Sometimes we go through things that leave us barely surviving. Life is full of tough times that can devastate us. However, the Lord wants to rebuild, restore, and renew us so we will be Thrivers, not just survivors! It requires unrelenting faith and deep discipline to overcome. I know this firsthand.

I was born with an extremely severe cleft palate - no nose, no upper lip, and no upper palate. I had problems with my breathing. As it was 1959, the surgeons were scared to operate to close the hole for fear I would die on the operating table. One person commented to my mother that perhaps it would be a 'blessing' if I died, because if I lived, I would never be able to speak or eat properly and would be an outcast with a meaningless life of suffering. Praise God this person's words were completely wrong, and by God's grace and healing, I am now an international conference speaker.

Admittedly, it's not been an easy journey: twenty-six surgeries during the first fifteen years of my life, speech therapy, liquid diets, physical restrictions, years of dental work, and various complications with my breathing. However, the Lord has used these difficulties to build in me strength, compassion, and desire to be a healing agent to those who suffer. By God's grace, I am not just a survivor, but a Thriver. You can be too.

Through the wonderful messages found in the book of Nehemiah, I am here to walk you through your own personal journey of healing, perseverance and overcoming. Let's walk this path together and shake off the shackles, once and for all! Just as Nehemiah persevered in faith, overcoming insurmountable obstacles, so too, we must endure, overcome and thrive in our own lives; rising to not just survive our challenges, but THRIVE, often in the very midst of them-- all for His glory!

It's my hope this book will help you see the blessings to be had, right here in the midst of your time of testing, and to reaffirm your faith and hope in the great God who gladly heals and helps. Walk with me as we explore this life journey and find all the lovingly hidden treasures along the way.