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.

Are You Living in a Bucket?

May22

Please share a photo related to your bucket list!

It was a simply request. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic closed down my employer’s corporate office over a year ago, we have been having “photography prompts” at work on our company’s blog. Each week the coordinator comes up with a topic for us to post pictures. It was a way for us to continue feeling connected to each other because everyone in the company was now working from home. We were able to share small glimpses into our personal lives while being at home on lockdown.

While I’ve worked from home as a nurse case manager since 2006 (for 3 different companies) the office support staff on my current job as well as executive leadership all work at the home office in a very typical corporate America setting. Just like all other companies in America and across the world, we have been impacted in countless ways also. This fun activity served many purposes, but mainly as a chance to feel connected to co-workers who were likely facing many personal challenges while trying to maintain a proper life-work balance which did not seem to exist anymore. The lines and crossover from home to work was very blurred to say the least.

The topic of the “photo prompt” this week was simply this: “Please share a photo related to your bucket list!” Some expected pictures would be things like sky diving, bungee jumping, go on a safari, see the Northern Lights, go on a road trip across America, learn how to play a musical instrument, run a marathon, ski the Swiss Alps, write a book, or go on a mission trip to Africa.

Given there is a storyteller inside me, my responses to the photo prompts are typically not one phrase or one sentence, and certainly not even one picture. I often post a whole collage and write several sentences to explain my photos. So it was with this one as well, and after I posted my response, I received an email from our Chief Medical Officer. Before I get to that, consider what some of our other prompts were and what your responses may have been.

  • Post a selfie since we haven’t seen each other in person in a while.
  • What vacation are you dreaming about taking after the pandemic?
  • Let’s see your pets.
  • Let’s see your plants and gardens.
  • Let’s see your home office workspace.
  • Post a picture of your younger you.
  • What at-home hobbies have you explored during lockdown?
  • What home improvement projects are you working on or have already completed?
  • What Secret Santa Christmas gift did you receive from an anonymous co-worker?
  • Let’s see those pictures of work memories when we actually got to see each other in person.

So back to this week’s photo prompt. Keep in mind this is not social media but rather a corporate blog space for all employees to see. Below is my exact response to the entire company: 

Please share a photo related to your bucket list!

OMGoodness! This is such an easy one for me. I’m.living.my.bucket.list.every.day! All I had to do was borrow some of my Facebook collages that I’ve posted in the past to explain my bucket list life. So here goes the explanation of the 4 sets of pictures:

GROWING OLD TOGETHER: Those pics are my husband (William) and I down through the years. It starts with the middle pic in that collage when we were 14. We were in 9th grade, and he was my homecoming court escort that year. That’s when we started “dating” as freshmen in high school. We eventually broke up but got back together a week before high school graduation when he almost died of a blood clot (epidural hematoma) requiring emergency surgery to save his life. (I mentioned that in last week’s photo prompt because his sister is my favorite nurse for saving his life.) So anyway, we got married at age 21 and the other pics are just random pics throughout the years including the bottom center pic from our 30-year class reunion.

PLACES WE’VE GONE: We like to travel the continental US, nothing really overseas as we haven’t built up the nerves for that yet although we have been on a Caribbean Cruise and to the Bahamas. As for the US, we’ve gone from NY to CA with stops all along the way including Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, and even a national TV appearance on Good Morning America back in 2001 in the bottom left pic (dressed in red with TV cameras in the foreground being interviewed by Charles Gibson.) William was named the Dickies American Worker of the Year, but that’s a whole ‘nutha story. It included a trip to NY for Labor Day weekend to be on TV and a brand new Chevy Silverado truck. A week after we got home from NY, the terrorists struck! (Yep, imagine that feeling of euphoria replaced with utter terror for the city that had been so kind to us just a week prior.)

HAWAII 30TH ANNIVERSARY! We finally made it to Hawaii in 2016. That was truly a bucket list, especially considering we do not like flying over a lot of water; hence the reason we don’t travel overseas. But we really wanted a special celebration for 30 years of marriage, so we did it up big and had the best time ever! Now every time Hawaii Five-0 comes on TV, I still point out all the places in the opening montage that we visited. I doubt any other trip will ever compare to this one. However, let me be clear… I tell people it’s not the places we go but rather how HE makes me feel once we get there that makes our trips so special.

MY BABIES: Well of course my life with William would not be complete without our 2 sons, aptly named Jordan William and Brandon William. They are now 22 and 26, so that collage is reminiscent of their baby years and current adulthood, which I still find hard to believe. The top left is from Jordan’s wedding last year a week before the pandemic hit. He married his high school sweetheart too! Needless to say, MOM is my favorite title, and motherhood was the best thing that ever happened to me.

That’s it. I know my life is nothing special, but it’s very special to me. I consider myself so very blessed to actually get to live a life where I don’t have a bucket list. I’m living in the bucket.

Too much information for a corporate blog? I wasn’t sure, but the storyteller inside me takes every opportunity to share a story. After I posted it, I thought perhaps I should have kept it short and sweet with one picture and a one-sentence explanation. 

Then I got the email from our Chief Medical Officer. He simply said: “Betty, what a refreshing perspective! A true blessing.” The subject of his email? Living in the bucket!

With his simple yet profound response, I knew I had done the right thing.

I love writing and encouraging people. I often find it hard to give a simple answer as the storyteller inside me often takes over even when I try to be brief and do what is expected. Yet I find myself writing all the time even though it’s been a whole year since I made my last blog post. WOW! Time has flown by, especially during this past “COVID year” which seems to be in some kind of time warp. I dare not try to go back and makeup for not blogging during the pandemic or offer readers any type of explanation as to why this storyteller hasn’t blogged about the global pandemic or anything else going on in this world for a whole year. Let’s just say I think it’s time for me to start sharing again. I hope someone is still listening.

Now, my question to you: What’s on your bucket list or are you living in a bucket?

The Birthday Gift (Spoiler Alert)

May24

Timing was perfect to launch my new book, The Birthday Gift, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic while people felt they were still somewhat safer-at-home, while others were somewhat bored or perhaps even somewhat fearful of the unknown. Who wouldn’t spend a mere $0.99 cents to purchase an eBook advertised as being an exceptionally thought provoking story of heartbreak and hope? Even the book trailer made you feel like this was a great alternative to fill the void of not being able to indulge in a new movie at the theatre on Friday night. Just watch this:

Everything was still kind of shutdown or just starting to reopen, so I hoped this would be a great weekend to persuade people to take a chance on spending a dollar and discovering this new (movie)… book which was exactly what they needed during these unprecedented times. It would literally have the power to change their lives. All they had to do was download the eBook and start reading instantly. Many told me they read the whole book in one sitting after getting hooked from the very beginning!

Why drop everything and read this book right now?

Because it really can change your life!

Just look at the reviews people are leaving on Amazon.

So what’s inside the book? Here’s the beginning of the spoiler alert:

And this is the full blown spoiler…

The Gospel Symbol, created by Terry Gurley
  • The Birthday Gift is indeed an exceptionally thought-provoking and intriguing story that will uplift and inspire you.
  • It will hook you from the very first page and compel you to continue reading until the very end.
  • You will become emotionally attached to the passionate characters and feel like they are part of your family.
  • If you don’t typically read fiction, you will be glad you gave this book a chance because it takes you on an emotional journey you won’t soon forget.
  • As K. Young said, you will love how the storyline was written, and the fact that it was intertwined with such messages of love, grace, heartache, forgiveness and so much more.
  • The message inside the book is exactly what we all need to be reminded of, especially during such a time as this. That message is JESUS! He is the greatest gift of all!
  • The actual “Birthday Gift” is the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed below in this beautiful Gospel Symbol created by artist, Terry Gurley, the author of the afterword in the book.

The Final Spoiler Alert

The Gospel Symbol, a sculpture created by Terry Gurley

So as the world continues to reopen while fighting this novel coronavirus, we will face the reality of a new sense of normalcy. Through it all, rest assured that one thing will ALWAYS remain the same, the gospel of Jesus Christ. In our search for answers and quest to decipher fact versus fear, remember that FAITH is the key that unlocks the door. There is no mystery and absolutely no failure in God!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Purchase the book here on Amazon, and keep reading all the way to the very last page. Everything suddenly becomes abundantly clear, and you will discover the very best birthday gift ever!

Click the [FREE PREVIEW] button above to take a look inside the first few chapters of the book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

As for the virtual book launch party on Facebook, we had a lot of fun and games as people enjoyed reading the eBook for the very first time. I gave away over $500 in Amazon gift cards, and one lucky attendee walked away with the grand prize, an exact replica of the actual birthday gift. Terry Gurley created a stunning framed presentation of the Gospel Symbol, both the artistic rendition and sculpture just like the ones pictured above in the spoiler alerts. The winner said, “These are just gorgeous. Terry totally outdid himself. They are just beautiful. I can’t wait to hang them. I will have to show these off for sure!”

And thanks to everyone who helped make the book launch a huge success. Because of YOU, The Birthday Gift debuted May 1-2, 2020 and made 2 separate outstanding lists on Amazon, their best-selling “hot new releases” and most popular “gift ideas”.

If you’ve read the book, please let me know what you think. I would love for you to share your thoughts on Amazon by leaving a review. Those reviews will help other people discover the book by increasing the chances of it appearing in general searches.

Thank you very much for your encouragement and support! I feel the love and hope you share it with others just like this person did. Here’s a text I received during the launch.

A Sneak Peak at Chapter I of My New Book: THE BIRTHDAY GIFT

Sep23

This is the first chapter of my new book coming out in 2020. I’d like your opinion, please. I won’t share the book synopsis just yet and hope instead that you will give this a quick read and let me know if you’re interested enough to turn the page to Chapter 2.

Chapter I – Black and Blue

“Mrs. Williams, I regret to inform you that your husband was found . . .”

The next thing I remember hearing is “Code Blue” even though it was now pitch-black outside my ICU window at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. I don’t know what happened next on that beautiful sunny morning after I opened my front door for the police officer. He was standing there in the last ray of sunshine I would see for quite some time. I guess I could look at the police report or medical records, but what’s the point. I really don’t want to be reminded of the single most horrific day in my entire life.

What happened? Why was the police officer talking in slow motion? Was that simply my mind abruptly coming to a halt because I could not bear to hear the next words coming out of his mouth? I know for a fact that my heart broke into a thousand little pieces, so I guess that explains the Code Blue. My heart had stopped beating.

Heart attack—when one’s heart attacks its own body because the heart has been shattered. That’s according to me, not the American Medical Association. When a police officer knocks on your door and regrets to inform you of anything, that only means one thing, one gut-wrenching, unimaginable thing.

I had been married to that man for twenty-two blissful years, and there was no way it was all coming to a catastrophic end like that. We had plans. We had a whole lot of plans. We still had so much life to live, and of course, we were going to grow old together. Our daughter’s sweet sixteen birthday party was only two weeks away. As a matter of fact, I had planned to call the caterer to finalize our headcount for the party before I left for the airport to pick up Bill. His plane was due to arrive at LAX later that evening.

Bill had just called me less than twenty-four hours prior to that knock at the door when he was on his way to the airport. He was giddy. He told me that he had found the perfect birthday present for Bella on his very last day in Tel Aviv at the Jaffa flea market. Bella was a daddy’s girl and, needless to say, the beneficiary of various quaint souvenirs he always seemed to find no matter where his research took him. It was surely going to be a spectacular sweet sixteen surprise that I couldn’t wait to see. He even hinted that it was something that would change her life forever!

The birthday gift that Bill found here at Jaffa Flea Market in Tel Aviv, Israel changed Bella’s life forever. You can even say it literally changed the world.

Yes, I must admit that I too was a very happy recipient of sentimental and oftentimes breathtaking gifts from around the world. We were his girls, and there was absolutely no way he was not coming back home to us. No way. He had been in Israel for thirty-three days. It was time for him to come back home. I had been expecting a phone call from Bill during his four-hour layover at Heathrow. Instead of Bill’s much anticipated call, I got that abominable knock at my front door!

Then I heard it again. “Code Blue.”

Everything went black. As I reflect on that disastrous day, everything was already black. My world had gone dark and void.

From what I’ve been told, I woke up the following morning with no recollection of the previous day. Apparently, I had a heart attack on my front porch after hearing the mind-numbing news the policeman had come to tell me. Apparently, I had another heart attack in the emergency room and a third one shortly after being transported to ICU. And sadly, apparently those words my ears had refused to allow my mind to process were no less true just because I refused to hear them, let alone accept them.

My heart was broken. I was broken. Life as I once knew it no longer existed. There was no reason to go to the airport. Bill never boarded his connecting flight in London. The only thing at the airport now was his luggage, and there certainly wasn’t any reason for me to go claim that. Well, no reason that I knew of at the time.

Had it not been for the birthday girl and the birthday gift, there really would not have been a reason for me to ever wake up again. I had no inkling that the gift of life was literally waiting for me at Virgin Atlantic. All I had to do was go claim it.

Can you image the “life changing” birthday gift Bill found for his 16-year old daughter at this flea market in Israel? It truly was and still is the GIFT OF LIFE! (The video is actual footage of the Jaffa Flea Market)

A Short Story… from FaceBook

Jun28

I posted this picture on FaceBook earlier this month as my profile picture along with a rather long caption. I called it “A Short Story…”

Yes, I know it’s rather odd to have such a long post on FaceBook, and I’m fairly certain most of my friends didn’t even read it before they clicked like. My guess is they just liked the picture and kept on scrolling. But for those who took the time to actually read it, they left some very encouraging comments and thanked me for sharing my story. So I decided to copy my FaceBook post to my blog since this is where my storytelling actually belongs.

Below this 1993 picture of my husband William and I, you will find my actual short story post from Facebook, copied exactly as written. I’ll explain the details after the end of the story.

A Short Story…

This pic is from 1993. Ten years prior to that, William had a near fatal head injury, an epidural hematoma (bleeding around the brain) requiring emergency surgery to save his life. The neurosurgeon had to do a craniotomy where he opened up part of William’s skull to remove the hematoma that reduced the pressure on his brain. By the way, that was May 17, 1983, a few days before high school graduation. William and I weren’t even talking to each other at the time. We had broken up like many teenagers do in high school…. On again, off again… we just couldn’t get it right, so we were going our separate ways forever after high school.

BUT THEN THIS HAPPENED! God has a way of getting our attention, doesn’t he? I had no idea he had even been injured. My brother Dennis was home from California and heard about it before I did. He just causally asked one evening at home “Did y’all hear about that Collier boy who got hit upside the head?”

TIME STOPPED! MY HEART DROPPED! Somebody please help me… The rest is a blur. Fast forward a bit, and there I am walking down that long hallway all by myself to that scary neurotrauma ICU where I see many Colliers standing at his bedside. (Remember, we were NOT a couple at this time. It was way over for us.) They saw me walk in, and EVERYBODY left. I don’t recall any words spoken. 

There he lay with my shattered heart scattered in thousands of pieces all over his ICU bed. How could it come to this? I don’t recall much of anything from that first visit except that he appeared lifeless, his beautiful brown eyes almost swollen shut, and that gauze dressing wrapped around his head like a turban. His head was huge, machines were everywhere, and I was afraid he wouldn’t be able to speak or even recognize me. Or if he did recognize me, would he want me to stay? After all, I had broken his heart in high school.

Well, I can’t tell you what happened next because I don’t remember. To this very day, I still get a headache when I think about it. Of course he doesn’t remember because he was recovering from brain surgery after almost losing his life. 

All I know is this. Surgery was over. He was recovering. We were beginning.

Our true love affair began at Methodist Hospital as he continued to improve over the next few days. He went home 12 days after surgery. Our high school romance, as shaky as it was, just didn’t matter anymore. We had fallen in love in 9th grade. We fell in love again at Methodist Hospital. And yes, I do remember some of those conversations, unlike the first one in ICU. Suffice it to say, many tears were shed. 

God saved William’s life that night for me. So when I say I just love that man sooooo much, and he is the absolute love of my life, now you know why. 

Ok, getting back to this pic. This was 1993, 10 years after our life changing experience right before high school graduation. By now we had been married 7 years and were expecting our first little bundle of joy. (I’m pregnant with Jordan on this pic… lol) So when I see pictures like this, sometimes it brings back all sorts of memories for me. This one opened the floodgates! I like looking back and reflecting on where we began, what we’ve endured, and where we are now. There are trials and tribulations in all marriages, and ours certainly isn’t exempt. But this one thing I do know. When I look into those beautiful eyes, I can still remember 1983 and what it felt like when I thought it was the possibility that I would have to live my life without William. I know there is an ear-to-ear scar all the way across William’s scalp that no one can see underneath his hair, but I can feel it. It’s an ever-present reminder of God’s grace and mercy. I can also feel the lifetime of love that we’ve shared. And even though Jordan wasn’t born yet, when I look at this picture, I know he’s there inside me. That’s where love begins – inside. Jordan will be 25 next week. William and I will celebrate our 33rd anniversary in August. All I can say is #ThankYouLord!

So yeah, I actually wrote all that on FaceBook as the caption when I updated my profile picture. That’s why I prefer FaceBook over Twitter and Instagram. I haven’t mastered the craft of brevity yet. My friends know I tend to be long-winded once I get started, and my posts often go on much longer than most people’s attention span. But that doesn’t stop me. I continue writing anyway hoping that someone will read what I have to say and get something out of it. That’s really my reason for copying this post to my blog. I hope when you read this, you will get something out of it too.

We all have stories to share to help inspire and encourage others. Think about your own life. I’m pretty sure you have many stories to tell. What has God done in your life where you have absolutely no doubt it had to be a blessing from him? Many times he blesses us beyond measure without us even asking. He knows us just that well.

As for that little bundle of joy hiding inside me at the time this picture was taken, he’s now 25 years old. This is our precious little firstborn, Jordan William Collier. He’s getting married next year and is well on his way to becoming the man God created him to be. I encourage all of you parents to continue praying for your children. There is greatness inside all of them.

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.

Psalms 127:3 (NLT version)

I would love to hear from you guys. What stories do you have to share that will encourage someone else? After all, we all live inside testimonies meant to be shared with others. Thank you for living inside this testimony with me. God has certainly been way too good to me, so I’ve got to tell it!

“SHOWgrins” Book Helps Even When I Can’t Run

Dec30

I ran with Team Sjogren’s in the Country Music Half Marathon on April 27, 2013 in Nashville, TN. At age 48, I struggled to complete my first and only half marathon. It was an absolute thrill, and I will cherish that experience with Team Sjogren’s for the rest of my life! Afterwards, I found out I had actually run with a torn meniscus in my right knee and had surgery later that year. I haven’t been able to run again due to ongoing issues with my right knee. I actually tore my right meniscus again in 2017 but opted not to have additional surgery. It was one of those things where I just learned to live with a “bad knee”. Then in 2018 just as I was considering trying to run again, I tore the meniscus in my left knee. It was unbearable, so I decided to go ahead and have surgery. I had actually wanted to run with Team Sjogren’s in New Orleans in 2019, but due to ongoing issues with my right knee and recent surgery on my left knee, I just couldn’t.

My history with the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation (SSF) dates back to 2012 when I first contacted the SSF CEO, Steven Taylor, about writing a book about Sjogren’s. I had the honor and privilege of attending the 2013 SSF National Patient Conference in Bethesda, MD along with the 5 fabulous women on my celebrity panel in the book to launch SHOWgrins as part of our Book Signing Extravaganza. The book became the #1 Best Seller at the conference that year. Please visit my website here for more information about the extravaganza at the National Patient Conference in 2013.

Suffice it to say there is so much more I’d like to say, but I’ll be brief here and just refer you to other links where you can read more about my story.  Please watch the video blog below on YouTube to HEAR more about Winning Gold with Sjogren’s (SHOWgrins).

Another link I’d like for you to reference is one of my blog posts. Please click here to read more about Bringing Awareness to That Which Is Invisible.  I hope this helps you understand a bit more about me and why I am compelled to continue supporting the SSF. It started with my book, SHOWgrins, but that was only the beginning.

I have donated all proceeds from the sale of my book to the SSF, and I will continue to do so… forever. It’s just that important to me!

I may not be able to run with Team Sjogren’s anymore, but my book will be here to help even when I can’t. 

Also, you can purchase my book directly from the SSF here. All proceeds go directly to the SSF. Thank you Steven Taylor for making this possible! And a very special heartfelt thank you to the 5 fabulous women on my celebrity panel in the book: Cathy Taylor, Estrella Bibbey, Judy Kang, Lynn Petruzzi, and Paula Beth Sosin. I could not have written it without you. Please note: One of the women in the book lost her battle with Sjogren’s. You can read more about my tribute to her on my blog post: What Do You Do When You Lose One?

The SSF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt national voluntary health agency. Its mission is to: 

  • Educate patients and their families about Sjögren’s.
  • Increase public and professional awareness of Sjögren’s. 
  • Encourage research into new treatments and a cure.

If you would like to help raise funds to support this mission, donating through the FirstGiving website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts even though I’m unable to run in the upcoming race in New Orleans in 2019. Please click to DONATE to the SSF. Thank you so very much for your consideration and support! 

What an Angel!

Jul1

I emailed the artist who painted this breathtaking picture to ask if I could use it on the front cover of my book, Angel in My Room.

THE ANGEL – Copyright (c) 2005 by Akiane Kramarik (age 10) Art Akiane LLC. All rights reserved. For more information, please visit artakiane.com

Her response:

Ok, let me hurry and get to my point before I lose your interest. I made a polite response back never expecting to hear anything else from Akiane, but surprisingly either Akiane herself or the administrator of her website wrote back after reading my response and said I could use the picture INSIDE the book. So my first point is never underestimate what being polite can do, and my main point is never underestimate what God can do.

You see, Akiane was only 10 years old when she painted that picture. She is a world-renowned child prodigy. Excerpts from her website describes her thusly:

  • No other known child art prodigy has ever created at the level of such sophistication as Akiane. As the world’s most successful visual art child prodigy, Akiane was inducted into the Richest Kids-Entrepreneurs of America, the Kids Hall Of Fame, and World Council for Gifted and Talented Children. “My sight cannot wait for me”, Akiane’s first original painting was sold for $10,000 USD when she was only eight.

  • Featured on hundreds of media outlets, documentaries and television & radio shows such as such as Oprah Winfrey Show, Katie Couric Show, World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Glen Beck Show/CNN, The View, Fox News, Montel Williams Show, Late Late Show, Lou Dobbs Show/CNN, Hour of Power, “Super Human Genius”, “Indigo Evolution”, “Miracle Detectives”, “Extreme Prophetic”, TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network). Supreme Master Television, Stilius/LTV/EU, Japanese TV Super kids, Studio 10/Network Ten & Sunrise/Seven Network (Australia), and numerous others.

  • Top media coverage in Australia, China, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Russia, Ireland, England, Scotland, Netherlands, France, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Canada, Middle East and Norway.

  • Almost 450 million visitors on Akiane Gallery  www.akiane.com over a span of a decade.

  • Born on July 9th, 1994 in a shack on the edge of a cornfield in Mt. Morris, Illinois, USA. Attributes her talent and success to diligent work ethics, self-education, solid family support, and cultural & spiritual factors.

The accolades are too numerous to mention here. I encourage you to visit her website for more information, akiane.com

Now let’s go back to the first sentence of this post: I emailed the artist who painted this breathtaking picture to ask if I could use it on the front cover of my book, Angel in My Room. Yes, I clicked the “contact” button on her website and actually had the nerves to ask if I could use THIS magnificent picture on my book cover! What was I thinking? I already knew how famous this child and her paintings were as well as how very rare such a young prodigy like this is. (She was 16 when I originally made this inquiry back in April 2011, but keep in mind she painted the picture at age 10.) It was like asking Elvis if you could borrow his pink Cadillac to go out on a date!

Have you ever done something so ridiculous (and perhaps even embarrassing) that when you reflect on it later, you wonder where you ever got the idea or the nerves to do it? Sure, it was a simple “contact us” inquiry, so no harm done. No one would have ever known I sent the message except her website administrator. Honestly, I think Akiane herself replied to my inquiry. Anyway, I could have just accepted her polite ‘no’ and deleted her email. Instead my email response back to Akiane after she initially said ‘no’ went like this:

To my astonishment, I got another response back. Even though I could not use her painting for the book cover, The Akiane Gallery graciously allowed me to use the picture INSIDE the book even though I didn’t ask to do so. When they would not allow it for the front cover, I just made a courteous response back and thought that was the end of it. I never expected them to send another reply back because they had already told me ‘no’. However, I was pleasantly surprised to read the next email. 

We continued exchanging emails, and I proceeded to ask if I could use that spectacular image on my website as well. She graciously allowed me to do so. I’ll spare you the details of the other back and forth emails, but suffice it to say we had a very cordial exchange. Obtaining permission to use this stunning copyrighted image inside my book and on my website LEGALLY at no cost is truly a big deal. Those such fees can oftentimes be exorbitant. Click here for a sneak peek at how it appears on my website on the page entitled Touched by an Angel. It has a very similar appearance inside my book as well.

(If you don’t have a copy of Angel in My Room, just leave a comment at the end of this post, and I’d be happy to send you a complimentary copy.)

So anyway, as I sit here contemplating my next book, I am reminded of God’s faithfulness and favor. I ran across Akiane’s work years before I started writing. Little did I know that one day I would be emailing her about using one of her stunning paintings for my book. I had no book. I had no website. I had no credibility. I had nothing. A few years later, thanks to the favor of God and his faithfulness toward me, he gave me an unrelenting passion to share my testimony and the testimony of others through the gift of storytelling. I count it an honor and privilege to be able to share my stories, uplifting testimonies meant to inspire and encourage you.

I am writing today to share another testimony that is currently unfolding. I look at the obstacles in my way currently preventing me from proceeding with my 5th book. The odds of pulling it off are monumental. Although I can’t go into details just yet, suffice it to say that I know God’s faithfulness and favor rests upon my life, and if it’s His will, my 5th book will come to fruition. Just as he opened doors and made a way for all that has happened with my books from 2009 until now, I know that pales in comparison to what is about to happen next. It’s all part of The Master’s Plan for my life, and I truly believe all that has occurred up until this point was to help prepare me for the next step.

It seems that I write sometimes to encourage myself. I hope that you are encouraged as well. Just know that when God places something in your heart and you allow HIS will to also become YOUR will, miracles happen. I never wanted to write, but now I cannot imagine not writing. I never wanted to put myself “out there” and share some of my innermost thoughts, but I find myself doing just that all the time now. God does indeed have a plan for each of us. It is our responsibility to seek him and discover what that plan is and be willing to follow him along that path.

We encounter angels often unknowingly. Angels are messengers from God, assigned to protect and guide us. My prayer for Angel in My Room was that you would realize that you have been touched by an angel also. As Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” 

What a sweet angel Akiane was in allowing me to share a copy of this painting!

What a beautiful angel this picture really is!

What a precious angel who appeared in Lillie Hopkins’ hospital room over 30 years ago, and is now the reason for my 2nd book, Angel in My Room!

What a blessing angels are, sent straight from heaven to protect and comfort us!

What encounter have you had with an angel that you would like to share in the comments section below?

Are You Living Inside a Testimony in Your Marriage?

Mar4

I had the wonderful opportunity to interview this lovely couple for my web talk radio show 7 years ago when they had been married only 8 months. They’ve been married almost 8 years now and thanks to a Facebook memory post, I was inspired to blog about them today. I only did the talk show for 6 months due to lack of time and other obligations, but I learned a great deal producing those 12 shows (2 per month.) There is so much to learn when we take time to reflect on our past and how all the pieces come together to make us who we are today. Just as I realized when I was writing what I thought would be my first and only book, it’s amazing to see how God so perfectly orchestrates our lives and prepares us for what is to come. All we have to do is acknowledge him, and he will direct our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

First, let’s flash back to 2011 when I interviewed DeShun and Kyanna Beard. You can listen to the entire interview here: “Love and Marriage: Is It a Fairy Tale?”

The Fairy Tale Wedding – Is it possible to really live happily ever after? When you listen to their interview, you’ll discover that we don’t really live inside fairy tales, but we do all live inside testimonies meant to be shared with others. Their beautiful love story will inspire you to discover your own great love, and with God’s blessings, you can live happily ever after.

I haven’t listened to that episode from my talk show in 7 years, and I must say it was good to hear it again. Did you listen? If not, here’s the link again. Just click here… I really want you to hear this.

We can’t all be like Cinderella and find our very own Prince Charming, but I choose to believe in the sanctity of marriage and what it stands for. Cinderella is simply a fairytale. However, we can all live happily ever after with God’s blessings. Hopefully DeShun and Kyanna’s love story will inspire you to view your own marriage differently, perhaps view your spouse from a different perspective and treat them as if you are living inside a fairytale pursuing your own happily ever after. Marriage requires work, but it’s well worth the effort in order to enjoy the blessings that can only be found when you truly view your marriage the way God intended for it to be.

My goal is not to repeat what you heard on the podcast, but rather to encourage you to listen for yourself at how the interview unfolded. It’s such a sweet story, one that will truly bless you if you are one who thought true love just doesn’t exist these days. I’m here to tell you it certainly does!

The happy couple, Mr. and Mrs. DeShun Beard, along with DeShun’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Beard. You will hear my very special guest on the radio broadcast, DeShun’s mother, Greta Beard (far left) share an emotional and touching story. This is the mother-in-law all future brides would love to have!

When this interview first aired in February 2011, I also shared it on my Facebook page along with these pictures and captions to serve as visual aids when listening to the interview. I’m sharing them here with you now, along with the original captions to fully engulf you in this experience. Here’s the other 3 pictures to go along with this beautiful little story.

The wedding party at the Fairy Tale Wedding on DeShun’s parents’ estate. The Scriptures teach us that the marriage Union and relationship was inspired by God, instituted by God, is preserved by God, and can rightly be dissolved only by God. So God created man in his own image . . . ; [one] male and [one] female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Mark 10:9). Any two persons entering into the marriage union should realize that marriage is an institution of God and that the One who designed and authorized marriage has the authority to determine the standards of marriage.

 

I Corinthians 13 – THE LOVE CHAPTER. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”… The wedding rings: The ring could be the oldest and most universal symbol of marriage. There are many accounts of the meanings behind the use of wedding rings but the actual origins are unclear. The ring’s circular shape represents perfection and never-ending love. The early Christian church gave religious meaning to the ring by making it part of the wedding ceremony. “With this ring I thee wed, and this gold and silver I thee give, and with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly chatels I thee endow.” The thumb and first two fingers of the hand were to represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the fourth finger stood for the earthly love of man to woman.

 

The newlyweds began their wedded bliss as husband and wife while celebrating on their honeymoon cruise. Congratulations DeShun and Kyanna. May God forever bless you and your marriage! Your beautiful love story will bless all that hear it. Thank you for living inside the testimony with me!

Marriage really can strengthen your relationship with God and increase your faith in Him. Jesus will walk hand-and-hand by your side along with your spouse. All you have to do is make room and let him in.

DeShun’s advice: Put the Lord first in your relationship with your significant other.

Kyanna’s advice: Things may happen, but we know joy comes in the morning light… Know that God is always there.

As I said at the end of the talk show, a happy marriage requires work and commitment. I look at my husband as the man the Lord blessed me with, and it’s up to us to make it work. In our hearts we know without a doubt, we were meant to be together. I hope when you look at your own marriage, you can see it for what it really is. Don’t fantasize about anyone else’s relationship; just concentrate on the one that you’re in. Make it what you want it to be. Be committed to making it work, and it simply has to work. Make your marriage a great love story. After all, Walt Disney had to create Cinderella. You can create your own beautiful love story!

So once again, thank you DeShun and Kyanna Beard for sharing your beautiful story with us 7 years ago and again today. Thank you Greta Beard for being my very special guest on the program that day.

As a special treat, I asked Kyanna for an updated picture of her family now. Not only are she and DeShun still happily married after almost 8 years, they have also welcomed 2 precious little baby girls into their family. If you heard this story in 2011, just take a look at how the Lord has blessed this family since then.

Love and Marriage: Is It a Fairytale? Not at all. However, just look at what the Lord has done in DeShun and Kyanna’s lives. With God’s blessings, you really can live happily ever after. (From left to right: Kyanna, Harlow, Harper, and DeShun Beard)

Besides being inspired to blog about this sweet couple after the Facebook memory popped up today, I was also inspired to create a contest of my own. Like I said in the interview, I entered a “Greatest Love Story in the World” contest several years ago. Although William and I didn’t win, I still love our story and am happy to share it every chance I get. This is what I actually entered for the contest.

* * * * * Now I’m giving you an opportunity to win $100 in my Living Inside the Testimony – Greatest Love Story Contest!

Contest Rules:

  1. Let’s keep this simple without a lot of written rules, legalities, and disclaimers. My desire is to make this sweet and easy.
  2. Write one page to explain why you think your love story is the greatest love story in the world.
  3. You must be a married couple to enter as I am trying to promote the sanctity of marriage as described in the bible between a man and woman.
  4. Email your entry along with a picture of you and your spouse to me at livinginsidethetestimony@yahoo.com.
  5. I will read all entries and select one grand prize winner to receive $100 (Visa gift card or PayPal)
  6. Deadline to submit your entry is April 15, 2018.
  7. Winner will be announced no later than April 30, 2018.
  8. If you submit an entry, you are giving me permission to post your written entry and picture on my social media and website.
  9. If you have any questions, please ask. You can leave comments/questions here on my blog, on my Facebook page, or email me at livinginsidethetestimony@yahoo.com.
  10. I am the only judge for this contest, and my decision will be final. I will judge honestly and select what I feel is the best example of living inside the testimony in your own marriage and what makes it the greatest love story. Thank you for your participation and understanding!

 

 

 

Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

Jan9

Every night at 10:00 p.m., my local news starts the broadcast by asking, “It’s 10:00. Do you know where your children are?” It seems to be a rhetorical question, but living in these days of increased crime and terror, it’s something every parent needs to be able to answer emphatically. Children need to be off the streets and safely home with their parents to help prevent getting into trouble.

So on Friday night, November 10, 2017, at 10:00 p.m., I was at Gatekeeper’s Total Recall Women’s Retreat where the host, Dr. Tiffany Swift noted: “The ability to yield yourself for spiritual, emotional and mental maintenance is a privilege. The grave condition of our city doesn’t have to be a permanent situation. The overload of your schedules and extended taxation of your mind both need a moment to reboot.”

There were many things I learned about rebooting at this enlightening and edifying 2-day retreat from the inspirational guest speakers and fun, interactive sessions. However, the praise and worship experience proved to be the highlight of the retreat for me. Let me explain how a group of 6 millennials provided an answer to the question, “Do You Know Where Your Children Are?” while they helped me reboot all at the same time.

THE GROUP, as they are known, is a close-knit group of gifted singers and musicians who used their God-given talents during praise and worship Friday night at the retreat. Although they are millennials, they are far from the typical “children” their age. They could have been anywhere on a Friday night, yet they volunteered to be part of the retreat, not to entertain us, but to usher us into the presence of the Lord through their ministry of songs and music. Interestingly enough, most of us who attended the retreat were literally old enough to be The Group’s parents!

THE GROUP at The Retreat: seated – Nikki, Ariana, and Liz; on keyboards – LaMonte and Anthony; and Stephen on drums

I posed 3 questions to The Group, but before you read their answers, take a look at the bios they wrote for the retreat booklet. How many millennials would describe themselves like this?

I’m Liz! I have lived in a few different countries and even obtained a master’s degree from Vanderbilt University, but all of those experiences pale in comparison to the ride I’m on with The Group! It is such a blessing to be able to learn and grow with a team that God has put together through his work and for his purposes. My hope is that you enjoy Total Recall 2017 and that God speaks to you personally about your own journey to finding completion in Him!

 

Hey my name is LaMonte Gray and my main goal in life is to serve and please God. I do enjoy sports, playing the keyboard and eating a nice tender steak, however there is nothing that I enjoy or value more than being in the presence of God and his people. He has always been my everything and my hiding place. There is nothing that I could ever put before him in the life that he gave me.

 

My name is Stephen J. Starks. I have always been around the glory of God, and God gifted me to play drums. I’ve been blessed through my years of playing to play with and for many great musicians and singers, but nothing has blessed me more than playing with the great group that I play with now. I have a deep hunger and thirst for Jesus that is being fulfilled! …. Hey beautiful people! My name is Nikki Starks, and yes, I married our drummer. I enjoy being a part of ministry with my family. I consider myself to be a people person; I love spreading God’s love to whomever I can, however I can. Although singing is one of my gifts as part of the group, I am excited to be exposed to the many other gifts and ultimate calling that the Lord has for me.

 

Hiya folks, my name is Ariana Ward. So far during my 20 years of living, I have experienced some great heartache and pain, but God brought me out. Because of certain decisions, I am now a mother of 1. I am a singer, bass player, a full time college student and most importantly a lover of Christ. Everything in my life has led me here with The Group, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

I am but a man after God’s own heart, named Anthony Ward. Alias: Tony Kartez. God has gifted me with a mission of love, to share His heart with the people of this world via music, service, and creativity. Each day He reminds me that there is nothing I can’t accomplish through Him. So I take great pleasure in learning new ways to edify the gifts and talents He’s generously blessed me to possess, so that I may give them back to Him and His people without void.

Like I said, how many millennials would describe themselves like this? So yes, the women who attended the retreat were blessed to be ushered into the presence of the Lord by these kids. It was a praise and worship experience like none I’ve ever had in the past, and as I listen to brief excerpts of the worship experience I recorded on my iPad, I am still in awe at how God’s spirit entered that room on that Friday night and ministered to us through them. Of course I was so caught up in the moment that I did not record the “best” part, but maybe you can catch a glimpse of what I’m talking about by watching the clips below.

PLEASE NOTE: I really had no idea when I was recording that these videos would end up on my blog. Forgive the very amateur nature of the video and just enjoy being in the presence of the Lord through our praise and worship experience that Friday night.

 

 

 

 

 

So now, back to my interview. But first I need to mention that the retreat was actually the very first time The Group led a praise and worship service other than at their local church. For all practical purposes, this was their first public appearance as worship leaders… WOW!

It’s surprising what you can learn about a person just by asking 3 simple questions. I’ve known 5 of these kids since they were born, and all are members at my church, New Covenant Outreach Ministries. Related by blood and one by marriage, The Group is not your typical group, and their answers are very uncharacteristic of what you see in the media from the ‘typical’ youth of today.

Q1: How did The Group come together? Combining 5 minutes of conversation in response to this question, it can be summarized like this:

A: We could easily and appropriately say that we are together because God said so. A lot of things happened to get us to realize that God picked each one of us to be here. Our individual journeys with music and worship were for the most part separate. We grew up in the same church, but never worked together unless it was under the watchful eye of the Pastor’s wife during a holiday program. God took the time to reveal his plan in ways that were unique to each of his little children. In retrospect, it is such a blessing to be known by such a loving and careful God, who really does order our steps for his perfect purposes. We were off doing our own things—one of us too pregnant, another too scared to sing outside of her head, some too busy navigating the trials of marriage, others too focused on everything God had to say other than music—yet God brought each of us face-to-face with his plan. If anything our union is a testimony that you are never “too” anything for God to hit the master reset in order to give you a new purpose!

Q2. What would you like for the world to know about The Group?

A: We exist to cultivate the heart of worship and have a heart for God’s people. We are actually all related and like each other.

Q3. Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers?

A: Thank you, readers for reading and jumping in to a story that is being laid out before our very eyes. We are just a group of young people trying to do what God called us to do, and we want to share this burden with you—so please pray! Pray first that we are able to grow together under God’s direction and headship so that we can reach the goals he has set before us. Secondly, pray that we have the faith to believe for his provision. We have very practical individual and group needs in order to keep moving forward in this journey. So please join us in petitioning—better yet, bombarding heaven so that those needs are met, and that we are able to do what God called us to do to the best of our ability. Not only will that improve the music God gives us to create, it will be a bold testimony to each and every person we stand before. It’s not always easy. In a worldly sense we are young and trying to get started. We get scared and nervous. We also need instruments so if you feel led to bless us to continue to bless God’s people, don’t hesitate to be part of this harvest. Please consider donating to help us reach the young (and not so young) through our music as ambassadors of His presence.

THE GROUP (from left to right) Anthony Ward, LaMonte Gray, Stephen J. Starks, Nikki Starks, Liz Hunter, Baby Areah, and Ariana Ward.

If you would like to make a donation to help The Group move forward in their ministry, you can do so through my Paypal by clicking here.  I assure you that 100% of the donations will go directly to The Group.

I’m pretty sure the parents of these “kids” are thankful to be able to answer the question, “Do you know where your children are?” with an affirmative, “YES, they are working in the spirit of excellency in the ministry the Lord called them to do.” After all, this is The Group… Created by God.

 

BONUS AUDIO – Songs (Breakthrough and Weary Soul) composed, produced, and performed by The Group!

 

Audience Participation Is Not Necessary

Jul5

It’s not about me, but on my “About Me” page on this site, I wrote:

My prayer for each of you who choose to subscribe to my blog is that you will be inspired and encouraged by the testimonies and stories that I share. My favorite scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” As I seek the Lord for guidance as to what I should share with my subscribers, I earnestly pray that you will be blessed and inspired. As Revelation 12:11 says, we are overcomers by the words of our testimonies.

So it’s really not about me… LOL!

What I mean is this website is not “about” me. Of course I share my thoughts and testimonies because I know them better than anyone. But when I started blogging, I really thought it would be more interactive. I thought some of you would share your testimonies too. After all, this is the “Living Inside The Testimony” blog site where I tell people that I’m a nurse by profession, author by passion, and storyteller by the grace of God. On here, we all live inside testimonies meant to be shared to help inspire and encourage others. Yet I was looking for audience participation, subject ideas, and lots and lots of comments. The reality that I have discovered is that it’s up to me to share and motivate you. As an author, I’ve learned it can be a quiet and lonesome journey because unless you sell a million copies of your books, you never really know if anyone is reading them or not.

Am I making a difference? Does anyone look forward to reading the latest blog post? Have you read any of my books? Are you being blessed or inspired? This modern age of social media, reality TV that is anything but reality, and the answer to any question right at your fingertips thanks to Google, Siri, or any other electronic personal assistant or search engine has left us bombarded and overloaded with way too much information already. However, the fact remains that I describe myself as a storyteller, and THIS blog is here to inspire and encourage you.

Welcome to my blog site where I’ve got a story to tell you!

Now I get it. I think I always did, but I guess I had to confess to all of you. This is my blog, and it’s my responsibility to be the only participant. So I will stop wondering if you’re reading or not. We are overcomers by the words of our testimonies, but maybe I need to be the first overcomer.

I certainly hope someone is reading. I certainly hope I have inspired someone. As I read through some of my previous posts, I encouraged myself! I wondered where I found the words to write what I did, but of course they must have been divinely inspired by the Lord. Some of the stories feel as if I’m reading them for the very first time, and guess what, I impressed myself. Yes, I really did. That was really all the reassurance I needed that this blog is not falling on deaf ears. I hear me. I hope you do too!