Resting in Jesus' Lap

The second week of December I went in for my annual mammogram. I've never had any problems and as far as I know there is no history of breast cancer in my family but so many women are diagnosed every day, that I'm grateful my insurance pays for a yearly exam.

With the new digital imaging, there is no waiting until the x-rays are developed, so I'm usually in and out again in fifteen minutes. No change this year.

However, the next day I received a call from the Women's Health Care Clinic. The radiologist had seen something suspicious and wanted me to come back in for a different diagnostic mammogram. They had an opening the following day. This time I went in a little scared. So many women in our church had battled breast cancer, some several times. I prayed and tried not to worry.

After the second mammogram, I was asked to have a seat in the waiting room and the radiologist would talk to me about the results. The wait was very nerve wracking. I just kept praying and asking God to comfort me. Finally, I was called back to meet the radiologist. She smiled and then showed me some bright white spots on the screen image. She explained these were microcalcifications but she couldn't tell from the picture if they were benign or not. Her explanation is that irregular shaped spots or spots clustered in one area, such as mine, sometimes indicate cancer. She said she would need a biopsy to further assess the situation. I blinked back tears as I agreed.

Next I was asked to go back into the waiting room while they contacted my doctor to get the biopsy scheduled. Fear gripped me with tight fingers. I repeated the Lord's Prayer over and over and repeated Psalm 23 in my head. Then I began my conversation with the Lord. Isn't it wonderful that he can hear us when we are talking silently?

I told Him that I was afraid and that I could not handle this on my own. I knelt at his feet and asked him to take me on his lap and hold me. What a wonderful feeling! I felt His comforting touch and laid my head on his chest and let my worry go. I can't explain the abolute peace which overcame me as the fear washed away.

My biopsy was scheduled for a week later. During that time I didn't focus on the negative. I knew whatever happened God would be with me and all would be well. And it was. The results of the biopsy showed I have fibrocystic breasts and there is no cancer!

Resting in the arms of Jesus, I received the most wonderful Christmas present. In times of trouble He is always with me as well as in the good times.

What is Hope?

Yesterday, I spotted a yellow daisy, a perfect bloom among a bush of dying flowers. With the early frosts, our flower beds are full of brown and wilted blooms. This one tiny daisy defied the elements and smiled at me.

To me this is what hope is all about. These are trying times for many throughout the world. The media plays upon these events through television, newspapers, magazines, and radio. Experiencing second hand tragedies through the media can be very depressing. So, how do we keep hope? And what is hope?


There is a wonderful passage in the Bible which truly speaks to my heart about hope.

Romans 8:22-25 "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Hope is the faith within our hearts and souls, the belief in Christ Jesus that God is with us and will provide. God's word through Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, tells us that in order to have hope, we must learn to be patient. We must be still, have faith, and wait without grumbling to keep hope alive.

Hope is one tiny yellow daisy amid bushes of dying blooms. Hope is always looking forward to a brighter tomorrow, a dream within reach, with an attitude of humbleness, and never, ever giving up.

In my novel, Joshua's Hope, the heroine, Hope, learns what her name stands for when she finally lets go and lets God take control.

Like the withered daisies in my flower bed, Hope's soul withers when her life hits bottom, but when she opens her heart to God's healing love, her spirit rises and shines like the beautiful single yellow daisy.

Joshua's Hope purchase link

Smiles and Blessings,
Carol Ann Erhardt

The Power of Positive Thinking

As I sat at my desk, staring at a blank page, I couldn’t think of one single thing to base my article on for my chapter newsletter. Finally, I gave up and headed upstairs to bed. Along the way, I spied a booklet I’d received but hadn’t read. “Expect a Miracle—Make Miracles Happen” by Norman Vincent Peale.

I picked it up and began to read and knew I had to share this with my friends. I realized this principle is what has given me the peace to persevere through all the family “challenges,” and realized I should be applying this to not only my personal life, but also my writing life.

The miracle principle is based on six words: “Expect a miracle—make a miracle happen.” I’ve known people who are negative. Everything bad seems to happen to them. They pronounce doom and gloom and they can really sap my energy. Nothing I say changes a thing. If I make a suggestion, there’s a reason it won’t work. You know the type of personality I’m talking about?

After reading the booklet, I have decided that from now on when anyone preaches doom and gloom, I’m just going to say, “Expect a miracle.” I believe in miracles. They happen every single day. Perhaps they aren’t as spectacular as the burning bush or the parting of the Red Sea, but they exist. If a person expects the worst to happen, it will! But, what if a person expects the best to happen? Having a positive outlook and expecting wonderful things brings joy and happiness. I believe in this principle. I live it.

But, I haven’t applied it to my writing life. I’ve been so busy putting my personal life in perspective, that I’ve neglected to carry the principle through to all aspects of my life. From now on, I will sit down to write with the expectation that the words will flow and they will be good. I will approach submitting my manuscripts with a positive attitude, await the release of my books with a positive attitude. I will expect a miracle—and make a miracle happen.

How about you? Do you believe in miracles?
 
Carol Ann Erhardt
http://www.carolannerhardt.com/
JOSHUA'S HOPE

Why Do We Worry?

September 10th?  Already? Seems like only yesterday that I walked out of my day job for the very last time on December 31, 2009. At that time, I had some fears about how we'd have to change our lifestyles, and whether or not I'd have to take a part-time job.

We all have fears from time to time. That's our nature. We are worriers.

I needn't have worried. God has so richly blessed my life this year. My husband often says, "It's a good thing you are retired, because you'd never have enough time to do all that you do if you were still working."

My worries about what I'd do with my time, if we'd have enough money, if I'd become a couch potato, if I'd miss using my skills...all these were for naught. Why? Because I forgot the one thing I should never forget. God's plan for me!

I've filled my hours with writing, with being active in ministries at church, with reading my Bible and doing Bible studies, having lunch with friends, exercising, and enjoying time with my husband. Even though we have less income, we have so many more blessings. And God always provides.

I don't know what God's plan is for me, but I know it is something beyond my wildest dreams!

What have you worried about, only to find that God was working in your life?

Waste Not, Want Not

This morning God knocked on my heart and revealed how wasteful I've been lately. I was brushing my teeth when my gaze followed the trail of running water. Immediately I turned off the faucet and finished brushing before I turned on the water to rinse my brush. I don't have cups in my bathroom since I use my hands to catch the water for that purpose. Again, a big waste. And, I'd been grumbling about receiving the highest water bill ever this month.
Imagine, I waste water unconsciously, taking the blessing for granted, while children in other countries rely on mud puddles for survival. I have a glass of "filtered" water from the refrigerator, along with ice cubes to keep it cold. I don't worry about contracting a fatal disease by quenching my thirst.
As I look around my house, I see many things for my pleasure and enjoyment, all taken for granted. I live in a country of abundance. No wonder others look on me as a "rich" American. I may not be rich monetarily by the standards of our country, but I am rich in all the things that matter. God has provided all that I need, and while I give him thanks every day, I haven't realized the extent of how I'm wasting what He has so generously provided.
Currently, there is a shake-up in the publishing world with large conglomerate bookstores and publishers. Welcome to the new digital world of publishing. While we might look on digital books and ebook readers as extravagance, I'm looking at it another way. We are conserving God's gifts by purchasing digital books. I wonder how many trees it takes to make a production run of print books? While I believe print books are wonderful, POD seems a much better method of publication. No unnecessary waste. A book is produced only when there is a purchase.
I'm thrilled to be an ebook published author. And, I thank God every day for his gifts, and for this path to publication he has provided.
How about you? Have you purchased a digital book lately?

Carol Ann Erhardt
http://www.carolannerhardt.com/
Available now at White Rose Publishing: JOSHUA'S HOPE

Happy Mother's Day!!

I pray that each wonderful mother who reads this has a blessed Mother's Day filled with love, laughter, and hugs.

In digging through some old paperwork, I found this poem I wrote for my youngest daughter when she became a mother. I hope you enjoy it.

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Moments in Time, I Remember

Ten little fingers,
And ten little toes,
A little cherub face,
With a little scabbed nose!

Always a blanket,
You kept at your side,
I bought you a new one,
When at daycare you cried!

Climbing the apple tree,
Against Mommy's rule,
Your dog bit your savior,
Now that wasn't cool!

From pierced ears to braces,
Your dimples stayed true,
From playing the flute,
To track running, too!

Riding the unicycle,
On hot summer days,
Keeping us laughing,
With your funny ways!

High school and homecoming,
Wrecking the car,
Blue jeans and prom dresses,
Following your star.

Graduation and modeling,
"Borrowing" my clothes,
From baby to woman,
How fast the time goes!

"Mom will you make me,
A white satin gown?"
"Pearls and lace,
And a veil for my crown?"

These things I remember,
And memories hold dear,
Smiling, and laughing,
And shedding a tear.

And now, you're a mother,
A new page begins,
In the circle of life,
Mother, daughter, friends!

************

I raised eight children, four of them were my stepchildren, but they are just as dear to my heart as those I birthed. I can relate to Hope's love for her four-year-old stepson in JOSHUA'S HOPE. If you haven't yet read this book, why not treat yourself to a special mother's day present? And, while you're at it, browse all the wonderful selections of inspirational romance by my fellow authors at White Rose Publishing!

Keeping Faith Through Long Illnesses

Since December, my husband has had a serious illness. His bladder stopped functioning and he was admitted to the hospital with acute renal failure. I found myself in constant prayer. I wasn't ready to lose my husband.

Worse, I had retired from my full-time job and only afterward learned that my husband was not eligible to enter into Medicare Part B. What were we to do? I turned the burdens to God and He lifted us up. The VA accepted my husband under hardship due to the drastic change in our income since we would only have our social security to live on.

It took months of getting through all the necessary steps with various doctors to finally get my husband scheduled for surgery. The week prior to the scheduled surgery, we had to get clearance from his lung specialist and his heart doctor. The surgeon planned to operate by using a spinal block, and the specialists finally gave their approval. On March 29, my husband had surgery.

We learned on April 6, that the surgery was successful! Praise God!

Finally, after nearly four months of having to live with a catheter, my husband is healed. God is so gracious! He knew the outcome, and we just had to trust in Him, be faithful, and patient. He answered our prayers.

Our Pastor has been with us throughout this entire ordeal, visiting, calling and coming to the hospital to pray with us. On Tuesday, when I contacted him with the wonderful news, he shared these words of wisdom, which made us laugh. He said, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."

Thank God for humor and for His abiding love.

Carol Ann Erhardt
http://www.carolannerhardt.com/

How to Grow a Step Garden

Items Needed:
Garden Tools--Love and patience
Flower Seeds--Each Child will bear their own distinct blossoms

1. Provide a space for the garden

God will provide a space for your step garden. Our garden was started December 30, 1979, when I married my soul mate and we combined our two families. Each of us had four children, making a full garden of eight distinct flowers. God truly blessed us.

2. Pull out all weeds and grass

The most important part of preparing the garden for growth is to remove obstacles. Knowing that there will be disagreements and jealousy, and accepting this as being normal is the first step. Allowing each individual to find their own part of the garden in which to grow will eliminate even the most stubborn of obstacles.

3. Turn over the soil and water.

Creating a new environment which is a unique blending of old and new will provide the fertile atmosphere for a successful garden.

4. Don't get the soil too wet.

Healthy doses of love are necessary, but be careful not to over saturate. Each child must be loved equally. Children are quick to know how to tip the sprinkling can to get too much love. The smart gardener needs to carefully sprinkle each plant in their garden with equal amounts of love.

5. Plant each seed in its own space.

Knowing that each child is a unique individual, and allowing them the freedom to develop will create a garden of beautiful blooms. You will have daisies, roses, marigolds, sunflowers, pansies and many other varieties. This truly is a miracle of love.

6. Check daily to make sure the soil is damp.

As your children grow, make sure their environment changes to accommodate their needs. You must allow them the space to make their own decisions, and teach them to live with their choices. Acceptance of their own, as well as other's faults, is vital. What one may see as a fault, another may see as a strength. Teach them tolerance, and give them the security of a loving haven.

7. Continual nurturing required.

Your garden will be eternal. New blossoms will take root and sprout into a new and unique bouquet. Continue to love and care for it, spreading sunshine and sprinkles of happiness throughout your life. Your garden will give back to you what you continue to sow!

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In my book, JOSHUA'S HOPE, Hope Courtland risks her life to save her beloved stepson, Joshua. In this book, I sought to show the depths of my love for my own stepchildren. God bonds our family together, just as He bound Hope's new family. (Published by White Rose Publishing)

Click Here to Purchase.

Quiet Bravery

My mother joined Jesus six weeks ago. She spent a lot of time alone, but now she'll never be alone again.

I never realized how brave she was until last year. My father worked on the railroad, usually working the second shift, which kept him away until long after I'd gone to bed. When he was forced to retire due to a back injury, they should have had plenty of time to be together. However, my father had his own life, which included being around people and being the center of attention. Mom, on the other hand, preferred staying in her own home. She didn't mingle with strangers well for she had a fear of saying or doing something to embarass herself. So, while Dad found things to occupy his time, Mom sat in her recliner and created beautiful quilts by hand.

Dad purchased an RV to entice Mom out of the house. He loved to fish, and with the RV, he could do that while offering Mom a "house" in which to stay safe. They would travel to a nearby lake and camp with friends, but still Mom spent the majority of her time alone inside that RV.

When Dad passed away in 2005, I worried about Mom and offered to let her move to Ohio into our home. She, however, preferred to stay in Illinois, in the home she'd shared with my Dad for 52 years. I called her every night to talk and say goodnight. I knew she was lonely, and I kept offering her a home with us, but she wanted to be in her own home. To leave it, she felt, would be leaving my Dad.

Then, four years ago, the doctor told her she had a bad heart. Mom, then 81, said she didn't want to have an operation. She felt she'd lived a long life and, truly, I think she was ready to join Dad in heaven. She told me she'd come to live with us only when she became unable to care for herself.

That time came in 2009. She confessed that she didn't have enough money to stay in the home for another year, and the doctor told her she shouldn't be alone. Quickly, we began making preparations to remodel our home to accommodate her needs. In May, 2009, my mother did the bravest thing she could ever do--she walked away from her home for the last time.

Having give up her independence and move into someone else's home, depending on them for her basic needs, must have been such a frightening experience for her. I cried so many times because I couldn't imagine the pain she must be going through. However, she faced the change with a brave smile and no complaints.

We had the pleasure of her company for seven months before Jesus called her home. Our home now has an emptiness without her. My husband and I talk often about things she said or did, happy memories we all made together as we molded our lives together.

My mother was a quiet, independent, shy lady. I'd never thought of her as a brave person. But, now I realize how truly brave she was.

Carol Ann Erhardt
www.carolannerhardt.com
JOSHUA'S HOPE, available at White Rose Publishing

Animals Can Help Heal Broken Hearts

Meet Wilbur. He's my fluffy precious kitty who loves to help me write, read, and blog. When I'm at my computer, he's there with me.
Recently we moved my mother into our home. She had two furry cat babies, Maggie and Blacky. Both were elderly and Mom felt they wouldn't survive the long trip to Ohio, so she chose to leave them behind. It's hard to adopt out elderly cats, but we found a no-kill shelter and have hope that someone will open their hearts and adopt them. I know how sad she was to leave her beloved family home and her babies, but there there was no choice. She couldn't afford to keep up her home any longer. When she called with her decision, we immediately made plans to remodel and rearrange our home to accomodate her.
I'm so blessed to have her with me, and she's so much happier now with having people around her to talk to. But, I could tell how much she missed her babies. We have three cats, Charlotte, Wilbur, and Templeton (yeah, can you tell I'm a writer!). Charlotte, like most Divas, chooses the time she wants to spend with us mere humans. However, the boys are a different story. Inquisitive, and very loving, they are people cats. They sensed Mom's need for feline companionship. Wilbur sleeps with her, and when she's in her recliner watching television, he's either on the arm of the chair, in her lap, or laying on the back of the chair, swinging his big furry tail in front of her face. Templeton has been in her lap, too, but he's so much more inquisitive.
Yesterday something really cute happened. If I'd been home I would have taken a picture. He's been investigating her walker. It has a little area where you can sit things, or yourself, and a basket which she uses to keep things handy. Mom has taken over making our bed and hers. It's one thing she can do which makes her feel helpful. Anyway, yesterday Templeton jumped on the walker and was sitting on the little "chair" part. Mom got out of her chair and said, "Do you want to go for a ride? Come on, I have to make the beds." She proceeded to walk down the hall to our bedroom and Templeton just stayed on for the ride. He waited while she made that bed, then she took him into her room and, again, he just sat there watching. Finished, they both came back down the hall! Templeton now believes her walker is his domain, and quite fun, and Mom is so happy to have these furry buddies to help relieve the pain of moving.
We made a lot of changes to try and make her comfortable, but it took our cats to really lift her depression.
I love animals. Guess that's why I always include them in my books!

Joshua's Hope

ISBN: 9781601543219
Available in both print and ebook format

When I began writing my novel, JOSHUA'S HOPE, my goal was to write a story about hope, trust, and faith. I wanted to show a person who loses everything can find hope by letting God into their life. But I wanted to make sure that the story didn't turn anyone off by being too preachy. When I received my latest "4.5 book" review from Long and Short Reviews. The reviewer, Lilac, said: "There is also [a] great message woven in throughout this story about trusting in oneself, others, and in God to help you through difficult times. The author did a wonderful job of portraying this through the actions and experiences of the characters without sounding preachy." Click here to read the full review.

Blurb: Hope Courtland escaped her marriage to save her life. Her only regret is leaving her four-year-old stepson, Joshua, behind. Though she wants custody, no attorney is willing to tackle her ex-husband in a custody battle. Hope’s faith begins to falter. She learns that Joshua is paying the consequences for her freedom, and in an act of desperation, she kidnaps him. Suddenly, she becomes a suspect in her ex-husband’s murder.

Zack Stone is content to be sheriff of Pine Cove, Tennessee, where the worst conflict he deals with is handing out speeding tickets. Though his faith is strong, he struggles with issues of forgiveness surrounding his wife’s death. When he rescues Hope in a rainstorm, the last thing he expects is to find a woman who stirs his heart. Being a small town sheriff shouldn’t involve kidnapping and murder, but Zack can’t turn his back on Hope and the little boy she loves.

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Time and time again, in my life, I've found hope in God's grace. He has proved over and over to me that His love is never ending. Hope, the heroine in my book, found the peace that comes with letting God into your life and giving Him your burdens.

Blessings,
Carol Ann Erhardt