Daily we, or someone we love, suffers. Finances wane and making the mortgage payment is no longer possible. A dear friend or family member receives a cancer diagnosis. A baby, hoped for and prayed for, is lost to miscarriage. A child is abused. The scenarios are endless, as is the pain. Or so it seems in the moment.

But our hope never wanes…

If you’ve read my novels you know some of them are loosely based on my own suffering. Most notable, perhaps, is Words, which was based on the childhood abuse I endured for many years. Words is not my story, but the emotions and suffering my protagonist Kaylee experiences came straight from my own life and heart.

As a survivor of sexual abuse, I discovered the road to healing, for me, is long and winding. It has included many years of therapy with qualified counselors, building trusting relationships with members of the body of Christ who’ve offered God’s love and mercy, and, of course, the reading of many books. But first and foremost, it has involved getting to know the Truth, Jesus Christ, by spending time in His Word and in prayer and allowing the Spirit of God to unravel the many lies I believed, and sometimes still believe, about myself and about God. My own healing journey will continue, I believe, throughout the remainder of my lifetime.

Throughout my journey, Hope, Jesus Christ is with me–His Spirit, the Comforter–within me.

I can’t imagine doing life alone, without hope. I can’t imagine believing this is all there is…

If you are overwhelmed by difficult circumstances, I pray you’ll sense God’s hope.

If, like me, you’ve also suffered the indignity of abuse–sexual, physical, or emotional–or have dealt with or are facing any of the other issues depicted in my novels, I’d like to share with you the titles of some of the books that have aided in my own healing, in my research of other issues dealt with in my novels, and in deepening my relationship with God. Perhaps you will find some of these books helpful too.

You are not alone…

You’ll find my list of resources on the Resources for Readers page.