Greetings and Welcome!
My goal is to share encouragement, grace, and hope from God's Word, and to brighten your day. Mission trips abroad have enlarged my heart and reminded me once again that regardless of our skin color or location we all need a savior, and His name is Jesus. I pray that my articles will lift your spirits and point you to the One who loves you most.
Fran's newest book
Hope on the Way: Devotions To Go
by Fran Sandin
Do you enjoy traveling? Or like reading about it?
Fran and her husband, Jim, have traveled extensively through the years. In HOPE on the WAY, Fran will take you from Texas to Michigan, Italy, Norway, Ukraine, New Zealand, and beyond as she shares her personal hope-filled stories of God’s powerful hand at work. Several stories include testimonies of folks she met on the way. Throughout the book you will glimpse the faithfulness of God in seasons of both heartache and joy. As you reflect on each encounter, you are reminded to look for HIS moving in your own life. Everyone needs hope and Fran makes it clear where to find it.
Also available on Amazon (print and Kindle) and Barnes & Noble.
Click to Read Fran's Guest Post On Tammy Kennington's Blog Site
Listen to Fran's interview on A Time To Dream Podcast Scroll down to the 10-8-2020 podcast.
Listen to Fran’s January 4, 2020 live radio interview with Nancy Solari, CEO of Living Full Out, Inc. Nancy lives in Oregon, is blind, and after participating in a communications career, started her own show to assist others in overcoming various life challenges. The interview includes commercials and a couple of call-in’s to Nancy in her capacity as a Life Coach before Fran’s interview begins.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/livingfullout/learn-how-managing-loss-can-enhance-your
Read Fran's 9/9/2018 Devotional on ARISE Devos website
Read Fran's 8/26/2018 Devotional on ARISE Daily Devos website
Read Fran's 7/14/2018 Devotional on ARISE Daily Devos website
Click to listen to Fran's interview with Carol Graham's Never Give Up Hope Blogspot
Click to read Fran's interview with Smashwords.com
You are welcome to download a free copy of:
- What Hope Can Do - by Fran Sandin
- 7 Tips For A Lasting Marriage - by Fran Sandin
- So What Happens Next? - Tract written by Steve Sandin
- Walking Through the Fire (a grief recovery article)
- Ten Days of Encouragement (for anyone who is depressed)
- Ten Ways to Say "I Care" (to encourage grieving mothers)
- The Russian version of See You Later, Jeffrey
May God bless you in your journey of faith.
Warmly,
Fran
My Las Vegas Story
Fran Sandin
"What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I alone am left..." ...but God said, "7,000 in Israel have not bowed to Baal." (Excerpts from I Kings 19: 13-18 NASB).
Me go to Sin City? I don't think so. Those were my thoughts when my husband, Jim, said, "I plan to attend a medical meeting in Las Vegas to learn about some new technology and I'd like you to go with me."
At first, I resisted because I felt disgusted by the gambling, bawdy shows, and the saying I had heard, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"-like you would not want anyone at home to know what happened there. However, I wanted to support Jim as the conference information would be helpful, so I relented. Thankfully, Jim's mom took care of our two children.
The clicking sounds of slot machines permeated the airport lobby-it seemed they were everywhere, but our quiet hotel room became a calming oasis. On Monday morning while Jim attended his workshop, I thought Surely some church has a Tuesday morning Bible Study. So, I scanned the yellow pages (yes, this was several years ago) and began calling church offices. The ones I called first did not have a women's group meeting on Tuesday, but finally, one secretary said "yes." I wrote the address and kept the phone number.
On Tuesday morning the doorman hailed a taxi for me. The driver was friendly and said, "Lady, you are the first person I have taken to church." That was a little unsettling, but opened our conversation and during the long drive, I shared a brief testimony, explained my interest in Bible study, and gave him a gospel tract. He offered to pick me up if I needed a ride back to the hotel and I thanked him graciously with a nice tip.
At the small community church about 15 women welcomed me, and I enjoyed their Bible study and prayer time. Afterward, an attractive young lady asked, "Would you like to join me for a Christian Women's Club luncheon? I have an extra ticket." I excitedly answered, "I would love to." So, as she drove us to the swanky hotel, she explained that she had once been an unhappy showgirl, but a friend witnessed to her, and when she received Jesus as Savior, she experienced joy for the first time, found a new job, and faithfully attends church.
Glaring lights and Casino sounds assaulted me as we entered the hotel, and I wondered if I had made a mistake. Then my new friend motioned toward the escalator. We rode to the second floor and entered a beautiful enormous ballroom filled with probably 300 or more women seated at large round tables. Wow! I felt humbled that the Lord allowed me to experience the contrast of that lower floor and the upper floor...and I felt convicted of my pride in jumping to the wrong conclusion, thinking I would be the only one in Las Vegas interested in a Christ-centered event.
It reminded me of the verses in I Kings that described how Elijah felt so alone after he had escaped from Jezebel, but God assured him that 7,000 others had not bowed to the idol of Baal. We can be assured that no matter where we go, even in "sin city," we will find many who love and worship the Lord. To God be the glory.