Author Spotlight: Hedy R. Wiebe
By Hedy R. Wiebe
We are pleased to introduce Hedy R. Wiebe. Hedy is the 2019 non-fiction winner for the Word Alive Free Publishing Contest for her book There’s a Place Deep inside Called Courage, which is now available for order through the Word Alive Press Bookstore, and everywhere fine Christian books are sold. We asked Hedy to share a little bit about her writing, and new book. But first, a little bit about her.
About
Hedy R. Wiebe was born in Winnipeg in 1949 and grew up on a farm in rural Manitoba. She and her husband, Don, married in 1972 and have two beautiful children, Aaron and Andrea, and grandchildren. They call Rosenort, Manitoba home.
Hedy graduated from the Teachers’ Collage at the University of Manitoba in 1969 and worked as an elementary school teacher and substituted intermittently before and after having children. She was involved with school choirs, church musical productions, and several home-based businesses. Occasionally she offers writing workshops for children. She’s the author of Donnie’s Little Red Wagon, a children’s book published in 2009. Hedy has been a guest speaker at women’s retreats and gives her personal salvation testimony wherever God leads.
Only the Holy Spirit prepared Hedy to write about life after the trauma of a car accident. She needed courage to get well. Hedy’s prayer is that There’s a Place Deep inside Called Courage will inspire readers to pursue their own intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. She is passionate that others find Him as “Courage” and personally experience the presence of God’s Holy Spirit so that they are empowered to love the way He loves them.
Q&A
Q: You are the 2019 non-fiction winner for the Word Alive Free Publishing Contest. Why do you think you were chosen?
A: I believe I was chosen for this award because years ago, God gave me the title and told me it would be a book. He led, I followed, and He supernaturally moved upon the hearts and minds of those at Word Alive to see what He saw.
Q: Did you start this book with anyone specifically in mind?
A: I started writing as handwritten “brain spillage” in no chronological order. I knew I was to honor My Lord Jesus and obey Him by writing, so I’d sit and wait until He showed me what to write even though, after the whack to my head, consecrating for long periods was difficult.
Eventually, over the years it took various shapes. Eventually I decided that I would run it off at Home Office Depot or Staples, put it in a 3-ringed binder, give it to my husband and kids. Then I had a book!
Q: What do you like and/or dislike about the writing process?
A: I disliked the physical discomfort the accident had created but loved the places in Christ I was led as I wrote. The hovering Presence of the Holy Spirit’s leading eventually became a joy as I listened and wrote. He caused me to remember. Much later, the editing process became fascinating. I love learning.
Q: How long did it take you to write your story and what was the most challenging or exciting part of this process?
A: I began to hand write in bits, blurbs and spurts around five years after the accident in 1999, and wrote sporadically until finally submitting it to 2019 contest. The challenging part was knowing that I’m not prolific in writing. But the drive to obey God and finish what He had asked me to do kept resurfacing and wouldn’t leave. The exciting part was when (together with my first editor) I pressed “send”, to Word Alive Press, and thought I was finally done! Oh but then, God!
Q: Why did you feel your story was important to tell and what do you hope it will offer the reader?
A: Everyone has a story, and each story matters, whether it gets told or not. Trauma comes in different ways, but it will stop life as one knows it. For me, processes of living in the wake of the devastation the MVA caused, eventually moving through rehabilitation and into a life journey of joyful restoration, became a part of my life story. Because I learned to know Jesus Christ as Courage, I completely surrendered to His ways of loving me. I hope and pray that those who read this book will allow themselves to be completely loved by God. It takes courage to be utterly exposed by His love. It takes strength to love Him back and become empowered to love they way He does.
Q: Have you fully recovered or do you still deal with physical pain?
A: I like to say I live in a place of continuous healing and recovery. I also like to say that parts of me work really well, other parts, not so much!
Q: Any advice you would offer to new writers?
A: There are a few things: Write about what you know, you’ll never see the end if you don’t start, and write whether you feel like it or not.
As a Christ follower spend time asking Him what He would have you know and run like crazy with that. It may look like an awful mess; so what! Learn to feel His pleasure by exploring the gifts, talents, and skills He has created in you for His glory and purposes. He’s already done this for you and He is limitlessly creative. He will expose thoughts, intuitive ideas, and supernaturally infuse you with Himself so that, as you write, you will know you are participating in a work He has chosen especially for you alone. He will become the Courage and Strength you need in order to honor, obey, and serve Him. He rejoices over you and shows you His favor.
Q: Any final thoughts you’d like to share?
A: Celebrating life with courage has taught me to listen to others without fear, laugh at myself and together with others. I love to and praise and worship in prayer because my life literally depends on it.
About this Contributor:
Hedy R. Wiebe was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and grew up on a farm. She has been married to her husband, Don, since 1972. They raised two amazing children, Aaron and Andrea, and they love grandparenting their beautiful grandchildren. Hedy and Don enjoy living in Rosenort, Manitoba.