Mothers Overcoming with God's Help by Carrie Fancett Pagels

My Mother's Day Roses!

Carla Stewart shared in her interview the many difficulties she has faced within her family. As mothers, we always want the best for our children, just as God wants the best for us. But we have free will. So it doesn't always work out that way. We make bad choices. Our kids make lousy choices sometimes. And we grieve the one who created us to begin with. 

As we celebrate Mother's Day, 2012, may all the mothers who read this be blessed and may God help each and every one to overcome the obstacles to mothering that have been put in her way!  


HERE is a gift from Teresa Mathews for your Mother's Day:



A Mother’s Prayer

Dear Lord help me to be 

a Mother that is led by Thee.

One that never has a care

Even when I could, pull out my hair

One that loves my kids, never ending

Even when for lego’s it seems I’m always spending

Picking up toys, washing all the clothes

Help me Lord before my mind goes.

Cooking food and mopping the floor

Here I go again to the store.

Mom! Mom! I need new clothes

Oh well that’s the way the money goes!

Lord if only I could have a minute alone

I promise I would not talk on the phone.

Mom! Mom! He hit me on the head!

Help me Lord why couldn’t I have stayed in bed????

Children screaming at each other

What was the reason I wanted to be a Mother?

Mommy I love you, Can I have a kiss?

These are the times I’m going to miss.

My little boys are growing up way too fast,

Lord help me to show them the right path.

Listening to your voice telling them the way

Lord help my boys to follow you everyday.

Let them give you all of their heart

And from your way let them never part.

Thank you Lord for allowing me to be

A mother that is led by Thee.

© Teresa S Mathews

May 08, 2009

Thanks so much for allowing us to share this poem, Teresa!!! (Readers please note it is copyrighted, thanks!)

Winners will be drawn Saturday and announced Sunday mid-day.  Please leave a comment to be entered!

Review by Marian Baay of Broken Wings by Carla Stewart

Broken Wings
by Carla Stewart
(FaithWords, 2011)

5 stars *****


Reviewed by Marian Baay


When Mitzi was a child her mother took the childeren and ran away from an abusive husband. Now Mitzi is in her 80s and over 60 years married to Gabe. Gabe is an Alzheimer patient and Mitzi visits him daily at his care centre. When she's not there she works as a volunteer in a hospital. There she meets Brooke, a young woman who was beaten by her fiancée. Mitzi wants to help Brooke to regain control of her life again and asks if Brooke will stay with her for a while.


Brooke breaks her engagement and moves in with Mitzi. But her ex-fiancée is not giving up on Brooke so easily. Soon a young man named Drew also comes to stay with Mitzi a couple of days for Christmas. Mitzi shares stories about her life with Brooke and Drew. The stories show a strong will to survive and encourage Brooke to make a new start.


I really loved this book! I loved the tales of Mitzi's younger life as much as the story in the present time. They were very nicely woven together.


This story shows us what anger can do. But also that there's hope for a new life with new love and faith.

Carla Stewart's books can be purchased through CBD, Amazon, and other book stores.

GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  Your choice of this author’s books, choice of format.

Marian Baay Carla Stewart Stardust

Stardust 
by Carla Stewart
(Faith Words, 2012)

Review by Marian Baay
4 stars ****

In Stardust we travel back to the 1950s. Georgia’s husband has left her for another woman. After two months his body is found in the swamp. Now she’s a widow and she needs to take care of her two daughters alone.

Georgia was raised by an aunt. Her parents left her at the Stardust motel when she was 3 years old. Her aunt doesn’t want to tell her the reason why her parents left her there. While growing up Georgia often found refuge at the Stardust. Paddy and Doreen ran the place and loved her like a daughter. When Paddy dies he leaves the Stardust to Georgia. Doreen tells her that the answer to her past is hidden in the Stardust.

Her aunt doubts that she can run the place as a single mother. Besides it’s dangerous for a woman alone to run a highway motel. Soon her mother-in-law moves in one of the cabins of the Stardust. Then a stranger named Peter also comes to the Stardust and asks for an job. Peter is helping Georgia with repairs. Georgia grows to like him and people start talking behind her back.Then a pregnant woman and her young daughter come to the Stardust. The woman is sick and needs to go to the hospital. While she’s there Georgia takes care of the woman’s daughter. But then Georgia finds out who the woman is...


Can she forgive the woman for ruining her life?

And when she finds out the truth about her parents, can she forgive her aunt for keeping the truth from her?

Peter gets a phone call from a woman and needs to leave immediately. Is there another woman in his life, or will he come back for her? Can Georgia let go of her hurtful past and focus on a new life with people she loves in the Stardust?

Carla Stewart knows how to make you feel at home with her characters. A well written novel!


Click here to view the trailer of Stardust.

Carla Stewart's books can be purchased through CBD, Amazon, and other book stores.

GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  Your choice of this author’s books, choice of format.

Carrie Fancett Pagels Interviews Carla Stewart

Carla Stewart is the author of Chasing Lilacs, Broken Wings, and Stardust, just released in May, 2012.  

I met Carla through some online groups, including My Book Therapy, ACFW, and our mutual friend, Marian Baay.  

Carla, welcome to Overcoming Through Time – With God’s Help.  Would you share either the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help, or the most tragic situation or circumstance one of your character’s has had to get past?

I'm not sure I've had a single life experience to overcome, but I have always struggled with trying to fix others - I'm a first-born, choleric with a soft spot for hurting people. I became a nurse. What I've had to learn in my personal life is surrendering control in tough situations - my oldest son's depression/drug and alcohol use/dropping out of school at age 16 (a six-year saga - thankfully with a happy outcome). My mother's battle with cancer and attending her the last two months of her life. My mother-in-law's Alzheimer's. My writing career. All are areas where I've had to surrender myself and those I love to God and his plans. And I've drawn from my life experiences in my writing as I've strived to bring messages of hope to those who are hurting or dealt a tough hand.

What is your favorite bible verse and why?

Micah 6:8.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
   And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
   and to walk humbly with your God.

I love that God has given us all of scripture, but this verse sums it up for me. What a blueprint for life!  I stand in awe every day at God’s mercy bestowed on me.

Disability friendliness:

Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio?

 All of my books are (or will be) available in e-formats – Kindle and others. Both Chasing Lilacs and Broken Wings are available in large print with a hardback library binding. Broken Wings is available as an unabridged audio book both as a download or on CDs.

What has been the most important thing you hope your readers will get from your books and why?

The first thing I hope readers will find is a cast of characters they will come to care about. I love the nostalgic eras and try to recapture those days for readers. This is especially true in Chasing Lilacs and my next book, Stardust, but Broken Wings has a historical thread, also, that parallels the story. In all of my books, I deliver hope for the future. My hope is that readers will sigh in satisfaction when the last page is read. Although I tie up most threads, I also like to leave enough mystery so that readers will wonder how the characters are doing. Sort of the same way we do with good friends.

As you researched your books, did you learn anything that particularly touched your heart?

I already had a folder of material on Alzheimer’s so I reviewed it, researched current articles, and relied on my past experience as a nurse to bring the character to life. The Alzheimer’s research became very personal when my mother-in-law was diagnosed with mid-stage Alzheimer’s less than a month after Broken Wings was contracted. She’s a beautiful lady, and it’s been sad to see her spiral deeper into the tangles of this dreadful disease.

But the most challenging part of the research was learning about abuse which, thankfully, didn’t come from such a personal connection. I studied the personality types of victims and abusers and read a lot of personal stories and case studies.

I came to the writing knowing it would be a struggle, but I also knew that, for me, abuse is intolerable. What I didn’t expect, though, was learning that abuse is much more common than I ever imagined. Often there are warning signs that begin before actual abuse takes center stage—irrational behavior, disdain for authorities, getting hot tempered over trivial things, blaming others for their behavior, wanting to be in control of the relationship. The most alarming statistic that I read was that 40% of teens age 14-17 had either been abused or knew someone who had while in a dating relationship. If anything, I hope Broken Wings gives courage to women who are in abusive relationships, that they will realize that it’s not their fault nor their responsibility to stay with an abuser because he “needs” her. Victims, too, have a choice. Help is available.  

Readers, we are posting a Saturday recap.  Carla includes resources at the end of the book, which is wonderful!  As outlined above, she has a great many topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading her books.

Thank you, Carla, for agreeing to answer these questions.  Have a blessed day and keep on writing!!

Thank you. It’s been a pleasure. Blessings to you and your readers here! 


Carla Stewart's books can be purchased through CBD, Amazon, and other book stores.

GIVEAWAY:  A copy of one of Carla's books!