DebbieLynne Costello -- When Husband Diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma

My life was turned upside down this past April when my husband was diagnosed with a rare form of non-hodgkin’s lymphoma called Mantle Cell. He wasn’t even seeing the doctor because he was sick. The man is never sick. And I mean never!

My life since April has been living in Houston more than South Carolina. But God has been here with us in amazing ways!

The first thing I did as a Christian, I fell to my knees and cried out to God. I don’t mean just pray I cried out—out loud—pleading with God. I contacted every person I knew who would pray and asked them for prayers. And God moved. First He guided us to MD Anderson. A dear friend and nurse practitioner from Dallas called when she heard about Joe. She convinced us to come to Houston to MD Anderson for a second opinion. She then called her best friend in Houston and got us a place to stay when we came.

Then I got an email from a lady who had called me weeks earlier about getting a sheltie puppy from me. This woman knows nothing about Joe. Her email goes something like this. “I don’t know what is going on but God told me to tell you that He’s got this.” I cried. I responded and told her what WAS going on. She told me that she didn’t want me to think she was weird or anything but that she’d been driving down the road and God told her to pray for me. She said I thought to myself okay God I’ll pray when I get home, but she felt like God was yelling at her in her head saying pray now! She said she almost pulled her car over. Then people started telling me they were praying and they really felt like God told them He’s got this! I probably heard that at least 6 times. And no one knew what this other woman had told me.

It seemed every time my faith got low, God sent someone else to remind me He had this! It was so amazing. I’m a person who believes in ‘bugging’ God. I remind Him of His promises. I am like the man in the bible who has company come in the middle of the night and so he goes to his neighbors and won’t quit knocking on his door until he gets up. God wants us to cry out to Him.

In the lowest valley we’ve ever walked, God has been there every step of the way. We never said why us? Things like this can bring a person closer to God. I know I want God to use me through this. It has been amazing to watch God move. I’ll quick give you some ways He blessed us.

Friends, neighbors, and family stepped up to the plate to help. It was unbelievable. You see I have 3 shelties, 1 German Shepherd, 1 cat, 5 horses (one is a young colt), and a miniature donkey. That’s a lot of mouths to feed. Friends and family take care of our animals when we are gone.

We went to the hospital and Joe was put with Doctor Wang. People ask us, How did you get in with Dr. Wang? You see he is one of the 2 top doctors for Mantle Cell Lymphoma in the World! 

Joe has probably had MCL for 2 to 4 years. But God wanted us at MDA at this time. Because it just so happened that Dr. Wang was starting a clinical trial for MCL patients and Joe was immediately accepted into the study! Had his Mantle Cell been discovered earlier we would have missed the trial.

We fell in love with the woman we were staying with. She’s like family. She offered her home to us every time we come down and even when we have to stay for 5 months!

God has been so good to us and I am so thankful for all His blessings. That’s not to say we never have hard days. We do! We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t. But keeping our eyes on the Lord is the key to keeping a good attitude. I don’t think God is disappointed with us for hurting sometimes or getting discouraged. But what He does want is for us to know where to turn when that happens. He wants us to look up and run into His open arms.

CFP: DebbieLynne told me about this picture: “This is a really cool paper Lockness. Each piece of paper was colored and then the papers were cut randomly by hand making this beautiful piece of art. This picture really doesn't do it justice. It is displayed in MDAnderson.” This is DebbieLynne’s daughter, Kacie.

Giveaway: Winner's choice of either of DebbieLynne's novels winner's choice of paperback or ebook (USA only paperback). Answer this question: Have you had a loved one battle cancer? What helped in coping?  

Guest Review by Nora St. Laurent of Dan Walsh's "Remembering Christmas"

Remembering Christmas

By Dan Walsh

Published by Revell, 2011

This is reposted by permission. Review by Nora St. Laurent.

REVIEW: This is a warm, cuddly, feel-good novel sure to become your NEW family favorite. I'm thankful for the review copy of this book. It reminds the reader that God uses all things in our life for His Glory and our good. You may not see it at the time because of all the pain and drama but when you look back at the situation you can see the situation didn't take God by surprise. He used the event to change the course of our life. No easy task to get us to change the path we were headed down.

Rick Denton’s life is interrupted when his mom calls and asks him to fill in at the Book Nook. His stepfather is in the hospital. She needs to stay with him and can’t be at the book store.

Rick’s lived life on his own terms after his father abandoned him. He made a point to not get tangled up with his mother’s husband, so that he wouldn't get hurt again. Life was humming along nicely. He was climbing higher and higher on the corporate ladder; he didn’t have time for family, because he was on the pathway to greatness.

Now his mom tells him his stepfather has had an aneurysm and there was no one to run the store. His mom had never asked for much so when she tearfully asked for his help he reluctantly said he would. He got off the phone with her but hadn’t fully grasped what he just signed up for.

His parents went to church and read the books they sold at the Christian book store they ran--he didn’t! He gives his mom a week. He could only take a week away from his clients! That was as much as he could sacrifice. Then when Rick gets there and realizes all he’d have to do--maybe he should reconsider. This was going to take longer than he thought.

The people that show up at the Book Nook sure felt the need to talk to him about Art, his stepfather. All this talk was beyond him--he had work to do. There was No time for chit-chat, didn't they see he had a business to run?

“The Book Nook seems more like an enchanted cottage than a bookstore. It’s a harbor from the cares of life!” Rick was beginning to see why his parents loved their business so much.

Dan’s characters were endearing and I was drawn to them instantly. I enjoyed the fact that most of this novel took place inside a small sweet book store called the Book Nook, and last but not least I liked the way this author showed how only God can bring the miracle of Christmas to our lives. He’s the light in our heart that shines for the whole world to see! This is a novel that will get you in the Christmas Spirit on so many levels. I highly recommend it as a book that will get you ready for Christmas and as a Book Club Selection for your group.

Nora St.Laurent

The Book Club Network

www.bookfun.org

Guest Commentary and Testimony by Lena Nelson Dooley

Lena Nelson Dooley at ACFW Conference with her ribbons.

God is My Fortress and My Strength

While I was writing the last half of Maggie’s Journey, I had a second bout with Atrial Fibrillation. The doctor changed my medication, and it took about six weeks for my body to adjust to the new medications. During that time, I had to depend on the Lord even more for the telling of the story. I’m sure that’s why so many people have been touched by Maggie’s Journey. It even won the 2012 Selah award for historical fiction.

Then I moved on to writing Mary’s Blessing. Toward the end of that book, I had a little heart event, and my husband started having bladder trouble. While we dealt with the health issues, I still had to write the book. I leaned on the Lord even more than I had before. He gave me so much insight into the hearts and minds of the characters. Sometimes, when I went back to edit a chapter, I was amazed at the words.

After James started with the bladder problems, both of my knees started giving me trouble. I’ve had trouble with one of them for several years, but it had been under control. With all the things to deal with for James, I tried to ignore the knees. James had a biopsy and later I had a heart cath. But lots of dear friends prayed for both of us, and we are both just fine with those issues, but I still hadn’t done anything with the knees.

At the same time, I was writing Catherine’s Pursuit. As I leaned even closer to the Lord, He helped me bring the last part of the story of these identical triplets to a very satisfying conclusion.

Now we’ve taken care of the knees with shots in both. Every day they are better. But the best thing is how God has walked with me through all of this, and I’ve learned to walk even closer to Him. 

Carrie Fancett Pagels Reviews Audio version of "The Irish Healer" by Nancy Herriman

The Irish Healer 
by Nancy Herriman
(Worthy Publishing, 2012)


Amazing Debut Book!


I listened to The Irish Healer as an audio download through www.audible.com.  I have a platinum membership which means I listen to two dozen books a year.  For those of you who prefer audio and who regularly purchase books, the price ends up close to the cost of a paperback for many titles IF you order the membership. And NO, I do not own stock in the company!


SPOILER ALERTS (I am known for spilling the beans and if you don't want to know too much then don't read the review!)


The book starts off rather dark and I almost did not continue to listen.  Am I ever glad that I did! Rachel Dunne, a healer, from Ireland, flees after being acquitted of murdering a child in her care. One thing I missed in the listen at the beginning, but caught at the end, is that Rachel did not realize that the initial job she has secured in London is with a physician.


A widower, Dr. Edmunds failed to save his wife, who died from a fever after giving birth. His previous medical assistant has left and he needs help. He is packing up and moving to his country estate to honor his father's dying wishes. 


The details of the cholera outbreak are gross, but Nancy doesn't dwell terribly upon them. I don't normally like too much death in a book but I expect there would be a bunch of tertiary characters killed off, and there were.  But she left our favorite characters alive and well.


The narrator for this book was amazing. She was perfect for the story.  Rachel and the doctor are meant to be together and Nancy does a great job of showing the why/why not of the relationship. The craft was excellent. We will be reading plenty more from this author. I want to say that Nancy hits a midpoint between Christian historical fiction and Christian historical romance.  She could satisfy either reader but those looking for a straight formulaic romance should look elsewhere as they may be overwhelmed by the phenomenal details she gives in the book.


The Irish Healer is available for purchase on Amazon, as well as on Christian Book Distributors,  and on Barnes and Noble as well as in other fine 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 Nancy Herriman’s books, choice of format.

Overcoming for Christians - Aging, Illness, and Alzheimer's

Rita Gerlach week has come to an end.  We greatly enjoyed having this colonial Christian author with us. Rita shared about her father having Alzheimer's Disease at the end of his life. Her mother is in frail health now and in decline which has resulted in many decisions and changes for Rita and her extended family. From my own perspective - it is just so hard going through all that, such a heavy emotional (and sometimes physical) toll.


Rita is going through what many of us have either faced with our own parents, are going through now, or may in the future.  Some of our readers would love to have this as a concern - they lost their parents at a young age. My mother became more confused and forgetful in her last year of life but she had Type II diabetes and then had pancreatic cancer. It wasn't clear if those conditions were causing some of the memory issues, but probably so. My dear aunt is in a nursing home because of her AD, after her husband kept her at home for years (she was in good health then).  I have been blessed to get to visit with her twice in the past few years when we drove through Ohio. And I used to see my wonderful Great-Aunt Alkie, who was really more a grandmother (both of mine died long before I was born, when my parents were young). She was in nursing home care for a long time with Alzheimer's.  She always maintained her essential sweet spirit and she loved seeing my daughter, who she might have thought was me.  The hardest visit for me was the last one when she had no connection with me at all. The last thread was about to be broken. She left this earth shortly after that.


The medications for managing Alzheimer's Disease have improved in the last decade in that they seem to slow the progress early on.  It is so frustrating to see loved ones slipping further and further away from you, like a slow death. And every day seems precious. But that in and of itself is stressful because then there is no sense of normalcy in everyday activity, if you are always "on" because of your parent with AD. 


One comfort for the Christian is the knowledge that her/his parent will be perfectly healed in heaven.  As we all will be. We thank you Lord for that!


Here is Rita's link to Memory Bridge, which she recommends as an excellent site with videos about handling communication with those suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. 


Giveaway winner will be announced here on Sunday after 1:00 pm EST.   LINDA!!! You are the winner!!!