Miranda Herring's new ebook, Grace, Songs, Scripture, and Spoons, is now available on Amazon. Published by SCWC Books, the devotional is a labor of the heart for Miranda--who has had a difficult health journey that has brought her closer to Christ. The ebook consists of 40 daily devotions with Scripture readings and personal reflections to uplift the reader.
(It's available now on Amazon. FOLLOW THIS LINK TO CHECK IT OUT.)
Miranda lives in Hueytown, Alabama (just outside Birmingham) with her husband Courtney; she's a stay-at-home mom to Sara and dog mom to Henry. She worships at First Church Birmingham and is currently a student at Mississippi State University.
I recently talked with Miranda about her book, her other writing, and her hopes for her devotional ebook.
Your book is designed to reach those with chronic illnesses. Can you tell me a little bit about your own health journey?
I was generally healthy until 2012 when, a month after my wedding, I became weak and extremely short of breath. I went to the emergency room and was found to be profoundly anemic. After a full workup, it was discovered that I had a GI bleed caused by undiagnosed celiac disease. As often happens, autoimmune diseases follow each other and several months later, I became ill with symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis - joint swelling and pain, morning stiffness, fevers, fatigue - that got progressively worse. To manage it, I was placed on several medications, including prednisone, which unfortunately I was never able to stop. It has caused many problems, in and of itself, including stress fractures in every bone in my feet. As the RA worsened, I also developed a rare neurological disease called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) that started - quite abruptly - in my left leg and then later would also cycle through my right leg. It is considered one of the three most painful conditions in the world. It can become systemic and have other effects and mine now has. All these combined caused me to have to stop working as a nurse. At times, I've had to use a Smartchair when I've been unable to walk - but, thankfully, I am ambulatory right now and I am so grateful. I have also dealt with multiple rounds of osteomyelitis in both of my feet and in my left hip and several surgeries as well as septicemia from those infections. Those called for months and months of IV antibiotics as well. It has been a wild ride for sure!
Where did the idea for this devotional book come from?
I was having my quiet time one day and it just came to me, a total God thing. I blog often about spoonie issues and it is definitely my heart.
What are your hopes for this book?
It is my hope that this devotional will meet other spoonies where they are and let them know that they are loved and held by God, that they are not alone, and that someone else understands this journey as well.
What are your other writing activities, and are you working on any other projects?
I am always on my blog and I am also still working on a book about death. I worked as a nurse for 15 years and spent a great deal of time in end of life care and I feel like people are uncomfortable sometimes talking about things related to death and dying. I want to share what I've seen and help people not be afraid.
With your health issues, how did you find the time and energy to write this book?
I am at home now - I stopped working in 2017 - so my writing is my joy and my full-time pursuit (in addition to school these days). I am blessed in that I am able to rest when I need to and work when I need to. Unfortunately, there are sickly times when I just have to sleep and leave it be. Those times, I just trust the Lord that He will see me back to it as quickly as can be done with my health.
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Check out Miranda's blog: Autoimmune Hippie
Purchase Grace, Songs, Scripture, and Spoons: A 40-day devotional for the chronically ill on Amazon. (You can read it on your Kindle, tablet, or other device.)
Learn more about SCWC Books & Southern Story Books: Write and Publish website
