This article was first written in 2015 for my first public reading with The LA Beach Writers at the Gulf Shores Public Library (Alabama), and later adapted on February 6, 2026, for a public reading with the Path to Peace Christian Writers’ Group at Supposey Warehouse & Gardens in Pensacola, Florida.

This piece also serves as the introduction to Chapter Seven of my upcoming book, Writing with God.

The Vision

During Thanksgiving week of 2015, I had a vision that has stayed with me ever since.

In this vision, I found myself in a home library, standing in a spacious room and seeing with remarkable precision every detail around me. I noticed that the crafted wood bookshelves matched the desk and the chair beside me. The books on the shelves were neatly arranged by color and size, with their titles written in antique gold, bold letters.

The library was warm, with an atmosphere of both peace and wealth, accentuated by the solid mahogany shelves and matching furniture. I was standing by the desk, looking outside through large glass windows.

Beyond them, I saw a peaceful landscape filled with vibrant colors, displaying with its natural beauty the work of a master impressionist. From a far distance, my eyes caught tall and elegant trees, their leaves dressed in shades of yellow and brown, announcing the arrival of fall. I could almost smell the grass and feel the early-morning dew on the windows.

For a moment, my attention returned to the desk, where my hand rested on a book I had just finished reading. I was about to place it among the other books on the shelves, resembling trophies—stories preserved to be shared with future generations.

All of these moments unfolded before my eyes like a soothing melody, embracing my soul with peace.

I woke from this vision with the sensation that I had visited my future life. As I drank my morning coffee, the vision replayed in my mind in slow motion. I saw myself once again in that library, paused by a powerful realization—I had just read a book about my own life.

Prophetically, I was contemplating a life well lived, filled with fulfillment and immense gratitude.

Hardship and sorrow were part of the main script of that book, but there were also chapters of triumph, joy, and discovery—learning to overcome difficulties, reinvent myself, grow, and become a better person. It was a life shaped by the pursuit of love, professional success, financial security, peace, and happiness.

I felt a touch of sorrow as I reflected on those who had influenced who I had become, hoping they could see me from heaven with pride. I also thought of the people still present in my life—those who walked with me through different seasons, who believed in me when I could not believe in myself, and who invested their time and unconditional love to see me cross each new finish line.

In the pages of that book, there was no place for regret or resentment. Only gratitude and amazement for how far I had come. And as a Christian, I could clearly see the hand of God upon my life and my family every step of the way.

A New Beginning

As I prepared to write for this group reading event, I was reminded of my experiences when I first arrived in the United States from Brazil.

At 25 years old, when I left Brazil, I had already achieved much against the odds. My career as a financial secretary for a major American-based company was a central part of my identity.

Coming to live in the United States without knowing the language, understanding the culture, or having my family and friends nearby was surreal—stressful and, at times, even magical.

For the most part, I felt like an outsider, suddenly dropped into another world where I had to learn how to communicate, understand basic social cues, and navigate everyday life.

I had to learn everything about my new homeland—how to read, write, and engage in social settings—often feeling that I was not bringing anything of value to the table.

I also learned that arriving legally did not change the reality that I had to begin again from zero professionally. At 25 years old, manual labor became the tool through which I began carving my way into this new land.

Yet the dream of building a better life—and the love and protection of the new relationships God placed in my path—kept me moving forward.

Building and Becoming

Through perseverance and faith, I moved forward into achievements beyond what I could have imagined. By the time I turned 40, I was married for the second time, raising three wonderful sons, employing hundreds of people from different nations, and had become a writer.

I published my international newspaper, Tropical Whispers, and traveled to over 18 countries. I was also deeply involved in community service, serving on boards and committees, and actively engaged in my church. Looking back, I can see that I was building a full and accomplished life. But I was also burning both ends of the candle—something that would eventually bring me to a place of complete exhaustion.

When Everything Changed

Due to the financial challenges the country faced after September 11, 2001, my professional life began to decline, coinciding with the beginning of my second divorce. In 2004, shortly after my divorce was finalized, the Gulf Coast was struck by a major hurricane—on my birthday—and again in 2005. After Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina, followed by the Housing Bubble and Credit Crisis of 2007–2009, and the BP oil spill in 2010, I was left in complete financial destitution. Yet even in this, I now see something different.

The years of stillness that followed became an ordained gift from God. They allowed me to process my losses, my emotional setbacks, and my spiritual walk. They gave me space to truly see and appreciate what—and who—I had become for a purpose greater than my own.

The Writer Within

As I reflect on my life, from childhood in Brazil until now, I realize that there has always been a faithful companion walking with me through every season. That companion has been the writer within me.

Through every stage of my life, I have written—recording my desires and dreams, my fears and hopes, my sorrows and joys, my successes and failures, and my expectations for a greater future. That faithful companion helped me stay focused on tomorrow.

Through my journals and poems, I can clearly see how God has always been present in my life. Through every trial and every victory, my writing has encouraged me to stay focused on the prize ahead. In everything I have written, I can see my emotional growth, my professional journey, and my spiritual enlightenment. Through the pages of my unpublished stories, I have come to better understand the life I have lived.

It was this God-given passion for writing that enabled me to build a new path and discover a new identity. Today, I can say with confidence: I am a writer—against the odds.

Faith and Promise

As a Christian writer, the Word of God is my main source of inspiration. In the book of Haggai, chapter 2, verse 9 (New Living Translation), the Bible says that the glory of our latter days shall be greater than the former. Today, as I write these words, I have peace about my future. Because I am certain that the LORD spoke to me—through a vision—of a book already written about my life.

Haggai 2:9 (NLT)

“The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “And in this place, I will bring peace. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

By Eglaide Seiber - with a special guest contribution by Judy Henry

A Testimony of Rekindled Purpose

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 1:6 (KJV)

After much deliberation about how to sell a few precious items I had in my home, I decided to list them on Facebook Marketplace. I confess that I felt discouraged because, in the past, the only responses I received were from scammers trying to obtain my bank information. Still, despite my insecurities, the persistent feeling to try again would not let me walk away. So, I placed my items for sale.

Among the pieces I listed was a very large watercolor canvas portraying a sunlit window overlooking the quiet ocean. On the wooden table before the window rested a small model sailboat, surrounded by the gentle signs of an artist at work — a painter’s palette dotted with color, small jars of paint, and a glass jar holding several brushes. A canvas leaned softly to the side, as if the artist had only stepped away for a moment.

Every time I looked at that painting, I felt there was something special about it. It was as if the LORD was showing me that something great was coming on the horizon of my life, that He would one day finish the work He had begun in me.

Days passed without any inquiries, until one day a woman messaged me to say she wanted to buy that picture. I realized I had mixed feelings about letting it go, but I knew I had to obey the prompting of the LORD in my heart.

After exchanging messages, we agreed to meet in a public place the next morning. However, on the day of our meeting, she contacted me to say that although she had begun driving, she realized her car was too small to transport the large artwork. Immediately, I felt in my heart that I should deliver the picture to her instead. We made plans for me to bring it to her the following day. Her home was about a forty-five-minute to one-hour drive away, but that did not matter to me. There was a spark of joy in my soul that I could not fully explain. It was not about the money. It was not even about overcoming my fear of selling through Facebook Marketplace. What I felt was the unspeakable joy the Bible talks about in 1 Peter 1:1-8 KJV.

So, I called my friend Madalena and invited her to come along. We could enjoy the beautiful Florida sunshine and scenery, and perhaps have lunch by the water on our way back. As we were driving, I realized I had not been in that part of Florida for over a decade. My mind began to fill with memories from a season of life that had long faded from my conscious thoughts.

When we arrived at the buyer’s house, the sweetest smiling face greeted us at the door. There was an immediate sense of familiarity and comfort, as if we had known each other before. She graciously welcomed us into her warm and beautiful home and showed us the room where the painting would be displayed.

As we talked, I noticed a sewing machine nearby and began sharing about a season in my life when I had a storefront ministry. There, I offer Haute Couture clothing designs and alteration services while also leading a women’s Christian ministry.

As the conversation continued, she mentioned that she was an author who had published a children’s book titled Corey’s Peaceful Heart. I then shared that I was also a writer, publisher, and content editor.

She suddenly stood up and said, “I need to show you something.”

She returned moments later, holding a copy of her book, and told me she wanted me to have it. I was almost in tears as she explained how the book came to be and how she used it to help children. What she did not know was that I had been searching for a special birthday gift for my adopted grandson, who has a mild form of autism.

In that moment, it felt as if the Lord Himself had prepared that gift long before I realized it. I told her the book she had given me would be a gift for him. She lovingly signed and dedicated the book to my grandson.

Before we left her home, something even more unexpected happened. Not only did she pay me more than I had asked for the painting, but she also filled my hands with various items she wanted me to sell on Facebook to support my women’s ministry. As my friend Madalena and I drove away, we were in awe of what we had just witnessed.

At first, I thought the blessing was simply that I had obeyed God, delivered the painting, found the perfect birthday gift for my grandson, enjoyed a beautiful day with my friend, and revisited memories from long ago.

But that was only the beginning.

It was as if the artist in that painting had finally picked up the resting brush to complete his masterpiece in my life.

We continued to stay in contact and soon became friends, amazed at how a simple Facebook Marketplace sale had brought us together. My heart was deeply moved by Judy’s dedication to helping others. I felt that her work on the book was not finished. I felt a strong desire to help her regain the confidence to publish her book again and distribute it in my city through my connections with churches and local businesses.

As time passed, we realized there would be challenges ahead. The financial cost of publishing and the differences in our spiritual journeys. But when love is the driving force behind what we do, obstacles cannot stop the purpose of serving others and improving lives for future generations.

As I write this piece tonight, eight months later, Corey’s Peaceful Heart is once again available for sale on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and on its website.

Since that day, my life has been moving forward with surprising speed, in the same supernatural way this story unfolded.

Since then, I have joined a Christian writers’ group and become active in writing again. I reconnected with a beloved friend I had not seen or heard from in over sixteen years. I have experienced healing from many emotional wounds caused by years of trauma and tribulations.

Since then, I have also become more confident in my calling as a writer, holding firmly to the word of new beginnings the LORD gave me in the summer of 2022. Isaiah 43:19KJV- ¹⁹ Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Since then, I no longer feel alone, rejected, or unloved.

Looking back now, I see that the painting was quietly telling a story long before I understood it. What began as a simple attempt to sell a painting became something far greater — a divine appointment that connected lives, restored a book meant to help children, and rekindled a calling that had been quietly waiting within my own heart.

In His perfect timing, the Master Artist picked up the brush once again and continued the work He had begun. “He hath made everything beautiful in his time” Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV

The new has come.

The old is gone.

And I know that I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 KJV

This is my side of the story.

Eglaide Seiber

Judy’s Side of the Story

I arranged to pick up a large framed painting from an online seller who lived about an hour away. Only two miles from home, I suddenly realized the picture would be too large to fit into my car. I quickly turned toward a small church parking lot where I could turn around. I had been there once before with a friend to visit “Margaret”, the fifth-oldest oak tree in Florida.

As I pulled into the parking lot and looked toward the magnificent tree, I felt terrible about canceling the appointment and possibly disappointing the seller. Taking a deep breath and gazing at the beautiful oak tree, I suddenly heard these words in my heart:

“It’s all for the highest good.”

At that moment, two thoughts immediately came to my mind: Could she use the thrift items I had planned to donate? And would she appreciate a copy of my children’s book, Corey’s Peaceful Heart? The book had been off the market for two years, but I still had three copies left.

When Eglaide and her friend Madalena arrived, they brought warm hugs and loving hearts. It quickly felt as though we had connected for a purpose.

During our conversation, Eglaide asked if I had ever written a book. Only then did I bring out Corey’s Peaceful Heart and give her a signed copy for her grandson’s birthday. I shared how the book came to be written and how the Shift and Shine Technique® introduces and supports the emotional well-being of children and adults at home and in schools. As our conversations continued, Eglaide’s interest in introducing Corey’s Peaceful Heart in her own community opened the door to finding a new publisher.

By following her intuition to personally deliver the painting, Eglaide became the catalyst that allowed Corey’s Peaceful Heart to return to the public once again.

For that, I am eternally grateful.

— Judy Henry

To learn more about the message of peace mentioned in this story, visit the official website:

https://www.coreyspeacefulheart.com

Author Bio

Judy Henry’s thirty-three-year career included teaching high school Home Economics in Louisiana and Early Childhood Professions in Texas, where she also directed the preschool child care program. After retirement, she authored The Early Years Child Development Curriculum for Texas parents and offered parent and child care staff workshops.

As a Connection Practice trainer, she learned the value of Heart Math’s heart coherence practice. She facilitated small groups and co-created the Connection Practice curriculum for grades three through five. Corey’s Peaceful Heart grew from a teacher’s request for a heart coherence resource for Kindergarteners.

In her seventies, Judy sold her home and began her seven-year “Journey into Peace.” As she traveled the country, she enjoyed sharing her book with young children in schools and libraries along the way

She hopes that Corey’s Peaceful Heart will contribute to happier, more peaceful lives for young children, both at home and in their early childhood programs.

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Author Bio

Eglaide Seiber is a writer, entrepreneur, and community leader based on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. With more than two decades of experience in business administration, organizational leadership, and entrepreneurship, she has worked extensively in community development, nonprofit service, and cross-cultural initiatives.

Throughout her career, she has founded and managed small businesses, led ministry initiatives, and contributed to regional publications. Her work includes serving as a columnist, staff reporter, and developer of the first Hispanic publication on the Gulf Coast, Nuestra Palabra. She has also held leadership roles in community organizations focused on education, social services, and anti–human trafficking efforts.

Through her writing, Eglaide shares testimonies, biblical reflections, and stories of faith, healing, and restoration. She writes to encourage others to recognize God’s providence in everyday life.