My podcast logo with the words Inspirational Journeys: Stories that Matter
As authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs, we often find it hard to stand out above the constant chatter on thee internet. If that sounds like you, I’d like to help you boost the visibility of your brand. My name is Ann Harrison and I run a podcast called Inspirational Journeys: Stories that Matter. On my podcast I post solo episodes of value to my listeners, led by the Holy Spirit. I also talk to authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs who want to share their inspirational journeys with the world. If you’re interested in being a guest on my show, please email me, connect with me on social media or fill out my contact form with Inspirational Journeys in the subject line of your email or in your message.
If you’re launching a book, please let me know and I’ll send you my featured book questionnaire, so I can feature your book in the show notes blog post associated with your interview.
Thanks for listening to Inspirational Journeys and have a Blessed Day.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel, my Podcast and sign up for my email list to get notified when I produce new content and to get updates on new releases and for a behind the scenes look at my author journey. When you sign up for my email list, you’ll receive a free short story as a thank you gift for being a part of my fane base.
The following poem was inspired by the word “bumfuzzle”, which was part of the One Word Poetry Challenge workshop, hosted by Jen Lowry, which Tish Bouvier and I participated in Yesterday. Each day I’ll post one poem prompted by this event and challenge you with a new word at random, so read this post in its entirety for your special challenge.
There once was a little wuzzle
Whose name was Bumfuzzle
His body was covered with hair,
Though he wasn’t a bear.
What was this wuzzle
Whose name was Bumfuzzle?
Bumfuzzle Was a dust bunny,
Who sneezed and coughed and walked real funny
He could always be found
Hanging around
Sticking his nose in a jar of honey.
Today’s challenge set a timer for three minutes and write a poem using the word “mask” as your prompt. Be sure to post your poem on your own blog and pingback to this post, so I can see what you come up with.
Hello everyone in the blogosphere, today I have a special writing tip to help you develop your story arch. Before we get into the formula, I have some news to share.
My friend Teresa Guffanti invited me to join a new social media app called Clubhouse. While in a room for beginning podcasters, room moderator Danny De Hek invited Teresa and I to be his special guests on his What De Hek podcast.
The following tip was inspired by a conversation in a room where several people were talking about how to tell your story so others will listen. Her formula was designed to help motivational speakers structure their content to make it more engaging to their audience. I expanded the formula to teach fiction writers how to develop their story arches. The formula is as follows:
Someone, your protagonist
Wanted, what does your MC want? What is the character’s goal in your story?
But, the fear or flaw keeping your character from achieving his or her goal
And, in walks the villain to turn your MC’s world upside down in each paradigm shift
So, Your MC must conquer the fear or flaw holding her back and confront the villain to achieve her goal
Or, lose everything, including her life, depending on your genre.
To hear the full explanation of my formula, check out today’s podcast episode.
In today’s audio/video episode, My special guest and I talk about books, writing and more. Sit back, relax and eavesdrop on my conversation with M. Michelle Derosier as wee talk about two of our favorite topics, Jesus and Writing.
INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS PRESENTS!
M. Michelle Derosier!
Hello:
I’m proud to announce the following guest for your listening pleasure.
Please be sure to read onward after the following message to learn how you can be my guest here on INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS.
Thanks for listening and do write to let me and my guest know what you thought of this presentation.
Michelle loves Jesus and is fueled by black coffee, espresso, and freshly baked goods. Sadly, she’s not skilled at making any of the three. She writes culturally diverse stories from picture books to novels and shares an assortment of Haitian-American tales that are overlooked in the mainstream.
Michelle’s featured book is entitled Accepting Elijah’s Heart. The information is as follows:
Description:
He’s a former bad boy learning to forgive his past mistakes.
She’s a grieving widow struggling with motherhood.
A life-altering event offers them hope for a better future together.
Elijah Cooper grew up in church but without a relationship with God. Something he didn’t think he needed until he did. When Eli offers Reina support in a crisis, a friendship develops that could blossom
to more. But with his troubled past, he is not interested in a love match or a ready-made family.
After her husband’s untimely death, Reina Blackwell can’t trust the ground she walks on not to crumble beneath her. She’s certainly no longer trusting the God who created it. Not after he shatters her world leaving her alone to mourn and raise her son.
With scars too deep to heal on their own, can Eli and Reina find the faith they need to give and receive love?
As authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs, we often find it hard to stand out above the constant chatter on the internet. If that sounds like you, I’d like to help you boost the visibility of your brand. My name is Ann Harrison-Barnes and I run a podcast called Inspirational Journeys. On my podcast I post solo episodes of value to my listeners, led by the Holy Spirit. I also talk to authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs who want to share their inspirational journeys with the world. If you’re interested in being a guest on my show, please send an email to annwrites75@gmail.com with Inspirational Journeys in the subject line of your email, so I can send you my featured book questionnaire.
Thanks for listening to Inspirational Journeys and have a Blessed Day.
Jen Lowry has been on my podcast several times, but today, she is back to talk about her latest Christian sweet romance and give us more author updates. Sit back, relax and click on one of the links below, to eavesdrop on our conversation about Jesus and Writing.
INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS PRESENTS!
Love Over Pizza and author updates, with returning guest Jen Lowry!
Hello:
I’m proud to announce the following guest for your listening pleasure.
Please be sure to read onward after the following message to learn how you can be my guest here on INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS.
Thanks for listening and do write to let me and my guest know what you thought of this presentation.
Jen Lowry is North Carolina born and raised. She is an avid enthusiast of all things horror and UFC. She finds herself comfier in a pair of pajamas and would make all public appearances in them if she could get away with it. When she isn’t literacy coaching, author coaching, or homeschooling her son, she’s either writing or reading more than one book! Jen is a podcaster, YouTuber, and has authored 20 books! Follow her at jenlowrywrites all over the web!
The information for Jen’s new book entitled Love over Pizza is as follows:
Description:
Pepper Pines is back in Jackson, North Carolina, and settling in after graduating college. Her classroom is just the way she envisioned it, but her social life isn’t. Pepper’s best friend, Jessie, convinces her that Cupid’s Connection, a popular online dating site, might have her Mr. Right. Luca Giovanni is trying his best to run the pizza shop his parents left him and be his sister, Angel’s, keeper. Angel signs Luca up to Cupid’s Connection without him knowing because she feels he’s ready for love but just doesn’t take the time away from his business to date. Both find out what really matters, how to let go and lean in, and discover that pizza is better shared with those you love.
As authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs, we often find it hard to stand out above the constant chatter on the internet. If that sounds like you, I’d like to help you boost the visibility of your brand. My name is Ann Harrison-Barnes and I run a podcast called Inspirational Journeys. On my podcast I post solo episodes of value to my listeners, led by the Holy Spirit. I also talk to authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs who want to share their inspirational journeys with the world. If you’re interested in being a guest on my show, please send an email to annwrites75@gmail.com with Inspirational Journeys in the subject line of your email, so I can send you my featured book questionnaire.
Thanks for listening to Inspirational Journeys and have a Blessed Day.
In today’s episode, I’m excited to have the author and creator of the Snowflake Method as my special guest. Though I talked podcast listeners and YouTube viewers through the Snowflake Method, I can’t do it just like Randy Ingermanson can, so sit back, relax and be sure to have a note taking device at the ready, because we’re going to cover a lot of information.
INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS PRESENTS!
How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method with Randy Ingermanson!
Hello:
I’m proud to announce the following guest for your listening pleasure.
Please be sure to read onward after the following message to learn how you can be my guest here on INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS.
Thanks for listening and do write to let me and my guest know what you thought of this presentation.
Randy Ingermanson wants to teach you how to write excellent fiction.
He’s been teaching for more than twenty years, and he’s known around the world as “the Snowflake Guy” in honor of his wildly popular Snowflake Method of writing a novel.
Randy is an award-winning novelist and publishes the free monthly Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine. He says that “Fiction Writing = Organization + Craft + Marketing,” so he focuses on those three topics in his e-zine.
He also blogs when the spirit moves him. He is trying to get the spirit to move him weekly, but the spirit gets touchy about schedules.
Randy lives in the Pacific Northwest and works as a manservant to two surly and demanding cats. Visit Randy at AdvancedFictionWriting.com.
Today’s featured book is entitled: How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method
Description
Are you writing a novel, but having trouble getting your first draft written?
Take a look at the wildly popular Snowflake Method—ten battle-tested steps that jump-start your creativity and help you quickly map out your story. All around the world, novelists are using the Snowflake Method right now to ignite their imaginations and get their first drafts down.
The Snowflake Method is a magical key to unlock your creative wizard.
This book is written as a “business parable,” which means it’s a book about a nonfiction topic, but it’s written in story form. The story features a young woman named Goldilocks who desperately wants to write a novel. She goes to a writers conference, and there she takes classes from three bears. Papa Bear teaches outlining, but Goldilocks finds that too rigid. Mama Bear teaches “organic writing,” but Goldilocks finds that too squishy. Baby Bear teaches the Snowflake Method. Will Goldilocks find it to be just right?
Yes, this is a very zany story. That’s the point. The zaniness of the story will help lock the principles deep inside your head. Because story does that. You remember stories longer. Especially zany stories. Have fun!
She learned to read before she went to kindergarten.
In grade school, she always had her nose in a book.
In junior high, the other kids thought she was weird, because she actually liked reading those dusty old novels in literature class.
All through high school, Goldilocks dreamed of writing a book of her own someday.
But when she went to college, her parents persuaded her to study something practical.
Goldilocks hated practical, and secretly she kept reading novels. But she was a very obedient girl, so she did what her parents told her. She got a very practical degree in marketing.
After college, she got a job that bored her to tears—but at least it was practical.
Then she got married, and within a few years, she had two children, a girl and then a boy. She quit her job to devote full time to them.
As the children grew, Goldilocks took great joy in introducing them to the stories she had loved as a child.
When her son went off to kindergarten, Goldilocks thought about looking for a job. But her resume now had a seven-year hole in it, and her practical skills were long out of date.
The only jobs Goldilocks could qualify for were minimum wage.
She suddenly realized that being practical had made her horribly unhappy.
On a whim, Goldilocks decided to do the one thing she had always wanted more than anything else—she was finally going to write a novel.
She didn’t care if it was impractical.
She didn’t care if nobody would ever read her novel.
She was going to do it just because she wanted to.
For the first time in years, she was going to do something just for herself.
And nobody was going to stop her.
Learn more about the Snowflake Method at the following link::
As authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs, we often find it hard to stand out above the constant chatter on the internet. If that sounds like you, I’d like to help you boost the visibility of your brand. My name is Ann Harrison-Barnes and I run a podcast called Inspirational Journeys. On my podcast I post solo episodes of value to my listeners, led by the Holy Spirit. I also talk to authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs who want to share their inspirational journeys with the world. If you’re interested in being a guest on my show, please send an email to annwrites75@gmail.com with Inspirational Journeys in the subject line of your email, so I can send you my featured book questionnaire.
Thanks for listening to Inspirational Journeys and have a Blessed Day.
The following poem was inspired by the photo below.
A recorder sits on a table alone
With no one to give it a home.
Who knows what stories it has to tell
Or what thoughts get lost in the wishing well
Of voices it carries in its memory bank.
It holds a one-sided conversation
With no one to give any indication
Of whether the messages have reason or rhyme
Or pieces of a story lost in time
And the listener knows not who to thank
For the words of hope and wisdom.
Don’t leave this recorder all alone
Pick it up and take it home
And if there are no messages inside
Record your thoughts from deep inside
Your soul, and do not hide
The message of God’s love.
Here’s a special message for you,
For when you’re feeling sad and blue
This recorder will hold true
Your deepest thoughts and emotions.
Do you leave it all alone,
Or do you dare to take it home
And pour your heart and soul
Into the digital ocean?
Don’t let your thoughts disappear,
Capture your precious words for the world to hear
Keep them close at hand
With the touch of a button at your command
Writing challenge: Use the picture above as inspiration and write your own story, poem or essay and share it on your own blog. Be sure to ping back to this post, so I can read your creation.
Have you ever wondered what it’s like for a blind person to walk with a guide dog by her side? Even though many of you may have seen a blind person walking with his or her dog, my special guest gives you the inside scoop about how the guide dog and handler form a special bond.
INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS PRESENTS!
Special guest interview with DeAnna Quietwater Noriega!
Hello:
I’m proud to announce the following guest for your listening pleasure.
Please be sure to read onward after the following message to learn how you can be my guest here on INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS.
Thanks for listening and do write to let me and my guest know what you thought of this presentation.
WHO?
DeAnna Quietwater Noriega
WHEN?
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
WHERE?
MORE ABOUT GUEST AUTHOR DeAnna Quietwater Noriega…
DeAnna Quietwater Noriega is half Apache, and a quarter Chippewa. She is the mother of three, two daughters and an adopted blind son. She was the eldest of five children in a close-knit American Indian family. As a result of congenital glaucoma, She became totally blind at the age of eight. DeAnna Noriega and her husband, Curtis, currently live in Columbia, Missouri. Her latest book is entitled, Fifty Years of Walking with Friends
Description:
In e-book and print from Amazon, Smashwords, and other online sellers. 271 pages in print.
More than half of this eloquent, informative book is devoted to the author’s first guide dog, Tammy, and it soon becomes plain why. As the dog matured from beginning guide to seasoned veteran, the author went from starting college to embarking on her long marriage and her impressive working life.
Each of the author’s nine guide dogs thus far is described in loving detail: what it looked like, what unique personality traits it had, and why it had to retire from guiding. Age, illness, a tragic accident, and more—each required a return for the author to The Seeing Eye ®, the country’s oldest guide dog school. The beautiful German Shepherd pictured on the cover of the book with the author is her ninth dog, Enzo.
In prose and poetry, Noriega describes not just her loyal canine companions, but also the family she was born into, her children and grandchildren, details about her years in college as a blind student, and her subsequent work experience. While she accentuates the positive, she does not shy away from letting us know that there have been more than a few negatives in her life, too, including episodes of abuse and discrimination.
Experienced guide dog handlers will find much here that is movingly familiar to them. Those who have never walked beside such a marvelous companion will benefit greatly from learning what the dogs are trained to do, how they need to be cared for, and how observers should and should not interact with them. Touches of humor lighten almost every chapter, and the book ends with three imaginative, amusing skits in which the players are all guide dogs.
A guide dog can be more than a mobility aide to a blind person. The fear of the unknown, of injury, of being perceived as a disability instead of a human
being, can keep visually impaired individuals from stepping outside their door into full participation in the wider world. With Tammy beside me, I met
life head–on and carved out a place in it for myself. I overcame fears that would otherwise have crippled my ability to function and fully participate
in all that awaited beyond the threshold of my door.
In this age of skyrocketing costs, some have asked the question, why spend all that money to train a guide dog when a cane costs a thousandth of the price?
I hope to answer that difficult query through telling you about Tammy and the gift of sight she gave me through her loving amber eyes.
I dedicate this book to Daniel Boeke, who trained the first of my Seeing Eye® dogs. To my husband, children, and friends, both human and canine, who loved
and taught me so much about how to live, love, and flourish. But most of all, to my mother, who taught me to love books and the skills I would need to
live an independent life despite blindness.
Mama’s Hands
by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega
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Mama’s hands are long, slender, and graceful.
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The veins stand out on their backs, and their joints are growing a little stiff.
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They show the signs of the years and the hard tasks they have performed.
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As my world began to grow gray and hazy,
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Mama’s hand was strong and slim, grasping mine.
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When I was sick,
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Her hand was cool against my brow.
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Mama’s hands knit me bright sweaters to keep me warm.
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Mama’s hands were clever, making our home a pleasant place.
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Mama’s hands moved quickly, rolling tortillas,
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Sewing on buttons,
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Stretching taffy.
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Mama’s hands were gentle,
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Smoothing back my hair,
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Tapping my nose when she said look at me.
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Though delicate and slender, they were strong enough to conquer any task.
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Though they now show the passage of the years,
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Mama’s hands are beautiful
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Because they are not the pampered hands of the idle
As authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs, we often find it hard to stand out above the constant chatter on the internet. If that sounds like you, I’d like to help you boost the visibility of your brand. My name is Ann Harrison and I run a podcast called Inspirational Journeys. On my podcast I post solo episodes of value to my listeners, led by the Holy Spirit. I also talk to authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs who want to share their inspirational journeys with the world. If you’re interested in being a guest on my show, please send an email to annwrites75@gmail.com with Inspirational Journeys in the subject line, so I can send you my featured book questionnaire.
Thanks for listening to Inspirational Journeys and have a Blessed Day.
MORE ABOUT GUEST AUTHOR Claire O’Sullivan (in her own words)…
I’m a mom and grandmother. When my husband and I married, he already had 2 kids and 2 grandkids, and I already had my son, so I became an instant grandmother as well with the largest family on the face of the earth.
((What was funny at my wedding, I didn’t wear my glasses, well, because, who wants to, right? So we’re walking down the aisle and I see all of these folks crowding one side. I’d met my husband’s family at a Thanksgiving dinner, and there were at least fifty family members and their spouses, so going down the aisle I thought, wow, I knew his family was big but… Well, I’d lost my mom and dad years back, and so my son was with me, but no one else. And when I finally put my glasses on, my entire church had turned out and filled up the pews. It was pretty phenomenal. And funny.))
So I retired officially in 2018 though I’d closed my office quite a bit earlier, got our youngest son and his wife to move into the house while we remodeled and put in a mother-in-law studio, which is quite cozy for us. And we get to see our kids.
Besides writing, reading, and drinking coffee, I love to garden. My husband says I am low maintenance because I am always reading or writing… never grabbing the remote. We live in rural Southern Oregon weathering the changes.
I started writing in 8th grade with the encouragement of a teacher, and she suggested I get into journalism and creative writing in high school, which I did. My folks were old fashioned and they were firm: no writing, no archeology, no wildlife biology. So I became a nurse, and got married, had a son, and life sort of happened. I wrote a novel in 1989 but never got serious about sending it off, and that was a thriller. Then I went off to grad school and became a nurse practitioner, opened my own office, and didn’t start writing until 2012, and that’s when I started Romance Under Wraps.
Her debut novel is entitled Romance Under Wraps , the book information is as follows:
Description:
Catherine Cade has issues. She’s a partial amnesiac. She has no idea who she really is other than a thief. Once partnered up with an ex-husband/partner, she now runs routinely, changing her identity, but wanting a real life. She fakes a PhD as a nurse practitioner and works for a physician. When a VIP dies mysteriously, she’s worried because, he was her patient. Will she have to talk with the cops? Sign a death certificate? When a detective shows up at her office, he’s not there on pleasantries. When she looks at an unusual note attached to a death certificate, she realizes she is looking at something other than death by natural causes. She must do something, anything, to redeem her unredeemable life.
The detective knows all – almost all about Catherine Cade. Rick Calhoun has his eye on her, and really, with the most innocent of motives until he catches her in the act of a felony. Now, how to deal with the one woman who could turn his life inside out in every which way? The question remains, who killed the VIP, was it her, and what would he do to keep her safe?
“Someone’s in room two. He came to talk with Dr. Riley, but since he’s out—”
“He’s stuck with me. What does he want?”
She straightened her ponytail. “He’s a cop. Here about Thompson’s death.”
Oh, no. How could you, God? I even prayed. C’mon. The peanut butter stuck to the roof of my mouth as I zeroed in on her face.
“I think he has a hangover. He’s a looker, though.”
“Is he blond? Young? Accent?” A quick peep at the back door might give my concern away, but if Jerry or his goon showed up, how fast could I outrun him? I’d grab my keys, knock Teresa off her feet, and make it to my car with a go-bag already packed and in the trunk.
“Southern accent, darker hair than yours, maybe a foot taller, five years older than you, give or take. Forty-ish. Easy on the eyes. Looks like a defensive linebacker. Unlike your muddy ole eyeballs, he’s got serious blue.”
“Muddy?”
She smirked. “Okay, brown. Why?”
“No reason.” I stacked prescription requests with a vengeance. Jerry, a malicious con, became the Feds’ paid informant in a convenient twist of fate. They made a sweet deal for him but left me out. Funny how that worked. He pocketed cops everywhere. Now one waited for me in an exam room.
I stood in the hall in front of the exam room door. Steeled myself. Checked my pistol, a SIG Sauer I carried under my lab coat. Donned my reading glasses. Gulped water to ease the cottonmouth.
Thompson’s chart showed nothing of interest. Without his information in the electronic medical records, reviewing his loose papers took longer than expected before I went into the exam room.
I wrapped my hand around the knob. Instead, the door opened and yanked me in. I yelped as my forward motion caused a collision, and the documents flew. He caught me and apologized.
“Ah—ah …” I noted an angled jaw, salt-and-pepper hair, and grizzled stubble. “… I’m Catherine Cade.”
“Apologies, ma’am, but I’m in a hurry.” He helped gather the papers. “I’m Detective Rick Calhoun with Whiskey River PD.” He presented his ID, thrust out a big hand, yet grasped mine gently. “Needed to bring you this.” He closed the door and rested his back against it. “Got questions about Thompson.”
Big man, armed, leaning against the doorframe and my one way out. Jerry had sent him. My internal freak-out meter shot straight to nuclear.
As authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs, we often find it hard to stand out above the constant chatter on the internet. If that sounds like you, I’d like to help you boost the visibility of your brand. My name is Ann Harrison-Barnes and I run a podcast called Inspirational Journeys. On my podcast I post solo episodes of value to my listeners, led by the Holy Spirit. I also talk to authors, creative artists and entrepreneurs who want to share their inspirational journeys with the world. If you’re interested in being a guest on my show, please send an email to annwrites75@gmail.com with Inspirational Journeys in the subject line, so I can send you my featured book questionnaire.
Thanks for listening to Inspirational Journeys and have a Blessed Day.
Teresa Guffanti is a child of the Most High God. Teresa was born and raised in South Florida; however, she now resides in Dallas Texas, where she currently is the Host and Author of Struggling Blessed but Not Alone Podcast and blog.
Theresa’s life has been a struggle in every way and in every decade. No matter the struggles of life. Teresa has a Can-Do Attitude living on the bible verse that states You can do all things with Christ who strengthens you. Philippians 4:13.
At the age of 11 she was diagnosed with a child’s form of Macular degeneration called Stargardt’s. People in her life may not have believed in her but that did not stop her. For she knew God created her for a greater purpose. Therefore, she had determined at a young age She would do great things and make a difference in this world. Teresa may be almost totally blind, but her vision loss does not define her. It has taught her how to reinvent herself as her life changes.
At the age of 14, while attending school, she embarked upon a career path, filling her life with a variety of jobs, from a general worker to having various leadership roles such as Team leader, supervisor, office manager-Store Manager, customer service rep and manager, business owner and partner. She has also found time to engage her life with many community services, holding leadership roles such as president, director, general adviser and committee adviser in these activities. Teresa has always found time to help change the lives of others and support causes she holds dear to her heart. Teresa graduated high school and received her childcare certificate in 1989. She earned her personal training certification in 1998. This path of education was not a straight shot like most people have. Years later, God gave her an Opportunity to go back to school and show the world she is able to do All Things with God on her side. In 2008 she earned her AA degree at Broward Community college with honors, and received her bachelor’s degree in accounting at Florida Atlantic University in 2012. Throughout her life, she had to find places to help her learn how to navigate her life changing eye disease. She received training in the areas of Cane travel, braille, assistive technology and independent living. Her thirst for knowledge has inspired her to pursue her master’s degree in seminary and motivational speaking, Teresa Has started a Focus Group called Sharing Insights To better help her low vision and blind peers. She is working on writing her life story, showing The WORLD that GOD LIVES IN AND THROUGH HER Romans 8:28.
Quote by Teresa “Having faith in the lord is more powerful than wishing on a star!”
