How the book began…
I'd like to share some of the affirmations from "I Believe In Me," and how that book came to be. When my son, Matthew, turned one year old, I began looking for a book for him to teach him of his inner greatness and the power within him to achieve his highest potential. I began to feel the book I was looking for had not yet been created. I worked all summer illustrating affirmations and collected them into a book for Matt with drawings that would appeal to a very young child. I was guided to send my "manuscript" to a publisher and 14 months later my manuscript was approved and published! I have since retired from my career as a court reporter and devote full-time to illustrating positive books for children.

"I am wonderfully creative"
An example of the affirmations I included in my first book are "I am wonderfully creative." The illustration shows the child curling a lion's mane. This is an important affirmation in that it re-enforces the idea that we are creative beings. Even our thoughts are creative. We are all creative in our own ways. I've encouraged Matt to find his unique strengths, interests and talents and to value the unique strengths of others. "I am safe" is another affirmation from my book. I have taught Matt to realize that when he is afraid, more often than not, he is letting his imagination work in a nonproductive way. When he has forgotten a favorite toy at the other end of our house, even though all the lights are off because we are winding down for the evening and he is getting ready for bed, he is unafraid to go down the dark hall, into the family room and turn on the light all alone. This is something I could never do as a child. I was always afraid something was "lurking behind the door," or some such thought. I hear him repeating "I am safe" as he goes. He has learned to accept his fear thoughts, not to fight them, but to simply override them with an affirmation of safety.

"I learn and discover new things every day"…
shows a child watching a caterpillar crawl along the ground, with butterflies flying all about him. Every day after school we share what things we each have learned that day. I explain to him that even adults are learning every day. I am learning how to use the computer, how to improve my drawings, how to cook new meals. He sees the value in learning and says, "I love to learn new things!" "I am powerful;" in this drawing I have the child riding on top of a buffalo. I chose an animal that is more powerful when cooperating with a group. Matt and I discuss competition versus cooperation. I point out how much faster and better tasks are accomplished when we work together as a team.

"I have a place of stillness within me,"
is an introduction to meditation and prayer and the value of keeping still to hear the still, small voice within. We talk about guidance and what it means to listen to our inner voice. One time we were driving around our community college at night trying to find the tower with the telescope in it for star-viewing which was offered as a service to the community. I tried to follow the signs but ended up winding around hopelessly lost. I heard a little voice from the back seat tell me, "Ask for guidance, Mom. You'll find it." "I am whole and perfect just the way I am," shows an angel holding up a mirror for the child to view themselves. How much better the world would be if we could see ourselves as an angel would see us. The last affirmation in my book is "God within me is my power." We are always loved and safe if we only turn our awareness to the Almighty in prayer.

"I Turn to the Light"
My second book, "I Turn to the Light," is geared toward older children and adults as well. It all started with a dream I had. There was a person in the dream whose face was turned toward a bright light. There were angels encircling the person. When I awoke I told my husband I would like to try to draw the image from my dream. That was how this whole series of drawings came to be. The focus of this book is to help us realize the power of our choices. One of the affirmations is "Fear holds an empty promise. I choose Love." When asked what an empty promise is, I explain, a promise unfulfilled. "My heart is open to Love." I couldn't seem to get this drawing just right. When I prayed about it, the answer came to me that I was afraid to open my heart to Love. When I made my peace with myself, the drawing seemed to finish itself!

"I am willing to forgive"
How valuable is forgiveness to heal any grudge or resentment. Matt and I talk a lot about trying to understand the other person's point of view in any disagreement and to take responsibility for our actions. We can differentiate between a person's behavior and the person, themselves. When Matt says something like, "he is a bad person, mom," we discuss that there are no "bad people." Everyone is one with God, but there are people who do bad things. They are more often than not needing our love, not our judgments. "I feel the Divine spark of Light, comfort and warmth within me." God is always with us, surrounding us. One of my favorites from this book is "I am living a life of beauty, purpose and promise." It is impossible to be depressed when repeating this affirmation all day long. As we repeat affirmations, we open a door to new possibilities. There is never a reason to feel trapped or hopeless. "I am made in the image of the Most High." I remind myself of this often during the day. It is very comforting and reassuring.
When these positive statements are said in the form of an affirmation, a statement made in the first person, present tense, there is an inflow of loving energy that heals, renews and strengthens.