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Build My Life

Mar18

Last Saturday, I pulled into my garage and started crying… literally! Tears were streaming down my face as I was hit hard by a song on the radio. It wasn’t my first time hearing it, but this time, it hit me differently. Suddenly it became clear to me what I need to do. I marked that day in the sand—March 16, 2024. It will serve as my reminder of THE DAY I took God at his word concerning some things I had been praying about. It was also the day I decided this would be my very last blog post. More about that later…

As for the song, it was Build My Life by Pat Barrett. Below is a YouTube video with the lyrics so you can truly appreciate what the song says.

I know you can listen for yourself, so I will resist the urge to include the lyrics in this post. I’ll tell you my favorite part though, the chorus part that goes like this: “I will put my trust in YOU alone, and I will not be shaken.” The words are no revelation. I already knew that, but somehow when I heard the words being sung this time, it really sank in. I was overcome with emotions and knew it was time for me to seriously take God at his word and not be shaken.

My desire is to be a full-time author. Right now, I’m a full-time nurse case manager, and the storyteller inside me is competing for my time. She is losing the battle though. I know there is so much more that I need to do as an author, but time simply is not on my side. I’m not quitting my day job because I cannot afford to. However, as I work toward my goal, I know I have to invest more time and energy into writing and promoting my books. They say for an author, writing is the easy part. Marketing and promoting yourself and your books is the hard part. “They” are right!

This blog is not a time consumer. If you are a subscriber, you know I don’t make regular posts anyway. That is not why I am quitting. The main reason is because there seems to be no benefit of continuing. It’s cathartic for me because it’s an outlet for me to write ad hoc articles when something pops in my head. If you’re reading this, I would never know it because we don’t have a two-way-street. I honestly don’t know who reads my posts. I have failed at garnering any kind of active participation where readers actually leave comments. Unfortunately, I don’t watch my statistics enough to know what’s happening here, if anything.

So please accept my apologies as I throw in the towel as a blogger. Hopefully you have found some joy, encouragement, enlightenment, motivation, inspiration, and even entertainment of some sort here. If so, I encourage you to subscribe to my newsletter. I don’t want to be a passive writer who is not fully committed anymore. I’ve let go of the imposter syndrome feelings I’ve had for years. I’m not just trying to become a real author. I really am one already!

I am putting my trust in the Lord. As I set out on my new venture of truly pursuing my passion for writing, I will not be shaken by what I see or don’t see. I am on a mission to become a full-time author, publisher, marketer, promoter, and guest speaker. I will need to be all of those things because statistics are strongly against me. I am much more likely to fail or give up just like 99% of other aspiring authors.

Just know I did not set out for this final post to be depressing. I.AM.NOT.DEPRESSED. As a matter of fact, I am quite relieved to have both my confession and revelation in writing. I’m jumping for joy as evidenced by the video below which explains more about my newsletter.

If you’re reading this, please consider subscribing to my newsletter at this link: Books by Betty

My goal is to find readers and stay engaged with them. I want to be connected to people who are interested in reading my books. The newsletter will feature all sorts of things, including of course, the books from all 3 genres that I have discovered I have a passion for writing. More about that in the welcome email you’ll receive from me once you subscribe to the newsletter.

So for now, please know that I am not giving up. I simply see no reason to continue blogging. My journey has taken me down a different path in an attempt to attract people who want or actually need to read what I have to say. I will be writing more books than ever and releasing them much quicker than ever. It all changes now. Well, it all changed last Saturday. That was the day I took God at HIS word. I’m building my life as an author, not for vainglory, but to bring honor and glory to God.

I’ll leave you with my final picture. It’s featured at the bottom of every newsletter as a reminder to all who subscribe that I am literally jumping for joy that they are on this storytelling journey with me.

Signing off for the final time as a blogger. I hope to see you on the other side as a subscriber to my Books by Betty newsletter. I truly believe it will be worth your time.

Love Broke Me

Jun4

When I was 14 years old, I told a boy “I Love You” because I thought I did. When I was 18, I told that same boy “I Love You,” but that time I knew I did. I remember it like yesterday, but it was exactly 40 years ago today, June 4, 1983.

Keep reading as I share the short story I wrote that revolves around this love affair. It’s part of an anthology I co-authored with 20 other women entitled The Breaking Point. My chapter is called LOVE BROKE ME, which starts with this quote from Mother Teresa.

We have not come into the world to be numbered; we have been created for a purpose; for great things; to love and be loved. ~Mother Teresa

Can loving and being loved actually cause a breaking point? I pondered that for quite some time as I contemplated what I deemed my undeserving place in this book. I wondered if I had truly experienced something so monumental that my life required a shocking reboot? It was only after I prayed about it that my answer was an outrageously loud affirmative. While it may not be the horrific or cataclysmic ordeal others have fought for dear life to overcome, you may be able to relate to my much more subtle, but no less powerful breaking point, which catapulted my life’s trajectory into places I never imagined.

My first breaking point actually occurred a week before high school graduation in the aftermath of a physical assault by a classmate. That near-death experience began with a skull fracture and ended with emergency surgery to remove an epidural hematoma (blood clot) on the brain of an eighteen-year-old.

That eighteen-year-old was William Collier. He was and still is the absolute love of my life. He is also my beloved husband of thirty-five years and counting. In my heart, I truly believe God saved his life back in May, 1983 because he was created just for me. He’s part of my story, and had he not gone through such a horrendous nightmare, we probably never would have gotten married. We fell in love as fourteen-year-olds in ninth grade. We also broke up in high school and would have gone our separate ways after graduation had God not allowed that dreadful misfortune to take place.

“I hope that boy don’t die.”

Those were the inadvertent words my mother spoke when she first heard the news about William’s assault that sent me spiraling out of control. We had grown so far apart that I didn’t even know what happened to him a week before our high school graduation. He was clinging to life when he was taken to the second emergency room after the first one (unknowingly) sent him home to die with an undiagnosed medical emergency. The blood clot was so severe that the brain surgeon was quite certain it would have killed him if he had not rushed him into the operating room to relieve the tremendous pressure building up on his brain.

Prior to that horrendous calamity, I didn’t think I loved him anymore even though he never stopped loving me in high school. However, the thought of losing him shattered my heart into a thousand little pieces. As I reflect on that awful period of our lives, I realize it was only by God’s grace and mercy that we were reunited on William’s “near-death” bed. I loved that eighteen-year-old boy more than I ever thought possible. Past disappointments and hurt feelings had to be put aside in order to receive the magnificent gift of his beautiful love for me. In turn, I could shower him with that same love.

Just as Mother Teresa said, we were created for a purpose, to love and be loved. The basic definition of love according to Merriam Webster is strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties; attraction based on sexual desire; affection and tenderness felt by lovers; affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests. While it seems humanly impossible to actually define what love is, there is one thing I know for sure. There is no greater gift than love.

If we never open our hearts and allow love to prevail, we would miss out on so many wonderful things in life. William and I were on the brink of giving up on each other when love essentially broke us all the way down to a place where eighteen-year-olds rarely go. We spent the two weeks he was in the hospital recovering after emergency surgery getting to know each other all over again while reflecting on what went wrong with our relationship in high school. I never expected to open my heart so wide and let him in, but I did . . . right there in his hospital room where he actually had to get out of his “sick bed” to comfort me as my tears flowed. 

June 4, 1983

I remember that day and the look on William’s face very well. He was recovering at home by then. It was the day my eighteen-year-old self told William “I LOVE YOU!” I knew when I said it that time that it was forever. I had said it before as far back as when I was fourteen. This time though, this time, I knew deep on the inside God had filled my heart with a love for William that would never die.

As insignificant as that may seem, whether you consciously choose to fall in love or it happens without you even realizing it, the main thing to realize is that it is indeed life’s greatest gift. Loving and being loved sometimes requires overcoming a vast array of feelings to get to the point that you allow yourself to feel that way and trust the love being given in return.

While the world may debate whether true love exists, I encourage you to open your heart and expect it instead of doubt it. I simply cannot imagine my life without love, without William, without our children, and without the family that we have been blessed to share together. There is an idiom that says “And they lived happily ever after.” By definition, an idiom is just an expression, a figure of speech. Love is not a fairy tale; but if you open your mind to the idea of happily living in love, you may just find yourself there.

Although I don’t have a dramatic story of how I nursed him back to health once he was discharged from the hospital, I must admit that I smiled every time I heard his father proclaim that I brought William back to life! We were only eighteen, so of course we certainly didn’t have all the answers and would have been quite naïve to think otherwise. However, not only did we trust each other, but we also trusted our love for each other. It was something we cherished back then and learned to never take for granted.

Do I wish everyone could marry their high school sweetheart and live happily ever after? Of course! I know that is not realistic though.

Can I give you advice or simple steps to follow to ensure you have a long, successful marriage? Of course not! That’s not realistic either.

But what I can do is encourage you to follow your heart. There is no magic formula for meeting the right person or finding the perfect match. We are all imperfect, and what works for one person or couple may not work for the other. William and I grew more in love as time went on. Sure, we had trials and tribulations along the way, but marriage means trusting each other through the good and bad because it is worth it. Communication and honesty are vital components in a relationship. If you can’t trust someone to hold your heart gently in their hands without breaking it, save your heart for someone else who will take incredibly good care of it.

I know people long for finding true love. We were blessed to find it while still in our teens. When I thought about my life without William in it, I knew that no matter what it took, I would love him through whatever may come our way. How could I not love this person that I truly believe God made just for me? I couldn’t reject my love for him or his love for me.

Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

That may very well be the best definition of love that I’ve ever heard. It may sound cliché, but think about it. If you put the other person’s feelings above your own, and in your heart commit to making that person happy, doesn’t that bring you happiness as well? I have discovered the more I try to make William happy and put him first, the happier I am because I love to see him happy.  

Let me conclude with this prayer for you.

Dear God,

May those reading this wholeheartedly accept the fact that you created them out of love. Show them that they were created for a great purpose—to love you and each other. Help them to understand your love for them on a deeper and more personal level so that they can learn to share that love with others. Open their hearts to receive natural and supernatural love. Bless them to fully expect to love and be loved.  

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

Here we are, 40 years later, at our 40th class reunion last month.

Chapter 2 Began 40 Years Ago

May17

Exactly 40 years ago today was the beginning of Chapter 2, page 6 in my first book. It was the day 18-year old William Collier (my future husband) could have died. But GOD…

William survived the assault and had a life-saving craniotomy (brain surgery) the next day to remove an epidural hematoma (blood clot) that was 5 cm thick and 10 cm diameter. Picture that, y’all… It was huge! Life cannot exist if something that large is squishing your brain. Left untreated, death occurs. But GOD…

As Chapter 2 goes, my brother asked if we had heard about “that Collier boy who was hit upside the head” and was in the hospital. (No, I had not heard.) Then my mom crushed me with her first reaction, “I sure hope that boy don’t die.” The rest of the evening is pretty much a blur to me. For the first time in my 18-year old life, I experienced the devastating pain and agony of my heart shattering into pieces too small to ever put back together. But GOD…

This is only the beginning of our story. I walked across the stage on May 20, 1983 to receive my high school diploma. William was still lying in neuro-trauma ICU that same day, but he was doing much better and able to transfer to the regular neurosurgical floor. His life had been saved, and he was recovering with NO neurological deficits. He was discharged home on May 29, 1983, and his only medication was to prevent seizures. What started out as what should have been a celebratory week for a high school senior turned into something so catastrophic that it still gives me a headache when I think about it. (Yes, I have a headache now as I’m posting this, but I felt the need to reflect on this moment and testify about what happened 40 years ago.)

But GOD is so good, so faithful, so full of grace and mercy! William and I will celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary in August. We have been blessed beyond measure with a life full of love, 2 fabulously wonderful baby boys (now 24 and 28) who are extensions of our hearts, and a beautiful daughter-in-love who is the perfect addition to our family.

Our 40-year class reunion is Saturday (May 20, 2023) exactly 40 years to the date from when I walked across the stage while the absolute love of my life was lying in neuro-trauma ICU. Our class reunion is much more profound for me than the rest of my classmates. My life would have been catapulted into a totally different trajectory had God not saved William’s life that day.

QUESTION: Why do I write about this experience over and over again?

ANSWER: It’s my testimony. William doesn’t like talking about it, so I share this story on his behalf. We are overcomers by the words of our testimonies. (Revelation 12:11)

MORAL OF THE STORY: I hope others will hear this testimony and be encouraged to know what God did for us, he can do for you. Nothing is too hard for God. He is never too late to meet you at your point of need. He extends unmerited grace and mercy when we need it the most. After all, we all live inside testimonies meant to be shared to help encourage others. 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Do you have a testimony you’d like to share to encourage others? Please leave it in the comment section.

Merry Christmas From My Family to Yours

Dec14

In the busyness of the holiday season, let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas.

This is my family at Memphis Zoo Lights 2022. We started a new tradition recently of having a family Christmas outing every year (like those field trips my boys used to have in elementary school.) Then I use pictures from the field trip to create Christmas cards to send out to family and friends.

Family, fun, food… what can be better?

(Betty along with her husband, William, sons Jordan and Brandon, and daughter in love, McKenzie)

We’ve all heard the saying “Family is Everything”, and it really is. So take some time to reflect on what’s important in life. Make time for those closest to you and enjoy the merriment and wonder of the season. But most importantly, never forget that Jesus is the reason for the season. His birth was part of God’s display of His love for us.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

God did indeed give us the greatest gift of all! #LOVE!

What traditions do you have with your family to celebrate the holidays? If you don’t carve out time to spend with loved ones, let me encourage you to try it. Family field trips are fun. Just look at all of us piled into one car on our way to Memphis Zoo Lights. And yes, I had my Motown Christmas CD playing in the car.

Ladies and Gentlemen, May I Have Your Attention Please?

Nov4

All of us have probably heard that question many times, but does it really get your attention?

In this social media crazy world we live these days, everybody is vying for your attention to promote something: themselves, a product, a service, a cause, an agenda… the list goes on and on. Sometimes we feel exhausted just from the bombardment of information that never stops. May I encourage you today to stop, take a deep breath, and relax. Disconnect from distractions. Detox mentally and emotionally from things that don’t speak positively into your lives. We need to surround ourselves with people and things that bring us peace.

I Am Guilty

I’m an author, so I confess that I am guilty of vying for your attention as well. Of course I want you to read all my books and all my blog posts. It’s not for my vain glory, but because I think the Lord has gifted me with a storytelling ability that speaks positively into your lives. I began my authorhood journey in 2009 with the sole purpose of bringing honor and glory to God. That will never change.

With that being said, may I have your attention for a couple of quick announcements.

On May 19, 2022, I wrote this blog post: Thank You for Living Inside the Testimony With Me! to share the emotional day my book became an Amazon #1 bestseller. Since that time, I’ve been blessed to have two book trailers created to compliment the book. I’m posting both of them below for your viewing pleasure. The first one is the extended version, which is almost 2.5 minutes. Again, this goes back to vying for your time. Back in the day, we all had an extra 148 seconds to spare. What happened to us? Realizing many will not watch a video for that long, the second one below is the shorter version, which is only 52 seconds.

If you watched the book trailer and would like to have your name entered in a drawing for one of five complimentary Living Inside The Testimony (3rd edition) books that I’m giving away, leave a comment on this post. If more than 5 people comment, I will draw names a week from today. If less than 5 leave a comment, all commenters will receive a free book. It’s my way of saying thank you for reading this blog and for watching my book trailer. (Free books will ship the week of November 14th.)

Here’s what a book reviewer said about the book: I was delighted by this book; by the author, by the message, and by the way in which I was spoken to as an equal throughout. Author Betty Collier wisely avoids the pitfalls of a lot of religious literature by not trying to dispense ideology from a self-appointed position above the reader. Instead, she has written her story as one would speak to a friend or relative. The stories shared throughout the book are touching in nature, each one a personal anecdote shared with an admirable degree of openness to let the reader draw the parallels to their own life. The power of the text, however, comes from the insight the author shares in those stories, discussing how her faith elevated her even higher in moments of victory and saved her in moments of defeat. It is this insight that makes Living Inside The Testimony such an important read, and one that I recommend to all readers. ~ Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite

I also have a new book coming before Christmas!

Dear John (The Birthday Gift—Book 2)

A Gripping Redemption Story Filled With Grace

Stay tuned for more details

Thank You for Living Inside the Testimony With Me!

May19

When I launched my eBook on May 12, I realized I had much more bottled up apprehension and turmoil brewing inside me than I thought. This wasn’t a typical book launch for me, and the day ended in tears.

Happy tears.

Tears of joy.

Unexpected tears that I was surprised I shed.

At the end of the day, I shared a sentimental Facebook post to thank all those who supported and encouraged me as I sat in amazement and watched my book reach Amazon #1 bestseller status. I’d like to share that post with you here, now, to have on record in my blog what that day actually felt like for me. Here’s my Facebook post from the night of the eBook release of Living Inside The Testimony (3rd edition).

MY FACEBOOK POST

➡️ WARNING: Long, sentimental post. 😘 I’m not screaming and shouting anymore because y’all have left me speechless! I’ve been trying to figure out what to say for the past few hours because I’ve been so overwhelmed with gratitude and a thankful heart. Plus, it would have been hard to figure out what to say when I was bawling and barely breathing… 😭

🙌🏽 You’ll see in the fine print below in the bottom left corner that my ebook has been technically classified as an AMAZON #1 BESTSELLER IN 3 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. (Neurosurgery twice because it qualified as an ebook but also as a regular book including paperbacks and hardcovers which may not have accompanying ebooks – technical differences) Anyway, all it took was one category, but I’m in 3 as a solo author. I must say it is more gratifying than the other #1 bestsellers where I was a co-author. Not that they weren’t extremely important to me, because they most certainly were. This book though, this is my heart and soul because it’s all mine, every single word. It’s my testimony of God’s amazing love and abundant blessings. This is my life on full display to bring honor and glory to God. 🙏🏽

👉🏽 I wanted to do a quick little video to thank y’all, but I’m a hot mess right now… 😂

Maybe tomorrow as I have updates on some other book news to share also. For now, I wanted to get this out here before the day was over to simply say THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PURCHASED THE BOOK TO SEND ME OVER THE TOP. I’ve had other bestselling books, award-winning books, #1 bestsellers, but this one means the most because of the stories inside the pages. As one professional book reviewer said, “Betty Collier engulfs readers with heartfelt authenticity and sincerity permeating the pages of her inspirational narratives.” 🙌🏽

I have given you my all, everything within me is in this book!

✍🏽 As I’ve often said, I write with a purpose, and that is to bring honor and glory to God. There’s actually a chapter in the book, Chapter 11 entitled “The Book” which will enlighten you on just how and why this is so important to me.

🥰 So I hope everyone enjoys this ebook. The paperback is now available and in stock on Amazon as well. As soon as I get my shipment of paperbacks, I will begin shipping out the BOGO frees that some of you qualified for when you sponsored “The Breaking Point” earlier this year. I hope to start shipping out all 3 books to y’all next week, as soon as I get my delivery. It will include LIVING INSIDE THE TESTIMONY (3rd edition), THE BREAKING POINT, and THE BIRTHDAY GIFT (Book 1). More on that later. Sponsors, y’all know who you are. That was way back in January… I think. Trust me, I have a list!

📣 So anyway, y’all see I’m not speechless after all. Well, I really am, but somehow this kind of summarizes what I wanted to share with you at the end of this glorious day when I really felt like I got the affirmation and confirmation that I have been so desperately seeking since 2009 when I wrote the 1st edition. Obviously it’s not about me, but it sure lifts my spirit knowing that I am making a difference and that you really want to read what I have been divinely inspired to share. THANK YOU sincerely from the bottom of my heart. 💖

END OF FACEBOOK POST

Today is a week after my amazing experience, and I am still in awe of how the day unfolded and what actually happened. As I said in my Facebook post, this book is my heart and soul because it’s all mine, every single word. It’s my testimony of God’s amazing love and abundant blessings. This is my life on full display to bring honor and glory to God. It will forever be the book closest to my heart.

Meanwhile, just so those of you in the Memphis area will know, we are planning a book signing. This will be my first in-person event since before COVID, so I’m really excited. Details are below on the flyer. Of course I will have all 7 of my books there, but the focus for this event is the other Amazon #1 bestseller, the Les Brown endorsed book, The Breaking Point, an anthology that I co-authored with 19 other very gifted authors which was compiled by visionary author, Paulette Harper. You can RSVP for the book signing on Eventbrite here.

Still Living Inside the Testimony

May12

It has taken 57 years to get to this point.

Well, actually it’s only been 13 years since I published my very first book, Living Inside The Testimony. A lot happened since 2009 after I thought I had published my first and only book. A lot more has happened in my 57 years of life, and I am amazed at how God has been ever-present the entire time.

Today, I am releasing the e-Book for the 3rd edition of that first book. So let me get to the main reason for writing this blog post today. I need your help to boost sales so that it reaches Amazon’s #1 bestseller list. Click this link to purchase the e-Book for only $0.99 cents TODAY only: Living Inside The Testimony (3rd edition)

Here’s the book synopsis I compiled from various 5-star reviews:

Betty Collier engulfs readers with heartfelt authenticity and sincerity permeating the pages of her inspirational narratives. The stories are written as if you are sitting at the kitchen table sipping your favorite beverage while listening to Betty recount surprising victories and daily struggles of life. She showcases her unique storytelling ability with humor and unwavering faith that God has orchestrated her life’s path every step of the way. As she shares memories of trauma and triumph, you will discover that blessings are all around us. Learn how to view life from a different perspective of thankfulness whilst acknowledging that God will see you through life’s trials and tribulations.

You will be instantly drawn into Betty’s faith-filled outlook on life as she puts her Christian values on full display in a wonderfully unexpected way. You will be moved as she talks with a refreshing sense of love and exuberance about meeting her future husband in middle school only to face a near-death experience that left her heart shattered a week prior to high school graduation. Her emotional diary to her unborn child, as well as how she accepted and embraced God’s plans for her life as a wife and mother, will tug at your heartstrings.

Discover the faith within you, and be encouraged to share it to inspire others.

So now that you know what the book is about and that I’m writing this post to encourage you to purchase the e-Book for .99 cents TODAY, I would like to leave you with an excerpt taken from an anthology in which I was a featured author. It helps explain this unlikely author-hood journey I have been on from 2009 until now. For more information about the anthology and how you can order an autographed copy from me, please visit my website here. This book was a #1 bestseller in 9 different categories on Amazon when it was released in November, 2021.

The anthology For Such a Time as This is a powerful compilation of stories written by twenty different men and women who decided to defy the odds, move past the mountains of uncertainty and life’s mishaps because they knew God called them to fulfill a greater purpose for their lives

The visionary author who compiled those stories is Paulette Harper. She asked me to be a featured author in her book. My task was to write a one-thousand-word chapter to share my personal story. It could be any topic I felt added to the theme of the book. Some of the stories shared by other co-authors were accounts of bravery, struggles, danger, death, and faith. While their stories most definitely pulled at heartstrings, readers also walked away from the book with a sense of hope that they too could find the courage to begin again, hope again, and live again despite challenges and setbacks.

With an opportunity to share my story with a new audience, I chose to focus on my twelve-year journey as an author from 2009 when I wrote the first edition of this book until 2021 when the anthology was published. I truly believe all of my experiences, both good and bad, have prepared me for such a time as this. Now was the time for me to embark upon new writing challenges and become part of something much bigger than I had ever envisioned. These are the one thousand words I chose to share in that book.

My chapter in Paulette’s #1 bestselling anthology For Such a Time as This was aptly entitled Living Inside the Testimony. It reads thusly:

I was living inside the testimony all along but never realized it until I started writing what I thought would be my first and only book in 2009. Now it’s 2021, and my testimony has taken me places all across America that I never thought I would go. It is beyond my wildest imagination that I am the official storyteller of a series of books featuring the John 3:16 Global Placement Project. This new mission is definitely for such a time as this and brings to fruition in my life an epiphany “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV).

My goal when I wrote my testimony was simply to bring honor and glory to God. I shared stories of His amazing love and abundant blessings in my life. By taking readers on my journey of inspiration, faith, hope, humor, romance, and love, I discovered I was following the path God had chosen for me before I was ever born.

That first book was aptly entitled Living Inside The Testimony because that is exactly what I had been doing since birth without even knowing it. At age forty-four, I sat at my laptop, opened up a blank word document and typed the first sentence of my book after dreaming about the book cover the night before. Approximately one month later, I was finished and embarked upon the most exciting yet disappointing, fulfilling yet discouraging, God-inspired yet fearful journey of my life. It was time to make the book available worldwide for all eyes to see what I felt God had inspired me to share.

I never thought I would write another book after that. I was satisfied that I had completed the task God had given me. As they say, my life truly was an open book at that point. Anyone could find the book online, and Amazon certainly made it easy for a novice like me.

After being obsessed with urgently writing the book without hesitation because that is what I felt the Lord was leading me to do, I settled back into my nursing profession as a certified case manager. My priorities were still my husband, who is the love of my life, and our two children. They were very busy and active boys at ages fourteen and nine, and nothing brought me as much joy as my family life with them.

I was finished being an author, but God wasn’t through with me yet. About a year later, I found myself engulfed in someone else’s testimony. Lillie Hopkins asked me to write her story that she had kept quiet for thirty-one years. I was chosen to tell her fascinating story of love, compassion, and forgiveness. It was an audacious responsibility to engulf readers in her devastating saga of excruciating sadness and total brokenness. Because of her miraculous angelic encounter, which left her with indescribable peace, my second book, Angel in My Room was born.

I started describing myself as a nurse by profession, author by passion and storyteller by the grace of God. Although I had great insecurities about my writing ability, I consistently received 5-star book reviews, but the biggest surprise was yet to come.

After reading the headlines that tennis star Venus Williams suffered from Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011, I began my quest to share the journey of others battling this chronic, incurable disease. I was compelled to find answers not only for myself but also for the other four million people afflicted with this second most common autoimmune disease that most people had never heard of.

Sjogren’s is pronounced SHOWgrins; hence the title of my third book, SHOWgrins. I released it in 2013, and it became a #1 bestseller and Readers’ Favorite ® Gold Medal International Book Award Winner. At that moment, I felt like I had indeed been called to be a storyteller for such a time as this because the world was looking for inspiration. The headline in my local newspaper was simply “God Leads, Collier Writes.”

Afterwards, I felt God compelling me to convince a friend to write a book about her son, James, who has Down syndrome. I approached Julia Gray about the book idea after being mesmerized with her stories about James on Facebook. She agreed to follow my lead, and The Book about James was the result of my mentoring her throughout the writing process. I helped her to share her enlightening, refreshing, and inspirational story about raising James. Sadly, Julia passed away in 2016, the year after the book was released. However, her twenty-one unique short stories continue to captivate readers with her openness and brutal honesty.

Where would I go from there? I thought I had accomplished a great deal as an author, while still maintaining my full-time position as a nurse case manager. I decided to take a break from writing. God had other plans though. Once I submitted my will to become His will, I was able to hear His voice in my innermost being. No, I never audibly heard it, but in my heart, I knew I had to keep writing.

In 2017, the opportunity presented itself when an artist, Terry Gurley, asked me to write a fictional story about the beautiful sculpture of The Gospel Symbol that he created. I was to introduce that symbol to the world. The end result was an intriguing tale of heartbreak and hope, the first of many books in my new book series. We released The Birthday Gift in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic on May 1, 2020, which was truly for such a time as this.

That same gospel symbol became the centerpiece of the John 3:16 Global Placement Project launched in 2021. As such, all books in my series will be part of that mission. Being an unlikely author who is now the storyteller for a global movement to share the gospel around the world is exceeding abundantly above all this nurse could have ever imagined!

P.S.

Please remember to purchase my new e-Book today, LIVING INSIDE THE TESTIMONY, for only $0.99 cents. I really think it’s worth every penny!

Click here to purchase

For Such A Time As This

Sep8

I am excited and very honored to announce that I was asked to be a FEATURED author in visionary author Paulette Harper‘s upcoming anthology, For Such A Time As This, which will make its debut in November, 2021.

This book is a powerful compilation of stories written by 20 different men and women who decided to defy the odds, move past the mountains of uncertainty and life’s mishaps because they knew God called them to fulfill a greater purpose for their lives. 

It will take you on a gamut of emotions as you read personal stories from each of the 20 contributing authors as they unapologetically share their stories with transparency and candor. Join them on their journeys, life lessons, and challenges they had to overcome to set them on a new path filled with hope and purpose.

As you are engulfed in each personal testimony, my desire is that you will discover your own unique trajectory toward fulfilling the greater call on your lives. Despite challenges and obstacles, discover how you too can achieve what you may have previously thought was not possible. It’s never too late to move toward your destiny for such a time as this.

Are you curious about my featured author chapter? Here’s a sneak peak at my story, Living Inside the Testimony:

I was living inside the testimony all along but never realized it until I started writing what I thought would be my first and only book in 2009. Now it’s 2021, and my testimony has taken me places all across America that I never thought I would go. It is beyond my wildest imagination that I am the official storyteller of a series of books featuring the John 3:16 Global Placement Project. This new mission is definitely for such a time as this and brings to fruition in my life an epiphany “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV).

The pre-sale starts today and is only for 24 hours.

*** Your purchase today for $25 includes shipping of an autographed copy of the book. To show my appreciation for your support in pre-ordering, YOUR NAME WILL BE LISTED in the book as a sponsor. ***

Who will be my first 25 sponsors?

*** PLEASE NOTE: The pre-sale opportunity to be listed as a sponsor in the book has ended. The Paypal button to place a debit or credit card order has been removed from this page. There will be more information posted later on how to order the book once it is released in November.

Thank you very much for your support! I exceeded my goal of 25 sponsors thanks to your generosity and encouragement. I pray that you will be abundantly blessed not only by the book but also in every aspect of your lives!

What’s in Your Jewelry Box?

Jul20

This Facebook memory popped up today from a post I made last year. It’s actually a memory from 38 years ago though, so I thought I would share it today on my blog. I think the majority of my Facebook friends know I plaster pictures and “short stories” about my husband all the time. I call him my love man on Facebook, and “my love” in real life, face-to-face. We will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary in 2 weeks.

After you read it, let me know in the comments what memories you have in your jewelry box that are priceless. Mine is simply a Ziploc bag of hair that a neurosurgeon shaved off my love man’s head 38 years ago before he did emergency brain surgery to save that then 18 year-old boy’s life.

This is a picture I posted on Facebook one year ago. Below is the caption I wrote, one of my many “short stories” that I frequently post on Facebook about my husband and our love.

Look closely! (I’ll try to be brief….) Sometimes I open my jewelry box and find all sorts of memories. This Ziploc bag is one such memory dating back to 1983. It has William’s hair that they had to shave off prior to the neurosurgeon doing an emergency craniotomy to remove a blood clot on his brain that saved his life. The bag was much fuller back then, but over the past 37 years the hair has clumped together and shriveled up to this. When we got married in 1986, William still had this bag, so that’s how I became the “proud owner” of it. We’ve moved several times since then, and I think this is my most “prized possession” because it serves as a permanent reminder (along with other reminders) of that horrendous day that God turned around for something good.

Look closely at the picture of William. It was taken a year later in 1984. All his hair had grown back by then of course. Can you see that scar in his forehead over his left eyebrow? That’s where the assault took place, blunt trauma to the head during a physical attack by someone who went to school with us. The scar has faded a bit, but it’s still there, yet another constant reminder of how his life was saved. What you can’t see is that ear-to-ear scar in his scalp underneath his hair. It’s still there too. I can see and feel it. Yes, another reminder of what happened in 1983 and how things could have gone catastrophically wrong.

Look at us… Our couple picture is from 1984 after we had been together for a year after high school graduation. (Pay no attention to my small waistline. I know it’s very distracting…LOL) Anyway, so this is what happened when I opened my jewelry box looking for something totally unrelated today. That Ziploc bag holding 37 year old dead hair led to a flood of emotions. Looking at that scar over his forehead a year later when it was much more prominent was reason for me to pause once again and decide to share yet another short story about that love man of mine.

William’s birthday is later this month. He will be 56. We are both 19 on this picture. What if that bag of hair was all that I had left of him? It is for reasons like this that I share my testimony of God’s amazing love and abundant blessings. #OurGodIsFaithful! He has truly blessed us beyond measure!

A Facebook Short Story

Jun12

I post a lot of thoughts on Facebook and eventually started calling some of my longer posts “short stories” or “op eds” even though I assumed most people would keep scrolling and never read them. Of course as a storyteller, I tend to be long-winded and have not mastered the gift of brevity in the social media world. See, here I go again with a long intro to what I came here to blog about today.

So anyway, this memory popped up on my personal Facebook page yesterday from a year ago. (I have a separate author page on Facebook here.) I shared the memory on Facebook but decided to also make it a new blog entry to share with y’all today. When I first saw the memory, I almost kept scrolling without reading it, but then slowed down and read the whole thing again as well as ALL the original 76 comments. I had written it initially a couple of weeks after George Floyd’s murder in 2020. As I reflected on so much that has happened since the protests started after his death and ultimately the conviction of the police officer who murdered him, I wondered how much our society has really changed over the past year. If nothing else, it appears that sensible people at least admit there is a systemic issue that needs to be reconciled while those who don’t see “what the big deal is” and deny that racism exists in America still seem to be living in a strange alternate reality based on fiction and denial.

With that being said, I copied my entire Facebook short story below along with this picture from the original post. Most of my Facebook friends are accustomed to me plastering pictures of my husband, William, all over my personal page. I love shouting from the rooftop how much I love this man that God blessed me with. He is the topic of many of my social media posts, and so it is today as I share these reflections with all of you about this #BlackMan that I married. (For more info about him and how we met, check out my first blog post entry: Boy Meets Girl) You have to know my backstory to understand why I call this blog and my first book LIVING INSIDE THE TESTIMONY. I hope that by sharing my reflections on what was on my mind a couple of weeks after George Floyd’s murder will make you pause and think. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

This little boy is William. His face greets me every time I open my jewelry box and makes me smile. Today he made me think about all the other little black boys in America, so that’s why I chose to post the other pictures to tell my story.

The top left is our 9th grade homecoming. He was 15. Had William been Emmett Till, who was savagely lynched at age 14, I would be standing there with someone else because William would have been the innocent victim of a barbaric murder at the hands of 2 white men during the 1950’s Jim Crow Era.

The bottom left is our 10-year high school reunion. Trayvon Martin was still in high school when a white vigilante murdered him. He never graduated, let alone attended any of his high school reunions.

The top middle is from our 30th wedding anniversary in Hawaii. I could have been like the widow of Eric Garner who was murdered before they celebrated their 30th anniversary.

The top right is our 30-year high school reunion. George Floyd graduated from high school 28 years ago. If William was George, he would have been senselessly murdered before he could attend that class reunion with me.

When people look at MY HUSBAND, some may feel threatened. After all, he’s a big, black man and unfortunately that’s all some people see. That breaks my heart because I know the heart of THIS MAN, and he’s not a threat to anyone. In his big strong arms is where I feel the safest and most loved! Y’all know I plaster pictures of my “love man” all over my Facebook page. When you look at us, what do you see?

When you look at my current cover picture, what do you see? Those are pictures from our firstborn’s wedding 3 months ago. He married the love of his life after dating since they were 17. She just happens to be white, and I could not have handpicked a better wife for my son. I truly believe God ordained their marriage before they were born.

William has been racially profiled. He’s been stopped by police for no reason and felt threatened and humiliated. We’ve had conversations with our 2 sons. You know the ones: “If you are ever stopped by the police for any reason or no reason at all, do this…” (in order to try to stay alive) Those are painful but necessary conversations.

Another reason I included those high school reunion pictures is to make a point about having the “privilege” of going to predominantly white schools. William and I were born in the segregated south. Our school system desegregated when I started kindergarten. Had Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement not been successful, we never would have attended Bartlett High School, so those class reunions would be nonexistent. That also means the majority of my white friends would not be my friends because I never would have met them due to segregation. You see, white privilege really is a thing.

Systemic racial injustice is also a real thing. My intent is not to make you uncomfortable, but hopefully make you pause and consider race relations in America. We are all affected in some way, regardless of our color. If not, shame on you for not having a heart that cares for all people. It ALL matters!

We can’t take pictures like this for granted. There are so many innocent black people who haven’t lived long enough to do the same. (Yes, there are innocent white people killed and disenfranchised every day, but those numbers are minuscule compared to blacks.) Whether it’s the criminal or social (in)justice system or a white vigilante, it’s got to stop. I admire and respect our police officers (especially where I live in Bartlett), and I cannot imagine a world without them. We desperately need them, but those who think they can get away with murder and other injustices need to go.

I am very thankful for the life God has blessed me to live with THIS BLACK MAN in white suburbia! I’m godly proud of the 2 black men that we have raised! As they say, we really are living the American dream, but it’s only because of God’s grace and mercy. I love my black family and my white friends. I know that God created us all to be equal. Why some people feel they know more than God blows my mind.

#GodPleaseBlessAmerica!

Again, I hope that by sharing my reflections on what was on my mind a couple of weeks after George Floyd’s murder in 2020 will make you pause and think. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.