FINALLY! A PICTURE BOOK EXPLAINING FIBROMYALGIA AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE FAMILY.

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Author Mandy Farmer served as a children’s minister for 25 years; teaching, singing, and developing curriculum. However, in 2011, her life took an unexpected turn when she began her journey with chronic pain. Diagnosed with Central Sensitization Syndrome with indications of fibromyalgia and more, she retired but desired to share her journey with others through blogging. She found that writing is great therapy and began writing devotions relating to the struggles of illness. Encouraged to publish, she began her publishing journey.Mandy’s farm heritage led her to write a children’s book on farm life. Her first picture book, Holly the Holstein Talks about Milk Cows, emerged in 2022. Through her illness, she saw a need within the family context to understand chronic illness. So she developed a story that became her second picture book, Soft Hugs for Mommy. She is presently working on a devotional for Chronic Illness Warriors. You can follow her writing at mandyfarmer.com (link below).
Illustrator Melissa G. Pickens has illustrated the world around her since she was old enough to hold a crayon. At an early age, she also found words a favorite way to pen her heart. Her creativity appeared on many canvases beyond paper, including hand-painted cake art, custom wood/word art, and blogging through her journey with God to heal from trauma. She believes art and words can help us bravely face our pain with God until it becomes a pearl. Follow her writing journey by subscribing to melissagpickens.com. She was surprised by multiple chronic illnesses in midlife that challenged the trajectory of her empty nest. The love of her husband and their four adult children as they walk this difficult terrain together inspired her to illustrate this children’s book. Melissa’s twin grandchildren also keep her wonder alive and color her world through their toddler view.

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BUY A SIGNED COPY | BY BOTH AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR
MORE FROM THE AUTHOR | ETSY STORE
MANDY FARMER | WEBSITE

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TESTIMONIALS

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“When parents are faced with health crises, children often do not understand, and they become afraid. Soft Hugs for Mommy helps children easily understand what fibromyalgia is and how it affects their loved one, so they don’t have to become worried or fearful. This is such an important book to help children understand the more invisible illnesses they encounter in others.” - Dr. Michelle Bengtson
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Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist and author of the award-winning book, Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises
“Fibromyalgia can be a hard condition to understand, even for adults. Mandy does a wonderful job of explaining how fibromyalgia can affect families and how they can adjust to continue to spend quality time together, in terms that children can easily comprehend. If you or a loved one lives with fibromyalgia and has children, I highly recommend this book!” -Terri Sutula
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Certified Personal Trainer, Health & Nutrition Coach, Olive Tree Saints
This book is...so helpful for any family going through chronic illness to read with their kids.
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My mom has been going through her own chronic illness journey in recent years and it really affects all of us, even though we’re grown kids and have all moved out of the house! With young kids it can be especially hard to have those conversations about how to be a family in the face of a chronic illness diagnosis. If you’re looking for a book to help with that in your specific situation, I highly recommend this one! OR if you want to help increase awareness of chronic illnesses with your kids, I highly recommend this book!
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Pastor, Graduate Enrollment Studies Conselor for Religion at Trevecca Nazarene University, and mother of twin 3-year-olds, Ashley Pickens Bauer

ARTICLES YOU WILL ENJOY

Click on over for a taste of Melissa's and Mandy's writings.

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Chronic Illness – Melissa G Pickens + More Resources
Chronic Illness & Grief – Melissa G Pickens
How to Have Confidence That God is Enough - Mandy Farmer