An Inspiring Letter from a Reader

Dear friends,

I seldom share letters like this, but this one moved me so much, I asked the writer if I might share it with you. She happily agreed, adding "go ahead and use my name." So here it is, inspiring for sure:

"I just wanted to say thank you for the book (Meet Me at the Well). I have had a copy of it for sometime sitting in my bookcase. A little while ago I was going through a pretty rough time with my husband, to the point that we were talking about separating.

It had to be a God-acident that your book caught my eye. I picked it up and started reading and writing and praying for guidance. Through the chapters I was faithful to write down all my thoughts and pray as you directed and one afternoon through tears I cried out to God, "What do you want me to do?" I heard his voice as if He was there right in the room speaking to me and He said, "Go and ask him if this is really what you want?" To my surprise my husband turned and said no, that he loved me, but it was the only way he knew to do as we could not live this way. Too make a long story short, it started us talking, honestly talking, and not just yelling and saying bad hurtful things, and we were able to work it out, and are turning over a new leaf and forgetting the past. Our marriage is the best it has been since the day we said I do.
The book has helped me so much to see me , but most of all it has helped me to see that God loves me and is there with me always and all I have to do is seek Him and he will take care of my needs and bring me through what ever I am going through.
Blessings and love
Elaine Chesser

ps I have a friend that is starting the book, she saw me reading and asked to take the journey also."

We never know what God will do with our testimony of His power and grace at work in our lives. Meet Me at the Well and The Best Life Ain't Easy simply testimonies of His grace and love. Imagine what God will do with your story? Why not tell someone today?

---

Self test: How Dry Am I?

My dear friend,

Having a dry season? Ever wonder how dry (translate: dull, distant from God and everybody else including yourself) you've become? It's happened to me, in fact, a friend I just spoke with on the phone sounded like a howling desert wind - full of miserable hot air. Would your friends or family say that's you?

Here's a 60 second SELF TEST:

Mark Yes or No

1. When I get up in the morning, I dread facing the day.

2. I look older than I should.

3. Can't remember the last time I had a good belly laugh.

4. I have more aches and pains than I used to.

5. It takes me forever to fall asleep, and then I'm awake a lot during the night.

6. God never answers my prayers, so why bother?

7. Why make plans for the future? They never work out anyway.

8. I seldom feel strong and vigorous or energetic.

9. I've lost most of my closest friends.

10. I wonder if God cares about me any more?

If you answered Yes to more than three of these questions, you are drying up a bit, my friend, on the inside. It's time to take care of yourself, schedule some regular R & R.

If you answered Yes to five or more, it's time to tell someone else, schedule a full physical, and have an honest conversation with your pastor, a counselor, or close friend.

If you answered Yes to all or most of the above, you are bone dry to the core. Time for serious intervention. Trust me when I say, I've been there. I lost my health and all my joy of living. But here's the GOOD NEWS! You can get it back. I did, and all it took was making time to be alone with God, changing the unhealthy way I looked at my responsibilities, and learning to live for God's pleasure and not simply meeting everyone else's needs. The story of this renewal is written in my book, Meet Me at the Well: Take a Month and Water Your Soul. (Moody Publishers, 2008). Write me back and I'll put your name in a drawing for a free book this week. Sound good? It's worth it to find renewal and real life once again!

Virelle

Need a Fresh Start?

Sometimes we all need a new beginning, a fresh start. It seems God knows it, too. He has a way of meeting us on our path and pointing us in a entirely new direction. That's been happening to me lately.

Those who read this blog and my newsletter already know Lisa Troyer and I have teamed up in ministry this year and have begun a new adventure together. Now with two weekend retreats under out belt, and a recent trip to Nashville with meetings with publishers, agents, and music gurus, I'm happy to say it all feels good. Just right, like Little Bear's porridge.

If you'd like, please give a listen to our interview with Wayne Shepherd at his website, www.wayneshepherd.net. Click on "Meet Me at the Well" radio special on the right side. Hopefully, you can hear our story, and Lisa's music. Wow! Her new CD by the same name is available now on iTunes, and on Amazon.

On top of that, I now have some time to myself at home (first time in almost a year) to actually work on my novel. Hurray!

What's going on in your life? Need a new beginning? Fresh starts are good for the soul.

Have a super day!

Virelle

Great days ahead

Dear friends,

I've just spent the most wonderful weekend with the ladies from Grace Chapel in Lexington, MA speaking at their annual retreat "Winterlude." Just days after the horrible earthquake in Haiti, 550 women gathered at the Hyannis Conference Center on Cape Cod, almost half of them Haitian women. Such a tender spirit of loving compassion moved among us. It was no accident we were together that weekend. Many were awaiting word on the safety and survival of family and friends.

After our evening sessions on Friday, these dear Haitian ladies met for prayer in a conference room, spilling out into the hallway. The sound of their prayer and singing of hymns could be heard throughout the hotel. Everyone who heard it was moved.

A deep personal joy was being joined by Lisa Troyer for the first time in a retreat. Her new CD to accompany Meet Me at the Well had arrived, and she sang after each of my sessions, plus a concert on Saturday evening. Wow! I'd never experienced her in concert previously. What a deep, passionate, rich voice she has. I was blown away. Her music added so much to the retreat, and the new CD is amazing. I hope you will listen to it on iTunes and make her music a part of your day. This photo of us was taken late Saturday night after we'd experienced a powerful moving of God calling women to Himself. We were both humbled and grateful to be part of that.

Lisa and I were also joined by Circle of Friends board member, Jocelyn Hamsher, who co-authored the new 13 week Bible study with me. Actually, Lisa did the lion's share of the writing. Her unflappable spirit and warm smile at the book table were so much fun. Later in February I'll join Lisa and Jocelyn again in Wooster, Ohio for the Circle of Friends conference. Hope you can join us. Please visit www.meeetmeatthewell.fm for more details. Save the dates, Feb. 26, 27. I hope to meet you there.

For those of you who are writers, I'll be teaching soon at Write for the Soul, the annual conference of the Christian Writers' Guild in Denver, CO at the Grand Hyatt. This is one of the premier writers' conferences in the country, and it's a thrill to teach there on "Writing from Personal Experience." The dates are February 17-21. If you have a story on your heart that needs a shepherd, consider checking it out at www.christianwritersguild.com.

May God's presence be near you today, and His hope fill your heart.

Virelle