T.O.P.'s Tuesday...A Goal for April 3, 2013

On April 3, 2013, my first book, Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey will be released. This is the first time since 1994 my family has looked forward to this April date. Of course our hearts will still break, the normal grief associated with the anniversary of our loss will still be present, and Heidi will be on the forefront of our thoughts and prayers BUT this year's anniversary will be different.

Our hope, healing, joy, excitement, and anticipation to share my first book with you is an answer to prayer. Instead of planning where we might escape to on April third to hideaway, we will be meeting many of you at book signings. Instead of crying into our pillows in the privacy of our homes, we will receive encouragement from all of you as you share your hearts. 

As if this isn't enough, instead of focusing on the negative and pain of the 19th anniversary of Heidi's disappearance there is a new focus...HOPE! Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey is my story. A book written about the kidnapping of Heidi M. Allen from the viewpoint of her only sister, me. My prayer and hope is that my story will help others heal from the pain induced by loss in your lives. 

It will it be a challenge this coming April to maintain a smile throughout the day yet I know it is going to be a great day. God is faithful and loves me. God loves my entire family. The book release date was selected purposefully to show tragedy does not have to control your life. God is a loving and compassionate God. Heidi may have disappeared on April 3, 1994 yet her memory remains.

This year instead of mourning, we will be singing, praising, and celebrating the time we had with her as look ahead, not behind.

My entire family was blessed and overwhelmed with the outpouring of your support for Heidi as we reached the 1,000 Facebook likes in less than three weeks during the month of September. It was exciting and such an encouragement each day to watch the number slowly climb from around three-hundred to 1,077 during the month. 

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With each new like, a prayer of thanks and blessing was said for those who chose to follow the "Where's Heidi?" Facebook page. Please know your "likes" are appreciated and lifted as praise. With this said, here is our challenge and new goal.

Our new goal is 6,935 Facebook likes on April 3, 2013!

I know, relax, this is a huge number yet we serve an even bigger God. Where did we come up with such an astronomical number? Glad you asked, it comes from the heart. 

This is not a random number but represents the number of days Heidi has missing as of April 3, 2013. During the first weeks and months of Heidi's search, the Palladium Times, an Oswego newspaper, included a photo of Heidi and the number of days she had been missing. As I  go through news clippings for T.O.P.'s Tuesday, this little graphic captured my heart.   

Nineteen years ago the community remembered Heidi and counted the days. With today's new technology I thought it would be neat to "count the days missing" with Facebook "likes" between now and April 3rd. This will take much prayer, sharing, and "liking" yet we believe it is a goal we can reach. 

6,935 days missing...6,935 Facebook "likes" on the "Where's Heidi?" Facebook page by April 3, 2013! 

We can do this! Thanks for joining us as we strive to reach this goal. May God bless you in return.

For a direct link to the "Where's Heidi?" Facebook page, click on any of today's photographs.

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The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
   and provide for those who grieve in Zion--
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:1-3