the author
Writing a book was a fixture on my annual list of New Year’s resolutions for decades. But 23 years as a financial adviser, three kids, after-school activities, and laundry filled the hours in the day and writing took a backseat to life.
In 2008, when the economy tanked, I had several clients ask for a simple book on personal finance. At the time, there wasn’t one, so I wrote Lessons from the Depression, Eliminating Debt the Old-fashioned Way. I did not know that this book would start a new career as the financial world collapsed and mine did too. I embraced the change and Lessons won acclaim from business writers, financial advisers and readers and was featured in newspapers, magazines, on radio and TV across North America.
In 2010, my sister passed away from lung cancer, my world spun out of control and I lost my grip on faith. Too many things gone wrong, too many prayers unanswered for me to believe any more. Out of the darkness a story was born and The Promise answered the most important question I had, “Where are you, God?” It was released in the fall of 2012, along with my short story “Finding My Faith at the Run for the Cure” in Chicken Soup for the Soul’s Finding My Faith edition.
Since then I have been speaking about realizing dreams, overcoming challenges, finding my faith, and writing the lessons learned along the way in my blog.
I am grateful for all the support of my readers and I hope that my words can inspire you to become the person you were meant to be!
The Promise
Where are you, God? Whispers a child waiting alone to die and a woman wanting her life back. He answers, I am here. What follows is a journey of faith restored and divine purpose revealed as a conversation with God begins with the written answer and ends in enlightenment and hope. In The Promise, Darlene Gudrie Butts’ spiritual insight and her sensitivity to emotional loss produces a rich portrait of life derailed by a crisis of faith. Revealing a new perspective on God, this parable speaks to anyone who has struggled in despair, prayed without answer, and wondered about the meaning of life.
lessons from the depression
A timely parable, Lessons from the Depression reveals the easy steps you can take today to turn your finances around. Without using confusing charts or graphs, financial planner Darlene Gudrie Butts lays out a simple plan anyone can follow. She draws on the strong principles used by people in the Great Depression and channels these through the fun and feisty character of Grammy Ti. In teaching her lessons to her errant granddaughter, Grammy Ti covers such topics: beating credit card bullies, breaking old habits, boosting income to balance the budget, savings vs. debt reduction, having fun for free, and much more!
chicken soup for the soul
Your faith will be renewed and you’ll be inspired by these 101 true life stories about healing, wisdom, joy, and God’s love.
Whether you’re finding faith for the first time, or looking for renewal, you’ll love these stories. Family, friends, or even strangers can inspire faith. Faith can show up in a miracle or an everyday event. It can hit you like a sledgehammer or whisper in your ear.