Testimony October 26, 2008

In July 1979 in a church not far from here, an evangelist spoke a prophecy over me in a meeting and it concerned the person I was going to marry. It ended with these words. ”Have no other gods before me. I, God have called you to be a wife and a witness.

In July 1998 in this church a woman shared her testimony of how her husband had gotten saved while she was chaperoning a youth conference with the youth of this church. Her ending words were “No one know what it's like to pray for something for so long and finally have it happen.” As I sat there, I told myself. I know how that feels. I said to myself I could write a book on that subject.

So I did. From July to November, I finished a 10 Chapter Book on Marriage, My sources were the Bible verses I had studied, remembering times in our marriage, journals I had kept, mirroring the difficult times. I sent the book off to seven different publishers with the all too familiar rejection letter to follow. I did not know and could not know that the most difficult sections of the book had not been lived yet, how could they be written?

On January 2008 sitting in this church, on the piano bench, began one of the most confusing and perplexing years of my life. As I battled with dizziness and its cause, I questioned why this, why now? As I lay in my bed I made up lists of things I had been wanting to do, projects that should have been done, and my book kept creeping to the top of the list. At that time, I could barely sit up, could not read a book nor spend much time on the computer so then my prayer changed to how?

When I returned to work and continued to miss days with my dizziness, Sauders gave an across the board buy-out to anyone who wanted one. The timing was perfect. I could get out now, save my attendance record. And when I returned to reasonable health I could find another job. A friend who was driving me to my appointments in Toledo is a retired school-teacher so I felt as though God was asking me to have her help in editing my book. She was excited! She is also not a Christian!

I have made some diet changes, am using a c-Pap machine at night. I am doing better, I still have some things that trigger slight dizziness but not anything like I was. Thank you for your prayers and support and concern.

Arlene Swora and I began in August to rewrite portions, add to and correct grammar in the book. In September I sent a rough draft, although the book is still half way done, into a publishing company expecting the rejection letter again. This Wednesday I received a call from Tate Publishing that my book has been accepted for publication and that they would be sending me a contract!

While I've been questioning my health, and the publishability of the book, Norm and Arlene are bringing confirmation to the things I have written about. God will give us the desires of our heart if we follow him. I ask for prayer for Bill and I as we step out in faith financially for this project and also for our entire family