September 2024 – Author Charlene Warren
Being raised in a loving Christian home with my younger brother was truly a blessing. My birthplace was near Pittsburgh, PA, but I was not raised there. We moved frequently with my father’s employment – aerospace. He worked alongside the military. I lived much of my growing up years in CA and OH. Those formative years offered me much versatility.
I married my husband, Doug, right out of high school and took some business courses to help my husband through college. Along our journey, we had four wonderful gifts from God – three sons and one daughter. Our grown children have blessed us with six lovely grandchildren – three girls and three boys.
When my children reached school age, I returned to the workforce as a church secretary and then held other positions. After twenty-one years, I finally retired from the State of MO—Social Services, and my husband and I made our retirement home in Springfield.
One of my fulfillments in serving the Lord was teaching third—and fourth-grade girls in Sunday School. After retirement, I served as a Hospitality/Info coach at the West Campus of our church. I continue to serve there after 15 years as a Life Group Leader of Ladies.
The Lord began to inspire me to write poetry near my retirement. It was not something I would have chosen to do. But in time, I felt Him nudging me to compile these writings and self-publish a book titled “Treasures in My Garden: A Mother’s Inspirations from the Father.” Some of my writings reflect God’s magnificent creation and nature. These inspirations encourage deeper spiritual growth for the reader.
Some of my other published works include several devotionals for Gospel Publications (Assembly of God Adult Ministry); a poem for MO Poetry Society; and Focus on the Family ran my article titled “Families in Ministry”, which involved my interviewing a family in my church that volunteered to church plant a campus in Joplin.
For Christmas in 2022, my husband and I put together a collection of our writings over the years to share with our family titled “Odds ‘n Ends” Notebook. My recent accomplishment has been to complete a Legacy writing of our lives (for our family) titled “Remembrances”. I am also in the process of doing a new venture of writing a children’s short story for the first time, titled “Harry the Caterpillar’s Adventures.” I have also drawn character sketches/illustrations for the three adventures.
My all-time heart’s desire is to share the love of Jesus with others in this challenging form of communication.
Find out more about Charlene Warren at https://charsgarden.com/
