When a person is diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, it’s typically not a surprise. Symptoms have alerted them for some time. I knew there was something causing the shaking of my hands. It had increased to the point where people noticed. I found myself tucking my shaky right hand out of sight or holding it still with my left hand. My primary care doctor suspected Benign Essential Tremor but sent me to a neurologist for an expert opinion. The neurologist matter-of-factly stated, “This is not Essential Tremor. You have Parkinson’s Disease.” I had suspected it and left his office not overly alarmed. Many people have PD. I shifted my care to a Movement Disorder Specialist, began medication, and continued with my life, working as an elementary principal. I joined an exercise group specific for people with PD and began attending info luncheons provided by our local PD support group. It was there that reality hit me in the gut. I saw people with advanced stages of the disease. Some who couldn’t walk without assistance. Some whose speech was garbled, rendering it incomprehensible. Some who tremored; some who swayed; some who drooled; and many with blank faces. I wanted to run from there and put my head back in the sand where I thought of PD as a nuisance instead of a life-changing disease. But that wasn’t possible. Once we learn something, we can never unlearn it. I cried and prayed but knew that without a miracle from God, PD isn’t curable.
I know that God is able, but instead of asking for a miracle, I prayed for peace and the ability to face my infirmity with grace. I believe that the Bible speaks to us about dealing with physical ailments. When Lazarus was sick, his sisters knew Jesus could heal him. Yet despite their pleas, he tarried for two days, and Lazarus died. They couldn’t understand why Jesus didn’t help them. But we know he had greater plans. The Bible talks about a ‘thorn’ in Paul’s side. Some scholars believe it refers to a physical ailment. While Paul asked God to remove it, God’s answer was this. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Cor. 12:9. I cling to that truth. And sing the words of “Even If.” MercyMe – Even If – “Even if You don’t, my hope is You alone.”
God has done remarkable things in the ten years since my diagnosis. I retired from my position and turned my attention to writing—a lifelong desire. Here’s an amazing blessing. My compromised small motor skills prevent me from writing legibly (micrographia), but I can type with great fluency. I see that as God’s provision for me to write. I’ve had six novels published in those ten years, but this latest one is special to me. I wrote a character with Parkinson’s. I’ve wanted to do that for some time. My goal is to offer readers a quality story while bringing awareness to PD. I hope you enjoy Kate’s story. I noted some common symptoms in this message, but Though the Mountains be Shaken will expand your knowledge. PD is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease, second only to Alzheimer’s. Everyone knows someone suffering from this disease, so I hope you’ll arm yourself with information, whether through this novel or elsewhere.
Kate Dunbar puts 100% into everything she does—a career as a literary agent, a mom of preschool twins, and the wife of Ryan Dunbar, a criminal defense attorney. She appears to have the perfect life, until it begins to crumble piece by piece—her marriage, her health, and her job.
Kate blames emotional stress for her fatigue, stiffness, and tremors. As symptoms begin to increase, Kate finds herself unable to control her body’s erratic movements. At the same time that she and Ryan separate, she receives a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. Determined not to tell her estranged husband of her diagnosis, Kate faces an unknown future and the possibility that she’ll face it as a single mother.
As glimmers of hope for a restored marriage begin to surface, more upheavals await them. A case that Ryan is defending endangers his family and his career.
Kate and Ryan both harbor secrets that threaten their marriage. Can they mend their broken family? How will Parkinson’s affect their future? For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others. Every vow they spoke eight years ago is being tested. Can they survive the storm?
Kathleen Neely is a retired elementary principal and enjoys time with family, visiting her two grandsons, traveling, and reading.
She is the author of The Street Singer, Beauty for Ashes, The Least of These, Arms of Freedom, and In Search of True North. Kathleen won second place in a short story contest through ACFW-VA for her short story “The Missing Piece” and an honorable mention for her story “The Dance.” Both were published in a Christmas anthology. Her novel, The Least of These, was awarded first place in the 2015 Fresh Voices contest through Almost an Author. She has numerous devotions published through Christian Devotions.
Kathleen continues to speak to students about writing and publication processes. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Find Kathleen online:
Clare says that the main thing she learned during the writing of this book was patience. She first submitted it way back in 2019 as a freebie prequel to the Say A Prayer series. However, it got lost and when she resubmitted it, it needed a rewrite to put Isabel in instead of Zander’s original partner. Then, more time went by and the editor changed, and then it needed yet another complete rewrite. So patience. Lots and lots and lots of patience.
Find out more about Clare and the books she writes on her Author Page.
Lots of things bring me joy. Seeing my children thrive, personal success, and the realization of long-held dreams bring joy. A sunny day, the perfect cup of tea, and milk chocolate delight. But if I only pursue the kind of joy found in circumstances and preference, I will miss out on a greater joy produced by the Spirit.
Calm Delight
The particular joy mentioned in Galatians 5 is “joy, gladness, a source of joy. From chairo; cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight.” It’s the same joy the wise men felt as they saw the star that led them to Jesus (Matt 2:10). It’s the joy of the person who hears the Word and receives it (Matt 13:20). It’s the joy of the man purchasing the field with the hidden treasure (Matt 13:44). It is the joy of the Master over the servant faithful with little (Matt 25:21). It’s the joy the woman felt in hearing Christ is risen (Matt 28:8). It’s the joy in heaven when a sinner repents (Luke 15:7). It is the joy of the disciples when they saw the risen Jesus (Luke 24:41) and the overflow of their hearts after Christ’s ascension (Luke 24:52). It’s the joy found in the Holy Spirit in the Kingdom of God (Rom 14:17). It’s a filling from God that produces hope (Rom 15:13).
The Source of Joy
The type of joy the Spirit produces in the heart of a believer has little to do with favourable circumstances or pleasure. It overflows from a regenerated heart no matter the conditions because Christ is the source of this joy. That means my joy is not tied to what the future holds, how my kids do or don’t behave, or whether I reach my personal goals. My joy is secure if my heart is fixed on God. If the churches in Macedonia can be filled with an abundance of joy despite extreme poverty and severe affliction, if the Thessalonians received the word in much affliction with joy (2 Cor 8:2, 1 Thess 1:6), so can I.
This is the joy James calls me to count during trials (James 1:2). It makes me pray that although I have not seen Christ, I will love Him. Though I do not now see Him, I believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of my faith, the salvation of my soul (1 Peter 1:8-9).
Earlier this month, a family member asked my opinion on dreams. Namely, if it was better to pursue your big dreams, or focus on your daily needs and just having a good job that would meet those needs, etc. My opinion fell somewhere in the middle. I pursued some of my dreams, and the effort paid off. My novels were published, and I became a mom; my two big dreams as a youth. But I know very well that doesn’t happen for everyone, and even I have let some of my dreams fall by the wayside. Sometimes choices need to be made.
While having this discussion, it suddenly struck me, “I wrote that book!” And it just released this month. A story about a woman who sought to realize her dream of being an applauded singer, but the pursuit was taking her away from God. After “coming to herself” similar to the Prodigal Son in the Bible story, Lenora leaves that life and her “dream”. It is not an easy journey, but she begins to see her life differently, and her dreams begin to change—to align with what God wants for her.
Therein lies peace, confidence, and joy—when we seek God’s direction in our lives and seek after the “dreams” that He puts into our hearts. And sometimes He will ask us to pass us through hard things, trials that break our hearts. Because God’s fondest dream is for us to be—in Christ—a little more holy, a little more pure, and eventually return to His embrace.
When Lenora Perry’s dream of becoming an acclaimed singer dies a painful death, she attempts to escape her mistakes by fleeing north–directly into the path of an all-too-dashing Mountie. Though the man in scarlet appears eager to be rid of her, his home provides security, and his sister offers friendship–two things Lenora is desperate for after discovering her pregnancy. With the past dogging her footsteps and her future uncertain, dare she consider new dreams? Upholding the law makes up the fabric of Constable Edmond Bryce’s existence. As his five years of service draw to an end, he must decide whether or not to continue in his father’s footsteps–an increasingly difficult decision now that Miss Perry has infiltrated his life. Though she’s the daughter of a parson and a close friend to his sister, Edmond can’t push aside the feeling that Lenora hides more than she tells. But duty calls, leaving little time for matters of the heart.
To keep from freezing in the Great White North, Angela K Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and being a finalist in the International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in there, as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and warm) by chasing after five munchkins.
You can find Angela online where she enjoys “Making history and fiction fall in love.” Website Facebook Twitter Amazon
Today is the big day! To Sweet Beginnings in Sycamore Hill releases! This is the first fiction title for Grace and Love Publishing, and I am giddy with excitement. To Sweet Beginnings in Sycamore Hillis a short story sequence (also known as a short story cycle). This is different than a short story.
A short story sequence is a collection of short stories, but each story can stand alone while also building to an ending best understood and appreciated when you read the stories as a collection or group. There is an increasing tension as the reader makes story connections. This is the first short story sequence I’ve written, and it was a fun challenge.
In the sequence, To Sweet Beginnings in Sycamore Hill, you’ll meet Owen and Gloria, Ethan and Kathryn, Ben and Emma, Eli and Meg, and Jackson and Kim. (Each couple has an entire short novel dedicated to them that will release within the next 12 months. The first, The Sycamore Standoff, is up for preorder now!)
During a time when life feels a bit chaotic and out of control, I find escaping to Sycamore Hill a sweet reprieve. A few second chance romances develop that warm your heart, some family drama plays out, the past resurfaces, and tensions get high, but—SPOILER—every couple finds their happy ending because right now, we could all use a happy ending.
Read To Sweet Beginnings in Sycamore Hill, be encouraged, entertained, and filled with hope. Not hope in the right earthly relationship but hope in the Lord.
Sycamore Hill’s prodigal daughter returns, shaking up the small town, righting a wrong, and finding the faith and family she’d lost along the way. Gloria hasn’t returned to Sycamore Hill since her university declared her guilty of cheating. She’d lost more than her home that day; she’d lost her faith in humanity. But when a questionable drug study with ties to the university endangers the residents of a Sycamore Hill ministry, Gloria can no longer remain quiet. She returns to town, and Owen—the town’s unmarried pastor and the only person who believed in her innocence—helps her to finally and truly come home.
Ethan and Kathryn: Thursday 11:59 p.m.
When you mix two former sweethearts, one missing recipe, and a dash of secrecy, what do you get? A recipe for romance! Kathryn took something that belongs to Ethan. Correction. It belongs to his family. Taking it back isn’t stealing, and letting himself into Kathryn’s house to get it is not breaking and entering if he has a key. However, Kathryn’s not a thief. She’d found Ethan’s recipe. But when her actions threaten to spoil Ethan’s bakery, they whip up a solution on Kathryn’s internet morning show, Sycamore Hill at Sunrise.
Ben and Emma:Friday3:00 a.m.
God closes a door, but He opens a skylight, entwining Ben and Emma’s future in the twilight hours of a winter’s eve. Nursing school made dating impossible for Emma, and now that she finally had time to think about a relationship, the pickings were slim, especially in a small town like Sycamore Hill. She’d begun petitioning the Lord to drop Mr. Right into her life, ideally before a black-tie gala fundraiser. She couldn’t bear the idea of attending alone—again. When Ben—a local reporter—chases the scoop of a lifetime, he falls painfully into Emma’s kitchen. With a whistleblower about to rip the lid off a scandal that’ll put the small town on the map, Ben needs Emma’s help to follow the career-making lead and protect the residents of Sycamore Hill.
Eli and Meg:Friday 7:35 a.m.
At some point, a girl has to stop running and fight. Eli is willing to help Meg, but how can he fight an unknown enemy? Eli and Meg trained together every morning to prepare for an annual road race. When Meg is uncharacteristically late on race day, Eli knows in his gut that something is wrong. He finds Meg facing her greatest fear, and Eli thrusts himself between her and an aggressive dog. However, when Meg passes up an opportunity to escape to safety, he realizes no one in Sycamore Hill really knows Meg at all.
Jackson and Kim:Friday, 6:00 p.m. and Saturday morning
Kimdidn’t want to like her ex’s twin brother, but how could she not like the man returning her son? Kim doesn’t have the mental headspace to host the black-tie gala on the eve of her abducted son’s homecoming, but she must. As she grapples with conflicting emotions about the morning reunion, she clings to the message of Christmas: God with us. Returning his nephew to Canada destroyed Jackson’s relationship with his twin brother. And after all his brother had put Kim through, she might not welcome the continued presence of Jackson or his parents in Sycamore Hill. Sorting out the legalities won’t be easy, but the right thing rarely is. Jackson will do what is right, whatever the personal cost, trusting the message of the season.
