I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some sweet, talented authors through an on-line writer’s community called Tribe Writers. (You can learn all about the group here.) When Brenda McGraw let me know she was going to be in the Atlanta-area a few months ago, it was a real treat getting to meet a fellow inspirational writer and the founder of Ask God Today Ministries.
Join us today as we talk books, ministry and the God that gets credit for all of it!
Maria: Thanks so much for joining us today Brenda. Tell us about yourself:
Brenda: My name is Brenda McGraw and I was raised by both of my parents and they were married for 53 years. We were 
faithful churchgoers, or so we thought, who only went every Easter and Christmas, and so we considered ourselves to be Christians.
My parents were party parents and I started drinking and partying as well when I was only 13 years old, which, as you can imagine, led to a lot of negative consequences.
I was raised in church and believed in God and knew that Jesus had died on the Cross and rose three days later. As I said, we celebrated Easter and Christmas and recited the Lord’s Prayer every church service. I believed in God, but didn’t know Jesus and didn’t want to be a Jesus freak.
My decision
I rejected Christ at a youth event when I was 13 years old. I heard I needed to ask Jesus to come into my life. I had no desire to do that. I thought the life I was living was fun and I didn’t want to quit having fun. I didn’t want to quit drinking, so I rejected Christ. I thought being a Christian was boring and no fun.
At the age of 17, I met my high school sweetheart and we married at the age of 19. We continued with our party lifestyle until things started crashing down on us after about five years of marriage. God got my attention at the age of 24 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Sometimes God has to hit us upside the head with a 2 x 4 to get our attention, doesn’t He?
I endured five surgeries in one year. But even after coming through the year of surgeries and realizing I wasn’t going to die immediately, I put God back into my “God box” and I continued to live my life the way I wanted to – without God.
His plan
But God had a plan for me because when I was pregnant with my second child He moved us right beside a preacher. The pastor and his wife started inviting us to their church and we started visiting.
I realized that if I were to die I wouldn’t go to Heaven, because the only way to get to Heaven is by asking Jesus to come into my heart and live for Him and I had never done that. I heard of God’s forgiveness and love and I knew that I needed a Savior! (click to tweet) I remember asking God to show me who Jesus was because I didn’t know Him. I only knew about Him.
In 1995 I surrendered my life to Jesus. My life started changing and God changed my desires. I had a very strong desire to study God’s Word and pray. But as I mentioned, a had lived a life without Jesus – and bad choices have consequences.
Tough times
No longer living a party lifestyle and being the mom of two children was great. However, my husband found himself under the influence of prescription drugs. This led my family down a long, dark road. We went through four years of counseling and I was just trying to get my husband healed of his addiction, which led to immorality.
After 23 years of marriage I went through a divorce and found myself alone with two young children. I cried every day and I would kneel at the foot of my bed praying for God to help me. It was during those alone times that I would lift my tears to God asking Him not let this all be in vain, and to use me!
God’s grace
This was the hardest thing that I had ever been through…the emotional pain was much harder than the physical pain I had experienced from cancer. But God gave me many promises and was so very faithful to me and carried me through.
Maria: You’ve experienced some really difficult things! Praise the Lord for salvation and everything He’s done in your life.What prompted you to write your devotional, Joy Beyond?
Brenda: God called me 13 years ago to speaking and writing my story. Here I am 13 years later finally living out my calling. God has restored my life far greater than I ever imagined. I am now married again to a wonderful, godly, humble, selfless man with a servant’s heart! God brought His very best for me! I now have 3 step-children, ages 27, 24 and 18. God allowed me to help raise them after their mom passed away, due to illness. My children are now 21 and 25 and I am proud of the young adults they have all grown up to be! God is faithful!
He has used my pain and tears to minister to many others. God gave me a verse many years ago, “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future,” (Jeremiah 29:11). He just wants us to seek Him first with all of our heart!
Joy Beyond was birthed from my desire to share that others can find joy beyond the hard circumstances and clutter of life too. If we focus on ALL the circumstances that cause us pain and worry, we would walk around defeated. However, if we fix our eyes on Jesus, our Savior He will help us find the joy and peace we desire even through these hard times.
Maria: That’s wonderful! What was the most important thing the Lord taught you through your health struggles?
Brenda: Life is short and we need to seek after Jesus every day and thank Him for allowing us to live this day! Rejoice and be glad in it. Give Him praise daily.
Maria: Beautiful. You started Ask God Today Ministries in 2015. Tell us a little about it:
Brenda: Ask God Today was actually started three years ago as my personal blog. After attending a She Speaks Conference the summer of 2014 and seeing and meeting 640 other women who had the same desire I did, which is to share God’s story and our story and exalt the name of Jesus through speaking and writing, I realized God was telling me to open up my website and collaborate with other women. There is more power in numbers. So, as of November 2014, Ask God Today is now a ministry with eleven writers. We are planning our first Women’s Conference this summer, June 24-25th with Recording Artist Mike Weaver leading our worship. We are beyond excited.
Maria: That’s fantastic! I know you’ve recently written a Bible study called “Living Uncluttered” and a book for writers titled “Finished.” Give us a brief overview of each:
Brenda: Thanks for asking Maria. I am excited about both of these new books. Living Uncluttered is a Bible study and was written and published by Wainwright Publishing for a Women’s Conference I spoke at in October 2015 in Williamsburg, Virginia. It is a stand-alone book or can be done as part of a series. I share tips and scriptures about how you can live uncluttered physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Finished is a short book written to help new aspiring writers learn what is
involved in “finishing” a book. I share the top ten steps to finish writing a book.
Maria: You’re one busy lady! What’s next for you as an author and speaker?
Brenda: My honest answer to this is -whatever God wants and plans for me to do. I was recently approved to be a Stonecroft Ministries speaker and look forward to doing some traveling to share the gospel with women across the globe.
As for writing, I have a book being edited as we speak and hopefully will be launching it around May 2016.
Maria: What words of wisdom would you like to leave with our readers?
Brenda: Don’t get discouraged and don’t give up on your dreams. Remember, our timing is not God’s timing. Our thoughts are not His. Wait on God and He has great plans for you. As you wait, seek Him with all of your heart.
Maria: Great words for us to heed, Brenda! Thanks for sharing your heart with us today. God bless you as you continue writing and speaking for Him!
Connect with Brenda