Episode 31 - He Makes All Things Beautiful in His Time with Maureen Miller

Date: May 14, 2024  Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Maureen Miller   Story Highlight: Join us on The Women Behind the Words for a refreshing life story of Maureen Miller. Maureen, a dedicated Christian, grew up in a home where Jesus was not only talked about but deeply loved. Prayer with her mother was a nightly practice she and her sister enjoyed so much. She considered Jesus her best friend from as far back as she could remember.  Despite her strong Christian upbringing, Maureen began to stray during her junior high years, making wrong choices with her boyfriend. She struggled with living a life of secret sin while trying to maintain the appearance of a pure Christian. This pattern continued through high school until they parted ways for her senior year. She later married her childhood sweetheart.  Maureen shares a recurring pivotal moment she calls her "window story," where she experiences a profound sense of isolation and hypocrisy. After many years, in 2005, God called her back to this window, despite its association with pain and barrenness. Here, she heard Jesus tell her to “turn around”. She turned around, shifting her focus from herself and others to Him. This marked the beginning of a deep work of healing and sanctification in her life. Through a vision of herself chasing butterflies with a net, Maureen understood her calling to capture women's attention and share the words of Jesus with them. Her ministry now revolves around sharing words of hope and redemption with women who, like herself, may feel isolated and stuck in sin. Maureen currently resides in the hills of North Carolina on what she lovingly calls Selah Farm, her “hobby farm”, alongside her husband, seeking God's guidance daily and allowing Him to direct her steps and her writing. She collaborates with various publications and is a regular writer for Guideposts' "All God's Creatures."   About our Guest (Bio): Maureen Miller has been wife to Bill for 35 years, is mother to three “born-in-her-heart” children, and is Mosie to two grand-girls (with a third on the way). A teacher by degree, Mo (as many call her) has been writing almost all her life—enjoying plays, poetry, and short stories as a child; essays and term papers in high school and college; and devotions, essays, and articles as an adult. She doesn’t recall a time when she didn’t love Jesus, but she came to a new understanding of God’s boundless love when she was in her early twenties and newly married. Part of the healing work He did in her heart was to show her how He desired to use her—through the gift of words, both written and spoken—words that He would give that she might share with others. And the purpose? To transform lives through a relationship with Jesus and be set free. Maureen is an award-winning author. She’s published in more than twenty collaborative books, including the annual Guideposts devotional All God’s Creatures. She has articles and devotions, both in print and online, and writes for her local newspaper.  She’s finishing her first novel, Gideon’s Book, and has written one children’s book, Daisy the Circus Dog. She also blogs regularly—telling of God’s extraordinary character discovered in the simple, ordinary things of life at www.penningpansies.com. Though an introvert, Maureen’s a lover of people. She’s been called a “connector,” as she has a way of connecting people for God’s greater purposes. She loves to encourage and cheer others on in their pursuit of God and the gifts He’s given them. A lover of dogs, books, and movies that make her cry, daisies, and other wildflowers, Maureen believes each day is preparation for all the beauty Heaven will hold, and she can’t wait to meet Jesus! Connect with Maureen: Email: [email protected] Website: https://penningpansies.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maureen.miller