I m a wife, mother and grandmother. I have always enjoyed writing even from an early age. My book Beyond the Ashes has been written as a labour of love. All the characters are real to me and their story needed to be told. As a Christian my desire is to write General Fiction stories about real people but Hope and a desire for 'better' will always be part of the journey. I have had several short stories published over the years and moderate success in writing competitions.
I realized as I was thinking today (30/01/15) that perhaps I should add here that I have had life experiences of many valley times but also many mountain top experiences. I can understand and be beside anyone who finds their life in tatters because I have 'been' there. Of course as I have got older as well there have been the added sorrows of losing not only older family members but also one by one finding the dearest of friends and the ones of greatest support and care also dying. On the site of rich mountains has been my certainty of the value of marriage and how grateful I am that after loss and sadness I made a happy and long-lasting marriage commitment. The one who was my best friend back then is still my best friend 45 years later. Beyond the Ashes touches upon the POWER of LOVE when folk can forget about their own personal 'feelings' and reach out in LOVE to a desperate and broken person.
Faye! The second image was very profound for me… MANY, many years ago I identified how I carried all my sins around in a suitcase. Each time I entered the confessional it was as if I emptied them – which was always life giving. However, I never recognized that even though I emptied out the luggage I still managed to carry those pieces around. I couldn’t relinquish the baggage. That is until it became IMMENSELY too heavy for me. At that moment in my life I recognized how if I failed to let Christ pick up my unpacked luggage and walk away with it, I would continue to be weighed down by the many burdens of my sinfulness. It wasn’t enough to simply “ask for forgiveness” I had to relinquish all the pain, sorrow, and suffering encased around it. From the moment I allowed Him to be my bell-porter my spiritual life improved and a brand new life in Christ began. I am grateful to you for the reminder of that life-giving moment all those many years ago! Hugs to you for regifting it to me!
PASSIONATE CREATIVE CHRISTIAN 
Sad but true. ❤
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Faye! The second image was very profound for me… MANY, many years ago I identified how I carried all my sins around in a suitcase. Each time I entered the confessional it was as if I emptied them – which was always life giving. However, I never recognized that even though I emptied out the luggage I still managed to carry those pieces around. I couldn’t relinquish the baggage. That is until it became IMMENSELY too heavy for me. At that moment in my life I recognized how if I failed to let Christ pick up my unpacked luggage and walk away with it, I would continue to be weighed down by the many burdens of my sinfulness. It wasn’t enough to simply “ask for forgiveness” I had to relinquish all the pain, sorrow, and suffering encased around it. From the moment I allowed Him to be my bell-porter my spiritual life improved and a brand new life in Christ began. I am grateful to you for the reminder of that life-giving moment all those many years ago! Hugs to you for regifting it to me!
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