wonderful and uplifting. For your convenience I've added the link below - A Journey to Freedom & Opening the Door.) I pray that in a teeny tiny way I can reach out through my writing.
PRAYER REQUESTS & UPDATES: There are several and I'm probably forgetting some. I'm so sorry. I need to keep better tabs and get them in sooner, but I'm just going to inform you of the names and briefly what their need is today.
First, please pray for the family of Jeanette Johnson, the mother of my very dear friend Jana Iwanowski, who passed away this past Wednesday. Jana is incredibly strong in her faith, but please pray for her in the days, weeks, and months ahead that she will have peace and rest comfortably in the Lord's promises.
Also, I need you to pray for the family of Ned Oeder who lost his battle with liver cancer and passed away recently.
Also, please pray for fellow author and MTCW member, Tamera Alexander, who recently lost her mother to cancer. Similar to Jana, Tamera is strong in her faith, but I don't guess it's ever easy to lose your mother.
I ask you, dear friends to pray for a friend from high school, Crystal Winkler, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer and it preparing for surgery. Pray for peace, strength, and, most of all, complete healing.
Update on my Olivia: As of August 7th, she was up to 190K platelets so she has been released from further monitoring. Yay! No more "poinky shots".
I want you to pray for the husband of one of my friends. The Lord knows their names, and I want to protect their privacy. She is a strong Christian and he is unsaved. Also, pray for her as it must be so hard to know the one you love so much doesn't have a relationship with Christ.
Lastly, for now, as I'm sure I've forgotten some and will be adding them soon, pray for Romney McLellan. A young mother who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Hopefully I'll have more info on her soon, but for now pray for complete healing and the strength she needs day by day.
I pray for all of you to somehow reach out this week. Reach out to the lost, the hurting, the downtrodden. Let them see Jesus is you!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Getting the WORD Out!
I just LOVE when the Lord brings people into my life and I know it RIGHT THEN! Yep, you guessed it . . . story time!
Last week, I was up at school preparing my classroom (and my brain) for the rapidly approaching new year. Well, after quite a while of working I decided that the L-O-N-G walk from my classroom to the sna
ck machine would be worth it for some much needed M&Ms. I came around the corner just a few feet from my destination and I almost ran into this lovely woman and her sweet daughter. Of course, since I've NEVER met a stranger, I said hello. She said hello. Amazing how in ONE WORD you can tell the level of a person's spirit, and I could tell that this woman was Spirit-filled. So, again, NEVER turning from an opportunity to "visit", I asked her what she was setting up. And she proceeded to tell me that they are a missionary family. Her husband works on airplanes and these airplanes are used to take Scripture to remote areas of this world. Right now they are in the States but hope to be going over seas soon. I proceeded to tell her that I've been wanting for our class to "adopt" a missionary family so badly for two years now. My classes in the past have "adopted" soldiers which was a wonderful experience, but the Lord just put it on my heart to take care of a missionary family. The Lord brought this family to my class! And what makes it even better is the sweet little girl with her that day is a third grader! My Alison met the little girl and everything so this year they will be able to write back and forth and I'm expecting a very wonderful experience through all of this. This is a photo of Dano and Melinda Whited and their beautiful family. Please pray for them with me, my dear friends. They are doing the Lord's work in a mighty way! I may be naive but I didn't realize how many groups of people DO NOT EVEN HAVE A PORTION OF THE SCRIPTURES! These people do not know about our Jesus! They don't know anything about Him! That makes me want to cry! Not just for them but to think that Jesus actually hing on the cross and died for those people, too! And without men and women like Dano and Melinda, so many would never know. I hope that through my writing I may touch a life or two, and bring people closer in their walk with the Lord, but, folks, really that's just a drop in the bucket compared to what Dano and Melinda and others like them are doing. I have very dear friends that have spent time as missionaries in Malaysia and Alison's teacher last year had spent many years as a missionary in Puerto Rico. These people are the most humble, warm, Spirit-filled people I know. And the world IS a better place because of them!
I didn't do a very good job writing this article. My heart is full, but my brain is mush right now. Editing for The Heart's Journey Home is coming along amazingly. It is so fun to go back and reread what I've written . . . and then make it better. School starts on Monday so we've been getting ready for that, and, on top of everything else, I am trying to get back into some kind of an exercise routine. I've always considered that the one "extra" thing, but I have since figured out that it should be one of my top priorities. My health is a precious gift, and I want to treat it like that. Still . . . it's a struggle to get on the treadmill everyday when my sleep schedule is, well, what it is. So, I said all that to say that though I didn't write it as eloquently as I'd intended, my heart is with the Whited family and I hope that you will print their picture out, hang it up somewhere in your house, and pray for them, too.
OTHER PRAYER REQUESTS: Please, please, please pray for Kevin Burris. Kevin is the husband of a wonderful woman that I teach with. Patty taught Alison Kindergarten and she will have Olivia this year. She is a dear friend, a wonderful co-worker, and one of the most godly women I have ever met. She and her Kevin are still in so much love after, oh, I'm just guessing about 23 or 24 years of marriage. Kevin was diagnosed with MS several years ago, but just recently it has gotten worse. Long story (and many medical details that I will get wrong) shorter, he will go in for a monthly treatment that may stop and even REVERSE the progression of his MS! My dear friends, please pray specifically right now that the Lord will indeed REVERSE the progression of Kevin's MS. Please pray that the Lord will ease his physical pain and the pain that I know is in my dear sweet friend's heart. I know it's so hard on her to watch her husband, her best friend, hurting like this. Pray for Kevin's doctors that they will have a divine wisdom and a compassionate heart in dealing with Kevin's illness. Pray that every financial need will be met for them. Pray, my friends, for the most precious peace to descend on Kevin and Patty and that they will find rest in our precious, precious Savior.
Please pray for my friend, Erica Foster. She is the mother of a former student and has recently been diagnosed with MDS, which according to my research is a "pre leukemia". She has to go through chemo, has lost her hair, the whole nine yards. Friends, pray for healing! Pray that Erica can have a super natural strength. Pray for peace, a peace that passes all understanding. Pray for Erica's doctors that they, like Kevin's, will have a divine wisdom and a compassionate heart in dealing with Erica's illness. Please pray for Erica's children, 10-year-old Josh and 5-year-old Erin. The fear that must be in their hearts, I can't even imagine. Please, lift Erica and her children up to the Lord!
Please pray for the family of Zelma "Pat" Rose, the grandmother of a friend's husband, who recently passed away. Pray that they will have peace and hope in the promises of the Word. Pray that memories will be abundant and will comfort the grieving hearts that she left behind.
Please pray for my friend, Sharon Chill. Sharon has had a myriad of health problems including a stroke and she is awaiting test results on a cyst in her throat. Please pray mightily that she will be healed. Period. That she will gradually experience better and better health until the doctors can no longer find anything wrong with her. Pray that the test results will come back that she does NOT have throat cancer. Pray for her girls. It must be so hard for them to see their mama so sick. Pray for her husband, Bob, that he will experience peace and comfort in knowing that his wife is safe in the hands of our Lord and Savior. Pray for her doctors, like Kevin's and Erica's, that they will have the divine wisdom and compassionate heart in dealing with Sharon's illnesses.
Also, please pray for Melinda Whited's daddy, Richard "Jim" McDonald, who has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins, B-Cell Lymphoma. From what I understand, this is an aggressive but treatable cancer. Pray for complete healing. Pray for peace for Mr. McDonald and his family. Pray for his doctors, just like we prayed for Kevin's, Erica's and Sharon's, that they will have divine wisdom and a compassionate heart in dealing with Mr. McDonald's illness. Please pray for Mr. McDonald's strength to increase and for his pain to decrease everyday.
UPDATES: My heart is very heavy to tell you that our sweet young friends, Katie Leach and Ethan Bibb, both going through treatments for cancer, have experienced some complications recently. Please pray for these two young people like you have never prayed before! Pray for HEALING! Complete restoration of health to their little bodies. Pray for their parents who are beyond exhausted, mentally and physically. I can't even imagine what they must be going through. Pray for their siblings who I'm sure must have questions going through their minds and a certain amount of fear in their hearts. Pray for their doctors, that they will know just what to do, what treatments/medicines to incorporate so that these two young people will once again experience life cancer free! I believe that this can happen with the help of the Lord! Please, make this your specific prayer request for Katie and Ethan!
Always remember that if you or someone you know is in need of prayer, I will be happy to add them to this list. Just let me know. I believe that there truly is power in prayer!
Last week, I was up at school preparing my classroom (and my brain) for the rapidly approaching new year. Well, after quite a while of working I decided that the L-O-N-G walk from my classroom to the sna
ck machine would be worth it for some much needed M&Ms. I came around the corner just a few feet from my destination and I almost ran into this lovely woman and her sweet daughter. Of course, since I've NEVER met a stranger, I said hello. She said hello. Amazing how in ONE WORD you can tell the level of a person's spirit, and I could tell that this woman was Spirit-filled. So, again, NEVER turning from an opportunity to "visit", I asked her what she was setting up. And she proceeded to tell me that they are a missionary family. Her husband works on airplanes and these airplanes are used to take Scripture to remote areas of this world. Right now they are in the States but hope to be going over seas soon. I proceeded to tell her that I've been wanting for our class to "adopt" a missionary family so badly for two years now. My classes in the past have "adopted" soldiers which was a wonderful experience, but the Lord just put it on my heart to take care of a missionary family. The Lord brought this family to my class! And what makes it even better is the sweet little girl with her that day is a third grader! My Alison met the little girl and everything so this year they will be able to write back and forth and I'm expecting a very wonderful experience through all of this. This is a photo of Dano and Melinda Whited and their beautiful family. Please pray for them with me, my dear friends. They are doing the Lord's work in a mighty way! I may be naive but I didn't realize how many groups of people DO NOT EVEN HAVE A PORTION OF THE SCRIPTURES! These people do not know about our Jesus! They don't know anything about Him! That makes me want to cry! Not just for them but to think that Jesus actually hing on the cross and died for those people, too! And without men and women like Dano and Melinda, so many would never know. I hope that through my writing I may touch a life or two, and bring people closer in their walk with the Lord, but, folks, really that's just a drop in the bucket compared to what Dano and Melinda and others like them are doing. I have very dear friends that have spent time as missionaries in Malaysia and Alison's teacher last year had spent many years as a missionary in Puerto Rico. These people are the most humble, warm, Spirit-filled people I know. And the world IS a better place because of them!I didn't do a very good job writing this article. My heart is full, but my brain is mush right now. Editing for The Heart's Journey Home is coming along amazingly. It is so fun to go back and reread what I've written . . . and then make it better. School starts on Monday so we've been getting ready for that, and, on top of everything else, I am trying to get back into some kind of an exercise routine. I've always considered that the one "extra" thing, but I have since figured out that it should be one of my top priorities. My health is a precious gift, and I want to treat it like that. Still . . . it's a struggle to get on the treadmill everyday when my sleep schedule is, well, what it is. So, I said all that to say that though I didn't write it as eloquently as I'd intended, my heart is with the Whited family and I hope that you will print their picture out, hang it up somewhere in your house, and pray for them, too.
OTHER PRAYER REQUESTS: Please, please, please pray for Kevin Burris. Kevin is the husband of a wonderful woman that I teach with. Patty taught Alison Kindergarten and she will have Olivia this year. She is a dear friend, a wonderful co-worker, and one of the most godly women I have ever met. She and her Kevin are still in so much love after, oh, I'm just guessing about 23 or 24 years of marriage. Kevin was diagnosed with MS several years ago, but just recently it has gotten worse. Long story (and many medical details that I will get wrong) shorter, he will go in for a monthly treatment that may stop and even REVERSE the progression of his MS! My dear friends, please pray specifically right now that the Lord will indeed REVERSE the progression of Kevin's MS. Please pray that the Lord will ease his physical pain and the pain that I know is in my dear sweet friend's heart. I know it's so hard on her to watch her husband, her best friend, hurting like this. Pray for Kevin's doctors that they will have a divine wisdom and a compassionate heart in dealing with Kevin's illness. Pray that every financial need will be met for them. Pray, my friends, for the most precious peace to descend on Kevin and Patty and that they will find rest in our precious, precious Savior.
Please pray for my friend, Erica Foster. She is the mother of a former student and has recently been diagnosed with MDS, which according to my research is a "pre leukemia". She has to go through chemo, has lost her hair, the whole nine yards. Friends, pray for healing! Pray that Erica can have a super natural strength. Pray for peace, a peace that passes all understanding. Pray for Erica's doctors that they, like Kevin's, will have a divine wisdom and a compassionate heart in dealing with Erica's illness. Please pray for Erica's children, 10-year-old Josh and 5-year-old Erin. The fear that must be in their hearts, I can't even imagine. Please, lift Erica and her children up to the Lord!
Please pray for the family of Zelma "Pat" Rose, the grandmother of a friend's husband, who recently passed away. Pray that they will have peace and hope in the promises of the Word. Pray that memories will be abundant and will comfort the grieving hearts that she left behind.
Please pray for my friend, Sharon Chill. Sharon has had a myriad of health problems including a stroke and she is awaiting test results on a cyst in her throat. Please pray mightily that she will be healed. Period. That she will gradually experience better and better health until the doctors can no longer find anything wrong with her. Pray that the test results will come back that she does NOT have throat cancer. Pray for her girls. It must be so hard for them to see their mama so sick. Pray for her husband, Bob, that he will experience peace and comfort in knowing that his wife is safe in the hands of our Lord and Savior. Pray for her doctors, like Kevin's and Erica's, that they will have the divine wisdom and compassionate heart in dealing with Sharon's illnesses.
Also, please pray for Melinda Whited's daddy, Richard "Jim" McDonald, who has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins, B-Cell Lymphoma. From what I understand, this is an aggressive but treatable cancer. Pray for complete healing. Pray for peace for Mr. McDonald and his family. Pray for his doctors, just like we prayed for Kevin's, Erica's and Sharon's, that they will have divine wisdom and a compassionate heart in dealing with Mr. McDonald's illness. Please pray for Mr. McDonald's strength to increase and for his pain to decrease everyday.
UPDATES: My heart is very heavy to tell you that our sweet young friends, Katie Leach and Ethan Bibb, both going through treatments for cancer, have experienced some complications recently. Please pray for these two young people like you have never prayed before! Pray for HEALING! Complete restoration of health to their little bodies. Pray for their parents who are beyond exhausted, mentally and physically. I can't even imagine what they must be going through. Pray for their siblings who I'm sure must have questions going through their minds and a certain amount of fear in their hearts. Pray for their doctors, that they will know just what to do, what treatments/medicines to incorporate so that these two young people will once again experience life cancer free! I believe that this can happen with the help of the Lord! Please, make this your specific prayer request for Katie and Ethan!
Always remember that if you or someone you know is in need of prayer, I will be happy to add them to this list. Just let me know. I believe that there truly is power in prayer!
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