Women Behind the Words

Episode 86 - We Will Get Through This with Debra Butterfield

Date: August 29, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Debra Butterfield

 

Story Highlights:
In this episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek sits down with Debra Butterfield, an author, Marine Corps veteran, and editor whose life is marked by resilience, faith, and unshakable determination.

Debra’s story begins with a life-changing moment as a teenager: while babysitting during a tornado, nearly every house around her was destroyed, yet she and the children survived unharmed. She says she “grew up that day,” and it became the first of many defining moments that shaped her strength and perseverance.

Her journey hasn’t been without pain. After enduring two failed marriages, one impacted by her husband’s alcoholism and the other shadowed by her daughter’s abuse, Debra chose not to let brokenness define her. Instead, she found healing and strength in her faith and determination to move forward.

From being bullied in school to navigating some of life’s hardest battles, Debra leaned into the encouragement of a teacher who once told her she could accomplish anything she put her hand to. That truth, coupled with her disciplined mindset developed through her service in the Marine Corps, helped her develop her personal motto: Just keep going.

In this heartfelt conversation, Debra shares how her faith in Christ, her commitment to perseverance, and her ability to find joy even in hardship have shaped her into a woman of endurance and hope. Listeners will be inspired to press on, no matter the challenges they face.

 

About Our Guest:
We all begin as beginners. For Debra Butterfield, her writing career started at Focus on the Family, where she worked as a junior copywriter and account/project manager for their in-house ad agency. In 2006, she transitioned into freelance writing, adding freelance editing in 2010. By 2014, she joined CrossRiver Media as an editor, where she has since worked on numerous award-winning books.

Debra is also a Marine Corps veteran, a mother of three adult children (each born in a different decade and state), and a grandmother of two. Her years living abroad in Europe, her military service, and her life experiences have all shaped her into the writer and editor she is today. A graduate of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild Apprentice program and CLASSeminar, Debra continues to combine her passion for storytelling with her heart for helping others grow as writers.

 

Book Spotlight:
Claiming Her Inheritance by Debra L. Butterfield

A secret beyond her wildest imagination. Will this fierce loner finally find love and acceptance?

Sally Clark, a fifty-eight-year-old Marine Corps veteran stuck in a publishing job she dreads, is praying for a fresh start. When she unexpectedly inherits a substantial sum of money, but with serious conditions attached, her life takes an unpredictable turn.

Traveling to a luxurious Montana ranch, Sally must work alongside the late multi-millionaire’s children and grandchildren for a month. But when suspicious accidents nearly cost her life, she realizes someone may want her gone. Despite her strong Christian faith and willingness to serve others, Sally wrestles with staying where she isn’t wanted.

Can she dig deep, lean on her faith, and find the courage to stay the course?

Claiming Her Inheritance is the fast-moving first book in the Her Inheritance Christian fiction series. Readers who love strong female characters, touches of humor, suspenseful twists, and faith-filled themes will be drawn into this unforgettable story.

 

Connect with Debra Butterfield:
Website: https://DebraLButterfield.com
Email: deb@DebraLButterfield.com
Facebook: Debra L. Butterfield, Author
YouTube: Debra L. Butterfield on YouTube
LinkedIn: Debra L. Butterfield, Editor

Episode 85 - Obedience Equals Opportunity: Faith, Covenant Marriage, and Parenting Through Trials with Heather Dwyer

Date: August 21, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Heather Patterson Dwyer

 

Episode Highlights:
In this powerful episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek sits down with longtime friend and prayer warrior, Heather Patterson Dwyer, for a conversation that is both raw and deeply hope-filled.

Heather opens her heart about the realities of marriage, motherhood, special needs parenting, foster care, and adoption, weaving her story with the thread of God’s faithfulness through every season. With honesty and joy, she shares how obedience to God opens doors to opportunity, even when the path is hard and messy.

From her testimony of salvation to her ongoing journey as a mother of biological, adopted, foster, and special needs children, Heather’s story radiates God’s grace in action. Listeners will hear how the Lord transformed her bitterness into joy, equipped her to stand in her covenant marriage, and gave her the courage to parent through trials that would break many.

Highlights from this episode include:

• The meaning behind the phrase obedience equals opportunity and how it has shaped Heather’s walk with God

• The transformative moment of prayer that changed her life from bitterness to joy

• How to view marriage as a covenant and mission field, even in seasons of struggle

• The reality of raising a severely autistic son while still living with joy and purpose

• The importance of godly female friendships, discipleship, and spiritual soldiers who pray with you in the night

• Why fellowship in the home is vital for families and how it even transforms her son Isaiah’s worship

• Parenting through hardship, including special needs advocacy, sibling struggles, and standing firm in prayer when life feels overwhelming

This heartfelt conversation will stir your faith, challenge your perspective on obedience and marriage, and remind you that God equips us to walk through the messiness of life with His joy, His grace, and His presence.

 

About Our Guest:
Heather Patterson Dwyer is a wife, mother, foster parent, and advocate who has lived a life of obedience and surrender to God’s calling. Married to her high school sweetheart, Tom, for 26 years, Heather is the mother of a severely special needs son, Isaiah, 17, kin gap parent to her niece Alexis, 15, foster parent to a sibling group of three, adoptive mom to twins Hannah and Nathan, and mother to two grown children, Leah, 25, and Ian, 24.

Professionally, Heather has served as a family peer advocate for mental health and prevention services in Albany, New York, and as part of the women’s emergency shelter staff at Capital City Rescue Mission. She previously worked as a registered respiratory therapist in multiple hospitals across upstate New York.

Heather and her husband currently live with their large, beautiful family in upstate New York in a home they see as a miracle from God. Her life is a testament to the power of faith, prayer, and choosing joy in the middle of challenges. 

 

Faith Spotlight:

Heather’s story is living proof that God meets us in the middle of life’s hardest places. From parenting children with special needs to navigating foster care and adoption, she reminds us that obedience to God brings new opportunities and that His grace equips us for the challenges we never thought we could face. Through Scriptures like Psalm 84:11 and Romans 15:13, Heather clings to God’s promises, choosing joy even when life feels overwhelming. Her encouragement is clear: pray over your children, honor your marriage covenant, and lean into fellowship that strengthens your walk with Christ.

 

Connect with Heather:
Heather is active in ministry, discipleship, and prayer within her community. To connect or learn more about her journey, you can reach out through The Women Behind the Words podcast team.

 

Closing Thought:
Obedience may not always be easy, but it always leads to opportunity. Heather’s life reminds us that God never wastes our struggles. When we surrender, trust, and step out in faith, He breathes joy into the messiest parts of our lives and equips us to live out His calling with courage.

Episode 84 - Boundaries: Loving Others Without Losing Yourself with Dana Morehouse

Date: August 15, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Deb Dufek and her daughter, Dana Morehouse

 

Story Highlights:
In this heartfelt episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek sits down with her first-born daughter, Dana Morehouse, for a candid conversation about a topic that affects every part of our lives, boundaries. Do you set them? Do you keep them? And if not, why?

 

Deb and Dana share a real-life moment that unfolded in the middle of Target when a last-minute family birthday party crisis hit. One daughter was exhausted with a house full of sick children and feeling overwhelmed by the promise to host that night. Dana, already fresh off a month of non-stop hosting her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren visiting from Switzerland, plus daily visits from her other children and grandchildren, was physically and emotionally drained. On top of that, she was still recovering from skin cancer surgery. When the request came for her to host, Dana took a quiet but firm “pause” to honor her limits.

 

Here’s the twist, after processing, she still said yes. But this time, it wasn’t at the expense of her health or her boundaries. The family rallied together, each person pitching in with food, setup, and cleanup so no one carried the burden alone. It became a powerful example of how protecting your well-being can still leave room for generosity, joy, and connection.

 

Together, Deb and Dana dive deep into the freedom that comes from knowing your capacity, setting healthy limits without guilt, and refusing to be swayed by the pressure of others’ expectations. They share how releasing the need for everyone to operate in the same gifting allows for more grace, understanding, and peace within relationships. Listeners will walk away with practical, faith-filled tools to protect their well-being, love others wholeheartedly, and live from a place of balance and joy.

 

About Our Guest:
Dana Morehouse has been married to her husband, Bill, for 39 years. They have 5 children, 7 grandchildren, and one more on the way, 5 boys and 3 girls. Dana homeschooled her children through 8th grade for 25 years, building a family culture rooted in faith and connection. She loves the thrill of a great garage sale find, eagerly anticipates football season, and treasures every moment with her growing family. Most importantly, Dana cannot imagine life without Jesus at the center.

 

Takeaway Topic:

While there’s no featured book in this episode, the conversation offers a living guide on setting boundaries with grace. Through their personal story, Deb and Dana highlight lessons every listener can apply: knowing when to pause, finding peace in saying no, and creating space for shared responsibility, principles that protect health, deepen relationships, and strengthen faith.

 

Connect with Dana:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/danalesliemorehouse
Instagram: @danajoye

Episode 83 - Seeing My Life Through God’s Eyes with Ann Harrison

Date: August 8, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Ann Harrison

 

Story Highlights:
In this powerful and faith-filled episode of The Women Behind the Words, Debbie Dufek welcomes author, poet, and freelance editor Ann Harrison for a deeply personal conversation about trusting God in every season, especially when life looks nothing like what you expected.

Born completely blind due to a medical error shortly after birth, Ann has lived her entire life without physical sight. Yet, what she shares in this episode goes far beyond the physical. Ann invites us into her world, a world where she “sees” through texture and shows us how God has shaped her creativity, calling, and purpose.

Ann recounts her early struggles with anxiety, her transition from fiction to poetry and devotionals, and the healing journey God took her on that changed everything. Her vulnerability is matched with wisdom as she describes the way God met her in her pain and gave her the words to minister to others.

We also take a look behind the scenes of her creative process as she explains how she uses screen reading software, structures her writing days, and stays connected to Scripture and the Spirit of God through journaling and prayer. One standout moment comes when she talks about the lasting influence of Mr. Rogers and the profound way he helped shape her perspective on life and faith.

This conversation is not just about overcoming challenges. It is about stepping into the unique calling God has placed on your life, no matter what stands in the way. If you have ever doubted your voice or your purpose, Ann’s story will remind you that God equips those He calls.

 

About Our Guest:
Ann Harrison is an author, poet, and freelance editor who is totally blind. When she is not editing or writing, you can find her crocheting with a podcast playing in the background or reading a good book on her electronic Braille display.

Her debut devotional, Praying Through the Seasons: Seven Aspects of Prayer and Communion with God, is a heart centered guide to building a meaningful prayer life. She is also the author of The Spirit of Creativity: Inspirational Poems for the Creative at Heart and is currently working on the second book in her devotional series, Walking With God Through The Chapters.

Ann’s work appears in several anthologies including God Things: Hope for the Hurting and the upcoming 540 Writers Community anthology. She serves as a professional writer and freelance content editor with Scrivenings Press and Elk Lake Publishing Inc. Ann lives with her daughter in a tiny house in Rochelle, Georgia, and continues to write stories, devotionals, and poetry that reflect God’s grace and creative power.

 

Book Spotlight:
Praying Through the Seasons: Seven Aspects of Prayer and Communion with God
This self paced devotional is a thoughtful guide to cultivating a more intentional prayer life. Whether you are new to prayer or seeking to deepen your practice, Ann’s book offers Scriptural examples, personal experiences, journal prompts, and creative challenges that walk you through daily communion with God. From corporate prayer to private reflection, each section encourages you to draw closer to the Lord in every season of your life.
Perfect for personal study, small groups, or church communities, this devotional is a beautiful tool to help you hear from God and act on His word.

 

Connect with Ann:
Website: www.annharrisonauthor.com
Facebook: Ann Harrison, Author
Pinterest: @AnnHarrisonAuthor
X (formerly Twitter): @annwrites75
Instagram: @annharrisonauthor
Threads: @annharrisonauthor
YouTube: Ann Harrison Author

 

Closing Thought:
Ann’s life reminds us that even when the world tells us we are limited, God’s vision is bigger. He does not need you to be perfect. He just needs you to say yes.

Episode 82 - A Story of Waiting, Obedience, and the Power of Redemption with Maureen Miller

Date: August 1, 2025

Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Maureen Miller

 

Episode Highlights:
In today’s heartfelt episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek is joined by the beautiful soul and kindred heart of Maureen Miller, wife, mom, Mosie, writer, encourager, and award-winning author. A connector of people and a true wordsmith, Maureen shares the deeply personal journey behind her debut novel Gideon’s Book, a story God placed on her heart during a season of quiet surrender.

Through vulnerability and wisdom, Maureen invites us into the tension of living what you write. She shares the moment God whispered fiction into her heart, the obedience it took to begin, and the waiting that refined both her message and her character. From rewriting the manuscript entirely to wrestling with themes that mirrored her own life, Maureen’s story is one of transformation, trust, and hope for all of us navigating seasons of delay.

This conversation explores:

• How God nudged Maureen to begin her first novel

• Why fiction felt like a stretch and a surrender

• The trials and delays that served as divine preparation

• What Maureen learned about God, herself, and the creative process in the waiting

• The moment she felt called to start the manuscript over completely

• Whether Gideon’s Book will become part of a series

• The real-life inspirations behind her characters and themes

• Scriptures that carried her through the writing and rewriting process

• How writing something so close to the heart makes it both harder and holier

• Her prayer for how Gideon’s Book will impact readers and draw them closer to Jesus

If you’re a writer, a dreamer, or someone stuck in a long season of not yet, this episode will gently remind you the Author of your life is always writing and He finishes what He begins.

 

About Our Guest:
Maureen Miller has been wife to Bill for 35 years, is mom to three “born-in-her-heart” children, and Mosie to two grand-girls with a third on the way.

A teacher by degree and writer by calling, Maureen has been crafting stories, devotions, and essays for decades. She is an award-winning author featured in over twenty collaborative works including Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures and regularly contributes to both print and online publications including her own blog, Penning Pansies.

Though she identifies as an introvert, Maureen is known as a connector, someone who brings people together for God’s greater purpose. She is passionate about encouraging others to pursue their gifts and grow in their relationship with Jesus.

She is currently finishing her first novel Gideon’s Book and is the author of the children’s title Daisy the Circus Dog. Through all of her work, Maureen hopes to show others the extraordinary character of God revealed in the ordinary moments of life.

 

Book Spotlight: Gideon’s Book
In this captivating time-split Christian novel, Maureen Miller beautifully weaves together three lives on a journey toward healing, purpose, and faith.

2016: Cassie faces a daunting health diagnosis and lingering insecurities when she is given the chance to write a memoir for her friend’s parents. As hidden truths about her past come to light, she must confront where her worth truly lies.

Spring, 1969: Ava Jackson is 19 and in love with her best friend’s brother. A Spring Break trip to Myrtle Beach sets off a chain of events that will alter her future in ways she never expected.

Summer, 1969: Gideon Stallings is a successful architect battling inner doubts. But when he opens a Bible found in his room, a new story takes root in his heart, one that just might change everything.

From Myrtle Beach to Eden, North Carolina, Gideon’s Book is a sweeping tale of faith, self-discovery, and the impact of one life surrendered to God. Inspired by true events and real people, it’s a deeply emotional read that fans of The Notebook and Stepping Heavenward won’t want to miss.

 

Connect with Maureen Miller:
Website & Blog: www.penningpansies.com
Instagram: @penningpansies
Facebook: Penning Pansies
Email: adaisy4you@gmail.com

 

Books by Maureen Miller:

• Daisy the Circus Dog (Children’s Book)

• Gideon’s Book – Published May 2025

• Contributor to 20+ devotionals and collaborative works including Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures

 

Closing Thought:
Maureen ends this episode with a tender prayer for anyone feeling the ache of delay, the fear of beginning, or the fatigue of waiting. Be reminded God sees, He speaks, and He finishes what He starts in you.

 

Next Week on the Podcast:
Don’t miss our powerful conversation with Ann Harrison, a blind author whose testimony proves that our limitations never define us. God does. Tune in for an unforgettable story of courage, creativity, and grace.

Episode 81 - Blooming in Brokenness: Resilience, Faith, and Authenticity with Amber Weigand-Buckley

Date: July 18, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Amber Weigand-Buckley

 

Episode Highlights:
In this inspiring installment of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek sits down with Amazon #1 bestselling author and mental health advocate Amber Weigand-Buckley to unpack her latest devotional, Flowers Find a Way: Resilient Blooms in Relentless Faith. Amber opens up about overcoming mental health challenges and how “mental health struggles don’t disqualify anyone from divine purpose and leadership calling.” Drawing on intimate anecdotes, from the tenacious dandelion that “pushes itself up through concrete just to reach the light” to the symbolism of beautifully broken vessels. She reveals how vulnerability, authentic storytelling, and reliance on the Holy Spirit cultivate resilience, faith-based leadership, and spiritual growth. She also teases an upcoming audiobook version of Sisterhood of the Short Yellow Pencils, allowing listeners to experience her voice in navigating mental health mayhem one sticky note at a time.

 

About the Guest:
Amber Weigand-Buckley is an Amazon number one bestselling author, speaker, podcaster, and multi-award-winning founding editor and art director of Leading Hearts Magazine. A Springfield, Missouri native, Amber combines her passion for mental health advocacy with faith-based leadership, creating resources that help women embrace their cracks, quirks, and all. Her published works include:

• Leading Ladies: Discover Your God-Grown Strategy for Success (co-authored with Lisa Burris Burns)

• Flowers Find a Way: Resilient Blooms in Relentless Faith

• Enough for Today: 30 Mana Moments, 24 Hours at a Time (coming 2025)
  Her 2026 release, Sisterhood of the Short Yellow Pencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time, continues her mission of authentic vulnerability through powerful storytelling. Amber also co-hosts the weekly podcast Coffee Chat with Amber and Lisa.

 

Book Spotlight: Flowers Find a Way: Resilient Blooms of Relentless Faith 

Flowers Find a Way is more than a devotional, it is an invitation to see God’s presence in the overlooked, the ordinary, and the broken. Through thirty heartfelt reflections, Amber Weigand-Buckley leads readers on a journey of discovering beauty in unexpected places and strength in the midst of struggle. Each page is designed to help women deepen their faith, reframe their challenges, and recognize the powerful ways God moves through even our most fragile moments.

This devotional invites readers to cultivate resilience and uncover divine purpose through:

• Biblical wisdom woven with Amber’s raw and relatable personal stories. Using the dandelion as a powerful metaphor, she reminds us that God often uses what the world sees as weeds, flawed, stubborn, out of place, as vessels for His light and growth.

• Practical prompts that encourage readers to lean into God’s voice and listen for the nudges of the Holy Spirit. These exercises provide space to pause, reflect, and process what God may be speaking into your life today.

• Encouragement to embrace imperfections and stop waiting to be “put together” before being used. Amber’s voice reminds us that our cracks are not flaws to hide but openings through which God’s light pours out.

• Reflection questions designed to spark conversation, journaling, or small group dialogue. These questions help deepen your spiritual walk and foster authentic community, reminding us that our stories matter, and they’re meant to be shared.

From soft strength to holy defiance, Flowers Find a Way is a gentle but bold companion for any woman learning to rise, reach for the light, and trust that her brokenness is not a barrier to God’s purpose, it’s part of the bloom. 

 

Connect with Amber Weigand-Buckley:
Instagram: @barefacedgirl
Facebook: facebook.com/weigandbuckley
Amazon Author Page: Amber Weigand-Buckley on Amazon
Podcast: Coffee Chat with Amber and Lisa

 

Closing Thought:
Just like the dandelion that finds its crack in the concrete, may we lean into our beautifully broken places and trust that God’s light will push us through, blooming resiliently in faith, hope, and community.

Episode 80 - Surviving Trauma and Seeing Jesus: Sheila Preston Fitzgerald’s Miraculous Story of Faith, Healing, and Hope

Date: July 11, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: A Conversation with Sheila Preston Fitzgerald

 

Episode Highlights:
In one of the most gripping and miraculous episodes of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek welcomes author, speaker, and trauma survivor Sheila Preston Fitzgerald. Fourteen years ago, Sheila’s life changed forever after a horrific motorcycle accident that should have taken her life. Instead, it launched her into an unimaginable journey of miraculous survival, divine encounter, and unshakable faith.

Sheila recounts in vivid detail the near death experience that left her body broken but her spirit renewed. From being pinned between her motorcycle and a car to flying through the air and hearing the words, “Don’t be afraid. We got you. You’re going to be okay,” this story is nothing short of supernatural.

Listeners will hear how Jesus showed up, literally, to comfort her at the scene, and how the Holy Spirit wrapped her in what she describes as "butterfly blue," a color she says radiated the peace of heaven itself. Through over 11 surgeries, the eventual amputation of her leg, and an emotional road of recovery, Sheila emerged not as a victim, but as a radiant, joyful warrior with a powerful purpose.

This episode is overflowing with themes of:

• Faith in the fire

• Purpose through pain

• Radical gratitude

• Living anchored in the Lord

• Victory over trauma

• Healing through hope and prayer

Debbie and Sheila also talk about the release of Sheila’s brand new devotional, Foot Notes, and how God continues to use her story to transform lives. This is not just a story of survival. This is a call to trust, believe, and live fully even when life breaks your heart.

"I am not my limitations. This body is just an Earth suit. God didn’t just save my life. He gave me a new one."

Whether you're in the middle of your own shadow valley or searching for proof that God still performs miracles, this episode will leave you stirred, encouraged, and standing in awe of what happens when heaven touches earth.

 

About the Guest:
Sheila Preston Fitzgerald is a speaker, author, and passionate woman of faith whose joy radiates from the inside out. After surviving a catastrophic motorcycle crash, Sheila now shares her miraculous story across the country, bringing hope, healing, and encouragement to audiences of all backgrounds.

She is the author of One Foot in the Door: Finding Hope in the Hopeless and the brand new devotional series Foot Notes, which invites readers into a deeper understanding of God’s presence in every step of the journey. Sheila speaks to churches, women’s ministries, nonprofits, and schools, pouring her heart into helping others find strength in God through even the most crushing moments of life.

She lives just south of Nashville, Tennessee, where she finds joy in time with family and friends, writing, serving her church, and cuddling her beloved dog Heidi.

 

Book Spotlight: Foot Notes by Sheila Preston Fitzgerald

Published this week, Foot Notes is the long-anticipated devotional that invites readers into Sheila’s sacred conversations with Jesus. Through powerful storytelling, heartfelt prayers, and daily encouragement, Sheila opens a path for readers to experience hope, peace, and purpose no matter what they’re facing. Each devotional offers:

• Personal reflections born out of deep trauma and divine encounters

• Encouraging truths to help reframe pain through the lens of faith

• Practical applications to walk forward with renewed strength

• A radiant reminder that even when your journey includes loss or suffering, it is not without meaning

This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to find light in the darkest valleys.

Also by Sheila: One Foot in the Door: Finding Hope in the Hopeless — Sheila’s powerful debut memoir that first introduced readers to her extraordinary story of survival after a devastating motorcycle accident. With raw honesty and vivid detail, she takes readers through the harrowing moments that nearly took her life, the long and painful recovery that followed, and the deeply personal spiritual encounters that transformed her from the inside out. This book is a testimony to God’s faithfulness in the darkest moments, showing how even the most hopeless situations can become platforms for healing, purpose, and radiant joy. Through every page, Sheila reminds us that when God opens a door, even one that leads through pain, it can bring you straight into His presence and plan.

 

Connect with Sheila:
Website: www.sheilaprestonfitzgerald.com
Instagram: @sheilaprestonfitzgerald
Facebook: Sheila Preston Fitzgerald Author & Speaker

 

Closing Thought:
“Every day is a new morning. We are renewed daily.”

Miracles still happen. And when we stay anchored in the Lord, even the most broken places of our lives can become the stage where God’s glory shines the brightest.

Episode 79 - A Story Passed Down: How a Grandmother’s Legacy Sparked a New Calling

Date: July 5, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Nancy Haack

 

Episode Highlights: In this heartfelt episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek welcomes author and illustrator Nancy Haack to share her beautiful journey of creativity, calling, and God’s perfect timing. Nancy opens up about the childhood passion for art that eventually blossomed into something more—writing stories that echo the legacy of faith she inherited from her grandmother.

Although Nancy never set out to become a writer, God used a lifetime of unexpected twists, jobs that seemed unrelated, seasons of quiet waiting, and a deepening walk with Him to prepare her for something new. With vulnerability and wisdom, she shares how her grandmother’s unwavering faith inspired her debut novel A Day to Remember and how she’s learned to trust God’s plan even when the road didn’t make sense.

This episode invites listeners into the beauty of waiting, the significance of finding a community of support, and the power of holding fast to Scripture during life’s transitions. Nancy’s story is one of surrender, hope, and the reminder that God never wastes our waiting.

Whether you’re stepping into a new calling or struggling to find clarity in your current season, Nancy’s testimony is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to begin again and that God truly uses all things for His glory.

 

About the Guest: Nancy Haack has spent her life in the Northeast where she married her best friend, raised two daughters, and now embraces her role as a proud grandmother. From a young age, Nancy’s artistic talent was nurtured in a home that celebrated children and creativity. Her passion for illustration took root in college where she discovered how artwork can reflect God’s heart.

Over the years, Nancy has worn many hats, from window washer to writing tutor, but each role served a purpose. Through conferences, Scripture study, and faithful obedience, her creative path unfolded. Now, as both a children’s illustrator and romance author, Nancy continues to follow God’s lead with an open heart and willing hands.

 

Book Spotlight: A Day to Remember
Julia Kelly has always loved life on her family’s quiet farm in the New Hampshire mountains. But everything changes when her mother dies during childbirth and her father remarries the infant’s nurse. As the McGrath family takes over the farm and Julia is sent away to the Kimball Academy for Girls, she is plunged into a world far removed from the one she knows.

While trying to navigate this high-society life, Julia must choose between DJ McGrath, the grounded, sarcastic farmhand she can’t forget, and Jonathan Ashcroft, a wealthy suitor with a hidden past. Set in the 1920s, A Day to Remember follows Julia through loss, longing, and redemption as she discovers her identity, fights for hope, and learns to forgive.

This novel is ideal for readers who love faith-filled romances, historical settings, and strong, relatable women. With heartache, redemption, and God’s grace woven throughout, Nancy’s debut is a story that will leave you deeply moved and hopeful.

 

Connect with Nancy:
Instagram: @nancyhaack
Website: www.nancyhaack.com

 

Closing Thought: Sometimes the calling you never imagined turns out to be the one God had planned all along. What part of your story is He preparing you to tell?