The Author Post: Blog #25, "The Precise Time of Year for Your Miracle"

Do You Want a Miracle? Well, it is the PRECISE TIME of year for your miracle!

MIRACLES are Divine Events Orchestrated by God to those who Believe. They are miraculous occurrences in the physical world that "surpass all known human or natural powers," and are manifested as a true work of God.

In the natural, an unexplained welcome happening is impossible to believe. In the supernatural, an unexplained welcome happening is possible to believe. The key is to believe and have true, earnest faith that ALL things are possible. Matthew 19:26 says, "But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Mark 11:24 says, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." God is amazing and can do amazing things in the lives of his faithful believers. 

Have you ever had days or certain times in your life when everything seems so hopeless and that things will never improve?.. Times that you just break down, thinking, How will I ever get out of this rut? 

The circumstances may involve grieving for a friend or a loved one, when life seems so hard and impossible without them. It may be that your finances and income have lessened and you actually don't know how you're going to pay the bills and provide for your family. Or, maybe you're just wondering if this is all there is to life, wondering, When will it be MY time to shine! Or, maybe you have experienced all of the above.

I went through all of these exact instances, and they continue on. My Mom went to be with the Lord suddenly in 2007 and my Dad, last year. I was devastated at each of their passing and somehow, someway, I had to go on without them. Being close to God, I feel their presence through Him. God has eased my grieving pain by allowing me to remember all that they stood for and taught me while on Earth, how they gave their support and stood by me, and how I still want to make them proud.

Although being a single mother of two daughters has been challenging, it has been an incredible journey and blessing to me as well. I wouldn't give up a moment of it! My girls are my everything and I've tried to do my very best in raising them in a Christian home. I remain faithful that any difficult time will pass. It is such a Blessing to the three of us to have my fiance in our lives, as well as my sister and nephew, who give me hope and confidence continuously.

Besides designing web sites, God gave me the special purpose of writing. When I get an overabundance of ideas in my head, I have to write them down. Like this blog, for example. Also, like my first published book in a series of ten, "Bibletoons: Adventure with Noah." I'm extremely passionate about this continuous story. My main character, Percy Porcupine, states in the book that, "There has got to be more to life than this!" Then, he goes on the adventure of a lifetime. His miracle happened!

Humbly speaking, my dream has begun to become a reality and I'm half way there in becoming a successful children's author. However, book sales have not reached the sales mark for my second book (already written) to go into production. The market, especially for Christian children's books, is not as "popular" as other categories and there is so much competition with more well know authors, even though my book is available worldwide. But, I know that if God brought me to it, that He'll bring me through it. It pleases me so much to bring God's Word into children's hearts, helping them to learn and know His promises.

As I included in Book One of Bibletoons, Psalm 1:3 says, "They are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season and its leaves don't die. Everything they do will succeed." Be strong and remain faithful and DETERMINED that your miracle will appear.

So, in order to press on, I had to shake off all the sadness, financial hardships, unknown purpose and fear. God said in Isaiah 46:10 that, "My Counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose." Also, in Luke 1:36 when the angel Gabriel was sent from God and appeared before a troubled Mary in Galilee saying, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD is a thought that gives me the chills! Just imagine it. Having the favor of God in your life would simplify things, making life's adversities dwindle. Finding favor with God means being blessed with a miracle.

What better time than the present for your miracle! Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks for all we've been blessed with and a time of spiritual renewal. From Thanksgiving through Christmas, we gain a special connection to our Heavenly Father. Looking forward to cherished times and ultimate abundance is what we hope for. Step up your faith and really thank God in earnest for all you have and He will bless you with more! He sees your every need and knows your path through life. Matthew 10:30 says, "Even the hairs of your head are numbered." Your miracle is on its way!

Feel the season! Live the season! Hope! Dream! Pray! Believe! Dive into your Blessings! Get excited! Be the BEST person you can be in God's eyes and your long awaited MIRACLE will present itself. Imagine your life when it does!

Stay close to God and all His Glory, for THIS is the season of MIRACLES!

Happy Thanksgiving and a Healthy, Merry Christmas and New Year to you all!!!

The Author Post: Blog #24, "A Novel Idea"

It came to me at 3 a.m. one dark and quiet morning a few years back. It seems that God often wakes me up at 3 a.m. when He wants to speak to my Spirit and answer my prayers. I'd been praying for God to give me new direction in my life. Yes, I'd been doing things I loved and making a living at them. But, I didn't feel fulfilled. I looked back at my whole life on that somber morning, my restless mind taking me in all different directions, and finally came to a distinct realization. I really and truly love to write! I'd always been good in English through my school years, getting special recognition for certain composition works and praise from my teachers. I can still hear the echoing words billowing from Miss Dixon, "Erin, you have it in you to be a great writer someday." (Encouragement is one of the greatest gifts to give a child..I always remembered her encouragement.) I had enjoyed thinking up bizarre stories as a kid and loved acting them out in plays. My dream from five years old was to be an accomplished writer. So, why not? What was holding me back? Insecurity? Thoughts of failure? Maybe, but all I knew was that God was guiding me and would be there through the long journey and that I had to try. 

Bibletoons began with one idea. Do you own a Bible? Do you read your Bible? Well, how would you like to physically jump in it and go back to the Bible days of old? That's exactly what my characters do in this series. They meet all kinds of Bible heros first hand and become part of the story. It is a delicately spiritual series mainly for children ages 3-12 years, although adults love it, too! I wrote the first rough book and shared it with my Pioneer Girls Club that I led at church. They really loved it by their radiant smiles and wide eyes at the end! So, I began to pursue my dream with determined and loving support and enthusiasm from my two wonderful daughters. On my knees, I prayed for God to Bless everyone who came in contact with my manuscript at the Christian publishing company and every adult and child who would read it in the future.

Humbly speaking, the contract was at my door within two weeks of submission, the very first manuscript I had ever submitted and chosen from tens of thousands of manuscripts they receive each year. I would write a Bibletoons series of nine sequels, a total of ten books. So, I ask you..."Does God answer prayers?!" I would say He DOES! Book One, Adventure with Noah went into production soon after and nine months later, in July of 2012, it was a bright and colorful book ready to be introduced to children everywhere! Of course, I can't take the credit for it, as I feel that God is the author!

Within a year's time, Bibletoons became available in over fifty countries worldwide and online, at major book stores like Barnes & Noble, Living Word Parable Christian Store, Books-A-Million and Amazon. I have had numerous promotions and book signings at libraries, book stores, events, fairs, festivals, speaking engagements, radio talk shows and even a TV interview. Bibletoons eBooks including Sony Reader, Nook, Kindle 2, iPad and iPhone 4 are available, as well as new Hardcovers. Bibletoons: Book One, Adventure with Noah continues to bring joy to children.

However, this year sales have slowed down. My second book is waiting to go into production as soon as the first book reaches the sales goal. So, I felt the need to step it up a bit. After all, God may be testing me. It's so difficult not to get discouraged. After all, I want this exciting journey to continue at a faster pace. But, I've waited this long, and besides, it's not about my timing..it's all about God's! (It took the Chicken Soup authors, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, 13 years to become an "overnight sensation!")

So, dropping to my knees often, I ask God to help me reach my audience. I thank Him for blessing those who have been reading my work and those who will read it in the future. Writing has become a way of life for me. I design web sites, too, for my company, WorldHorizons Web, that I began 14 years ago, and writing is a major part of my web work. I am writing blogs, such as this one here at The Author Post, and besides my Bibletoons work, I have been writing a Christian Novel that I expect to be published in 2016. 

God keeps my ideas flowing! I know that at this precise time in my life, my writing is touching more and more lives and bringing more and more children to Jesus. The main thing that I feel is essential is that even if only one child sees the window of God's teachings through Bibletoons, then my whole journey has been worth it! I love God's beautiful children and have been called to serve them through Him in this blessed way. God's challenge for me has been A Novel Idea!

(For more information on Bibletoons, please go to www.bibletoons.tateauthor.com)

Send me an email at bibletoons@gmail.com for a personalized copy for your little loved ones. :)

Go to any book store online and search me! I'd love some reviews!

I'm always available for Sunday School talks, Library visits, events, book signings, etc. Thank you for reading!

Faithfully yours, 

H. Erin Nelson

The Author Post: Blog #23, "I Opened My Eyes to a Brand New Day"

I opened my eyes this morning to a brand new day. I could smell the fresh scent of sweet white blossoms on the Dogwood outside my open window; the breeze from my small fan on the dresser sending a pleasing aroma throughout the room. It's Spring again, finally!

There are two things I think of when I think of Spring. The fresh feeling one gets as a sense of new beginnings after a long, hard winter; warm weather, fresh air, open windows, the sound of leaves blowing in the breeze, distant sounds of lawnmowers, the smell of flowers and fresh cut grass, and most distinctly, the joyful smiles and sounds of people enjoying the outdoors. God had the perfect plan for Spring!

I also think of new birth and rebirth; a distinct time of year when we can look at our lives and regroup. It is a new time to put everything into perspective and focus more on the purpose that God created us for.

We can look back on our pasts and see how far we've come in our lives through God's protective goodness.
We can look forward to our futures and see how far God is going to bring us, through our belief and faith.
Let us look to this time of year as a chance to enhance our lives in a fresh new way; a time to search who we are in God's eyes and a time to begin stepping it up...as we continue to faithfully look up.

God is always there to lead us to a righteous path where good and favor lie straight ahead. We just need to redirect and align our footsteps to the place where our footprints meet His, so that He can carry us to a brand new, exciting and abundant future! This is a beautiful season of passion. Enjoy life in all its glory! 

This is my 23rd Blog at The Author Post, so I thought I'd tie it into the 23rd Psalm: 1-3.

King James Version (KJV)

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths
of righteousness for His name's sake.