I was raised in a rural farming community in Iowa for the first 16 years of life. The family moved to Minnesota where I finished high school and then pursued academics. I met my husband, David, during his internship with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We married in 1969, and have ministered together in Idaho, Indiana, Ohio, Mihigan, Australia, Germany, Finland, and Canada--David as pastor, counselor, and trainer, I as educator and helpmate. We have two daughters and five grandchildren.
I write for two audiences: adults readers who want to understand their God-given design and walk in it as victorious Christians, and children.
I began telling stories when I had enough brothers for an audience! There were four all told and finally a sister, but by then I was 14! We lived on a farm in N.E. Iowa near the Mississippi River and attended school in a one-room schoolhouse. I draw on the adventures of growing up for my children's stories. Sassy Pants is the first in a series of four. The second, Sassy Pants Makes Amends will be released April 17, 2012. And, who knows how many more critters will leave paw or hoof prints on a page--there were many of them on that farm!
I received a B.A. in Anthropology and Languages from Bethel College, St. Paul, Minnesota in 1968, and elementary education teaching certification in 1972 from Boise State College, Boise, Idaho. While our children were small, I substituted in the local elementary school, helped out at church, and was a stay-at-home Mom. In 1986, I received an M.A. in College Instruction with special emphasis in English As A Second Language from Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA. I taught at North Idaho Jr. College, Gonzaga University, and Whitworth College. I joined my husband at Elijah House, Inc., Post Falls, ID as Education Director in 1989. In 1994 while teaching in Germany, I experienced physical difficulties that were later diagnosed as multiple sclerosis. We spent 8 years in Victoria, B.C. where David supervised the internship of Elijah House Canada. I spent that time as intercessor, in recovery, and writing The Mystery of Spiritual Sensitivity and its companion volume, Highly Sensitive. Subsequently, the Lord has commission me to pull together the dreams and visions with which He taught me many lessons. He sees a parallel between the struggles involved in living with MS and where the Church is today. This work is in progress.
In addition to being passionate about reading and writing, I enjoy nature, music, and playing the piano. I also do pottery, knit, crochet, spinning yarn and paint. David and I worship at a bilingual church ministering to Hispanics in the Great Lakes area.
As well as write, I also speak to various groups, in churches and out, give seminars and workshops, of limited duration. You can find that information at www.fromgodsheart.com. My current faith assignment is to stay close to Jesus so that I can hear what He says and write it down.
"How to fix a friendship when you are the one who broke it!"/span>
Sassy Pants’s bad behavior pushed everyone away. A close encounter with an electric fence broke off the stone that had been forming around her heart; it helped her begin to notice and care, but too late. No one trusted her.
How do you fix a friendship when you are the one who broke it? Old Clyde knew a way. He asked little Molly lamb to “be friendly” even though she didn’t trust Sassy Pants. The two of them put their heads together—but not too close—and came up with a plan to make amends—to think of something that was important to Gerald, Maude, and Kitty Cat and make it become important to Sassy Pants too--something that would go way beyond sorry and give the offended friend reason to trust her again.
Follow Sassy Pants as she works to repair the friendships she broke! Learn with her how to fix a friendship when you are the one who broke it. Find out how Sassy Pants learns to apologize, ask forgiveness and make amends with the help of two special friends. Making amends is not easy, but having friends is worth it!
Pages 84
Published April 17th 2021 by Tate Publishing
Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Books-A-Million
My Thoughts
In book one Sassy Pants was a self-centered trouble maker and bully. Sassy thought she did not need farm animals to be her friends because she thought she was people and belonged in the house with the other people. She caused so much misery for the people and animals on the farm. The farm animals did not want to play with her even though it had been awhile since she caused a ruckus.
What could she do to make the other animals like her? It would be nice to have friends to play with. Finally Miss Molly and the wise old horse that lived on the farm came up with a plan. They would use positive attitudes and acts of kindness to teach Sassy how to be a friend to others. Then the other animals decided they would follow Miss Molly's example.
But they probably thought she would try to play some kind of trick on them again.
- Will they be able to make amends?
- Will Sassy ever get to play with any of them?
- Why should they feel sorry for her or forgive her?
- Do you think if she forgave Farmer White and Mrs. White for sending her back to the pig pen that God would heal her bitter heart and let others see she was sincere in her apologies?
- Then do you think they might find it in their heart to forgive her?
This is such a good book for children to learn to be kind and humble. Not vindictive and destructive or being a bully.
In the Lord's Prayer it says, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.I think this book is a good example of that verse in the Lord's Prayer.
The colorful and fun illustrations will spark the child's imagination bringing the words alive within the illustrations.
I highly recommend this book.
I rate this book a 5+ out of 5.
Disclosure
I received a free copy of this book from the author for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.
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