My guest today is Author Linda Windsor, a strong woman if I ever knew one. Here’s Linda:

“Healer is a story of a woman’s hope based on faith rather than feelings. Brenna of Gowys has been forced into hiding for most of her twenty years by her mother Joanna’s dying prophecy to her murderer.]: “My seed shall divide your house and bring about a love beyond your wicked ken.” So Brenna is hunted by the O’Byrnes who seek to kill her and by her own clan, who would have her lead them to certain death against the stronger enemy. Brenna is a healer, not a warrior. So when she rescues a man ambushed and left for dead, she cannot know that he is her worst enemy. All she knows is that she is a healer and as such, has no choice.

For nearly fourteen years, I too was isolated. Not by some prophecy, but by chemical depression. Joy became a word to me, nothing more. Fear, anger and self-doubt formed my prison walls, shutting me off from family, friends, and, in the beginning, even God. Looking back, I can say today that it was the best thing that ever happened to me because my faith grew in ways it might never have otherwise. Over that span of time, God taught me that I could not trust my feelings. They are temporal, subject to change by the dip or rise of serotonin levels in my body or the ups and downs of life’s merry-go-round. But His Word is eternal and unchanging. I learned that negative feelings, self-doubt and helplessness were the devil’s favorite weapons to bring me down into darkness and rob me of joy. And that I had to use mind or knowledge of God’s Word as a shield against the negative. God told me through His Word that He would never leave nor forsake me…even when I couldn’t feel or sense His presence. That He heard every prayer I prayed, even when my mind was too battered and weary to form words. And that I was in the good company of some of God’s favorites like Moses and David…even His son.

One Easter I was to speak on Good Friday on one of the Seven Sayings From the Cross. “My God why hast thou forsaken me?” As I pondered it during a depressed low, a light kindled. Not just in my mind, but in my heart. That was how “I” felt—forsaken. So WWJD? His next words were “I thirst.” And to me God said, He thirsted for the Father…like me. Then Jesus turned His Spirit over to the Father. That’s what I had to do. When I felt forsaken or confused, I had to thirst for the Word and drink. Know there was a bigger plan I could not see. And then turn my despair over to my Father. Trouble? Thirst and Turn. Three T’s. Easier said than done. I’d run the three T’s and then add another—Take it back. Then I’d run the three T’s again. And again. And again. Because I knew—KNEW—this was truth and that my feelings were illusion…temporal. God’s Word with all its assurance and promise was eternal.

From this I began to take risks…stepping out into the circles of family and friends, speaking and singing in church and at writing conferences. No one could believe that bubbly, zany Linda Windsor had chemical depression. Or that she’d had to run the Three T’s just before speaking to them. It wasn’t my inner strength. It was God’s enabling a willing, if trembling, heart.

Brenna must face her fears as well. She must leave the security of her isolation because it is what God has called her to do. Even when it doesn’t feel like He’s there. Even when her prayers aren’t answered the way she expects. Even when extending His love to her enemy could cost her life. She runs through the three T’s, demonstrating faith under fire. And God never lets her down. He never let me down. And He will never let you down.”–Author Linda Windsor

To check out first chapters of Linda’s books, enter contests or sign up for her umpthly newsletter, visit
www.LindaWindsor.com. (umpthly is a Windsorism for ‘when I have something to say’).

I wrote an endorsement for this book-if you enjoy, rich historical detail and breathless romance–this book is for you!–Lyn