Counting Our Blessings

Ahh, Thanksgiving!  One of my favorite months because we focus on family, friends and all the blessings that God showers on each one of us every single day.  Everywhere we look we can see the beauty of  His hands that surround us.  Autumn has been absolutely spectacular with the beautiful changing of the leaves and the colors so majestically displayed. The weather was just perfect here in Maryland this year. One of God's blessings this Thanksgiving was no exception for our family. We will have a Thanksgiving story to share for many years to come. It goes like this:

Sharon and I had prepared Thanksgiving dinner for all who were available and in town for our immediate  family and that of  my sister's family as well, just like we have for the last few years, except there was one chair in particular that was missing this year. In January, my sweet sister, Iris left us to go home to be with our Lord. Such a sad time it was for all our family to start our year off. Little did we know then, that we would be blessed with "Little Iris", who would come into our lives and hearts in the same year.  God is an awesome God!  My sister's grand-daughter, Rachael, ironically announced that she was pregnant on my sister's birthday, May 23rd, and would be due in November. If they were to have a girl, the baby would be named after her Great Grandmother, Iris. What wonderful news this was for our family!

Well, as the story goes;  we formed a circle and said our prayers before sitting down for our meal, giving thanks for all God's blessings.  We  had just sat down for our Thanksgiving dinner, when Rae began to feel a bit uncomfortable.......yes, you guessed it, I'm sure!  Thus, began a night of much anticipation of the arrival of our little "Angel".  We have been blessed with a new baby in our family! We are proud to announce that Iris Frances Johnson was born on 11/27/15 to the proud parents of Rachael and Joseph Johnson, and I have been blessed to be the Great, Great, Aunt to my "Little Iris"! 

This is a funny story, because when I was a little girl, my big sister Iris, took care of me. When I did something she didn't like, as little girls will sometimes do; I would say to her, "Wait 'til I'm BIG and you're LITTLE" (or) "Wait 'til I'm the MOMMY and you're the BABY! It makes me laugh, every time I think of those memories I had with my sister.  I really believed that, and she would just look at me and smile.  There will always be a "void" in our lives with my sister gone, but we know and feel she is always with us in our hearts, minds and spirit. We thank God for His "special" gift this year.

May God Bless you and your families now and always!

When You Can't Do it All Yourself!

I don't know about you, but I find myself in this position all the time!  You try to make everyone happy, be everyone's 'rock' and support, get everything done so you can sit back and rest, but then something else pops up and you find yourself in the middle of doing everything yourself again.....sometimes it's so much easier just to get it done, right?  Well, I'm starting to realize that I can't do it all myself.  There just aren't enough hours in a day.  No matter how much I try, I'm only human and yes, I do have to take time for ME!

There is really only one person we need to answer to and that one person is who can do so much more for us, if we just ask!  That's right.....God!  Give Him our burdens, give Him praise for what He has given us and don't be afraid to ask what you really need.  Have faith that He will make it happen for us.  It may take longer than we anticipate, and it may come in a different manner than you envisioned, but in His timing and His way, He can make it happen!

Just to show you how this has worked in my life recently, I thank Him every night for what He has given me and the blessings He continues to bring my way.  I ask for His direction and support because I can't do this all by myself, and typically every night I fall asleep talking to him before I ever get to 'Amen'.  He helps me get the rest I need, and I wake up refreshed.  Then, throughout the day I am provided with the signs I need, and am led to what it is I am seeking.

For me this week, I was able to hire someone at work to help support my team.  Even though business is booming in the office and things are going in so many different directions, I have still be able to find time in the evening to connect with some marketing resources that are going to help promote our book. Marketing takes so much time, and having someone else to help support that effort is key.  I wasn't able to break away for a lunch meeting with Mom today, but she filled both of our shoes and got the job done!  Tomorrow she is going to hit up the Senior Center and look into a book signing.  Between her and my husband, Tom, they've been a huge help around the house.  So things are getting done, and I don't have to do it all myself!  And neither do you!

It's a great feeling when you can come to terms with that realization - like a weight is lifted from your shoulders.  So, look to God, reach out to your loved ones for support, and know that everyone needs someone and together you can accomplish so much more!  It doesn't have to be perfect, but when it's done with love, nothing can be done better!

First Book Signing - A HUGE SUCCESS!!!!

The day started out with butterflies of anticipation and wonderment of how it would go, how many would show up to support us, and how it would be received.  We had faith in God knowing that it would be successful, and it is He who we give all the Glory.  The turnout was awesome, and the support amazing!  It was a such a cozy atmosphere full of love in the presence of family, friends, contributors, and supporters.  But, most importantly, new friendships were started that we hope will continue to grow and strengthen over time!  We were able to shake the hands of those that truly support us in our journey and want this book and our story to get out.  The feedback we have received has been so positive and encouraging.  We can't thank you enough for the support we are continuing to receive!  The kind words, the book reviews, additional orders - they all keep coming!  This has been an amazing journey so far, and we are so excited for what is yet to come!

Here are some picture of this special day we would like to share with you.

Even Bad Chapters Can Make A Great Story!

When times are tough, we often wonder....how could God let that happen? Why? 

But, did you ever stop and think there has to be a reason?  Sometimes it is the unanswered prayers that seem to change our lives for the better.  Maybe we are going through a tough separation or divorce and we just don't get it... How could this be for the better?  As a single parent you start to wonder how can I do this alone?  How will this impact my children?  And then, out of nowhere, one day you meet that one person that changes your life forever.  You are no longer alone, you have a soul mate, you have a relationship that is built on trust and love and faith that is much greater than you ever imagined before.  Your children get to grow up with yet another role model, and in some cases a role model much better than their previous.  You've never been happier, and at some point you sit back and remember how devastated you once were.  You may have thought life was not worth living, and then you realize how wrong you were!  People come in your life, and go out of your life for a reason and for a season, and we learn from everyone we meet!  We may learn how to deal better with situations.  We may learn something about ourselves that we never even realized. Then some people are just meant to lead us to another person and another opportunity that is just waiting for us!

Then, there are those times when it really gets tough and we lose that someone special to a death and we are totally overwhelmed with grief and may even lose our faith in God for a short time.  These are the hardest of times, but these times are when God is testing us.  We have to remain strong, faithful, and trust that He has a plan.  No matter how hard it is to comprehend, we have to believe that He loves every one of us and wants nothing but the best for us.  It is all in His timing, and maybe He felt that time was now in order to relieve our loved one from suffering any longer.  And yes, maybe he was answering their prayer to end their suffering, and in turn our prayer went unanswered.  There is so much more beyond our comprehension and we will never know the reasons why, at least not until we get to meet our Lord in person.  Until that time comes, all we can do is lay our trust in Him for our own good. We are His children and He wants the best for us.  We may think we know what's best, but it's God who has the play book and knows our every move and controls the game of life!

Stay strong, stay in faith, look for the positive in everything because even through the darkest of storms, God will get you through.  Sometimes He may have to carry you, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Stay focused on that Light for He is the Light, and with Him all things are possible!

What Are You Waiting On?

The message was clear as we all sat in Church Sunday morning waiting for the Pastor to come on stage after we sang our praises to the Lord.  Except, he remained seated, patiently waiting just like the rest of us for what seemed minutes.  We all wondered what he was doing.  What’s he waiting for? The stage was empty and there was no movement, except for the heads and eyes of those wondering what’s going on?

Then, finally, from behind stage came the leader of the Sermon who delivered the message, “What are you waiting on?”  Then it seemed to all make sense and we all had a chuckle.  Though, it was the message that started to unfold that was totally mind blowing for me personally.  So much so, that I couldn’t keep back the tears.  His message was speaking to how when Moses was forty years old he didn’t have the faith that God could bring him a congregation.  So, he pushed forward in his own way in an attempt to achieve this goal.  Due to Moses’ lack of faith, God made Moses wait another 40 years before He led the congregation to Moses.  Had Moses not remained dependent on God for those 40 years, he would have had to have waited faithfully another 40 years.   He went on to say that there are three choices we can make when deciding to have faith in God, His Plan, and in His timing.  They are:

·        Dependency:  When we are waiting for that ‘one thing’ to happen and we are dependent on God’s timing.  We stay strong in our faith with Him throughout the entire journey until we receive His God Driven Will for us.  When we are waiting for that ‘one thing’, and we realize that His timing is not ours, and yet, we patiently wait until His time presents itself.  Then, that ‘thing’ we were waiting for….. it happens, and it is better than we expected!

·        Disillusionment: when we get tired of waiting for that ‘thing’ and push forward in our own haphazard way because we got tired of waiting for His time to come.  Then when we receive what we thought we were waiting on, we realize it is not exactly what we wanted, or needed.  We are then faced with disillusionment!

·        Devastation:  when we wait, and wait, and wait and we never receive that ‘thing’ because we didn’t follow His Plan or His lead due to our lack of faith.  We are then devastated; because, we ran out of timing waiting…..

As I sat there listening to the message, I started to count the years in my head.  Mom and I have wanted to write our book, “A Mountain to Climb” for 35 years now.  “Nope, that’s not forty years”, I thought.  But then, when I added in the five years before mom’s miraculous healing…..that added up to 40 years.  Five years of suffering, and then 35 years of working together with God by our side leading us down His chosen path for us.  The closer we got to the 40 years, the clearer the ‘Signs from God’ became for both of us.  It was year 40 when the light became so bright, and the mission so clear.  As these thoughts and the clarity of it all started to resonate in my mind, the tears began to fall. 

There is no doubt in my mind that the success of our first book, “Signs from God”, and all of its Glory, goes to God!  I am so thankful to Him, Mom, our faith, and His presence throughout our lives and this journey.  It may have taken us 40 years to get her “testimony” written and published, but now it all makes sense that we had to wait those 40 faithful years until He would allow our dream to become a reality!  There is no stopping us now.  With God by our side, and faith in His timing, there is nothing we cannot do together!

If you are interested in listening to the sermon, here's the Link: What Are You Waiting For?

A Taste of What's to Come!

Well, we've had the books in our hands now for just over two weeks and we can't tell you how excited we are for all the love and support we have received so far.  We've been to two Women's Networking Luncheon's trying to promote the book, secure some additional book signing engagements, etc.  So far, this has proven to be very successful.  Today's Luncheon in Sykesville gave Mom and I a taste of what our first 'Official' Book Signing will be like and it was AWESOME!!!  We had the opportunity to share our story and our journey and how we want to help others that are suffering from depression and anxiety.  The Sykesville Community is again coming through for us in more ways than one.  We met some wonderful ladies today and we are certain that we will be building some long-term relationships as a result after meeting with such a great group of ladies - a group of ladies that are all striving towards success and the betterment of each other and our community.

After everyone had an opportunity to share their story / mission / business, etc and the lunch was concluding, we had a gathering around us of so many interested in not only buying our book, but hearing about our stories and our thoughts on the subject of recognizing Signs from God.  Two ladies are very involved in their Church Community and plan to share this with them, and one even wants a supply of books to place in their Church not only to share, but to sell for us!  "Great Christmas Presents", she said!  And another is thinking about a Bible Study with our Book!  We can't be more pleased or excited, and truly look forward to seeing them again, as well as some new faces, next month!

This journey is just beginning!  Who knows where it will take us!

Turning Back the Hands of Time

AUTUMN, and with the beautifully colored falling leaves, also comes setting back the hands on the clock for just one more hour of time to gain. Think about that for a moment.  Wouldn't it be nice if we could just go back in time ourselves to certain times in our lives that we would want to re-live once again?  To be with our loved ones who have passed just one more time to share a story, or follow their every word of a story they may have told, or would have liked to tell?  Ah, memories - those sweet "Rocking Chair" memories; that is what I like to refer them to. Some are good, some are bad, but they are memories just the same, etched in our minds and hearts forever.

Then again, for some of us we may like to change some of the times we may have gone through. I know I would.  I don't believe that anyone has a life full of everything good and positive.  We all will have trials and tribulations to go through while experiencing life here on earth, but all of us have a different journey, and every life matters.  I believe we are here for a purpose, and eventually the puzzle pieces of our lives begin to fit together. Personally, those of you who have been following our blog and now our website, know my history and what I feel my purpose is.  It is true that I have lost almost 5 long years of  not only my life, but that of my family's as well, suffering with depression, anxiety attacks and worse yet, a nervous breakdown going through a divorce many years ago. However, fast forward in time, I am here now and stronger than I have ever been in my life! For all those years, I have kept my thoughts, feelings and experiences of that horrific time in my life stifled and hidden in my mind for fear of others not believing me.  No more! I experienced a miraculous healing in 1980 and it was for a purpose.  That purpose was to help others today going through similar dark times in their lives. Don't be ashamed. Depression is an illness just like any other illness and you can and will get through it too, with the help and grace of God. To God be the Glory!

My daughter and I have been on this journey together to spread the word of inspiration and hope. We have now added a new page on our website, www.windbeneathourwings.net, titled Depression & Hope. Check it out, and feel free to share your stories and/or contact me personally, private and/or open discussion on this Blog, or through Facebook, www.facebook.com/MyStory1980.  Be sure to get your copy of  "Signs from God", our first book published together.  Available through our website, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or other ebook suppliers.

Wishing everyone a healthy, happy, and  beautiful fall season.  God Bless You and God Bless America!

Our Calendars are Filling Up!!!

Hey Everyone!

Things are starting to happen and our Calendars are filling up with Events.  Be sure to check out our Events page and mark your calendars.  I'll probably be adding to it again in the next couple of days!!  Stay tuned and check back often.

www.windbeneathourwings.net

God Continues To Make Things Happen

As many of you know, the books have arrived and we are so excited for what comes next.  So far, it's been a lot of long hours researching into the evenings and weekends, planning our first Book Signing Party, subsequent book signings, and building our network.  You see we don't want to stop at just one book signing, if we are going to spread the word, we need to spread the word.  That is where Mom is going to play a large role in building our contacts and networking with other groups of women in our area.  We already have a number #1 Fan (thank you Sandy) that has reached out to us in hopes of helping with our marketing strategy as well, and we couldn't be more excited to have her support!  

If anyone knows of any groups, women's networking groups, etc. that you feel we could partake in and bring value to, please let us know.  We have already been in contact with one at Deep Creek Lake and here locally in Sykesville, Chicks in Charge, where we will be able to share our book and the journey we are on!  We look forward in getting involved with even more as we continue on this journey following God's plan for us.  Be sure to check out our updated Events page on our website www.windbeneathourwings.net for the latest events and locations you'll be able to see us and obtain our first book, "Signs from God"!

This book was God's desire, and He is bringing the right people to us to make it a success!  We are continuing to follow His path and are amazed at every turn where we can't quite see what's around the corner, but know it is He who is leading us in the right direction!

Thanks for following us on this journey and for all of your support along the way!

Blessings,
Sharon & Arlene

Getting Ready For the Fall

It's actually been nice to be home the past few weeks.  A great day spent together with Mom getting lots of planning done for our first book signing and trying to line up some additional ones as well.  Our Events Page on our website will fill up before we know it!  This is God's plan and His Season is approaching.  I have no fear He will make this book a success and bring the right people into our lives to keep this dream alive so that we can follow His plan and our ultimate goal....it will happen, and all the praise will go to Him!

I dug out my decorations tonight and am feeling great!  Fall is in the air and so is God!  We feel His presence and know He is control!

WindBeneathOurWings.NET

We are pleased to announce that we now have our own Website!  

CLICK to Visit Our New Website

You'll also be able to link to our website through our existing Blog.  Our Website is where we will be updating our upcoming Events, and link you to Amazon where you can buy our book. We have also created a Monthly Dedication page that we are excited about.  We will be expressing our gratitude to those special people that have blessed our lives; whether it be personally, spiritually, or through a brief encounter that left us feeling touched with the desire to acknowledge their presence in our lives!

Be sure to share and like our site, and most importantly we urge you to share your story!

Signs From God

GREAT news ........ The book is finished and has just arrived in the mail! "Signs From God", our first book, is now available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle version. You can always purchase through Barnes & Noble, as well as other e-book suppliers.  Please look us up and be sure to give it a review after you're finished it!  We'll keep you posted as to the events of our book signing and other events that will be taking place in the near future. This adventure has been truly driven by God. We have only followed His lead and the signs and nudges along the way that He has provided.

Thank you for sharing our journey with us ....It is our hope that you will be inspired by the stories we have shared.  It is true!......Everyone has a story - won't you tell us yours?  We are accepting stories now for our next book of the series, and looking forward to hearing from you of any spiritual encounters you may have had or to just share how God is working in your life.  Remember, it is also those unanswered prayers that you've experienced that may be a benefit to you today - but you couldn't see it at the time you were praying for something else.  God does have a plan for all our lives.  Just trust in Him to see you through the tough times and He will open doors in your life that you never thought possible!  With God, all things are possible.

Have a wonderful day!

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