TRUST: Sandy Nadeau tells how she became a writer and encourager

By Sandy Nadeau

The way I see it, God put me on earth to love Him, find adventures and write about them. To share about Him and His creation. It’s amazing how much you can love what you do, when you’re in the right place with God.

For many years, I struggled with a strong desire to write, but it never seemed to go anywhere. What I’ve learned in hindsight is that every little thing I’ve done, God led me to where He wants us to be. In His timing. I know it hasn’t been in my timing.

I have often been the sounding board for friends, I can even remember that back in grade school (a long time ago) and it puzzled me why they would turn to me. Then there was that writing thing. Looming, niggling at me, causing me to turn to pen and paper. I journaled for a good outlet to write. 

Writing. Lending an ear. Giving a hug. Listening. Why, I wondered.

When I dug a little deeper into discovering my Spiritual Gifts, I finally figured it out. One of my “gifts” was encouragement. Encouragers do all those things that I wondered about including writing. THAT’S why I love to write. Who knew? Well, God did. And over these many years of learning the craft, writing more and more, submitting and even getting rejected, twelve years of writing a column in a newspaper, exploring more of the state I live in, He has worked me into a position where I can share through story about adventures and what a difference believing in Him can make in a life.

My husband and I love to get into the back country to experience God’s creation. Then to have the privilege to write about it is such a blessing. All the places I’ve been to and see from across a large canyon I can incorporate into story. That whole, “write what you know” thing.

My first book was published by the wonderful people at Pelican Book Group under the Harbourlight Imprint just this year. I was blessed by the process. And it’s been a long road to get here. Like thirty years of “traveling”. A road with a lot of ups and downs, muddy waters to pass through, dark seemingly endless tunnels sometimes including despair and a lot of tears. But the road continued ahead of me. I kept driving forward, sometimes slipping back down the long hill I had just climbed. God lit the way, directed me, guided me to the right lessons, the right people, the right time. His time. His.

Now with every book I sign for some generous soul that chooses to read my book out of the many thousands of choices, I sign it with Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

Follow Him. Love Him. He’ll get you where you want to go. 

Summary of Sandy's book, Red Gold

Mandy Phillips loves life with her husband running an adventure ranch in the Colorado mountains, but when Mr. Shonee, their crotchety old neighbor, tries to stop them from building a kid-size old west town their dreams of expansion are crushed.

Is Shonee just being a difficult neighbor, or is something more sinister going on? A discovery on the property of Colorado's state mineral leads to more mysteries for the ranch, and then a teenage guest finds herself thrust head first into danger.

Mandy will have to rescue her, but who will rescue Mandy? Her faith in God is her only source to keep the guests safe, solve the mysteries surrounding her ranch, save her neighbor from himself, and discover the secrets of the Red Gold.

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Gold-Sandy-Nadeau/dp/1611163226/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405794255&sr=8-2&keywords=red+gold

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/red-gold-sandy-nadeau/1118928574?ean=9781611163223

http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=146 

Sandy Nadeau loves to go on adventures, photograph them and equally loves to write about them. She and her husband do a lot of four-wheeling in the back country of Colorado and share those experiences with others by taking them up in the mountains. With a background in writing a column about her community for a local newspaper, she also has had several magazine articles published. She loves to write novels about adventure, mystery, romance, but most importantly sharing God’s love. She is currently a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Vice President of the ACFW South Denver Chapter. Married for 37 years, she and her husband are loving life as grandparents to their two grandchildren. Travel is their favorite thing to do and they don’t get to do it as often as they’d like. Adventure awaits around every corner, over every hill and mountain.