Please join me on Thursday. My guest is a dear friend who has an amazing testimony of how God uses the difficult things in our life for His good. One night when her husband was gone at a late night meeting, a man broke into Heather's house and raped her while her children slept in their bedrooms. She became pregnant as a result and decided to keep the baby. Don't miss Heather's incredible story of redemption and freedom of forgiveness.
To listen to the interview: go here and click on the player in the upper right corner of the screen. Thursday at 3:00 pm Central.
More about Heather: Heather (Hiemstra) grew up near London, Ontario, on a hobby farm where she hiked
through corn fields with her faithful collie, swam in a water hole with the ducks, and shoveled manure in pig pens. She is the youngest of five children born to her Dutch immigrant parents, and she also had numerous foster brothers and sisters who made her life very rich. Her parents are godly people who remain strong role models of the faith for her.Heather moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan to attend Calvin College as a young adult and graduated with two degrees‹a BA and an MRS‹four years later. After graduation, she did editorial work for Zondervan Publishing House.
The Gemmens had two boys together, adopted another, and welcomed their baby girl into the family (see Startling Beauty for more). After ten years living and working in the inner city, the mountains of Colorado began to call their names. The Gemmens relocated to Colorado Springs where Heather took a job at Cook Communications as an acquisitions editor. She began her writing career by authoring children¹s books and she continues to make editing and writing her livelihood today. In 2004 Heather began working from home‹writing and editing for various Christian publishing houses.
After almost fifteen years together, much to Heather's shock and dismay, the marriage disolved when her husband informed her he was leaving. The divorce left Heather devastated. Rejected and afraid, she felt as though she had failed God, her kids, and her ministry. God, however, offers his wonderful restorative love to everyone, and Heather clung to it. The Psalms became her refuge and she discovered for herself how those powerful words restore life.
While attending a writers¹ conference in Florida as the keynote speaker in the spring of 2005, Heather met Larry Wilson, an author and editor from Indiana who was also faculty. They began chatting professionally and soon discovered they had much in common personally as well and five months later they married. Heather and her four kids moved to Indiana, to join Larry and his two children.
In Indiana, Heather's oldest son married and had a child, making her a proud grandmother. Please visit Heather's website: www.heathergemmen.com
About Startling Beauty: Raped in her own home, Heather's terror went beyond her own safety: Were the kids sleeping soundly in the next bedroom, or did their silence mean something else? Would her husband save her, or would he face the same knife she did? And Heather's agony did not end after the rapist left: Against all odds, she became pregnant as a result of the rape. Would she and her husband remain united as they faced the tyranny of the choice before them? Would they endure the strain of anxiety as they waited for HIV test results and answered strange telephone calls?
This gripping true-life story walks readers through Heather's journey—from rape to restoration. Startling Beauty is undeniable proof that God can bring blessings out of the worst situations in our lives.
"Startling Beauty is very moving and encouraging.
It shows how the Lord can heal a shattered heart and bring unexpected and startling blessings even from the darkest experiences of our lives."
—Francine Rivers, award-winning author
"I suggest you run out and get a copy yourself."
—Montel Williams
Win a copy of Heather's book by leaving a comment {HERE}. Be sure to include your email address, the winner will be notified via email.
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