Coming Soon
'Dancing In The Midst Of The Storm'
Author on Quest to Uplift Marriage Before Divorce
Special to Inspiration Ministries Magazine
Written by Billy Jo Youmans
Dancing in the Storm
"As Kevin and Linda experience heartaches and trials, they found God preparing showers of blessings in their midst."
One night while watching inspiration Ministries, Linda felt the Holy Spirit move her to sow a seed of faith - in spite of their financial distress. All she had was five dollars. With Kevin in agreement, she called to ask if they could sow such a small amount. Assured that no amount is too small when the Holy Spirit is leading you, Linda sowed her seed. "The next day while waiting on that seed (to trigger a harvest). I went to look for extra work. I hadn't been gone long when my husband called, you can come home! Our ship has come in!"
"Sure enough God honored our faith and confirmed that inspiration Ministries was good ground!"
Years passed with Linda faithfully serving God and sowing into God's kingdom through inspiration Ministries. Her husband's health declined, but God's favor increased. "We laughed at illness together because we knew we couldn't lose in the end"
With Kevin's health worsening, Linda realized that he was the ministry God entrusted to her in the season. So she withdrew from public ministry. While Kevin slept, Linda worked on fulfilling a lifetime calling. "My mother brought me a typewriter when I was ten. Fear of rejection kept me from ever pursuing publication. But over the years, God kept showing me a problem I knew He wanted me to write about- helping young people know they are designed by Him."
Her first book was born from that burden. As Kevin's health declined further, his care needs increased, and Linda was unable to market her book. Yet she continue to sow as God led her and trusted His plan. The following year while she prepared for a rare afternoon outing, the phone rang. On the line was a woman Linda had spiritually mentored for years. "Could I stop by for just a minute? My family and I want to bless you." the caller requested. Setting her plan aside Linda waiting - and received the surprise of her life. The blessing the caller wanted to deliver was a check. "In the midst of the storm, life just kept increasing for us."
Linda shares with aw.
But increases in life are not without loses.
Kevin's health storm ended in 2019 with a promotion to Heaven.
He is fine now. My grief is for my loss of him - not for him. Ours is a wonderful love story; He showed me what real man of God is like. I promised him I would write a book about it called "Dancing In the midst of the storm" because that's what we did - that's what love does. My grief now is simply evidence of love enjoyed.
The love of God sustained Kevin and Linda - and still holds Linda strong. God's love never fails or ends. Although her life is not perfect, she knows no storm can destroy God's purpose for her. Her sowing continues, and her life is still increasing.
"God has released me to finish my ministry," Linda declares. "This is a new beginning."
Special to Inspiration Ministries Magazine
Written by Billy Jo Youmans
Dancing in the Storm
"As Kevin and Linda experience heartaches and trials, they found God preparing showers of blessings in their midst."
One night while watching inspiration Ministries, Linda felt the Holy Spirit move her to sow a seed of faith - in spite of their financial distress. All she had was five dollars. With Kevin in agreement, she called to ask if they could sow such a small amount. Assured that no amount is too small when the Holy Spirit is leading you, Linda sowed her seed. "The next day while waiting on that seed (to trigger a harvest). I went to look for extra work. I hadn't been gone long when my husband called, you can come home! Our ship has come in!"
"Sure enough God honored our faith and confirmed that inspiration Ministries was good ground!"
Years passed with Linda faithfully serving God and sowing into God's kingdom through inspiration Ministries. Her husband's health declined, but God's favor increased. "We laughed at illness together because we knew we couldn't lose in the end"
With Kevin's health worsening, Linda realized that he was the ministry God entrusted to her in the season. So she withdrew from public ministry. While Kevin slept, Linda worked on fulfilling a lifetime calling. "My mother brought me a typewriter when I was ten. Fear of rejection kept me from ever pursuing publication. But over the years, God kept showing me a problem I knew He wanted me to write about- helping young people know they are designed by Him."
Her first book was born from that burden. As Kevin's health declined further, his care needs increased, and Linda was unable to market her book. Yet she continue to sow as God led her and trusted His plan. The following year while she prepared for a rare afternoon outing, the phone rang. On the line was a woman Linda had spiritually mentored for years. "Could I stop by for just a minute? My family and I want to bless you." the caller requested. Setting her plan aside Linda waiting - and received the surprise of her life. The blessing the caller wanted to deliver was a check. "In the midst of the storm, life just kept increasing for us."
Linda shares with aw.
But increases in life are not without loses.
Kevin's health storm ended in 2019 with a promotion to Heaven.
He is fine now. My grief is for my loss of him - not for him. Ours is a wonderful love story; He showed me what real man of God is like. I promised him I would write a book about it called "Dancing In the midst of the storm" because that's what we did - that's what love does. My grief now is simply evidence of love enjoyed.
The love of God sustained Kevin and Linda - and still holds Linda strong. God's love never fails or ends. Although her life is not perfect, she knows no storm can destroy God's purpose for her. Her sowing continues, and her life is still increasing.
"God has released me to finish my ministry," Linda declares. "This is a new beginning."
Author on Quest to Uplift Little Girls
Before They Become Women
Special to The California Advocate Newspaper
Written by Shawndale Grice
Linda Wilson McDowell, (a.k.a Lynn Vern) where’s many hats including being a lover and follower of Jesus Christ, wife, mother, grandmother and minister; in addition to being an author, she struggled being an African American girl, teen and then woman who could embrace her inner and outer beauty. Born and raised in Fresno, California, Linda saw first-hand how the color of her skin made the first impression for her even before people could get to know her for her. Linda just released a novel titled, Chocolate is Better, that outlines a tumultuous journey but offers hope to others who have faced similar paths.
While the characters in her book focuses on young African American girls growing up and experiencing pain, love, joy and the process of learning to love oneself, it’s easily relate-able to others. Humorous and painful peaks into the lives of girls who have to contend with how they see themselves and how the world around them perceives who they are as well is enough in itself challenging. Linda highlights the ups and the downs with a sensitivity that readers will appreciate.
Recently, I interviewed Linda to gain more insight about her purpose and process for writing her novel, Chocolate is Better.
When did you first start writing?
“Age 10 or 11, I was kind of a dreamer. I wrote everywhere I went, school, home etc. My mother bought me a typewriter at age 10 from Sears and Roebuck and I started writing short stories because I knew that my mother believed in me.”
What else inspires you to write?
“I think I’m inspired about life itself. I work now motivating women who are facing challenges. I can make an impact on a lot of people when I write. I’ve always wanted to help lift people and help people that no one else wanted to help and inspire kids around me not to be silent when they were being bullied. I thought that if I could write that I could touch people with my words and I like to write into the heart of people.”
Do you remember the first book you ever wrote?
“Yes, my first book was a novel of my life, titled My Adventure of Life, I kept the manuscript and put it on the shelf and kept writing.”
Where did the title “Chocolate is Better” come from?
By looking in the mirror, when I was a little girl I use to look in the mirror. I realized that I had creamy colored skin and I thought to myself that it’s pretty and I said to myself Chocolate is better. When I wrote the book I used it as a motivational tool for one of the characters, the character used it to motivate the other characters.”
Did you think that writing this book was going to be a huge challenge?
“Yes! It was something I had experienced myself. As I started looking at the title I thought that some people may take it and make it about race but the phrase, “Chocolate is Better,” was a motivational thing and so I kept going with it?
Describe one life situation that you have faced that prepared you to give personal insight for the book?
“When I was a little girl I was sitting on a bus stop one day with my best friend who was Porta Rican and she had curly hair, blue eyes and her skin was lighter than mine. I admired her and thought she was beautiful. One of our mutual male friends came and we knew that he liked us both but when we boarded the bus he sat behind us and started playing with her hair and looking at her as if she was just the most beautiful thing. So I’m watching her and I’m watching him pay her more attention, I began to shrink inside because I thought I was so little because of all the attention he gave her and I felt that I didn’t count.”
So did that experience helped to shape how you felt about yourself
“Yes, I felt like a little nappy headed girl at the time, I’m being real and I felt like she was better than I was because he looked at her like she was better and I thought that she was the kind of person that the boys wanted to be with. When I got older my self-esteem was better, running track and achieving all kinds of things, I knew I had a little rhythm, a nice shape and I started looking at all the good things about me and that started to push up my self-esteem. I took better care of myself and looked at myself more in the mirror and I got better.” When I left and went to South Carolina and Virginia people took notice of the shade of my skin and commented how I had a reddish pigment to my skin and I thought “Wow” that’s still going on and when I returned to Fresno I realized that the same thing was going on here as well, just hidden. Then I learned that young girls were going through the same things I did.
How have readers responded so far to your book and its message?
“Some of them are responding like it’s a soul popper, it’s like wow…it’s real. I think that things in the book are things that they have not seen in a book before and readers can relate to it because it’s real. Getting great responses, two young girls wrote me and said, ‘We use to think that we were ugly, now we know that we’re beautiful because of your book and we want to thank you for being so courageous to write a book like this.
What is your main point that you want to get across to readers?
“I want the readers especially those who can recognize, understand and identify with this type of story, to know whoever they are and no matter their color, if a person who has a type of disability…that being different is not bad but something that’s good. It’s not about being black, but knowing that they can succeed and identifying the beauty within them instead of trying to get approval from someone else. I want to re-direct the readers to have better self-esteem because they have received scars from being criticized and get their emotions re-directed and raise their self-esteem.
How long did you work on the book?
“Three to four months, I write pretty fast, I’m addicted to writing. I really love the journey and love going there and taking life events and put them into my characters and becoming each and every one of the characters.”
In conclusion, Linda feels that readers will be challenged to raise their self-esteem in a way that is positive and to strengthen who they are as a person regardless to how others see them.
Before They Become Women
Special to The California Advocate Newspaper
Written by Shawndale Grice
Linda Wilson McDowell, (a.k.a Lynn Vern) where’s many hats including being a lover and follower of Jesus Christ, wife, mother, grandmother and minister; in addition to being an author, she struggled being an African American girl, teen and then woman who could embrace her inner and outer beauty. Born and raised in Fresno, California, Linda saw first-hand how the color of her skin made the first impression for her even before people could get to know her for her. Linda just released a novel titled, Chocolate is Better, that outlines a tumultuous journey but offers hope to others who have faced similar paths.
While the characters in her book focuses on young African American girls growing up and experiencing pain, love, joy and the process of learning to love oneself, it’s easily relate-able to others. Humorous and painful peaks into the lives of girls who have to contend with how they see themselves and how the world around them perceives who they are as well is enough in itself challenging. Linda highlights the ups and the downs with a sensitivity that readers will appreciate.
Recently, I interviewed Linda to gain more insight about her purpose and process for writing her novel, Chocolate is Better.
When did you first start writing?
“Age 10 or 11, I was kind of a dreamer. I wrote everywhere I went, school, home etc. My mother bought me a typewriter at age 10 from Sears and Roebuck and I started writing short stories because I knew that my mother believed in me.”
What else inspires you to write?
“I think I’m inspired about life itself. I work now motivating women who are facing challenges. I can make an impact on a lot of people when I write. I’ve always wanted to help lift people and help people that no one else wanted to help and inspire kids around me not to be silent when they were being bullied. I thought that if I could write that I could touch people with my words and I like to write into the heart of people.”
Do you remember the first book you ever wrote?
“Yes, my first book was a novel of my life, titled My Adventure of Life, I kept the manuscript and put it on the shelf and kept writing.”
Where did the title “Chocolate is Better” come from?
By looking in the mirror, when I was a little girl I use to look in the mirror. I realized that I had creamy colored skin and I thought to myself that it’s pretty and I said to myself Chocolate is better. When I wrote the book I used it as a motivational tool for one of the characters, the character used it to motivate the other characters.”
Did you think that writing this book was going to be a huge challenge?
“Yes! It was something I had experienced myself. As I started looking at the title I thought that some people may take it and make it about race but the phrase, “Chocolate is Better,” was a motivational thing and so I kept going with it?
Describe one life situation that you have faced that prepared you to give personal insight for the book?
“When I was a little girl I was sitting on a bus stop one day with my best friend who was Porta Rican and she had curly hair, blue eyes and her skin was lighter than mine. I admired her and thought she was beautiful. One of our mutual male friends came and we knew that he liked us both but when we boarded the bus he sat behind us and started playing with her hair and looking at her as if she was just the most beautiful thing. So I’m watching her and I’m watching him pay her more attention, I began to shrink inside because I thought I was so little because of all the attention he gave her and I felt that I didn’t count.”
So did that experience helped to shape how you felt about yourself
“Yes, I felt like a little nappy headed girl at the time, I’m being real and I felt like she was better than I was because he looked at her like she was better and I thought that she was the kind of person that the boys wanted to be with. When I got older my self-esteem was better, running track and achieving all kinds of things, I knew I had a little rhythm, a nice shape and I started looking at all the good things about me and that started to push up my self-esteem. I took better care of myself and looked at myself more in the mirror and I got better.” When I left and went to South Carolina and Virginia people took notice of the shade of my skin and commented how I had a reddish pigment to my skin and I thought “Wow” that’s still going on and when I returned to Fresno I realized that the same thing was going on here as well, just hidden. Then I learned that young girls were going through the same things I did.
How have readers responded so far to your book and its message?
“Some of them are responding like it’s a soul popper, it’s like wow…it’s real. I think that things in the book are things that they have not seen in a book before and readers can relate to it because it’s real. Getting great responses, two young girls wrote me and said, ‘We use to think that we were ugly, now we know that we’re beautiful because of your book and we want to thank you for being so courageous to write a book like this.
What is your main point that you want to get across to readers?
“I want the readers especially those who can recognize, understand and identify with this type of story, to know whoever they are and no matter their color, if a person who has a type of disability…that being different is not bad but something that’s good. It’s not about being black, but knowing that they can succeed and identifying the beauty within them instead of trying to get approval from someone else. I want to re-direct the readers to have better self-esteem because they have received scars from being criticized and get their emotions re-directed and raise their self-esteem.
How long did you work on the book?
“Three to four months, I write pretty fast, I’m addicted to writing. I really love the journey and love going there and taking life events and put them into my characters and becoming each and every one of the characters.”
In conclusion, Linda feels that readers will be challenged to raise their self-esteem in a way that is positive and to strengthen who they are as a person regardless to how others see them.
Live interview "Chocolate Is Better" on Central Valley Buzz with host Chuck Leonard
Interview with host Lynn Vern(a.k.a. Linda Wilson-McDowell)