My birth order (and my parents of course) in our large Roman Catholic family played a big part in the loving, nurturing and compassionate person I am today. I was born the sixth of eight children and was the baby for about five years before my parents had two more children. Those years that I lived as the baby of our family saturated me with an abundance of love and attention from my parents and five older siblings. This loving foundation of childhood became the catalyst for the Christian author I am today.

The following strands of experiences were woven together to form the braid of sacrificial love, instinctive care-providing and compassion for others who had physical and mental challenges.

My parents moved into a brand-new construction home when I was just six months old and remained there my entire life. Across the street lived a family with three children. The youngest child was a red-haired, freckled face boy who was my age. My sister Jan became friends with his brother and the four of us would spend many warm summer days playing together in our neighborhood. Among the activities of bike riding, basketball, spud, flashlight tag, and red light-green-light we held gin rummy tournaments. This friend of mine was born with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder which resulted in him having many surgeries. There would be times where he would be in a wheelchair, casts, and leg braces. Once recovered from surgeries he was able to run, bike ride and swim. We became boyfriend and girlfriend when we were in the fourth grade. My heart overflowed with compassion whenever he was in casts and in a wheelchair or in leg braces because he was not able to run and play with the neighborhood children.

At the age of eleven I began babysitting the neighborhood children. Our next-door neighbor had two young children, a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son. The daughter had diabetes. The parents educated me about their daughter’s diabetes which included calling them if she seemed to be extra tired. If that happened, they instructed me via phone to give her juice or hard candy until they returned. I was relieved that I never had to do anything more than give her a glass of juice. The parents were never out longer than a couple of hours however their trust in me was very affirming.

Fast-forward to the summer before I started ninth grade when I was considering a profession as a physical therapist. I took Mom’s suggestion and volunteered to help with adults with physical and mental challenges. My responsibility was to move the limbs of each individual so that their muscles didn’t atrophy. Additionally, I assisted young adults by spoon-feeding them their snacks and lunch. My heart swelled with love and my desire to take care of them. It was rewarding to receive their expressions of joy!

Throughout my junior and senior years in high school I befriended a male student who was in my Latin class. He was a straight-A student, always sat in the front-row seat near the door and used a compact typewriter to complete his assignments. I took notice that he navigated the hallways by holding onto another person’s arm. Once they arrived at the classroom the person who guided him to class would leave only to return after class to lead him to his next class. It was not until the teacher brought his typewriter or his exceptionally large book to his desk that I realized that he was totally blind. The typewriter that he used punched out raised characters made up of raised dots on stiff ivory paper similar to cardstock. His books held the same information but were produced in braille instead of printed text. His intelligence as well as his well-rounded personality and sense of humor left an indelible positive impression on me. I drew near to him emotionally and socially and our friendship was ignited. I was thrilled to learn that he was part of an elite group that was randomly chosen for cotillion. I was quite shy in high school being of average intelligence and following my five high-achieving older siblings. My new friend was very engaging and encouraging of my inquiring mind. It was comforting to have his cooperation in signing the majority of my dance card slots. Many years after high school our paths crossed. I greeted him and reminded him of how grateful I was that he signed most of my cotillion dance card slots. He immediately knew who I was and then greeted me by name. His formal attire of a suit and our small talk revealed that he had become an attorney. I was so proud and honored to have been his friend!

These experiences were kindled with my faith and set God’s coordinates of my heart’s trajectory to naturally and instinctively come to care for and assist individuals who are unique specifically children who have physical and mental challenges.

My hearts passion and desire is to send my books Beautifully and Wonderfully Made and We Became into all of the children’s hospitals in our country to bring them love and encouragement, joy and hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This scripture brings much confidence, peace and assurance of God’s plan for your life, not ours.

Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” This verse is a great reminder that our love for God segues into the greater cause of His purpose, not ours.

Psalm 32:8 – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”

Please join me in my heart’s crusade to accomplish this cause. It is my sincere prayer that you will support my passionate and enthusiastic pursuit because you believe in it and because it speaks to your heart. This is God’s calling and His ultimate mission; I am simply carrying it out.

Each of us are born with a bud of potential that God has planted deep within our hearts and souls. Nurtured with parental love, hard work and all the fruits of the Spirit, this bud will sprout into a vocation/career that glorifies Him, honors our parents and services our fellow mankind. This will bring about more joy than you ever imagined and blossom into successful contentment in your life’s work.

I love The LORD and my family beyond measure! Prayerfully seek God’s will for you life and He will guide you into the career that beholds the gifts of talent and skill that He intended for His glory!

Hugs,
Eve Francis