Special Guest Interview
Today, I am interviewing a dear friend and fellow author, Susan Hill. You will find her to be insightful, funny, and inspiring. She has a new devotional that just released, and we will be doing a give-away! Read this blog, comment on the blog, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win a free digital copy! (contest ends 8/26/18) If you can't wait and want to order a copy now, click on the image below.
Give us a brief background about yourself, please.
Well, it's interesting to answer this question, 'What do you do?', especially when you've been a stay-at-home mom for over 12 years for three kids with autism! Lol. I guess what I do depends on the day and time...as most moms know, that could adjust at any minute, right?
Overall, though, I'm a wife and mom, and those are probably the most important to me. Of course, God is always first in my life, but my husband and three kids have definitely grown me emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. Without them, my world would be much less colorful.
Our kids are on the autism spectrum, although very high-functioning, and their perseverance continually amazes me. They are also the reason I returned to college to get my social work degrees. Advocacy and helping others is probably my superpower, and now I'm licensed to do both!
My husband is a personal trainer, who took his love for sports and turned it into a ministry of sorts. He not only encourages physical fitness but also invites his clients to find wholeness in other areas of their life as well. Because looking fit on the outside doesn't mean much if your inner self is bound to unhealthy patterns.
Because of all this 'fun' in my world, I write to share lessons I've learned and, honestly, it's cheaper than therapy.
What inspired you to write a devotional?
I love devotionals. I have several on my bookshelves, and probably more than I need on my Kindle. I think what I love most about them is they offer life-encouraging ideas in the space of a few paragraphs. Plus, they reflect the viewpoint of the author. Which means, I can learn from other people's experiences. What a gift, right?! Knowing I may not have to learn a lesson by going through a situation because someone else shared how they made it through. I love that concept. And so...because our family has navigated quite a few difficult moments (although probably not as tough as others have experienced), I wanted to offer that gift to someone else. 'Hey, here's a lesson I've learned while sitting smack in the middle of this painful, or seemingly never-ending circumstance.' And if my prayer is answered, they are able to learn a lesson or be reminded of a truth faster than I was, in order to find wholeness sooner than later. I kept this one only seven days long because, for me, when I'm knee-deep in weariness, seven days can feel like an eternity. And if you've read other books I've written, you know what is penned is definitely my authentic response. No pretending here.
What other books have you written?
I have an autism book I wrote to share with others the experiences our family has had with this disorder. 'Understanding High-Functioning Autism: From a Mom's Perspective is written from an every-day sort of concept, and, of course, it focuses only on our story. Meaning, if someone has walked a different path with autism, it may not be what they need. Still, as I mentioned before, if I can share anything that will help another, that is all I'm hoping for.
My other book, 'In One Piece', is the story of my journey towards personal wholeness. It's not a wrapped-up-and-all-done testimonial, but rather an example of one part of my experience that released me from a burden I didn't realize I was carrying. It's honest, a bit raw in some places, and definitely not for everyone. But that's okay. We serve a God of variety, and He speaks differently to each person.
