Quick Update

I'm very sorry to tell you that Bill Ruffing passed away today. Please pray for his family during this very difficult time and most importantly in the weeks and months ahead when life keeps moving right on. Pray for strength and peace. Pray that they are comforted during this time of grief. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians Chapter 1, starting at verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." Be a comfort to this family with your prayers. Thank you.

Do You Believe in Magic?

Happy New Year! I can't believe it's been TWO MONTHS since I posted last! Shame on me!!! And Now I have so much to catch you up on!!! 2009 has certainly been a MAGICAL year and 2010 is shaping up to be every bit as MAGICAL, if not more!

So . . . do you believe in magic??? I've heard that word a lot between Christmas and New Years because, as you can see, Chris and I were able to take the girls to Magic Kingdom for two days! Oh my goodness, did we ever have a wonderful, memorable time! (And with only one trip to the First Aid station, I think we did alright!) But there is that word right in the name of the park: MAGIC Kingdom. So the question remains: do YOU believe in magic?

I believe that as Christians we are taught that "magic" is not godly, that it is evil, and I'm certainly not disputing that!!! According to one dictionary, "magic" is defined as: "The art of producing illusions as entertainment by the use of sleight of hand, deceptive devices, etc." No one can argue the fact that there is NOTHING godly at all about illusions and deception! Magic is synonymous with witch craft and sorcery, which the Bible warns against. So . . . what if I change the word to "magical"? The most special of evenings are often described as "magical". Definition? "Mysteriously enchanting." Sound better? Less evil? You decide.

As a teacher, I KNOW that to be effective, you have to use a VARIETY of learning tools to successfully teach different concepts and skills. And the fact of the matter is that there are some "tricks" to learning the 9 multiplication facts among others. Plain and simply put, whether wrong or right, kids like tricks and I'm pretty confident that my students won't ever forget the trick with the nines.

Now, I could be embarking on a controversy that I certainly don't need to do, so let me clarify. Do I believe in "magic"? As a noun, NO! And, this could just be my naive way of thinking here, but I don't think most others do either. I think people are fascinated with figuring out "how'd they do that". Do I believe in "magical" moments that impact and change our lives forever? This picture should answer that for you! Look at that face! Olivia was so filled with joy and awe and excitement to see what the ladies had "magically" done to her at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! And, let me tell you, that kind of magic is contagious because Chris and I both felt it in our hearts!!! The real difference for my family is that it wasn't a mystery to us at all. When it's a FEELING, I believe it's a gift from God and we thank God for making this trip possible through the generous Christmas gifts of our family. It was truly a MAGICAL experience!

Update on The Heart's Journey Home: Everything is on schedule and I should have my copies in my anxious little hand in just a matter of DAYS! Now, THAT will be a magical moment! I have several events scheduled with more sure to come so please check back with my website to get the latest information and to check on updates with The Heart's Lullaby, which has been started and is TENTATIVELY scheduled for release in Fall of 2011. Of course, I will let you know when my package arrives and, please, I'd love to know when you get yours! If you haven't preordered, it's available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, christianbook.com, and, of course, sheafhouse.com. After February 1st, EVERY bookstore, though they may not have it on their shelves, should have the ability to order it for you. If you have any trouble, please let me know! You better believe I'll take care of it! ;o)

PRAYER CONCERNS AND UPDATES: Since I've been so rotten about updating this over the past two months, I have quite a few to add and several updates.

CONCERNS: Please pray for Kathy Kanue who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and is now on 3 different types of chemo, which is making her very sick. Pray for healing for Kathy and pray for our dear Lord to ease her sickness. Pray for her to be able to rest in Him and pray for her loved ones. Her son is having a very hard time with all she is going through. Please pray for the Lord to fill his heart and give him a peace that passes all understanding. Miracles are NOT magic and they still happen all the time! I completely believe in miracles!

Another person in need of a miracle right now is Kitrick Schrader, a 29-year-old man who was involved in a snowmobile accident with a car. The last info I received on him is that he has a broken leg and pelvis, internal bleeding, and is still unresponsive. Please pray first of all the the Lord will spare this young man, that God can be glorified through his healing. Please pray that his recovery will be quick and that the pain will be minimal. Pray for his family and friends that are riddled with worry for him now. Pray that their hearts are filled with peace, and their minds filled with the promise that our God is always with Kitrick, holding him in the palm of His hand.

Prayer warriors, I need you all to pray mightily for Dezarae Dittmar, who is nearing the end of her 2 year battle with cancer. Hospice has been called in and her family is with her. She is married and has 4 kids. FOUR CHILDREN are having to prepare to be without their mama!!! My heart aches for this family! What do you say? What do you pray for? All I know to do is to pray for PEACE. Pray for strength for all involved. Pray for Dezarae and her family to find comfort and rest in the promises of the Lord. Pray that her pain in minimal. I'll update you on Dezarae as soon as I get one. In the meantime, pray, pray, pray, my friends!!!

Along those same lines, please pray for Bill Ruffing who is also nearing the end of his battle with cancer. Pray, above anything else, for his salvation. We don't know his heart, but God does. Pray that God will work in his heart and make Himself known to Bill in a mighty way through this illness he's been facing. Pray for his family to know how to minister to him in his last days on our earth. Pray that Bill will committ his heart to the Lord (if he hasn't already) before he takes his last breath. I thank the Lord that it is never too late to receive the awesome gift he gave us through His Son. Pray for his family to rest in the promise that the Lord will never leave us . . . even when we've turned our backs on Him. Pray for Bill's pain to be minimal and for comfort to cover him and his family like a soft, warm blanket.

Unfortunately, I also have several to add to the "For Those Grieving the Loss of a Loved One" list. These all happened in the month of December and first two weeks of Jan. We all know to pray for peace and comfort for those grieving family members. I don't mean to be casual or heartless in anyway, but rather than repeat myself over and over, I'm just going to give you the names and set you free to pray as you feel led. PLEASE, REMEMBER, THESE INDIVIDUALS NEED PRAYER TODAY, BUT WILL ALSO NEED IT IN THE DAYS, WEEKS, AND MONTHS TO COME AS REALITY SETS IN.

Please pray for Teresa Diseker and her family at the sudden and unexpected loss of her father. Also pray for Julie Munroe and her family at the loss of her grandfather. Please pray for Daon Johnson and his family at the sudden loss of his mother. Also pray for Stephanie Tuschl at the loss of her mother very close to Christmas Day. Please pray for my step-mom, Shirley Dominick LaVoie and her family at the loss of her mother on New Year's Day. Please pray for Don Osborne, his daughter, Danni, and son, Matthew, at the loss of his wife and their mother, Bea. Also, please pray for the wife and two young children of Jeff, an editor from Baker, who passed away today after having been in a head on collision. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you and will be in the days and weeks to come.

UPDATES: Are you ready for some good news??? Well, let's start with Robin Baughman, Romney McLellan, and little Tyler, all having battled some form of cancer and all CANCER FREE!!! I've been told that Robin's doctors are saying she is in remission because they are cautious to say the words "cancer free". You know what? We'll take that!!! Little Tyler's parents had been told to take him home and enjoy what time they have left with him and now they can't find a bit of cancer in his little body!!! Not a bit!!! YAY, GOD!!! (Still, I'm not taking them off the list yet, as I'm sure there are ongoing issues - financial, emotional, etc. that they need prayer for.) Similarly, Erica Foster has finished her treatments and is in remission, but she is struggling a bit with her emotional and spiritual side of post-cancer. I'm happy to report, though, that she is engaged to be married and I will definitely keep you up-to-date on wedding plans. Chris Dekker, the young man sick with H1N1 and pneumonia, is doing much, much better! I'll keep him on the list until I get the word that his is officially back to good health, but I'm pretty sure he is out of the woods at least. Reagan, if you're reading this, maybe you can post a comment on the latest with him. Amanda Belsich is reportedly doing well with her treatments. Keep praying for a cancer free report! Ethan Bibb, unfortunately, is in the hospital with a high fever and vomiting. Please pray mightily for this little man! I'll update his status as soon as I can. Karianne Peltier has had her baby, a beautiful boy, and mama and baby are doign very well, so I'm going to take her off our list. My dear friend from high school, Patty Smith, has had some ups and downs, but she just had a doctor's appt that went well. She's having bloodwork tomorrow. Keep praying for restored health and complete healing for my dear, dear friend.

Well, my friends, I've taken up enough of your time. Please keep checking my website for updates and scheduled events. Also, I vow NOT to let 2 months go by before I make a new post. Things will be getting busy for me, but I'll do my best to put something new up here every week, at least so, stop by again soon. In the meantime, please keep praying. There IS power in prayer!

Warmest blessings to all during these cold, cold days!
Jen

The Finish Line is in Sight!

I received the jpg of my back cover earlier this week which I've been trying to put up here, but for some reason the colors are all off. I wonder if it has something to do with the file it is. Anyway, believe me when I tell you, it is GORGEOUS!!!

So much is in the works now it can set my head to spinning if I let it. I have a friend working on promo bookmarks that are the prettiest I've ever seen while I'm working on getting a date set for a "release" party (Basically just friends, fellowship, and fun, oh, and a really cool door prize!) the Saturday after my book is released followed by a book signing at a local Barnes and Noble (LOVE that store!) the week after. My radio interview which I mentioned in my last post has been moved to Jan 8th which is perfect timing. And then in March I'll have a few signings and the Young Authors event at my old elementary school! I'm busting at the seams for that event!!! In the meantime, I've picked up a few duties at school which I'm happy to do because I love that place so much! And I also must work diligently on The Heart's Lullaby, tentatively scheduled for release in spring of 2011. It'll be here before I even know it . . . which is a very scary thought. Time really, truly does fly, doesn't it??? One of the moments that has stuck with me in The Heart's Journey Home is a scene where Kate is talking to her Grandpa Clayton about how forever seems like so long to wait before she can see her deceased husband again to which he replies in his wise way, "Take it from this old man, it's not."

It's really not, is it??? That's why it's so important to STRENGTHEN our relationship with the Lord. I'm certainly not preaching here. I need it probably more than many of you, and I don't know all the ways that it can be done, but a few ways that work the best for me is by fellowshiping with other believers and by praying and listening. Listening is the hardest one for me because some times, well, I just get so busy that I can't even hear myself think let alone listen to my God. Do any of you ever feel like that? A fellow teacher sent me an email story regarding this very thing. Maybe you've seen it. If not, this is how it goes:

A young man had been to Wednesday Night Bible Study where the Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice

The young man couldn't help but wonder, “Does God still speak to people?”

After service, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.

It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, “God...If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey.”

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, “God is that you?” He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.

The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli . “Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk.” It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.

As he passed Seventh Street , he again felt the urge, “Turn down that street.”

This is crazy he thought, and drove on past the intersection.

Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street so at the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, “Okay, God, I will.”

He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.

Again, he sensed something, “Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street.” The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.

“Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going
to be mad and I will look stupid.” Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk so finally, he opened the door, “Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for some thing, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here.”

He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, “Who is it? What do you want?” Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. “What is it?”

The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, “Here, I brought this to you.”

The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, “We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk.”

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, “I ask him to send an angel with some. Are you an angel ?”

The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.

He knew that God still answers prayers.

Yes, He does and He still speaks to us if we will just listen.

PRAYER REQUESTS AND UPDATES: Please pray mightily this week for Chris Dekker.
Chris is a very sick young man. He has been diagnosed with H1N1, pneumonia, AND is now also suffering from Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. When I received this info on him, he was on a ventilator, fighting for his life every minute. Right now he has been medically paralyzed in hopes that will help his recovery. His doctors agree he is probably the sickest person in their entire hospital. Please pray for his complete recovery. Pray for wisdom for his doctors. Pray for peace for Chris's parents. Pray for strength for Chris. Pray that the Great Physician will heal Chris completely and that through this terrible experience Chris is strengthened physically and spiritually. I'm believing that the Lord has big, big plans for Chris, that Chris will not only heal from this sickness, but become a mighty soldier for Christ!

Other updates will come soon. In the meantime, please keep praying for those on our list. My prayer for you this week and especially during the hustle and bustle of this holiday season is that you take the time to LISTEN to the Lord.

Blessings to you and yours,
Jen

Things are a Changin'

The leaves are turning. The colors just this past week have really become vibrant. I think this is one of my favorite times of the whole year. We all know what an amazing Creator our God is, but this time of year reminds me over and over again what a magnificent Artist He is! I love the warm and cozy feeling that fall brings to my heart - the fires in the fireplaces, sipping hot cider, and trips to the pumpkin patch. Have I mentioned that I love fall??? :o)

Well, about a month has past since my last post. Rats! I MUST get better at updating this site! A New Years resolution, maybe??? :o/ But there's been a lot going on to fill you in on! Things are becoming very, very busy in our house!

The girls alone are keeping us busy! Ali is in mini cheerleading and Livi is deep into her first soccer season. They are both loving it . . . and I really love keeping them busy. When they get bored, they get unruly! Can anyone else relate??? Ha! Ha! They are both doing great in school. Ali floored me a few weeks ago. I had to stay home with Livi because she had strep throat and I told Ali that she could stay home and rest, too, to make sure she was well for our trip to Ohio, but she said, "But I want to have perfect attendance this year, Mama." Can you believe that??? Perfect attendance! I'm so proud of both of my girls!

Chris is doing great with his songwriting. It's a slow process, especially here in Nashville where there is a ridiculous amount of talent, but he's made all the right connections, and is really writing some great stuff. Just wrote one today that is really, really wonderful! I'm very proud of him, too! He's such a good provider for our family and I'm extremely blessed by him.

As for me, well I'm having the best year ever at school. My class is great. The teachers I teach with are as wonderful as you can get. God has big, big plans for Christian Community Schools and I feel so privileged to be a part of it. And God is also doing some amazing things with The Heart's Journey Home. I'm getting several endorsements in, which I am so humbled by. Kathi Macias, the very talented author of the book that I reviewed last month, My Son, John, said this about The Heart's Journey Home:

"In her debut novel, author Jen Stephens bursts on the literary scene with a warmth and charm that shines through her writing right into the reader’s heart. With down-home candor and skilled word-weaving, Stephens allows her story to unfold through believable characters, drawing readers in right from the beginning and carrying them on a pleasant journey with enough twists and turns along the way to maintain interest to the very last page. Congratulations on a great first novel, and I certainly expect to see more from this author in the future!"

As you can imagine, this endorsement brought tears to my eyes! It also makes me slightly nervous as I believe anyone who reads this endorsement will have high expectations for this book and I hope I don't let my readers down! Self conscious? Yes! This is my first try! *Chewing fingernails*

I also did a video trailer with a lot of assistance from our computer/year book teacher at school (who's a tech GENIUS!) to help generate interest for this book. I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on it. I'm hoping to get it put up here very soon, but right now the file is too big. :o( I'm also having troubles with my website. Grrr! But I won't let the tech problems get me down. Keep reading and you'll find out why!

Okay, now sit down because it gets even more exciting! At least for me it does. I was asked by a teacher at MY OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL to come and be the guest author at their Young Author event!!!!! I participated in that event . . . a certain number of years ago! :o) What an honor it is for me! I'm so overwhelmed with gladness I just can't even put it in words. Who would've ever thought, back when I was an 8, 9, 10-year-old, doing my little project, that I would one day come back as a guest author??? Really it has been a definite highlight this year and will be next year when I go in March. Pics WILL be posted. Count on it!!! Also in March I will be having a book signing at my hometown library and possibly at a Borders store in a neighboring town. A few weeks prior to those events, I'm working on planning a "release" party here near Nashville for the weekend of Valentine's Day. We'll see how that goes. And if all of that isn't enough to set your head spinning, just a few weeks from now, November 20th to be exact, I'm scheduled to appear on a local Christian radio show to discuss The Heart's Journey Home.

Whew! If that is still not enough, there is one more bit of news . . . The Heart's Journey Home is available for preorder on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, christianbook.com, and of course my publisher's website, sheafhouse.com!!!!!

So, I've been busy, and it's been great! But never ever too busy to pray!!! And that's exactly what I'm getting to right now.

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS: Unfortunately both of these that I'm adding have lost loved ones.

Please pray for Jenny Hogg. Her husband was recently killed in a motorcycle accident. She has a 4-year-old daughter but has also recently had a miscarriage. My dear friend who is close to Jenny requested prayer specifically for wisdom and grace to handle the days ahead of her. I pray for the Lord to just hold her. Just hold her in the fury of this storm. I'm sure nothing anyone can say or do during this time will really be able to put a dent in the grief she's experiencing, but the Lord can. Pray that Jenny can FEEL the presence of God every single day. Pray that she'll come to know Him in a personal, intimate way, and that she'll begin to rely on Him in a way she never had to before.

Also, please pray for Joe & Shelley Butler and their family. Their oldest son was killed in an automobile accident early this morning. I just can't imagine what it must be like to have the holidays right around the corner, maybe Shelley had even bought her son a few presents, and now he won't be there with them. I can't wrap my brain around that kind of grief! But I know Someone who can. Our God WILLINGLY allowed His one and only Son to be killed only for the salvation of you, of me, of Joe and Shelley's baby boy, and I pray that they receive some comfort by the fact that their son is now visiting with His Son.

Please also continue to pray for the other requests on the list. I'll update them as I get updates.

I pray that you all have a wonderful week, a SPOOKtacular Halloween, and that you enjoy getting an extra hour of sleep as Daylight Savings Time ends this Saturday night. So don't forget to turn your clocks back! :o)

Blessings!

A Long Over Due Review

Good gracious! Once again time has gotten away from me. Lots has been going on with my family and with The Heart's Journey Home, but I will update you on all of that in a few days. One thing I will tell you, however, is that the first round of edits are done. YES! So I get a teeny tiny break and what would I rather do on a break but . . . READ!!! Now, I have some friends that can read more than one book at a time all while writing a book. While I LOVE reading, I have always been a slow reader. And I just don't do a lot of it when I'm trying to pour myself into my own novel. So, anyway, that's why I haven't put any reviews up . . . until now!

The novel I chose for my debut blogging book review is My Son, John by Kathi Macias. My Son, John is a riveting story of the depths of a mother's love. Liz Peterson's life is suddenly turned upside down when she finds out that her mother is brutally murdered. MURDERED! How would YOU feel if your mother was murdered??? Her life suddenly goes from upside down to shattered when her only son, her first born child, is arrested AND confesses to this heinous crime. How could her own child do this to her mother? How would you react/feel? I started this book with the mind set of, "Well, something like this could NEVER happen to me." But as Ms. Macias shows us so plainly in this compelling story, one bad choice can set in motion a life altering series of events. John was a typical young man trying to excel under the pressures of college and he made a bad choice - a choice that would continue to compound on itself until finally ending in the brutal murder of his grandmother. Liz goes through a complex series of emotions that, as a mother myself, I went through with her. Finally, with the help of her rapidly failing father, she came to the conclusion that would move any mother reading this story to tears. My Son, John is a story of love - the love children have for their parents, parents have for their children, and, ultimately, the love that our heavenly Father has for all of His children. It's a story about commitment and consequences and hanging on to faith through it all. I would highly recommend this book to any mother or mother-to-be.

PRAYER REQUESTS & UPDATES: I'm afraid I've gotten behind in reporting updates and adding new prayer requests and I hate that so much because I truly feel this is the most important part of my blog. So, to all those involved, I apologize that I haven't reported on your friends and loved ones sooner than this but rest assured they will be lifted up with prayer now!

I'm deeply, deeply saddened to ask you to pray for the family of Wendell Loveday who went home to be with the Lord on the 23rd, I believe. This is the brother of my dear friend, Connie, who was also Alison's teacher last year. Wendell had been sick and in great pain for years with rheumatoid arthritis (among other ailments) and was facing the possible amputation of his leg when he passed away somewhat suddenly. It is very easy for us to say, "He is not in pain any more," but for the days and months to come it doesn't help the emptiness and sorrow that his family is feeling in their hearts. Wendell was married to his wife, Peggy, for 40 years and they have a grown daughter, Stacey. Pray that they will all experience a comfort that could only come from the Lord in the days and weeks and even months to come, and also a peace that passes all understanding.

Also please pray for the family of Henry Dishaw, especially his wife, Diane. Henry had been sick with an enlarged heart and finally went home to be with the Lord on September 11th. Again, pray for comfort, a warmth that wraps around them like a cozy blanket. Pray for peace to descend on them like pixie dust and fill them with the hope of all of God's promises.

Also, please pray for the family of a man named John. I don't know his last name, but the Lord does. John was the CFO of a small company based in Birmingham. He'd been there for over 25 years. Last month John committed suicide leaving behind a wife, children, and grandchildren. There must be so many questions, many many never be answered. Please pray that his family will FEEL the Lord's presence constantly in the days, weeks, and even months to come. And that they will be comforted by the hope we have in the Lord.

Continue to pray for Romney McLellan who I recently received more information on. She has been diagnosed with intermediate grade large B cell lymphoma, but this cancer shows possible characteristics of advanced grade. Her LDH levels are elevated and also her anemia is a concern for the doctors. Her treatment is going to be much more difficult that originally anticipated. I've never hidden the fact that I'm NOT a medical person and medical terms are often lost on me (That's why I have my RN sis - my major source of info for anything medical in any of my books!) but my heart aches for this family because Romney and her husband have a two-year-old little girl, Marley, who is wanting her mommy. Please pray for strength for Romney. Pray that she can make it through her treatments better than anyone imagined she could. Pray for comfort and peace and patience for her husband and the rest of her family. Pray that her doctors will know exactly what to do to bring her back to restored health. Through all of this, pray that the Lord is glorified!

Similarly, please pray for Richard "Jim" McDonald, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins, B-Cell Lymphoma. He is beginning a new treatment today. Pray for healing and restored health. Pray for strength and peace. Pray for his family and doctors that they will know exactly how to help him and make him well again, that together he will have the support system needed. Please pray especially for his daughter Melinda who is one of the sweetest spirits I've had the pleasure of meeting recently.

This is an urgent prayer request. One of the girls who lived down my street as a kid now has a beautiful 17-year-old daughter, Monica Rose. Monica is battling liver cancer. I can't imagine what my friend, Holly, must be feeling right now. As a 17-year-old, already going through so many changes, I can't imagine what Monica must be going through either. Please, please, pray mightily for Monica. Pray that the Lord will touch her liver with His healing power. Pray that she will be strong and brave and obtain a faith that would amaze most adults. Pray for her doctors, that they will have the wisdom to know exactly what to do for her. Pray for peace for Holly and her husband that they would be bathed in a peace that passes all understanding. It's hard for us parents to let go of our babies, but Monica is always, always in the Father's hands. What safer place is there? Pray, my prayer warriors! Pray for Monica!

Also, please pray for Duane Sutton, the father of a fellow Sheaf House author. He is 72-years-old and was recently diagnosed with bone cancer. It showed up very suddenly seeming to indicate that it's an aggressive form of cancer, but the family is still waiting on details. He doesn't live near much of his family so right now that is the immediate prayer request. Also, pray that Duane will not be in pain, and that if treatment is an option it will be effective. Above all, pray that God's will is done and that His peace and grace surrounds this delicate situation.

I wanted to update you all on a few that still are/were on the prayer list: My best friend, Patty Smith, recently had a large mass in her abdomen discovered durning a PET scan. It is most likely cancer. She is going on Friday to find out how badly infested with cancer it is. Please pray that it doesn't "light up" AT ALL (which would mean there was NO cancer in it)! Regardless, she is very excited and hopeful to be going through a new, experimental treatment. If I get these figures right, I believe only 70 people are going through this study nation-wide. Please pray that the Lord works a miracle for Patty (and for all of us, really) through the doctors and scientists that have discovered this treatment. Pray for strength through the treatments. Her faith is so amazing. Pray that she will continue to always stand strong in her faith through this storm and that her family and friends will know exactly what we can do to help hold her up in her moments of weakness.

A little good news? Kristin Miller is fully recovered from her open heart surgery and doing FANTASTIC. And Dave Coleman, who underwent a radical surgery to attack his colon cancer aggressively, also has recovered completely, is back to work and his busy life as a husband, dad and grandpa. So for the time being, I have taken them off the list to make room for others. Also, Larry Harris is doing great and Trey Grant has almost completely recovered from his motorcycle accident and has started going back to work a few hours at a time, so I have taken them off the list, too.

Thank you for your prayers. I've seen it time and again, and I know you have too, that there is POWER IN PRAYER. Prayer changes lives - sometimes those needing the prayer, and sometimes those doing the praying. In a few DAYS (yes, days!) I will be reporting on the status of The Heart's Journey Home. I'm so excited with the progress that's been made and look forward to sharing it with you very soon! Until then . . .

Many blessings to you and yours,
Jen