Hello, dear readers! Please help me welcome Andrea Jo, a fellow Anaiah Press author who is here to celebrate her new release!
Hi everyone. It’s a pleasure to be a guest on Christina’s blog today. My name is Andrea Jo Rodgers, and I live on the east coast, a short bike ride from the Atlantic surf. I’m happily married and blessed to be the mother of teenage twins as well as two “fur babies” (Dachshund and Shih Tzu rescues). I love working as a physical therapist in a hospital-based rehabilitation center, and I specialize in women’s health, oncology, lymphedema, osteoporosis, and ALS. I’ve been a volunteer emergency medical technician on my local first aid and rescue squad for thirty-five years and have answered over 9,300 first aid and fire calls. This is even more special now because my twins are on the rescue squad too, so I get to spend quality time with them while we’re helping others. I’ve written four books about my inspirational experiences as a volunteer EMT, as well as two middle grade action-adventure novels. I enjoy watching my children play sports, day trips, reading, writing, walking, playing with my dogs, and spending time with my family and friends. One thing people notice when they meet me is my ability to stay calm in emergency situations.
Tell us about your book—title and back cover blurb.
Heaven-Sent Miracles and Rescues
For more than three decades, Andrea Jo Rodgers has served her small-town community as a volunteer EMT. Over the years, the incredible events she’s witnessed have taught her that behind the scenes of every dark and dire situation waits a God capable of doing the impossible to help, protect, and save those He loves. In Heaven-Sent Miracles and Rescues, Andrea shares tales of amazing and supernatural occurrences she’s seen from the frontline. From breathtaking water recoveries, to heroic battles against housefires, to astonishing interventions against medical crises, Andrea’s accounts of emergency rescues will have you reading at the edge of your seat while reassuring you of God’s awe-inspiring power over every circumstance. Whether you’re searching for affirmation that miracles still happen, or you simply love reading exciting and inspiring true stories, Heaven-Sent Miracles and Rescues will leave you uplifted, encouraged, and on the lookout for God’s divine handiwork in your own day-to-day life.
Share an excerpt?
Chapter 1 Into the Darkness
You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.
2: Samuel 22:29 NIV
The rain, which began as a light drizzle yesterday, fell hard and steady. Intermittent breezes transitioned to strong, sustained winds. A powerful nor’easter bellowed its arrival at the shore town of Pine Cove.
Dispatcher: “Request for the fire department and first aid squad at 118 Bergen Street for a general fire alarm.”
“Here we go again,” Jessie Barnes said as our first aid pagers blared an alert. When Jessie wasn’t working as an optometrist, he spent time volunteering as an emergency medical technician (EMT) with the Pine Cove First Aid Squad. Today, that meant standing by at the squad building and making sure emergency services were available to town residents during the storm.
The relentless winds led to a steady stream of fire alarms all afternoon. We’d taken turns answering the calls. Now, several squad members went downstairs to the bay area in case an ambulance was needed to respond to Bergen Street. The rest of us set up air mattresses in the front room of our first aid building. Pine Cove is a small town, so normally we respond to first aid calls from our homes. When our pagers go off, we drop whatever we’re doing to answer the call. Today, with the hurricane force winds and threat of tidal flooding looming ahead, we decided to stay at the squad building. We knew it would be much too dangerous to attempt driving to headquarters during the height of the storm. I felt guilty leaving my family but realized we’d need as many hands as possible on deck to help with emergency calls.
Jose Sanchez breezed into the squad’s meeting room. After retiring from a long government career, Jose began volunteering as an EMT because he wanted to serve the community. “They didn’t need us on the Bergen Street fire alarm. I’ve also got some good news. So far, there’s no flooding anywhere in town, not even along Ocean Boulevard.”
Pine Cove is surrounded by water on three sides. There’s the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Jensen’s Pond at the southern end of town, and Pebble Lake at the northern border. A few times over the years, the southern end of town near Jensen’s Pond has flooded with several feet of water. Mostly, it caused damage to peoples’ basements. Expensive to repair but nothing life-threatening.
“I can’t believe just four days ago, weather forecasters were still uncertain about the path of the storm,” I said. Some weather models predicted it could directly strike the shore, while others indicated it would turn out to sea. Now, it appeared a direct hit was imminent.
Jessie glanced at his wristwatch. “Well, time will tell. High tide is at eight o’clock. Two hours to go.”
Just then, the lights flickered. A few seconds later, our generator began humming. I glanced out the front windows and noticed the entire street had plunged into darkness.
Ask the blog reader a quirky question or two?
Have you ever had an experience that scared you out of your wits? If yes, how did it affect your life? Years ago, when my son was nearly three, we were in a life-threatening accident in which our elevator crashed and filled with water. It was truly a miracle we survived. That event made me step back and take a close look at my life. I thought about my relationships with God, my family, and my friends. I also thought about my goals and aspirations. One of my lifelong dreams was to write a book. The accident inspired me to pen my first book, At Heaven’s Edge. I’ve been writing ever since. Heaven-Sent Miracles and Rescues is my fourth book about my experiences as a volunteer EMT. Some of the stories are what I consider to be miracles, others are sad but faith-filled, and a few are humorous.
Share your social media and buy links!
Website: www.andreajorodgers.com.
Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/AndreaJoRodgers/
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3rX7sjd
Thank you, Andrea Jo, for joining us here!
Thank You so much Andrea Jo and Christina ! Have a Blessed Sunday!
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I look forward to learning more!
Loved the info on the book, Thank You for your writing talent.
I so appreciate your sacrifice to others!
This sounds like a really good book! I work with someone whose son is a lifelong EMT as well as his daughter. I don't think I could do it. Thanks for doing the hard things!!