About two years ago I sat in a packed arena with fifteen thousand women singing together—and yet I felt a deep sadness, an ache inside. I asked the Lord, “Why do I still feel this way sometimes? When will this be done?”
While I am not given to visions or to hearing the audible voice of God, what happened to me that day was a gift that I carry with me everywhere I go. As I prayed, it seemed that in that moment I sensed myself in a different place. The arena and the crowds disappeared, and I stood at an open door to a great room inside a castle. I knew the figure seated on the chair was Christ, and He beckoned me to come in. I went to Him, knelt at His feet, and laid my head on His lap. He placed one hand on my head and held the other up, as if to stop anyone else from coming in.
I don’t remember hearing His voice, but I clearly understood His message. This sacred ache that burdened me wasn’t something to despise or run from, but a reminder of where I am now and where I am going—as if the DNA of Eden, buried deep inside, reminded me of more awaiting us, so much more.

There are many things in this life I don’t understand but what I am sure of, I would stake my life on.

I believe with all my heart that God is both loving and sovereign.

I believe that when Adam and Eve chose to disobey, we lost our perfect place in Eden.

I believe that God’s fiery love for us is so overpowering that He willingly allowed His own Son to walk the hardest mile of all, in human shoes, to pay for our sin.

I believe that Christ chose to endure the most devastating agony and death any man or woman will ever face so that you and I can be forgiven.

I believe that when we weep, God catches every tear.

I believe that no pain is wasted, and that even out of the greatest tragedies, God has promised He will bring good.

I believe that you have never lived an unloved moment in your life.

I believe He has been there too. You are not alone! You were not alone then, you are not alone now, and He will never, ever leave you.

I believe that Christ not only died and was buried but on the third morning He rose again!

So to every “why?” that has ever ripped your heart in two, remember that God gave us Easter morning!
On that first Easter morning so long ago, God introduced a new “why?” into our journey. It’s the most glorious “why” of all:

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, He is risen!” (Luke 24:5–6)

And my soul cries out: “He is risen indeed!”

When nothing in life makes sense, when pain is blinding our reason, we stake our hearts, our lives and our future on the Word of God.

The past few days I’ve been thinking a lot about the Lord’s Supper and pondering what it means, not only in general, but to me personally. What does it mean that I, Sheila Walsh, a broken person, have a Savior who allowed wicked men to break His own body—for me?
My mind travels back to the Last Supper itself. As Jesus gathered His closest friends around Him, He took the bread and He broke it. The bread didn’t come pre-broken or neatly segmented, as ours often does. Nor did He ask Peter or John or one of the other disciples to break the bread for Him.
He did it Himself, with His own two hands, in His own time.
Jesus therefore declares that, unlike me, He chose brokenness. He who existed from eternity past in an unbroken state chose to be broken—for me. “I lay down my life—only to take it up again,” Jesus had told His disciples. “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:17–18).
As Jesus took the bread in His hands and broke it, what did He feel? What did He think? We know what He said: “Take and eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26). Through these symbolic actions He taught us that He would voluntarily lay down His life for us, so that we might live through Him as we become a part of Him. Every time we eat the Communion bread, His broken body, we depict with tangible things the intangible trust we have placed in Him for our eternal salvation.

When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

If I could write only one book in my lifetime, I would ask God to make it
this one.
The message of this book is my life’s passion. I believe with everything
in me that God loves broken people, and that when somewhere in the painful
process of that breaking and bruising we find a way to welcome Him into the
darkness, we come to know His love in a way we have never known before.
And that, my friend, is no small thing.
When the glass house I had lived in for so many years came crashing to the
ground, I began a new life outside the safety of those walls. No, it didn’t feel
good. Not at all. At first, it didn’t even feel safe. But it felt true. I saw myself as a
broken lamb limping after the Shepherd, not knowing where He was going but
knowing that wherever He went, I would go with Him. To this very hour, I
remain utterly convinced of one unalterable thing: the Shepherd loves me. The
words I sang as a child feel more real to me today than ever: Jesus loves me, this I know.
I have seen this same conviction in the lives of other broken men and
women I have met through the years. While they never would have signed up
for the breaking (who would?), they would change nothing now. They wouldn’t
exchange the deeper relationship they have found with God for anything. It’s
not that God loves the broken among us more than those who perceive themselves as whole; it’s simply that we know we are loved. We dare to believe it. When weary, wounded men and women find a way to open their bruised hearts and somehow welcome Him into their personal darkness, they will find a love beyond anything they have ever known for God is a master at taking even the darkest periods of our lives and—in His time—flooding them with His glorious light and life. I welcome you to this life-changing journey for it is through the window of our brokenness that we see the heart of God!

My prayer for you this Christmas is that in the midst of the business and crazy drivers out there on the freeway and in the mall you might find time to kneel once more at the feet of the baby who came to save us all. This is where our worship belongs. This is where our souls find rest. This is the greatest “wow” moment of all.

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6

I’m so excited to announce that the first book in my new children’s series, Gabby, God’s Little Angel releases this month! The official release date is the 20th, but it’s available now to pre-order. Would you like to help me spread the word? I’d love for you to post Gabby’s video trailer on Facebook, twitter, Google+, blog or website … and in exchange I’ll send you a thank you gift! (details below!)

Meet Gabby:

More about Gabby:

This first book in a delightful new series offers a comforting message for young readers-God loves you very much and is always watching over you!

What little girl wouldn’t love her very own guardian angel? Parents and children alike will be won over by this humorous tale of Gabby, a guardian angel in training who has much to learn about taking care of God’s little ones. Her new assignment is to protect a young girl named Sophie, but Gabby soon realizes that watching after Sophie is a bigger challenge than she had expected! After a close call while riding her pony, Sophie learns what the Bible says about guardian angels: “He will put his angels in charge of you. They will watch over you wherever you go” (Psalm 91:11 ICB).

I set out to develop a new character that young readers would embrace and delight in, and out from my pen and from my heart poured a new series, Gabby, God’s Little Angel. Gabby is an adorable guardian angel in training who finds that she has so much to learn about taking care of God’s children.

I am so passionate about teaching the little angels in your own lives just how much God loves them. I pray that through my new little friend, Gabby, they will discover this truth and rest assured that He is always watching over them!

Would you like to help me spread the word about Gabby’s arrival?

I’d love for you to post Gabby’s video trailer on Facebook, twitter, Google+, blog or website … and in exchange I’ll send you a thank you gift! (While supplies last.) You may enter once per platform (once on Facebook, once on your blog, once on twitter, etc…).

Here is how to do that.
Pick up a custom embed code at this link: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfwhWae_h04&feature=channel_video_title) and Embed the code into the HTML screen of your blog/website. Or link to the video here: http://youtu.be/sfwhWae_h04 Or just click SHARE when you’re at YouTube and post it straight to your Facebook wall, blog or Twitter.

After you post it, please click this link to fill out the entry form (super simple – just name, email and link to your blog/Facebook/twitter/Google+) or send a note to my publicist, Amy (amy@litfusegroup.com)


And here’s the fun news:


Everyone who participates will be entered into a drawing to receive:

30 people will receive a signed copy of Gabby, God’s Little Angel

10 people will receive a copy of the latest Gigi, God’s Little Princess book

5 people will receive both copies of Gabby, God’s Little Angel and Gigi, God’s Little Princess

…ONE lucky person will receive a $25 Starbucks card and an array of best-selling Sheila Walsh books!

And … as a Thank You –  The first 100 who post the video will … receive a free copy of Sheila’s How to Be God’s Little Princess. (Just be sure to share the video and go here to fill out the entry form.)

How fun is that?!

Again – if you need help or have questions please email amy@litfusegroup.com. Winners will be announced on 10/4 during Sheila’s FB party!

For the last 15 years I have travelled from sea to shining sea, coast to coast with my “porch pals” at Women of Faith.

We got labelled “porch pals” as we never leave the arena when any one of us is on stage and we stay as close to the stage as possible so our darling crew actually built us a porch at the foot of the stairs leading up to the stage. We do this for several reasons…

1-We love each other a whole lot

2-Sometimes we forget our message so we are close enough to yell, “It’s the bit about the cat who wanted to be an opera singer!”

3-We get nervous and the porch has a lot of hugging room

4-Snacks…snacks are huge

5-We love each other a whole stinking lot

Over the years there have been many memorable weekends but one in particular stands out as a weekend my dog-loving soul will never forget.

We arrived at the arena that Thursday night knowing that the following morning 15,000 women would fill each seat only to be told that the arena had done the unthinkable. They had double booked the arena, 2 events on the same weekend!

WOMEN OF FAITH…and

THE DOG SHOW!!!!!

After a lot of discussion between our amazing staff, the arena staff and the colorful dog show staff a compromise was agreed upon. Women of Faith would have the main arena as we were the larger number, the dog show would have the lower bowl but our book tables and signing lines would be down there too.

Luci Swindoll and I LOVED that.

We took some of the signs posted on the groomers tables and put them on our book tables.

“Please clean up your own mess.”

“If you suspect that fleas may be present please exit the building.”

During a break I wandered downstairs to watch the trainers prepare the dogs for their two minutes in the ring. On woman horrified me. She looked like she may well have been Adolf Hitler’s daughter!

She was staring into the eye of a very sweet wee puppy but she was the one barking.

“Okay…look at me. You have two minutes to get it right. We have been working on this for months. If you blow it in there, it’s over, do you hear me, O-V-E-R! KEEP YOUR TAIL STRAIGHT!!!!”

I contemplated kidnapping the dog or at least passing it a card for my therapist.

That night as I stood on stage in front of 15,000 women one thought was uppermost in my mind and about to burst out of my heart…

God loves us right now, as we are…and we don’t have to keep our tails straight!

It’s never about our performance, it’s always about His love.

We bring nothing to the table because Jesus said, “It is finished!”

Just come as you are:)

Here are a few things I have noticed about my dogs, Belle and Tink.

Tink likes to sleep on my head and Belle likes to sleep at my feet.

They both like to roll on dead things-don’t know why but it works for them.

If my assistant Bonnie continues to greet them in a high voice, I will need to re-mortgage the house to pay for the carpet cleaner.

If we ever have guests over who don’t like dogs, they will both want to crawl all over them.

They prefer In-N-Out burgers to dog food…me too.

They are fiercely loyal, forgiving and full of grace.

Life works better for them when they are held…

Tink is pretty mellow but Belle can get anxious. I discovered recently that if I hold her tightly for a while her heart beat slows down a bit and she settles. I wonder what it is about being held that makes such a difference? It was the same with Christian when he was a baby. He loved to be wrapped up tight and held close to my heart, connected, not alone, safe, held.

To be held requires trust. No one wants to be held by someone whose heart they question.
Some of us were so wounded as children that now it’s hard to be held…but underneath part of us still longs for it.

So today I’m going to hold my son for a few seconds more than he says he wants and I’m going to hold my husband, even if he didn’t put the seat back down:)

And when I’m on the road somewhere and I feel anxious or alone I’m going to stop and remember that the God who holds the universe in place is holding me too, close to His heart, safe, not alone, held.

I have been struggling for the last few days with discouragement.
Some days it’s as if I’m being pulled under water with barely enough energy to fight to keep my head up.
I have so many friends who are facing incredibly difficult circumstances. When I walk my dogs, Belle and Tink in our neighborhood last thing each night I pass houses that are filled with pain and questions.
In one, a husband with brain cancer, in another a marriage torn apart and three children caught in the bloody crossfire wondering if they could have done anything to help?
I watch the news
I read the paper
I read my email and I hear the cry of the broken and the lonely.

I know what I believe.
I believe that God is sovereign and He is good but at times there seems to be a chasm between the goodness of God and the suffering in this world.

Last night after everyone was asleep I sat outside under the stars inviting God into this heaviness inside me. In the quiet I thought about a conversation I had years ago with a young Filipino woman. We were passing out blankets and water to the thousands who try to make a living salvaging whatever they can from one of the enormous garbage dumps outside the city. Pictures attempt to prepare you for the sight but nothing prepares you for the stench and the noise. Towards the end of the day I walked away for a few moments, overwhelmed by the enormity of the need and she followed me. Wiping tears from my face she said, “It’s not okay but because of Jesus, one day it will be alright.”

So that’s what I want to say to you today.
I don’t know what you are walking through right now. I don’t know the pain or the loneliness you face. There are many things in this life that are not okay but one day, one day because of Jesus it will be alright.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
Revelation 21:1-4

This is a story about a mother and her son, a theme very close to my heart. I think it’s one of God’s greatest gifts to us to help us see our lives and find healing through the honesty and faith of our children. God has used my son, Christian many times to help me see things about my heart and my past that I didn’t want to look at for who can resist the simple but profound honesty of a child.
As Cindy Martinusen-Coloma and I sat down with Amy McConnell from Thomas Nelson Fiction to plan out the themes and story line for this book, we discovered that although our lives look different on the surface, at a heart and faith level we are deeply connected as women and as mothers. The fruit of our ongoing friendship is this book, Sweet Sanctuary. I love this book. I love the way it presents the grace and mercy of God which redeems every broken moment of our story…perhaps not in the way we would have imagined but in the way only God could do.

In tiny Cottage Cove, on the coast of Maine, Wren Evans is raising her gifted
son, Charlie. A single mom, she’s fought hard to give Charlie a stable, secure home life.
When a prestigious music academy in Boston expresses interest in Charlie’s talent,
Wren is willing to move them again to make his dreams come true.
But Wren doesn’t know that Charlie has been praying for her. And the answer to
her son’s prayers will change both of their lives. As Wren plans their move to Boston,
life in Maine begins to fall apart. Her job is threatened with budget cuts, and Wren’s
grandmother, Ruth, arrives unannounced, with an outlandish request.
Ruth wants the family gathered together one last time, at the summer home
where, years before, an accident shattered Wren’s peaceful childhood. In the tumult,
Wren finds a friend in a handsome, kind-hearted local, Paul Callahan.
When the family gathers in Cottage Cove, old wounds will be healed, new love
will blossom, and the innocent prayers of a child will be answered in a most
unexpected way.

Available at C.B.D. http://bit.ly/nsTw4x
and Amazon http://amzn.to/q4Rtjm