JoAnna Oblander is happily married to her husband of over thirty years, Dr. Greg Oblander. She is the mother of six children, two of whom were adopted from Russia. Though her two most important jobs have been wife and mother, she has also been involved in a variety of businesses, church leadership responsibilities, and youth organizations, and she has been the lead organizer of a large biennial women’s event. As a benefactor of many varied life and spiritual experiences, she has gained a strong conviction of the importance of knowing God and His true character. The knowledge and insights she has gained as a result of her experiences have taught her of the importance of gratefully recognizing, acknowledging, and developing our God-given capacities. Those experiences have instilled in her a strong desire to create an eternally meaningful life guided by God and has led her to seek a life that is in harmony emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Her greatest joys are being with her husband, children, and grandchildren and bringing health to others as she works with her husband in his chiropractic office.
http://www.glimpseofheavenbook.com/
Interview:
If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
Past…with lots of stops.
If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
The ability to make others believe in the great personal potential they have within.
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts
Night owl, or early bird?
I am a night owl. I keep working at becoming more of an early bird but it does not come easy to me.
Skittles or M&Ms?
M&Ms…with peanuts
Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
I believe that everyone should read my book so that they can better understand God, their importance to Him, and understand their own personal worth and potential.
Any other books in the works?
I originally thought I would be a one book author but feedback from my book has convinced me that there is more I need to write about…so I will soon be working on another book.
What inspired you to want to become a writer?
It was God who inspired me to become a writer…without Him I would have been happy to remain a lover of reading books rather than a writer.
Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
My most rewarding experience has been making connections with so many good people that otherwise I would have never met.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Charlotte’s Web
What is your favorite Quote?
“We are created as much from the dust of eternity as we are from the dust of the earth. Everyone of us has potential we can scarcely imagine.” Joseph B. Wirthlin
When you were little, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?
A mom; I have always known that being a mother would be the most important job I would ever have
If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why?
Marie Osmond…though not normally an actress, I think she would get what my life experiences have been about.
Hidden talent?
Making homemade noodles
What is your guilty pleasure?
Guittard Chocolate
In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
Stephen Covey…I was so sad to hear of his passing.
Summer or Winter?
Summer…I love waterskiing and camping with my family.
Shoes or Sandals?
Neither…love my feet shod only in skin or comfy slippers.
Facebook or Twitter?
Facebook. I love keeping in contact with family and friends.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I love water fights!
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The Blessing of Vulnerability
Keep yourself vulnerable, expose yourself emotionally, or
make sure that you are able to be hurt. Do people tell you these things often?
You have probably never had those things said to you because we live in a world
of minimizing hurt, damage, and exposure.
I believe that our ability to expose our hearts is an
important component of being emotionally and spiritually healthy. Let me tell
you why.
First, let’s do a test of opposites. I will list a word and
you fill in the blank with the opposite:
·
Black
__________
·
Dark
__________
·
Day
__________
·
Love __________
What did you fill in for the opposite of Love? Did you use
the word hate? Hate is not the right answer…the right answer is apathy.
There was a time in my life when I would have said that hate
was the opposite of love too. But that was before I personally witnessed my two
adopted children protect themselves at the cost of everything I believe to be
most important.
My youngest two children were adopted from Russia when they
were 4 and 9 years old. They were not orphans – they had been removed from
their birth family due to neglect and abandonment. As you might imagine, they
have experienced some difficulties in their lives.
They, of course, are not the only ones who have ever been
through difficult life circumstances. However, their choices and behaviors
strongly reflect what they experienced in those years prior to our adoption of
them.
We adopted them 13 years ago. You might think that all they
need is love and that 13 years of being in a loving family would be all that
they need. (After all, it is a common theory that love can overcome all.) While
love is wonderful and vitally important, I can tell you that love – even
perfect love does not overcome all.
I was once blessed with the experience of re-visiting
heaven. I saw there the preparations that were being made for each of us to
come to earth. I also saw that even there where our perfect Father in heaven
reigns and where His perfect love infuses everything there – that He and His
perfect plan for this earth was rejected by a large number of his spirit
children. So even where perfect love dwells – love is not enough.
My adopted children have found that guarding themselves
against hurt, rejection and vulnerability is the easiest way to make sure they
never are hurt, rejected or vulnerable again. What that means is that they shut
out family, loving relationships, and even passions and interests they might
have.
Imagine what your life would be life if you made sure, at
all costs, that you were not vulnerable. There would be no truly loving
relationships - only manipulative ones. You couldn’t have any goals because you
might fail in reaching those goals. Excitement and passion would be taboo
because those emotions would make you too open to failure or disappointment.
I am not suggesting that we deliberately set ourselves up to
be hurt but I understand now how wonderful and amazing it is to be vulnerable!
By being vulnerable I can love (even when I might get hurt),
I can get excited about goals and future events that I want to happen in my
life and I can embrace the talents and passions that I have – even when it
might mean I will experience failure and disappointment. I can imagine and what
I imagine can become a reality – all because I am willing to expose myself to
whatever outcome may result.
Everything that I hold dear is a result of my willingness to
allow myself to be accessible and susceptible – my marriage, my family, my
friends and everything that I am passionate about!
So while I would never suggest that we intentionally seek
hurt and pain – I hope you will join me in recognizing what a gift having an
open heart and being vulnerable is!
Through both personal and spiritual experiences, JoAnna Lynn Oblander guides us to a deeper understanding of our heavenly home. Shared within the covers of this book are experiences and insights that will remind you of God's great love for each of His children, His desire to be a daily part of our lives, and that each of us has come to earth to fulfill a unique and important purpose.
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I really enjoyed this guest post. It really makes me think.
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