guest Author and Musician Kelly Wickham

        I have made a wonderful new friend. Kelly is a talented lady. She offers a variety of music, from toe-tapping, put a smile on your face praise, to slower soothing promises of the love and comfort of Jesus. Plus, she has written a devotional filled with firmly scripture-based truth. I hope you’ll get to know my new friend.

 

Hi, everyone!  My name is Kelly Wickham.  I was taught about Jesus from birth but it wasn't until after my 23rd birthday that I finally gave my life to Him for real.  That was over 30 years ago.

He has given me a purpose.  He gives me songs and I am glad to sing wherever He leads.

From about 2001 to 2012, I made 11 CDs with a great producer who did a great job recording and producing my music.  Then after I married my husband, Jeff, a friend got me an Olympus LS14 digital recorder as a wedding present.  So it wasn't the most professional way to do it, but I was then able to produce my own music, and I made 16 other CD's.

My husband had a lot of health problems and he is with Jesus now.  I miss him every day, but I know I will see him again.  My life is living proof that the Holy Spirit is truly the greatest Comforter there is.

I used to go out more and sing at other churches or events.  Now, I sing at my church and lead its evening Bible studies.  I also love to sing at nursing homes.  Knowing that I am encouraging someone is a blessing to me.

In 2002, the Lord put on my heart to write a devotional book.  So I took verses that stood out to me and wrote about a paragraph for each one.  It was finally released in print in early 2003, but there are no copies left.

In order to hear it, those eligible can get it from

 

www.brailleaudio.org

 

or contact me.

Another thing that I've been doing:  Besides the whole COVID mess starting in 2020, I had to get all my teeth taken out.  So I didn't know if I would be able to sing.  During the long lull, I began to read a lot more than usual.  In signing up for authors' newsletters, I noticed that many of them gave me the opportunity to read their books in advance and review them.  I saw it as a win-win.  I usually got the book for free and I was able to encourage authors and recommend their books to others.  I still do that quite often and very much enjoy it.  I pick authors who are among my favorites because they give a Christ-centered message and a good story.

My whole purpose in life is to tell everyone that Jesus loves you.  He really does.  If He could change my life, He could change everyone's.  I remember when I finally came to Him, I felt that He couldn't possibly love me.  I learned that it's not about anything I've done, but about what Jesus has done.  I echo the prayer that Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:17-19, which says:

that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

If you are interested in purchasing or receiving my music or my book, the best way would be to email me at

 

kjw810@gmail.com

 

I have a few songs on YouTube, but not many.  Here is one of them:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-USNr1_rfXk

 

Anyway, I pray that God will bless you all abundantly.

 

Kelly shares on Facebook the stories behind the songs God has given her:

 http://www.facebook.com/kjw810 

The Jesus I Want My Children to Know

             

When our children were small, we taught them that Jesus loved them. That he loved everyone. “Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

 

Now that they are adults, and they live in a harder and broader world, we want them to be assured that Jesus still loves everyone. He loves the people that others don’t care about, no matter their race, nationality, beliefs, disability—no matter what they’ve done or are doing. Jesus will still touch, will still reach out to, the one no one else will touch.

 

Jesus touched the man with leprosy.

 

Matthew 8:3: Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.

 

In Luke 8, he gave peace to the man who was tortured by demons.

 

Verse 35: and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

 

In John 4, he offered salvation to the woman whom everyone else shunned.

 

Verse 10: Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

 

In Matthew 15, Jesus had a conversation with, and granted the request of, the Greek woman his disciples wanted to send away.

 

Verse 28: Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

 

In John 8, the people wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery, but Jesus offered her a new life.

 

Verses 10-11: Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

 

John 5:24: “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”

 

        It has never been Jesus’ desire to condemn. Jesus, thank you that you always welcome me. 

Need a Good Book to Warm Your Winter?

            At home in Mitford by Jan Karon. My husband Murray and I read the Mitford series about seven years ago, and we’re reading it together again now. A small-town pastor and the family that grows around him. Descriptions of funny village and surrounding rural people. Stories of deep personal struggles and wonderful grace.

 

Gold of Kings by T. Davis Bunn. A new, to me, book by one of my favorite authors. A story of adventure and danger, of people dealing with their faith, their identity, with different important relationships. Amazing descriptions from a faraway country.

 

The Paris dressmaker by Kristy Cambron. A fascinating story of the French resistance during the German occupation of World War II.

 

Tidings of comfort and joy by T. Davis Bunn. World War II has ended. Almost every family in a small English village lost someone. But the villagers and an orphanage of displaced children from across the continent of Europe find healing together through a language they can all understand.

 

To love and be loved: a personal portrait of Mother Teresa by Jim Towey. A memoir focusing mostly on the last twelve years of Mother Teresa’s ministry and life. Because Jesus said to her, “I thirst,” she spent her life helping the poor, lonely, sick and dying. The author said Mother Teresa introduced him to Jesus. He was her lawyer, worked for a time as a volunteer for her ministry, and felt she treated him as a friend.

 

I can only imagine: a memoir by Bart Millard. The lead singer of Christian singing group MercyMe tells the story of how “The cross is enough.” He told of his dad’s abuse and then how later he became Bart’s best friend. Bart told of trials and successes, struggles with his faith, but in the end, “The cross is enough.”