Carrie Fancett Pagels Interviews Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund

Jody, welcome to Overcoming Through Time – With God’s Help.  We appreciate your willingness to share your testimony of overcoming with our readers. 

Would you tell us about the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help?

I've had a number of hard things come my way, including the death of my dad when I was twenty-two years old. He died of a heart-attack when he was only 50. It happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that I never had the chance to tell him goodbye.And while that was hard, even more difficult was when I gave birth to my twin babies.

At that time, we'd just moved to Michigan. I was busy unpacking boxes, had a two year old son, and was hugely pregnant. I thought I had two months to finish getting ready for the new babies.

But boy was I mistaken.During a routine doctor's visit at thirty weeks gestation, I discovered I was in labor. I hadn't felt any contractions and my water hadn't broken, but I was well on my way to having the babies. So the doctor ordered an ambulance to take me to the closest hospital with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) so that after the babies were born they could receive the best possible care.

Fortunately that hospital was only thirty minutes from my home. But unfortunately I was going to have to be in the hospital for the duration of my pregnancy. Having a husband with a brand new job, a toddler who needed constant care, and knowing very few people in the community, complicated the situation immensely.

Family rallied to our support. Both Moms offered to come and stay with us during the difficult days ahead.But my twins were determined to enter the world early. And after only a week in the hospital, my labor continued to progress against the best efforts to stop it.

My twin daughters were born NINE weeks early. They weighed 3.0 lbs. each. One of them had to be on a ventilator to help her breathe. And both of them were hooked up to numerous machines in an incubator. When I was finally allowed to hold one of my daughters, I could fit her in my hand.The first time I walked into my new home after being released, I cried of a broken heart. I was so distraught to return home empty-handed and leave my babies at the hospital.

But somehow I managed to survive the month of half-living at the hospital and half at home with my toddler (who wasn't allowed in the NICU). Now my daughters are 13 years old, healthy, and beautiful young ladies.The hardship still haunts me. But I've learned that difficulties come into our lives to help us become more grateful for our blessings.

(Comment from Carrie: I started out my career as a psychologist in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and a clinical assistant professor in a medical school, and worked with the follow up clinic to monitor development. What a blessing that your girls were born only 13 years ago!  Because it has really only been in the past 25 years or so that we've had good success with saving premature babies and them having good outcomes!  But watching those parents, day in and day out, waiting for their babies to come home, was heart breaking. So glad your girls are doing well!)

What is your favorite bible verse and why?

One of the many verses I treasure is "I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." Phil. 4:13 That verse has held me in good stead through many trials.

Disability friendliness: Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio?  Do your e-books have audio capability? Do you have any in large print? 
Yes, I'm happy to relate that Unending Devotion is available in audio format. The Preacher's Bride is also available on audio.

Unending Devotion

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

I live in central Michigan in an area that was once filled with towering white pines and that played a major role in the lumber era. I decided I wanted to explore that era, especially since it happened right in my backyard, so to speak.

During my research for the book, I ran across stories of young women who were abused, exploited, and even enslaved, and was heartbroken by the lesser known evils of an era that is usually quite glamorized.

Unending Devotion is inspired by one of those women, Jennie King. She rode a train into central Michigan in answer to  newspaper ad for a job. She expected to work in a hotel. Instead she found herself enslaved in a brothel. She fled, but was recaptured and beaten. The brave and desperate woman escaped again, wearing only a nightgown, and this time gained help from a local family. The brothel owner tried to get her back again. But the family helped smuggle Jennie out of town and to a safe place.

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

It was my hope in Unending Devotion to bring attention to some of the problems that existed during the lumber era, particularly the issue of white slavery, which is unfortunately still a problem within the United States (and throughout the world) today.

My prayer is that we will never forget the countless women who suffered. Even more than that, it's my hope that we may we rise up, stand tall, and fight against the injustices that still exist today.


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

Jody would love to connect with you! Find her in these places: Website  Blog Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

Buy Unending Devotion here: Amazon, CBD.com, and B&N

Giveaway this week: Book of your choice by Jody, choice of format.  International winners ebook only.

Guests:  Have you experienced a premature or difficult birth with any of your children?  What got you through it? Did you fear you may lose your child(ren)?  How did God help you?  Did He put people around you to help?