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About the Book
I Was Broken, Too
The joy of my heart is to encourage women. I regard every invitation to speak as an opportunity to offer hope – whether it be a brunch or a tea, a regular meeting or a special event.
This is where author Barbara Higby found herself when her daughter suddenly died. Previous losses had tutored her in how to renew hope—a failed adoption process, the death of newborn twins, the challenges of a disabled son, the collapse of her calling—but her daughter’s death plunged her to a new depth of hopelessness. Barbara’s story of bringing life to her shattered hope will encourage others who are disheartened by loss.
I Was Broken, Too offers four paths to restore hope in the battle-weary.
- H—Hold your Eyes Higher
- O—Open your Heart to God’s Opportunities
- P—Ponder the Positive, not the Problems
- E—Expect Grace
I Was Broken, Too was written for you, the broken, disillusioned, and wounded. If loss of any kind has assaulted your hope, follow the paths that revived Barbara’s—they are achievable and hope is possible. You will discover that what God has done for her, He will do for you.
About the Author
Barbara Higby
Barbara Higby’s passion is to encourage others, from a podium, one-on-one, and in her writing. She has widely served in women’s ministry and alongside her pastor husband, Rich. Barbara’s experience as a biological and adoptive mother of five, a mother-figure, foster mother, bereaved mother, and grandmother of eleven, has seasoned her ministry with compassion. Barbara claims dual citizenship—her feet walk the streets of New Jersey, but her home is Heaven, where three children precede her.
Blogs
What’s new (beside the year)?
The alarm sounds, I moan and hit snooze. Gradually my mind awakens and sleepy thoughts refresh themselves faster than I do. Hazy recall of opposing sides (which can both sound really right!) buzzes in my brain. The world, the pundits, the news feeds have not slept...
My word for the year
Last week I promised I’d share my word for 2021 and I’ve been squirming ever since. I’m so uncomfortable with it I tried to change it. Ready? It’s Laugh. Those who know me best realize this is quite a stretch for a serious-minded woman so I must explain. The craziness...
Do you choose a word for the year?
Years ago I chose a word for the year, unaware it was a thing. Do you do this? Next week I’ll ask again and share my word for 2021. Generally my chosen word has served more as a focus to begin a new year rather than the guiding reminder I intend it to be—until this...
And His name will be… Prince of Peace
Peace is a deep desire human hearts share. How welcome the promise of a Prince of Peace must have been to the suffering people of Isaiah’s day. Today, that same promise quiets my heart. What is it that disrupts our peace? Worry, yes. Fear, yes. But what is at their...
And His name will be… Everlasting Father
We often call God Heavenly Father. Isaiah called Jesus Everlasting Father—God’s Son, our Father. There’s a thought to ponder! But I’ll leave it with you because I want to muse on having a Father who is everlasting—I think it means more than the eternal Father God who...
Tri-State Voice Article
TriStateVoice.com is Metro New York’s Christian Blog/News/Events site.
Barbara Higby Chronicles Pain, Brokenness, and the Path to Hope in New Book
The Tale of the Seven Sisters
In a timeless allegory, seven sisters wrestle their deepest fears when they’re invited to take up residence in the land of Evermore. Little do they suspect that a move to this new land will result in a weightier decision, one that challenges them to the core as they wonder, can King Aric be trusted?
The Tale of the Seven Sisters invites readers to a close relationship with the One who loves them without condition.
Available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle at The Tale of the Seven Sisters.
Speaking
The joy of my heart is to encourage women. I regard every invitation to speak as an opportunity to offer hope – whether it be a brunch or a tea, a regular meeting or a special event.
I also offer one day workshops and retreats. I will address a topic you request or choose from the following suggestions:
- I Was Broken, Too is my signature presentation, my heartbeat, if you will. I present four paths to hope based my book, I Was Broken, Too. A condensed 40-minute presentation is perfect for Women’s Teas or special events. I also offer a four-part workshop of 30-minute sessions with delving questions for small groups or personal reflection.
- A Woman’s Self-Portrait is a three session seminar that explores reasons for a poor self-image and helps women see themselves as God does.
- Life is Not a QWERTY Keyboard – Wouldn’t we love life to be as predictable as a computer keyboard? What if we could, by the flick of a finger, bold those things that are important to us and delete those things (or people) that are inconvenient? This message of hope focuses on the One who has all things under Ctrl.
- Rock, Fortress, Deliverer – Discover the all-encompassing care of a loving God and feel fears subside in the light of Psalm 18.
Stacey Joy
Some readers have expressed curiosity about Stacey Joy, the daughter I wrote about in I Was Broken, Too, so here are answers to your FAQs and a few extra tidbits.
Stacey came to us on Flag Day, June 14, 1974,
through Holt International.
You could update this facial expression annually. She had a stubborn determination and would not be intimidated by her brothers.
This is one of my favorite pictures, taken at LBI during the period I refer to as the Camelot years. I’m flanked by my daughters Stacey (left) and Bethany (right) with my daughters-in-love Shannon & Amy kneeling in front.
One of the last pictures we have of Stacey shows four generations: me, my mother (“Grandma B”), Stacey, and Kaylee at her three-year birthday party.
Stacey was everyone’s favorite cheerleader—her oft-spoken words of encouragement were “You go, girl!” She loved fun & laughter and nobody laughed like her—there was no doubt when Stacey was present.
The cause of Stacey’s death was an undiagnosed, progressive, and rather newly identified heart disease, Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia (ARVD). It is not curable but can be controlled with medication. Johns Hopkins now has a department dedicated to ARVD. Thankfully, Kaylee has been evaluated there twice and received a clean bill of health.
Two years after she married Phil Touw, they had Kaylee, the love of Stacey’s life.
Writers
Are you looking for encouragement as a writer or aspiring writer? As facilitator of the North Jersey Christian Writer’s Group, I invite you to join us. You will find my monthly Focus Points and our meeting information at NJCWG.blogspot.com. Our goal is to write for Him, whether it’s a page-turning novel, an article for a periodical, or a personal blog post. Also visit our face book page at facebook.com/NJCWG.