T.O.P.'s Tuesday - Overwhelmed by YOUR Words

Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey released three weeks ago today. The response since this is amazing. The Lord has opened up many opportunities to share both my books, my testimony, and my love to write at different venues. 

Each reminds me of His goodness and provision ~ your hugs, notes, emails, comments, and feedback are a huge encouragement. Some of you might not realize this, but I continue to work full-time while speaking and traveling full-time to share Where's Heidi? and When the Waves Subside as different venues invite me.

We knew this would be a challenge to keep a healthy balance of family, "school" work, and "author/speaker" work times. A challenge we are up to and in God's strength, the scale won't tip in one direction more than the other. There are scheduled days of rest on the calendar to ensure I don't do too much. 

I struggle to say no when a library, church, or organization contacts me. Their invitation to share how God worked in my life in the days and months following Heidi's kidnapping, and continues to work today is a joy ~ one we believe God has called me to do. 

Some ask, "Why are doing both? Why don't you quit working so you can write, speak, and share full-time?" This always triggers a chuckle before my response, the answer...we need to eat and pay bills, hence I work. I believe the recent statistic is 1% or less of published authors are able to support themselves with only monies earned through their writing. I am happily in the majority here. 

Don't get me wrong, to live the dream of working from home as author and speaker would be a blessing but at this point in time, it is merely a dream. I love my job and the people I work ~ I would so miss seeing them every day. I'm blessed to work with an "extended family" Monday through Friday ~ a support network providing daily encouragement, love, and support in a variety of ways...ways they don't even realize.

I am God's kid working as a teacher's assistant by day and an author and speaker outside the school day. Both I enjoy and feel are the places God wants me to be at this time. I will treasure both as opportunities to serve & practice obedience.


As we all move forward in this adventure of surviving, thriving, and trusting God for all ~ a huge THANKS goes out to all of you. I hope you all know how valuable, precious and appreciated the emails, private messages on Facebook, comments on Facebook and the blog, letters to my post office box (P.O. Box 261, New Haven, New York 13121), notes, and hugs encourage and motivate me on the days when the exhaustion wants to win.

---

Your Words Encourage Me

"You really touched me last time I heard you speak. You said 'my pain is no different than your pain', that really stuck with me. Thank you..."

"I shared your book with a friend I'm witnessing to. We are talking about as we go through, comparing how far we've each read. It's been good for discussion."



"It (Where's Heidi?) impacted my life when you had the first book signing (on April 3, 2013) at the convenience store your sister disappeared from. You said, 'it's not a bad place, something bad happened.' in your interview on the news, you made me think. I hadn't been to the store since 4/3/94 until you said that. Thank you." 

"I love the study questions at the back of the book. They are well written and though-provoking. They made me think."

"Must be you got up late today because your blog wasn't posted. You are part of my morning routine ~ I missed it."

---

Our Tuesday blogs are titled, T.0.P.'s Tuesday and will provide you with information relating to the release of Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey. It might be an upcoming speaking engagement, the cover, an excerpt, or bizarre tidbits about the publishing process you may not be aware of.

Why is it called T.O.P.'s Tuesday? Great question! Heidi played volleyball for the Bishop Cunningham Jr./Sr. High School until it closed in 1992. On February 14th, 1992 the Palladium Times (an Oswego, New York newspaper) named my sister, Heidi M. Allen athlete of the week. This was exciting and we were all proud of her but it was the name they gave her that stirred the most attention, "Tower of Power". 

---

Thank YOU ALL!! I pray you are encouraged half as much as I...