Did Someone Say Trilogy?

It was another one of those nights last night, where I was awoken and couldn't get back to sleep.  The mind started going and the wheels where in motion with no stopping them.  The creative juices were flowing, and God was leading me yet again.  The spirit from within was continually urging me to just get up and DO IT!  As many of you have read already, I followed His lead again, and this morning I've created a Group on Facebook in hopes of growing a community of believers of those that have also received Signs from God, loved ones that have passed, and even experienced spiritual encounters; encounters that leave you wondering....was it real, I know I was awake, I know I'm not crazy, no one is going to believe me.....

My intention for this group is for those who have experienced such signs and encounters to share their stories so they realize they are not alone, and they are not crazy!  Now that our book Signs from God is almost complete and soon to be published, He informed me last night what the next book in this trilogy would be.  While Signs from God touches on a couple of these Spiritual Encounters, it is our goal to find others who have experienced similar spiritual encounters.  This may take a bit longer, as not everyone has been blessed with experiencing such life-altering encounters.  I just have a feeling though that Signs from God is going to provide us with all the stories we need and another opportunity to share our experiences and those from others whom we have not yet met.  For He knows what we need, and He will make it happen!  

Please be sure to check out and JOIN our Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/SignsfromGod/

Thank You Jesus!

It wasn't that long ago, when I had a temporary slow down and a few moments of doubt in actually pulling this book together.  It was after I had gathered all of my stories and documented them, but before I truly started tying things together, when I became overwhelmed with how I was going to get this published.  Writing a book for the first time and not knowing the steps in the process was truly mind boggling.  I began doing some research, and that was time consuming to say the least, and even more mind boggling!

It was so overwhelming that I couldn't concentrate and didn't know where to turn or where to even begin.  It was then that God spoke to me.  His message was so clear.  He was almost adamant with a bit of an attitude, when I kept hearing that voice in my head practically shouting, "JUST DO IT!"  Mom and I have pushed off our writing journey for so long, I think He even had enough!  I immediately, settled in and started doing it!!   From that point forward, everything just started to fall into place.  I had connected with some Authors on a blog site and luckily a few of them became great resources of invaluable information.  One of them has become my mentor, editor, and formatter.   It was her who actually provided us with some feedback about including more information about mom's miracle.  That information turned out to be mom's miracle testimony!    I know that was God's work as well, and we are so grateful for everything he is allowing us to do, the people he has brought into our lives, and the joy this is bringing to both mom and I.  With the added changes and now co-authoring "Signs from God" together, we feel we will be setting the stage for our second book and can finally begin our journey in getting her story out!  It is such an amazing feeling!  We finished the edits last night and turned it back over to our editor, whom I think will be pleasantly surprised with the additional information and changes we made that will tie it all together now.  Simply amazing how God works.  When you can't find your way, He leads you to where you need to be!  We may not see a way, but it's faith that gets us to our destination!

I went to bed last night with so many thoughts in my head and excitement that I couldn't sleep.  When I can't sleep, I just begin praying and with that He usually puts me to sleep before I ever to get 'Amen'.  Last night, as always, I thanked him for everything he has given us and everyone he has sent our way.  I told Him how I wish I could HUG Him and truly Thank Him, for it is He who deserves the Glory.  He has been working through us.  It was then that I remembered, I CAN HUG Him.  Mom has a Jesus Doll that sits on her bed and has helped to keep her company for several years.  I thought I would share the picture with you, and while it may sound funny, it was the best hug ever .....

Not Our Plan, But HIS.....

This mother and daughter team is in it for the long haul.....Funny, how things work out sometimes!  When this whole adventure of ours first began, Mom and I started out working together on our book, "A Mountain to Climb".....Then, as time and our chapters progressed, we started getting "other" signs from God which started to throw us in a whole other direction.  While mom was working on her chapters, these "signs" seemed to be haunting me more and more every day!  They seemed to consume my every thought.  That is when I came up with, or He put in my head, the idea to start another book, and call it "Signs from God"  Whew!  Our journey is taking us to places that we never dreamed possible! 

During the editing phase of what I thought was MY first book, "Signs from God", has turned out to be OUR first book together.  While this was initially a result of my direct efforts in following His lead and creating that first post in Facebook that ultimately led to the creation of Signs from God, it was He who actually prompted feedback through our editor explaining we needed to provide more details around Mom's "Miracle".  It was as if we immediately saw the light, and recognized how this makes perfect sense and will allow us to share her story now.  We feel this book is paving the way for us to do just that, and believe that was His plan all along!  Apparently, He didn't want us to wait any longer either!

Mom's testimony has been the inspiration and driving force through this entire journey, and both of our lives.  Sharing her testimony, and now co-authoring "Signs from God" is setting the stage for our second book, "A Mountain to Climb".  In Signs from God, you will get to hear her miracle story, but in A Mountain to Climb, you will relive in great detail the traumatic experience from the eyes of the patient's perspective after suffering close to five years going through this nightmare and flash-backs from her daughter's eyes witnessing this at a time when she needed her mother the most!

We are so excited for you to read how God has touched our lives and others, and believe you too will realize that Signs from God has truly been God driven!  With some alterations now complete, our first book is back in the hands of our editor and formatter.  We couldn't be any more excited for this journey and our first book signing as the mother and daughter team from Sykesville! 

Trials With A Purpose

Dear Lord,

I pray for those who are hurting today, to feel the comfort of your arms around them and let them feel how much you love them!  Help us to use our pain of the past to help others through their trials. Amen!

Today, is the first day of the rest of my life......Thank you God, for getting me through the dark days that started this year off to such  a bad start.  After the loss of my sister in January, the grief that followed the first six months of this year has overwhelmed me with periods of sadness and depression that at times has been devastating!  I then experienced some health challenges of my own early in the year that had to be addressed.  Reflecting back to the most traumatic time of my life, 35 years ago, when anxiety attacks and depression got the best of me; I was not about to give in to the power of Satan's pull when we are weak!  Through the grace of God and His miraculous healing in 1980, I have learned to bring myself out of the pits of despair and give the negative thoughts to the Lord!  When I am troubled or when sleep does not come easy, He guides me to where I need to be or directs me to what I need to read or hear at the time.  It is an awesome moment when this happens!  There is a peaceful calm that radiates through my whole body, and there is no doubt that He is right there with me!  I am never alone, and neither are you!  God is always with us!

A friend of mine once told me in our Bible Study group that she has a "God Box" that she puts her worries into.  I have found that through an exercise of writing on a small piece of paper, what is troubling me at the time, and turning those burdens and worries over to God - takes them off my shoulders!  I fold that little note of prayer up and put it in what I call my "God Box"!  It's just a small box with a butterfly on the top of it ......the butterfly to me represents  FREEDOM!  I can then go about my day, knowing that God has it all under control and He has set me free from worrying!  No more sadness, just peace in knowing God will take care of everything in His time and not mine! Praise the Lord!

I am thankful that I am now on the road to recovery once again from the storms in life that all of us encounter at one time or another.  I am feeling energized and fully motivated to continue on our journey together;  my daughter and I, to accomplish the mission we believe was meant to be for our lives.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything;  by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-8

Let There Be Peace On Earth

One of the things I love the most about being at the lake are the church steeple chimes that ring out everyday at 12:00 noon and 6:00 in the evening. I can see the beautiful steeple from my deck and thoroughly enjoy the peaceful calm that comes over me every time they ring! Following the bells of the hour, are always at least 2 hymns or songs that are so familiar! I just came in from listening to the 6:00 bells that rang out.......The hymn today was, "Let There Be Peace On Earth", you know the one I'm sure! The tune goes on to say, "and let it begin with me" , and so on! How appropriate, for all the hurt and chaos that is going on in our world today! So much sadness all around us! We ALL need God in our lives and in our hearts and soul.   ISAIAH 26:3  "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" Dear God, thank you for directing my path!

Last year, when I purchased this little place of mine in the mountains at Deep Creek Lake, I so wanted my sister to be a part of this adventure with me. So many things I thought we could do here together. There is a horse farm close by and my sister loved horses more than anything. I couldn't wait to get her here to see them and all the beauty that surrounds us here!

I sit alone right now and look across the table at the empty seat that I hoped so much, she would fill this year; to carry on our long conversations and much laughter that we always shared so much of, over a cup of coffee or tea and sometimes a glass of wine! Tears begin to fill my eyes once again for the hole I feel in my heart as she was taken much too soon. She never got that chance to share this time with me here, and I'm so sorry for that! I try each day to overcome the void left in my heart but it is hard, so very hard!

There is a "happy" ending to my story today, however, because life must go on and I know that I must be strong for others who also suffer her loss. Through our faith, I know and feel her "spirit" always with me because of the little "signs" she gives along the way! I talked about the church steeple chimes in the beginning of my post. Well, another sign came on the very first day I got here this past weekend. As the church bells began to play at 12:00 noon, I rushed out to my deck to take it all in once again! Sure enough, to my complete surprise, the same song began to play out from the church that I had as her ring tone on my phone! I sat there totally astonished! It was, "You Raised Me Up", the one that Josh Groban sings! There was my sign! God wanted to let me know that she IS with me here, even though I can't see her physically, I feel her presence with me always! Thank you God!

"Now, may the Lord of peace himself give you His peace of all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you."

FROM 2 THESSALONIANS 3:16

Tranquility At The Lake

So nice to be back at Deep Creek Lake once again!  It is here that I find the peace and tranquility that inspires me to continue my writing.  I have been out of touch for quite a while now, since the passing of my sister in January of this year.  The months that followed have not been easy.  It seemed   with every day, a new challenge would present itself.   Life can be that way sometimes.  The only difference for me was the fact that I no longer had my sister to call and talk to. We were always there for each other, for as long as I can remember!  I don’t believe that two sisters could ever be any closer than we were.  Birth made us sisters, but life made us “best friends”.  I am thankful for the time I did have with her and I feel blessed that through our faith, I know that her “Spirit” is always with me and we will be together again someday!  Thanks to God!

I am also thankful for the support of my daughter during the long winter months of my down time and writer’s block for her continued motivation and perseverance to carry me in our writing endeavor.  She has truly been the “wind beneath my wings”; especially these past few months.  She has not only kept our blog going, but has also  ventured out on her own as well,  to promote her first book; “Signs From God”!  We have both received many “signs” from God through the years and have made note of them.  We’ve also had many long conversations about these signs whenever they came up. It is such a comfort for both of us to talk about these spiritual events, as we understand each other’s feelings so well.  We  feel so blessed that God speaks to us in this way,  but  we realize that we’re not the only ones that God shows these signs to, if you’re open enough to look for the signs and believe.  This is where her story begins………..and it is an awesome read!   It is now in the editing and formatting stages in preparation for   publication, and we will keep you posted as the time draws closer for her book signing party.  We encourage our readers to also follow her new blog at:  www.sharonshabinaw.blogspot.com

With the long, cold, and painfully sad months now behind me, I am ready to continue with my writing and devotion to our readers. Thank you God for answered prayers and thank you for some prayers that have not been answered.  You are in control, and I know you are directing the path you want me to take according to your will, and I’m ok with that!

“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord’, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

God doesn’t always give us answers, but He always gives us assurance. He promises us a love that will never, never fail.