Once Organized, the only thing left to do is...

PRAY & WRITE! PRAY & WRITE!
WRITE, WRITE, AND WRITE! Prior to the release of Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey, my goal was to complete the sequel in time for another April 3rd release date yet God had other plans. Last year's journey leading up to the release and then the months after were a roller coaster of excitement. Book signings, speaking events, and fellowship. I had a choice to make, was I going to forge ahead with my plan or God's?

My goals versus God's plan - this is something I need to be mindful of. Actually, it's something we all need to make a conscious part of our daily routines, not just when it pertains to goal setting and planning for our futures. Tomorrow isn't a guarantee, so keeping our eyes, hearts, and mind focused on God's plan for us versus the inner self...will only benefit everyone. And who knows, might bring glory to God when it truly is HIS plan.

To be honest with myself, and you, I am disappointed on some levels with myself. I wanted to release the sequel on April 3, 2014, the 20th anniversary of my only sister's abduction. On the most tragic, sad, and life changing day in our lives. Similar to releasing Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey on April third, I wanted to share hope, inspiration, and encouragement with others on a day so many remember with pain and distress in their hearts. As much as I wanted to spend another April third surrounded by friends, family, and all of you ~ God had other plans. In order to have reached this goal, I could not have enjoyed meeting so many of you over the past year. I wouldn't have traveled across New York State and even to Texas to share hope, healing, and Heidi with others.

Instead of times of fellowship, it would be necessary to become an anti-social hermit every waking moment I wasn't at work. I would of missed hearing from a couple who decorated the first time this past Christmas, after decades of avoiding it because it reminded them of their missing daughter.

I might of missed hearing how reading Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey changed one sister's life when she realized God loves her and her whole attitude towards life, family, and her sister's kidnapping took on a more positive outlook. I would of missed making memories with my family as we traveled together. I may have never saw how God was, and is, using my gift to write and speak to encourage and help others. I only would of known the work, sweat, tears, and exhaustion of writing the part of the journey.

One of the greatest joys of being a "published author" is all the people I've met and the way your stories, testimonies, fears, joys, and questions have inspired, motivated, and encouraged me. My hope and prayers were to help others, yet God used this to do the same for me and my family. Isn't God cool? God chose me to write and speak for Him. God chose me to share my transformation from anger, pain, resentment, grief, and depression to help others know it's possible to move forward with joy, love, hope, and in God's strength. I don't do any of this on my own, only with Him as my guide.

For my author friends out there, you'll get a kick out of this next statement. I've started writing the sequel to Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey, but haven't written a word. The binder is organized, the story board is developed and on a large Post-it note easel pad of paper. I developed a "cycle" to share with you in the next book to help illustrate the next part of the journey. I have my scrap pieces of paper, napkins, Post-it notes, news clippings, devotionals, and Scripture verses rewritten into notebooks and ready to go. My head spins daily with how and where to go for this book.

The only trouble, well, additional thought I'm having now ~ after brainstorming and working at my parent's house yesterday is this...I might have enough for two different books, not one. So am I working on the sequel or the second in a trilogy, or possibly the second in a series of four.

Oh yeah, very excited for what God has before us. I move forward trusting Him and welcome your prayers for this process.

Please join us in prayer for the following things:
*God's words and message to come through in all I share - in writing and when I speak
*God's protection - over our health, home, finances, and family
*God's grace and mercy when we fail
*God's provision to meet our needs and bless us exceedingly and abundantly above and beyond anything we could even imagine
*God's love to surround us
*To be the woman, wife, daughter, friend, relative, writer, and speaker God's called me to be Are you excited for the sequel, or is it the second of 3 or 4...
to Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey?

Thank you for your prayers...