Thank you to those who prayed for me last month. A staff member commented that she’d noticed a difference in my behavior within the last two weeks. It was almost as if I didn’t have a care in the world when she knew I had many issues calling for my attention.

I felt overwhelmed on the last day of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers’ Conference. A very successful Kentucky author, Ann Gabhart, placed her hand on my shoulder and said, “Be still.” I am grateful for her wise words. In my frantic pace, I hadn’t taken the time to read my Bible and pray that morning. I felt foolish because I know that if I turn my worries over to God,  I can face the day with grace.

While at the writers’ conference last month, I signed a contract with Books and Such Literary Agency. Mary Keeley is my literary agent. For someone who started taking writing seriously only three years ago, this is a miracle. Two years ago, Mary saw something she liked in my work, and she took the time to suggest changes in the manuscript when she could have simply said, “No Thank you.” I listened to Mary’s advice and put in countless hours to improve my writing. The road to publication is long, but signing with Books & Such Literary Agency is a major accomplishment and I am grateful.

Thanks to the support of my church family, our Kenya mission team raised the funds we need for our trip. Thanks to the Friends of the Library, we had a successful used book sale. Thanks to my library staff, we had a successful petition drive to collect the signatures of 3,867 voters. God has blessed me with wonderful resources. He answered your prayers for me.

I’m not the only one who has busy days, and I feel a little selfish calling on my prayer warriors when there are so many who are facing more difficult situations. My struggles have been nothing compared to the storms friends have faced.

• An old high school friend with whom I only see on Facebook lost her husband last month.
• Another classmate lost his battle with cancer.
• A friend suffered a stroke and spent her last days at a hospice.
• A storm hit during Relay for Life, and a volunteer suffered a broken hip.
• A young man from Haiti faced a second surgery yesterday at Vanderbilt. A volunteer from my community has worked tirelessly to arrange free treatment for Remulson.

Please keep my friends and their families in your prayers.

Sometimes we face seasons of storms, and we feel overwhelmed. If you are experiencing stress, I urge you to follow Ann’s advice. “Be still,” and pray the prayer that never fails. “Thy will be done.”

#answeredprayers #thankyouprayerwarriors #bestill