Month: October 2017

Many of you have been asking me how the book is doing and what I have been up to since publishing so I thought I’d write an update….

I’ve been up to this….

And this….

The first picture is my FIRST PUBLISHED ARTICLE!  Christian Veterinary Mission is an organization that sends veterinary missionaries all across the U.S. and the entire world.  I told the president about my book and he invited me to write an article for their quarterly magazine!  And as if that wasn’t awesome enough, he allowed me to advertise my book…for free!!  Then he bought multiple copies and gave them to his staff and is considering using them in their veterinary student chapters across the U.S.

The second picture is part of my new adventure of marketing.  I am now proud owner of an excessively large personalized retractable sign promoting my book.  The need for this sign came about for some upcoming book signing events.  The first one is Next Sunday at the National Animal Hospice and Palliative Care conference in Seattle.  The second one is at the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association’s (ISVMA) yearly conference in Lombard at the beginning of November.

The neatest part about all these opportunities is that they did not come from any strategy you would find in a marketing book or online.  They came directly from God’s favor and prayer.  I’ve always been a proud member of Christian Vet Mission but never in a million years could I have imagined how beyond supportive they have been.  I have never been to a veterinary conference that had requested authors to bring books to sign and sell (available to anyone), but it just so happens that the one I am going to this year offered that.  And the director of the ISVMA just so happened to love my book and suggested I bring some to sign and sell at the conference at no charge to me.  Usually any vender has to pay a fee to be there, but this is yet another manifestation of God’s grace.

And once again, thank you so much to all those who have bought the book, shared the book, and are encouraging me.  You have been a real blessing to me and have helped spread the word.  I ask that you please, pray for me for continued favor over these opportunities.  Veterinarians need to hear these words of hope that God so graciously gave to me and I need prayer.  (also pray  that I don’t knock someone out while setting up that retractable sign…that thing is crazy big!!! LOL)

 

I just returned home 2 days ago from a vacation in Arizona with my husband.  On our return flight to Chicago, the pilot came over the loud speaker to announce a pretty significant storm that seemed to just pop out of nowhere.  It ran in a straight line across the entire United States and our options were to either fly north towards Minnesota or south towards Texas to go around it.   He chose Texas and explained this would set our arrival time back, but that it was the only option since the storm was “impenetrable”.   With a voice radiating pure excitement coupled with a steady calmness, He then told us to look outside the right side of the plane to see the magnificence and beauty of the storm.  He spoke in a way that you could tell he really admired and respected the storm.

The lightning was illuminating the surrounding clouds at a speed of 1 strike per second as it seemed to dance along the night’s sky.  It was breathtaking.  Then I found myself in this sudden dilemma, should I be scared or is everything truly going to be ok?

I turned to God, “Are we going to be ok?”  I felt Him reassure me that all was well and to trust the pilot.

You see, when you are in an airplane, do you really have a choice not to trust the pilot?  Flying is one of the most trusting things we do as humans.  We allow a couple people to literally control our safety as they take us 40,000 feet up into the air, making decisions as they see fit that determine our outcomes.  You have no choice but to sit there and follow whatever direction the pilot wants to take and there is no bailing out.

What if we applied this concept to our lives with God?  When things get tough and God takes you in another direction, what if you went along for the ride instead of putting up a fight for control or just refusing all together and choosing to bail.  I am convinced that many people miss the beauty God has in store for them because they bail out during the storm.  They don’t keep going or follow God in another direction, they just head back to their departure terminal and never reach arrival.  Trust me, I’ve definitely been one who sits reluctantly at the departure gate not even wanting to get on that God driven plane ride.  But something so peaceful happens when you fully grasp what God said through Isaiah in chapter 43 verses 1-3:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am the Lord your God.”

The same God who is control of the waters and flames is still in control during the storms of our lives.  He will guide your path and will not forsake you.  And in the process, you will experience Him with more beauty and wonder than you ever thought possible.