Vivian's Call E-Book

Katie Scheller

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 274

Beschreibung

Learn what happens when you trust God with your story. In Call Me Vivian, Katie Scheller exposed the truth of her struggle with sexual sin, the spiritual battle for her heart, and the transforming power of God's love after hitting rock bottom. Her workplace romance led to a criminal conviction, and Katie watched as God closed the door on her career and lovingly opened the door of a jail cell.   Vivian's Call continues the true story of former inmate 09902089, Katie Scheller, during her two-year stay in federal prison and beyond. Join Katie in witnessing how God orchestrated the events of her life, unfolding her story one chapter at a time, and how Katie answered God's calling for her.    Regardless of the plans we make for ourselves, the Lord's purpose will always triumphantly prevail. Experience the power and purpose of God's glory in Vivian's Call and become inspired to answer the calling on your life.  

Leseprobe

Praise for Call Me Vivian

I’ve been trying to find the right words to express how much Call Me Vivian changed the course of my life. I’m convinced that God spoke to me through Katie’s book. It brought me closer to God, gave me hope, restored my faith, and gave me the strength to press on during a very dark season. Since reading her book, I have been on a wonderful journey of recovery. I can’t thank Katie enough for her inspiration.

Alisa Johns Snow, former inmate, Oklahoma

Call Me Vivian renewed my hope! God showed me through her story that he is with me and will never leave or forsake me. Katie’s book confirmed everything that I believe and everything that God needed me to know about his love for us.

Alan Marie Lopez, inmate, Texas

I was blessed with the opportunity to read Call Me Vivian. Katie gave me something to strive for and helped me learn to forgive myself. I would like to thank Katie for her courage, faith, and continued work, not only in spreading God’s Word, but also her dedication to helping inmates and children of incarcerated parents.

Jessica Marie Flanders, inmate, Florida

Call Me Vivian encouraged me and renewed my hope during my incarceration. I pray that God will bless The Vivian Foundation and Katie’s ministry work as she continues to bless those in need. Thank you—from the depths of my soul—for all you do to help others.

Selena Ball, former inmate, Texas

Something about Katie Scheller’s story has touched my soul. I was blessed to have found her book at a time when I needed it most.

Racheal Parizek, inmate, North Dakota

Call Me Vivian is a powerful, powerful book. Katie beat the odds. Very few people bounce back from what she had been through and where she has been. I would like to thank Katie for her endless devotion to God and for making the world a better place.

Therrold James, inmate, Louisiana

God placed Call Me Vivian in my hands. It’s a beautiful testimony and an amazing story about being blessed with the Holy Spirit. God is the only way anyone is ever going to succeed in life, as evidenced by Katie’s experience.

Sonya Kennedy, inmate, Washington

Call Me Vivian is inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. Thank you for this wonderful book, which has been a blessing to my life.

Vivian Corujo Rojas, inmate, Texas

I loved Katie’s book and story. It was very touching. Her story made me laugh and cry. It also inspired and strengthened me during a time when I really needed it.

Jacqueline Graham, inmate, Texas

Call Me Vivian has greatly affected me, and I am so appreciative of Katie’s story. God, indeed, knows what he is doing and how to use his disciples. Thank you to all who made this book possible. God is using it to speak to people and encourage them.

Jennifer Michalka, inmate, Colorado

I would like to thank Katie for sharing her life story in Call Me Vivian. She is called and blessed by God to seek and do his will. I can’t imagine having been through all that she has, yet she took destruction and made it beautiful by humbly walking God’s path. It is my treasure and blessing to know of the work that she is doing through The Vivian Foundation.

Marilyn Brasher, ministry volunteer, Florida

BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC

Savage, Minnesota, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

Vivian’s Call: A Labor of Love

Copyright © 2022 Katie Scheller

978-1-4245-6260-2 (paperback)

978-1-4245-6261-9 (e-book)

This book is a memoir. It reflects the author’s present recollections of experiences over time. Some names and characteristics have been changed, some events have been compressed, and some dialogue has been recreated.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are taken from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version—Second Edition. Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.

Stock or custom editions of BroadStreet Publishing titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, ministry, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email [email protected].

Author photo by Jeff Rogers at Jeff Rogers Photography, Inc.

Design and typesetting by Garborg Design Works | garborgdesign.com

Printed in China

22 23 24 25 26 5 4 3 2 1

This book is dedicated to everyone who has answered God’s call.

For my children and grandchildren:

Mike, Jenny, Brian,

Nicholas, Benjamin, Colin,

Landon, Tyler, and McKenzie

Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

HEBREWS 12:1

Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!

PSALM 103:20–21

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Acknowledgments

Endnotes

About The Vivian Foundation

Prologue

As I boarded a plane to Raleigh, North Carolina, I clearly heard God say, It’s time to be bold. Then he spoke Joshua 1:9, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” I didn’t know what to think. The last time God had shared that verse with me was during the most difficult time of my former incarceration.

On behalf of Forgiven Ministry, a partner of The Vivian Foundation, of which I am the president and CEO, I was flying to the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women to serve as a guest speaker. Forgiven Ministry hosts a camp called “One Day with God,” in which imprisoned parents reunite with their children. It is a divinely appointed time for both the children and the inmates to experience the love of God, find forgiveness, and reconcile as a family.

I was thrilled by the invitation, and it was apparent that everything the Lord had told me to do regarding my ministry work was coming together at the perfect time. Something unexpected was sure to happen since God had spoken Joshua 1:9 to me a second time. As a former inmate who served time at the largest federal prison in United States, I wondered what North Carolina’s largest facility would be like since it housed female offenders of all levels.

Days later, I spoke to forty inmates who would reunite with their children the following morning. I also visited the compound’s infirmaries and spent time with hospitalized individuals, and by that evening, I would return to the podium to speak to the general population. But as I was leaving the second infirmary with Scottie Barnes, the woman in charge of Forgiven Ministry and “One Day with God,” she casually mentioned that we had one more place to stop before I returned to the event and spoke to the general population. “Katie,” she said, “it’s time to visit death row.”

I questioned whether my heart was ready to handle such an assignment. Sure, I had witnessed quite a lot throughout my life’s journey. Countless tears, much-needed laughter, and continually answered prayers filled my life. While God had also shown me a lot, the magnitude of watching the door to death row open told me that I still had much to learn.

We entered the building that held the death row inmates and stepped inside an elevator. I had no idea what to expect, but I took a deep breath. After exiting the elevator, we walked down the white, cement brick hallway with its freshly polished floor toward two guards seated at their command post. After we went through the prison’s security protocol, one steel door opened and closed, and then another. I silently prepared myself to meet three women sentenced to death for their crimes.

We introduced ourselves, and each woman, clad in a maroon prison jumpsuit, greeted me. My eyes cautiously looked beyond the spot where we stood in order to survey the women’s living quarters: seven cells, a common area used for eating and visiting, and a small, secure concrete patio that the inmates were permitted to use for one hour each day. Their living space overlooked the chapel.

All three women were murderers, but that did not matter in the moment. God wanted me to see them through the eyes of Jesus. No judgment, no condemnation, only unconditional love, for “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). Each ministry moment that day required a significant amount of energy, and when the time came for my evening speech, I was running on empty. I had no choice but to turn things over to the Holy Spirit.

Little did I know that the next day would be equally demanding. I met with a former death row inmate whose sentence was commuted to life in prison, and she had quite a story to share with me. Would it surprise you to learn that a coloring book donated by The Vivian Foundation saved this prisoner’s life?

God had begun to show me the fruit of my labor. He was doing amazing things in me, for me, and through me. In his infinite wisdom, he guided me. In his infinite power, he protected me. In his infinite grace, he carried me. More importantly, in his infinite love, he showed me the miraculous work he can accomplish with a willing heart.

As Jeremiah 29:11 reads, “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ ” Vivian’s Call, the sequel to Call Me Vivian, is a demonstration of God’s power that proves we can make our own plans, but God’s purpose will prevail as he lovingly guides our steps.

1

The sins of my past vanished along with the heartache and pain that came with them. My sanctification required 740 days served in prison, $400,000 paid in restitution, one year of probation, and countless hours spent at the computer. God’s plan was coming together at the perfect time.

As my first book, Call Me Vivian, went to print and distribution, I wondered how I would react to seeing it and holding it. When the book finally arrived on my doorstep six weeks prior to its launch date, I felt like a little kid at Christmas. A wide smile appeared on my face, and I flipped the book over to admire the back cover, which read,

Call Me Vivian is a true story about a woman caught up in adultery. On the fast track in Corporate America, Katie became involved in an illicit love affair with her boss that newspapers reported as “sordid.” Not everyone’s extramarital affair makes front page news or results in a civil lawsuit or criminal charges that land a person in federal prison. But hers did.

From a financially secure future to losing everything except her positive attitude, sense of humor, and faith, Katie found herself sleeping on the concrete floor in a prison cell she describes as “one step above hell.” It was in this place that God did His best work!

This book exposes the truth about Katie’s struggle with sexual sin, the battle for her heart, and the transforming power of God’s love. Through Katie’s heartache, pain, and countless years of searching, you will gain a better understanding of God’s wonderful gifts of grace and forgiveness.

Call Me Vivian will prove all things are possible with God if you simply have the faith to believe.

As I prepared the manuscript for Call Me Vivian, a woman, who had no idea that I was called to be an author, spoke prophetic words to me. We were praying together one afternoon when she placed her hands on my forehead. I tangibly felt God’s power radiate throughout my entire body as she spoke.

“Books, books, books,” she said. “I see many books. Some of them are already in the library of heaven. The Holy Spirit will write these, and you are the vessel. You are to write from your heart, not your head. God will give you dreams and visions. Be ready to write.”

Sure enough, I heard whispers from heaven virtually every day while I penned Call Me Vivian. God miraculously guided each keystroke, creating an effortless writing process. I wish I could say the same thing about my personal journey. Unfortunately, I endured a tumultuous period as a defendant in a civil lawsuit and criminal proceedings, all of which played out well over a decade. But every bit of my heartache and pain was necessary for God to prepare my heart for his ultimate calling on my life.

While finishing Call Me Vivian in 2015, I had numerous opportunities to share my testimony. I also researched firms and agencies that promoted authors. The amount of money bestselling authors could earn through speaking engagements shocked me. But the famous last words of the apostle Paul rang in my ears: “It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News” (1 Corinthians 9:18). By day, Paul worked as a tentmaker. By night, he spread the good news about Jesus, never demanding pay for his evening assignment. God gave me similar marching orders; part of my ministry calling was to give my book away.

I prepared for the book’s launch by scheduling newspaper, radio, and television interviews. I also continued to put the finishing touches on The Vivian Foundation, the 501(c)(3) certified nonprofit organization I had started to share God’s love with inmates and children of incarcerated parents. The Vivian Foundation also provides Christian resources to other organizations dedicated to helping these families. The Vivian Foundation’s logo design, website, and marketing tools were finalized, and our first event, a conference hosted by the Correctional Ministries and Chaplain’s Association, was scheduled for May of 2016 in Atlanta.

While Skyping with my Bible study group one evening, we talked about the upcoming conference. For many years, a member of our small group had been saying that she had experienced recurring visions of operating merchandise tables at these types of events. At virtually the same time, all three friends in my Bible study said, “Katie, you need to secure a credit card reader for upcoming merchandise and book sales.” I couldn’t help but laugh to myself since only days earlier God had instructed me not to charge anyone.

The next day I headed out to do a little Christmas shopping but first visited my bank to withdraw cash. I figured I might as well inquire about credit card device readers since I was already there, but the banker I usually worked with was busy. As another employee walked by, I stopped him to ask a quick question, but he, too, was busy with another customer. I took a seat in the lobby, and within a few minutes, a third banker, Joe, asked if he could help me. I stepped into his office not realizing that God had me right where he wanted me.

Joe and I started talking, and while I shared tidbits about Call Me Vivian and The Vivian Foundation, it became apparent that Joe was also a Christian. I openly shared my testimony and told him about my upcoming speaking engagements. He told me about local prison ministries in western Racine County in Wisconsin. I can’t remember how it came up, but I told him that I had asked a local car dealership if their corporate headquarters could donate a vehicle to The Vivian Foundation and that the dealership had, unfortunately, said no.

Joe grabbed a pen and wrote a name on a piece of paper, including the name of this person’s business and their contact information. Joe assured me this individual was a God-fearing man who loved to support ministries and other community organizations.

As I sat in Joe’s office, I could not help but remember the abundance of prophetic words I had received from inmates during my incarceration. I specifically remembered the words of my friend Christy who, on February 12, 2013, confidently stated, “Katie, someday someone is going to give you a Buick Enclave.”

While incarcerated, I sent nightly emails to friends and family, updating them on my life and asking about theirs, to stay connected. The very same night that Christy had told me about the Buick, I sent the following email: “Guys, I’m dreaming big! Why not? As we have found out, dreams really do come true. All you need is the faith to believe. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing!” I continually thanked God for that car despite not having its keys in my possession.

Joe slid the piece of paper across his desk, and he had written down the name of a gentleman who owned a number of car dealerships throughout the Midwest. Without mentioning anything about Christy’s prophetic words, I asked him, “Does he by any chance sell Buicks?” Joe answered yes, and I felt a nudge in my spirit.

When I returned home later that day, I researched the man’s name and the portfolios of the companies he owned. His organization adheres to the traditional practice of tithing, which is giving back 10 percent of its profits to the communities in which they do business. I knew God had directed my steps inside that bank, so I stepped out in faith and contacted their director of operations. I also forwarded information on Call Me Vivian and The Vivian Foundation and promised his assistant that I would drop off a book when additional copies became available.

All of these good, promising things were the result of a simple trip to the bank. Then it became a matter of awaiting the manifest workings of God brought about by this meeting with Joe and the prophetic words spoken three years earlier. “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives” (Psalm 37:23).

After my bank visit, I hit a couple of thrift stores to see what I could find for my family’s new Christmas Eve tradition of exchanging “white elephant” gifts. These gifts often are silly, weird, or interesting, but they can also be simple and practical. Nothing grabbed my attention at the Salvation Army, so I headed across town to Goodwill. Tucked away on the shelf was a brand-new copy of Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, MD. I had already read the book, but just a few days earlier, a friend had mentioned it in conversation, so I knew God was up to something. It wasn’t the perfect white elephant gift, but I headed toward the checkout counter with the book in hand.

A woman stood behind me in line and took note of the book, asking me what it was about. I told her what I remembered and then opened the front cover, which read,

Who Moved My Cheese? is a simple parable that reveals profound truths. It is an amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy.

Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life—whether it is a good job, a loving relationship, money or a possession, health or spiritual peace of mind.

And the maze is where you look for what you want—the organization you work in, or the family or community you live in.

This profound book from bestselling author, Dr. Spencer Johnson, will show you how to:

•Anticipate change

•Adapt to change quickly

•Enjoy change

•Be ready to change quickly, again and again

Discover the secret for yourself and learn how to deal with change, so that you suffer less stress and enjoy more success in your work and in life.1

The woman then revealed that she belonged to a book club, and I wondered if that was why God guided us to the same checkout lane. I mentioned how I had recently written a book about my spiritual journey, to which she quickly responded, “Before you say anymore, you need to know that I’m an agnostic.”

That was all she had to say for me to know that, once again, I was right where I was supposed to be. I waited for her to pay for her items, and then we introduced ourselves. Her name was Betsy. We ventured toward the parking lot together and continued to chat. It turned out that we had both grown up Catholic. I explained to Betsy why I had walked away from church and how it proved to be a poor decision. I shared what the Holy Spirit placed on my heart, and Betsy seemed intrigued by my story. I promised her that I’d give her my book in two weeks, when I received extra copies, and we exchanged contact information.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the simple definition of agnostic is a person who does not have a definitive belief about whether God exists.2 They’re unsure. I wondered why Betsy felt that way. Although we only visited for roughly ten minutes, she, too, had shared what was on her heart. Her daughter battled childhood leukemia, so both Betsy and her daughter were in and out of hospitals for four years. It was, understandably, a terribly difficult season for them. Deeply embedded in Betsy’s heart and mind were memories of other children suffering with terminal illnesses. The somberness of her tone led me to expect Betsy to conclude her story by telling me that her daughter passed away, so imagine my surprise when she told me her daughter was now in her mid-thirties. Over thirty years had passed, but Betsy still actively agonized over this experience.

In addition to struggling with her daughter’s childhood leukemia, Betsy continued to suffer medical complications from metal implanted within her body after a drunk driver hit her. Every day, Betsy’s chronic pain reminded her of that event. She couldn’t make sense as to why God would let bad things happen. Her husband attended church, Betsy explained, and she herself was a dedicated volunteer in the community, but when it came to life beyond this world, she just wasn’t sure what to think. We talked for another few minutes before she had to go, and she said, “You could preach to me all afternoon.”

Betsy was right; I truly enjoy sharing my testimony and my love for the Lord, but she was not quite ready to hear what I had to say. I could sense that Betsy still suffered from these trials. Unfortunately, bad things happen to good people sometimes, and they often assign God the blame. It’s tough to forgive the people who hurt us. In my spirit I knew one thing was certain: God was preparing to move Betsy’s cheese, and I was going to help him.

Just before the holidays, I came across a scrap of paper from when I was in prison and couldn’t help but laugh. It was a list that two of my friends and fellow inmates, Erika and Christy, had compiled of our most memorable nicknames: Chiquita, The Dragon, Garlic Bread, and Clydesdale to name a few. You see, the people in prison administration refer to prisoners by their last names, but inmates typically call each other by nicknames. In many cases, I never learned the legal names of my fellow prisoners.

With a smile on my face, I sent Erika and Christy, who left prison long before I did, an email wishing them a happy New Year and affectionately signed my greeting with the twenty or so nicknames they had given me. Some were hilarious, while others admittedly required censorship. Needless to say, my email provided us a few laughs and helped us remember some of our happier times together. Mother Teresa may have said it best: “We shall never know all the good a simple smile can do.”

What is it about laughter and smiles that are so powerful? As kids, most of us smile all the time without thinking about it, but as we grow older, our smiles and laughter diminish significantly. The average child smiles over four hundred times a day, yet the average adult smiles no more than twenty times. Kids also tend to laugh more, laughing upwards of one hundred fifty times per day while adults laugh fewer than five times each day.3 Simply being in the presence of young children can be both entertaining and humorous.

It reminds me of one summer day when I was babysitting my grandchildren, and my grandson Colin said to me, “Grandma, I think I’m going to change my name.” This wasn’t something I expected to hear from a seven-year-old.

“Really, Colin? What would you like your new name to be?” I asked.

“Norm,” he answered without hesitation. I couldn’t stop laughing. Where had that come from?

Colin’s plan to change his name got me thinking about what’s in a name. Many of us go by our nicknames. For example, my birth name is Katherine; my family calls me Katie, and friends call me Kate. Of course, I had to complicate my name even further when the Lord gave me my new name: Vivian, meaning “alive, lively, or vibrant” in Latin. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is about names and can be found in Isaiah 43:1: “I have called you by name, and you are mine” (TPT).

Many recognizable characters in the Old Testament received name changes too. In the book of Genesis, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham (Genesis 17:5), meaning “father of many nations”; his wife’s name changed from Sarai to Sarah because she was to become the mother of many nations (Genesis 17:15), and Jacob’s name changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28) because he eventually wrestled a divine angel. And in the New Testament, let us not forget about Saul (Acts 9), who later became the apostle Paul, writing several encouraging letters to believers and the church at large while imprisoned. Remember Andrew, who brought his brother Simon to meet Jesus? Jesus looked at Simon and said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas,” which translates to Peter (John 1:42). At that time, Peter had no idea that he would help build Jesus’ church.

God chose new names for people in order to establish the new identities he wanted them to embody. In other words, their new names represented their new roles, some of which were special positions of leadership. Renaming people was God’s way of inviting them to participate in his divine plan. It also further assured them that they and their contributions to the kingdom would fulfill God’s plan.

As I reflected on my life, I was amazed at how God managed to fit all of the pieces together in order for his perfect plan to play out for me. For example, once I learned I would be going to prison, I spent more than twenty-four hours in a dental chair over the span of one week in order to have an extraordinary amount of work done. A few root canals and crowns later, my teeth looked and felt great, and I truly considered it a blessing. You see, when you’re incarcerated, your ongoing is prayer is, “Lord, please do not allow me to get sick.” Prison dental and medical care is substandard, and their answer to a toothache is often extraction.

During the two years I spent at Coleman Federal Correctional Complex, I experienced occasional pain in my mouth. The pain would flare up and come and go, and although it never got so bad that I worried, I knew something needed attention. After my release in January of 2014, I continued to experience occasional discomfort throughout that entire year, so I eventually made a dental appointment. It turned out that I had an infected tooth, but it was a tooth for which I had already had a root canal! I wondered, How could that be? The dentist explained that I was one of the less than one percent of the population who has four canals in a tooth rather than three and that it was easy for a dentist to overlook the fourth.

Since I did not have dental insurance, I stressed over how I would scrape together the money for this bill. My dentist recommended an endodontic clinic that had offices in my hometown of Racine and in two nearby cities. I called the Racine office to make an appointment and asked if it was possible to have the work done before Christmas, which was coming up soon. I could not get an appointment in Racine, but the office assistant said they may be able to schedule me at one of their other locations. I chose their Kenosha office since it was closer to my home and scheduled an appointment for the following week.

When the time of my appointment came, I pushed open the doors of the dental office in Kenosha, not knowing that God had me right where he wanted. A nurse showed me into a room, where I waited roughly five minutes before Dr. Kreutzer stepped in. He apologized for the delay, extended his hand, and introduced himself, “Hi, I’m Jim.”

“Hi, Jim. I’m Katie.”

He pulled up a stool, crossed his arms, and struck up a conversation: “So what do you do for a living?”

“I’m retired,” I said before adding, “and I just finished writing a book.”

“What kind of book?” he asked.

“A book about my spiritual journey.” I wasn’t sure why, but this conversation felt more like an interrogation.

“What kind of spiritual journey?”

Oh geez, I thought. How do I answer this one? I started, “Did you hear about the Milt Morris investigation at SC Johnson by any chance?”

“I know Milt Morris from the Kenosha Country Club,” he replied.

“Well,” I sheepishly admitted, “I was his girlfriend.”

I now had a captive audience of one and proceeded to reveal what transpired, including a little bit about my spiritual journey.

“I need to give you one of my business cards,” he said once I had finished sharing. “I own a company called Wind Chill Media Group. I buy book rights and turn them into movies.”

He asked if I had signed a book contract, and I nearly fell out of the leather dental chair. I told him a publishing company had expressed interest, but I hadn’t signed anything. He then explained that in a publishing contract, one sentence concerns movie rights, and he stressed the importance that I own these rights. His experience was that it was much easier to bring a movie to market by working directly with the author rather than working with the publishing company.

Are you kidding me, Lord? I thought. The odds seemed impossible that I would not only need a second root canal on a particular tooth but also find myself in the chair of an endodontist who owned a film production company. Only God could have orchestrated it so perfectly!

The coincidences piled up. I had started writing what would later become Call Me Vivian in February of 2009, a mere month after pleading guilty. I figured writing would be a positive, healthy way to work through my personal issues and commit my thoughts to paper. At the time, my younger sister, Susie, was a freelance writer crafting stories for local newspapers and magazines. “Would you take a look at this particular story and tell me what you think?” I innocently asked her. Susie was more than willing to help even though she was battling breast cancer at the time. Looking back, I think my writing and her editing helped distract both of us from the challenges we were facing in our respective lives.

A short time later, Susie returned my story with her revisions, and I was amazed with what she had done. For the first time I understood that my writing was not just personally therapeutic; it also had greater potential, and I knew with certainty that we would one day see my book published.

Truthfully, my writing became sporadic after that. It ebbed and flowed with my emotions. But in October of 2011, God commanded me to write the book, and I took it a little more seriously. By June of 2014, six months after my release from prison, I had completed a fair amount of writing and decided it was time to get my butt back to church.

It was an easy decision to return to Living Light Christian Church in Racine. I always felt filled with the presence of God at Living Light and routinely received a fresh anointing. I opened the glass-paned doors and climbed a dozen steps to reach the carpeted lobby, where I met a church elder named Jerry, whom I had known for years. He had been a runner since high school and was even coached in cross country as a teenager by my former husband. Jerry welcomed me home to Living Light with a giant hug. He didn’t know I had finished my prison time. Few people did.