To Be a Mother: August 2009

To Be A Mother # 1 Amazon Adoption Book: Review by Blain Dillard

I love this review that came in o Amazon. I love thinking about a man reading my flowery covered book at the soccer field surrounded by Soccer Moms. And I love what he says about the book giving insight as to raising awareness in how he is raising his sons...SWEET!

"I'm a dad and I started reading this book at soccer practice, while sitting amongst all the soccer moms... I'm sure they were wondering... Not able to put the book down, seven hours later, I had finished. This was a very engaging story about love and grace and redemption. If I had a daughter, I would give her this book. As I have sons instead, I am all the more motivated to raise my boys to respect women and wait until marriage before having intimate relations. It's refreshing to read about a woman who overcomes adversity, discerns and follows God's calling in her heart, and gets to live out her dream in a BIG way - to be a mother!"

Orphans and the Unborn...Uncomfortable and Disturbing Ministry...

A few years ago I stood on a stage directing a jam session with my band behind Jimmy Buffett, Steven Stills, Art Garfunkel, Jimmy Webb, Bonnie Tyler, Mick Hucknall and Mick Jones. My band sounded great...the audience was packed with Oscar Award winners, Govt. Leaders etc...Honestly, it had more celebrities than the actual Oscar Awards. Anyhow, for a NY bandleader I had reached the pinnacle of success. I had a job that my competitors were so envious of and the celebs raved about us. I had a decent bank account and no debt.....we were comfortable. Still I remember thinking while on the stage "is this all there is?"....I rubbed elbows with these people in meetings, hanging out in their apartments, being waited on by their household help....During the breaks of this event I engaged in small talk with people in the bathroom that were on PEOPLE MAGAZINE covers...I was comfortable but something was missing!

Fast forward a few years and several more amazing events with famous people....I am consumed with a burden to adopt. I could no longer sleep just thinking about children without mothers. In time, I answered the call to adopt. But it only happened because I became deeply disturbed and deliriously uncomfortable knowing that I spent my life standing on stages at events with people spending 2 million dollars to celebrate their special events in one night...while 143 million orphans could eat a meal off of a fraction of what was being spent that night....I developed insomnia and a single focus that disturbed me and made me uncomfortable.....So ...we adopted our daughter Matea. Then three years later when I heard about the millions of orphans in Africa..I just was brutally disturbed....We adopted 3 children who lost both parents. Years later..I write this book TO BE A MOTHER..But I only wanted to write about how uncomfortable I was regarding the orphan crisis. Then God asked me to make it extremely personal..."tell the whole story"....I said "no" He said "yes"...then I said "yes".... I found my ministry the day I became honest and real...the day I said YES to God and stood naked in the words that ourpoured from my heart...a true story...a story that expressed my quest to maintain my comfort above all. At the time it seemed that abortion would be more comfortable than telling my family, than being a young single mom. I longed to remain comfortable....Little did I know HOW uncomfortable it can be to walk away from the WILL of God. Loss is uncomfortable. Regret is uncomfortable. Shame is uncomfortable. AND the TRUTH is extremely uncomfortable..so when I had to be obedient and tell the TRUTH...I didn't do it with a fully committed heart. But when I started to see how my discomfort convicted people to choose life, I started to become brave. Each life, each woman that realized she was not alone and steps out of hiding...helps me to gain confidence and momentum...Still, eventhough now I am more and more comfortable with telling my story...I have been amazed at how many churches are UNCOMFORTABLE with the topics of adopting, abortion and advocating for the sick or vulnerable. One church actually told me that they were not allowed to speak on the issue of teen pregnancy or adoption...One organization recently mentioned that the topic of Child Trafficking was off limits...I am still really disturbed and really uncomfortable..but I am happy that I am no longer complacent and no longer lukewarm and numb to the issues that are close to God's heart..But I am really really disturbed mostly by the people who refuse to be the hands and feet for God....I want to say WAKE UP PEOPLE ....make God's work and WILL more important than your comfy potlucks and mountain retreats....Heading into my new ministry I realize that I am totally where God has called me.There is something about being obedient to God that makes me deliriously happy and satisfied even in my discomfort..

#Adoption MOTHER THE WORLD Tshirt on a Tattooed Burly Macho Man

So, I decided to wear one of my TSHIRTS to church today. I also brought a few but left them in my purse. I had intended on giving some to a few friends that had helped with the campaign and ask them to get word out about TO BE A MOTHER etc. I decided against giving away a few shirts in church because I was concerned about giving away some and asking others to pay. The shirts are going to be sold to help to facilitate a few of my choice charities like PROJECT HOPEFUL and STOP CHILD TRAFFICKING as well as Triangle Right to LIFE. So, as I was leaving church I ran into Clay in the parking lot. He raved about my shirt and how much he wanted one. I told him they were for women and I am brainstorming men's shirts without the flower...He told me he was comfortable enough wearing the shirt AS IS..That made me laugh. And I pulled out a shirt and gave it to him. He put it on over his shirt and we took the pic above.,AWESOME!!!! I told him MOTHER is a verb too and he can give to the children of the world through his love and compassion just like Christ. He said "AMEN"...I am heading to the design board though now for something more appropriate for guys like CLAY..

TO BE A MOTHER: Tshirts/Kid Fashion Show...home video.

#Adoption TO BE A MOTHER #1 Amazon Best Selling adoption book. This Video motivates me.

#Mothers MINIVAN BOOK SIGNING for TO BE A MOTHER http://www.tinyurl.com/tbamam

SO, this whole author thing is new to me. I was in my neighborhood picking up my kids from the bus stop when my neighbor GAIL...rolled down the window to her maroon minivan and said "HEY DEANNA DON'T GO ANYWHERE..I want to get the book." I am still surprised that my neighbors ordered my book. I say to her "YOU DO KNOW IT IS A PROLIFE MEMOIR? Don't you?" She says..."OF COURSE!!!" I am always shocked when I find someone who is at least not overtly upset and verbal about my very strong prolife stance. I have been in the entertainment business my whole life and all of my musician friends or clients are staunchly pro-choice. I am an anamoly( ? being a best selling author by the way doesn't automatically mean you can spell or punctuate)...and certainly coming out to tell my story is the equivalent of potential New York Society Band suicide....but anyhow...So, she comes back and says ..."do you wanna get in the van?" I am with my two youngest kids...the other ones are 2 blocks ahead already. My little ones say "yes mommy yes.." So, I say "Okay"...Gail tosses the booster seat in the third row...I sit down feeling totally comfortable with the cheerio crumbs in the crease on the seat...and I am about to sign her book..SIGNING IS NEW TO ME TOO...so I really have to think about what to write,,..I am sooo confused..come up with something...acting like I have done it a million times not 5....and she drops me off at home...SOOOO...I had been really brainstorming ideas for a book signing....Tonight it just dawned on me that I would love to have a MINIVAN Book signing....I mean...many of my readers are mothers with not a lot of time to mess around with a night to have to hang out to have a book signed..So..I may go to churches or places with afternoon or morning bible studies and offer a book signing opp....have to think it out but I think it is crazy enough and stupid enough to be brilliant...THANKS NEIGHBOR GAIL..I am saving you a MOM POWER Tshirt...

#Adoption #Prolife TO BE A MOTHER: What Does it Mean to Adopt God's Heart? Video explanation

#Adoption TO BE A MOTHER #1 Best Selling Prolife Adoption Memoir!

Thanks everyone for all of the support. The book is still number one and we are thrilled. If you haven't received the book yet please go to AMAZON at to buy it...We still have more copies..We are also in the process of producing a CD TO BE A MOTHER available in a few weeks. AND we have TSHIRTS and an mp3 of SILENT NO MORE available at our site.

#Prolife TO BE A MOTHER: Excerpt A WORLD WITHOUT MOTHERS

Chapter 24 A WORLD WITHOUT MOTHERS
The Ultimate Exploitation
As I grew older and took advantage of the so-called
freedom to choose that the self-proclaimed feminists made
possible for me, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed and
deceived. I take responsibility for my actions and know that
I willingly walked into the abortion clinic. But I honestly
believed that I would somehow walk out of that clinic with
a sense of empowerment and freedom. No one ever warned
me about the pain, regret, and years of grief I would undergo
after the abortion.
The experience of abortion is devastating in a way that
wounds every single part of a woman. And of course the
worst part is denying an actual person the right to life while
also turning a woman who is by nature a life giver into one
who takes a life. In the years that followed my own abortion,
I began questioning everything relating to a woman’s
right to have an abortion. Why was choosing whether to allow
my child to live even an option for me? Why was I
never warned about the emotional side effects and pain that
would stay with me for years? Why does anyone have the
right to end another human being’s life? Why was I thrust
into a place of depression, contemplating suicide? Why is
there such an absence in our society of compassion and
love for human life? Why does the government allocate our
tax dollars toward abortion clinics?
A World Without Mothers
The truth is, I never would have aborted my baby if
abortion were illegal. Today I would be enjoying the company
of the daughter that I legally killed. Legalized abortion
denied me of a beautiful gift from God. This world of
bizarre laws and massive lies left me with an indescribable
ache. I can imagine that it is similar to someone who has
lost a limb. For months after the abortion, I could still feel
her there but had no means to hold onto her. I had her blood
on my hands and no way to embrace her. The desperation
post-abortion far outweighed the desperation during my
brief unplanned pregnancy, and I was so off balance that I
felt as if I would never be able to hold onto anything ever
again. A part of me was missing and I would never get it
back. I would have to live with the loss forever.
Alice Paul was right, “Abortion is the ultimate exploitation
of women.”2

#prolife TO BE A MOTHER: Excerpt WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN?

Chapter 22 When Does Life Begin (excerpt)
As a
young woman, I could still hear the echoes of the loud
voices of the men and women in the 1970s and ’80s who
convinced me that I had the right to choose to strip myself
of God’s gift beating inside of me. I made my free choice
and lived to regret it. How is aborting a baby liberating?
How is aborting a baby empowering? Aborting a baby is
the most unnatural and violently destructive thing we can
do to ourselves as women.
As a woman, my heart and soul naturally longed to hold
that child, love that child, and be that child’s mother. In the
short time I knew of my pregnancy, I vacillated from wanting
to conveniently erase my mistake to imagining diapering
and naming the child. I walked into the clinic hugely
conflicted and longing for a knight in shining armor to
come and save me. Yet I did not want anyone to know my
dilemma. I squashed what was real and natural to me and
willingly walked into what I was told was my right as a
woman. But since then I have come to believe not only that
life begins at conception, but as a woman it is not serving
me or empowering me to allow myself to defy God by defying
my body in that way. If we truly want to be empowered
as women, then we also need to be willing to speak
out against other women who claim to have our best interests
at heart but fail to reveal the truth to us.
A Choice That Is Not Ours to Make
Abortion is extremely harmful to women. Even when
we try to rationalize the abortion intellectually, the biological
memories that our bodies hold cannot erase the grief
and torture that we feel when a child is stripped from our
wombs. Even if we are lucky enough to experience an
abortion free from physical pain, for many of us, our bodies
will still cry out, Where is my baby? God wants us to love,
serve, and nurture those He gives life to. This includes
pregnant women as well as the sweet babies inside of them.
God is a creative, life-giving Father. Life is powerful. God
is powerful. He is powerful enough to turn a dire situation
around into a wonderful blessing.
I believe women should have the right to choose many
things. Ending a life is not one of them. The life of our babies
is not ours to take. It belongs to God the creator. God
is the only one who should be allowed to choose to stop a
beating heart.

#PROLIFE EXCERPT: TO BE A MOTHER--REDEMPTION

Chapter 21 INCONCEIVABLE REDEMPTION
I stand now at
the foot of the cross with an exuberant heart, proclaiming,
“He lives for me.” There is inexplicable joy in my heart
knowing that Jesus is alive and there is a happy ending after
all.
God answered all of my prayers. He forgave me and
then sweetly and generously gave me the dreams of my
heart. I always wanted to be a mother, and now in gratitude
I praise Him for showering this sinner with abundant love
from my husband and our six beautiful children. However,
the greatest gift He gave me is His love, His forgiveness,
and a clear understanding that Jesus is the best representation
of parental love ever. I rejoice in knowing that God is
compassionate to His children and a loving Father. I am totally
unworthy, but to Him I am significantly valued. And
He values each and every one of His flawed sons and
daughters.
If I had stayed at the cross in my dream and followed
the story to the tomb and then to Jesus’ resurrection,
maybe I wouldn’t have been haunted by the horror of the
crucifixion for so many years. It was as if I left a movie
before the ending. But when you follow the rest of the
story, an amazing twist happens. That is why they call it
the greatest story ever told. Yes, God the Creator could
have started over. But in order to be the Redeemer, He
chose to take the canvas He was working on and perfect it.
He placed a perfectly beautiful subject named Jesus into a
picture that was filled with ungodly characters, rough
edges, and muted colors. In putting Jesus in the picture, the
imperfections of others in the picture were no longer magnified
but erased. Light started to shine and everything
looked new again.
God gave His children the opportunity to turn to Him
and find His heart. He did this for me and for you. It is
more of a challenge to create something beautiful on a canvas
that is stained and smudged, but there is also the potential
for more beauty and more depth than a subject
surrounded by perfection. I am in awe of how God sees
and finds so much beauty in the imperfections. It would
appear that God delights in seeing a broken, wounded, lost
child turn to Him, come back to Him, and call to Him.
Each work of art, by praising Him, lifting their hands to
the Father, asking for forgiveness, and surrendering to
Him, is pleasing to God in heaven.
Maybe that is why He created us. Maybe pure light
coming out of darkness is the most beautiful view to Him
and one He longs to see repeatedly through each one of us.
Maybe the Father is also pleased when we turn from the
darkness and choose to walk next to Him in the glow of His
brilliant light. I don’t know.
I could go on with my inquiring mind, but it all comes
back to the same question: how is it that the all-knowing
God could love me? I don’t know. But I know without a
doubt that He does. And that is all that matters.

TO BE A MOTHER: Excerpt FORGIVENESS...

CHAPTER 20 CLAIMING THE PRIZE
How I wish I could have known Jesus back when I was
pregnant as a teenager! Maybe I would have seen Him as
the perfect example of the kind of selfless, bold love all
mothers should have for their children. I truly believe that if
I had longed to live my life with the kind of obedient heart
that Jesus had, I would have stood victorious as a young
mother. But because I didn’t make that choice, I have to
forgive myself and claim His precious prize to me. It is
humbling, but it is my way of honoring Him now.
It is my job as a daughter of the King to love Him by
always trying my best to honor who He is by returning the
favor to those who hurt me. It is my responsibility to forgive
myself too. Forgiveness and love require intentional
movement on the part of God’s children. It may mean extending
a helping hand toward your enemy. It may mean
making a call to your father or mother. It may mean sending
a birthday card to a long-lost friend. It may be saying “I’m
sorry” to someone you haven’t spoken to in years. Or it
may mean looking yourself in the mirror and saying, “God
Almighty in all His glory loves you, forgives you, and has
made you a new creation. Don’t call Him wrong by allowing
unforgiveness to fester in your life. Let it go and take
His gift to you.”
The way that we can love God the most is by showing
our gratitude to Him by loving others and ourselves. I don’t
think I really even knew how to praise Him properly until I
took the blessings, lived in them, soaked them all in, and
then fell to my knees, realizing He always loved me and
wanted me healed, whole, and His. The greatest love story
ever told is the story of how Jesus chose to put His own desires
aside, obey God, and sacrifice Himself for the betterment
and sustainability of His children. Miraculous!
God is so awesome. I fall to my knees in His presence. I
want to spend my life praising Him and serving Him. I
want to live out a constant thank-you note to Him in the
form of my songs, words, and life. Thank You, God, for a
magnificent prize!

Adoption Story from TO BE A MOTHER: Leaving Ethiopia.

CHAPTER 19 Three Orphans

On the day we finally left for good, I expected Grace to
hesitate about leaving. Instead, following her going-away
party and another private party in one of the girl’s rooms,
she looked up at me and said “America go now?” I said,
“Yes. Are you ready?” She simply smiled, took my hand,
and said, “Yes. Ready now.” As we walked out of the gates
hand in hand, tears welled in my eyes. I was so proud of
my new daughter and my children. I was especially proud
of the fact that this little girl was genuinely excited and
grateful to be moving on. She never looked back at the orphanage
gates but kept her focus forward on the adventure
ahead.
Grace’s quiet strength and beauty through it all was
something to truly behold. We both had a spring in our step
as we knew that once we made it across the street and down
the block, we would only have two hours before we would
be on our way to the airport. On the flight home to America,
she only slept for one hour of the sixteen-hour flight
and had a huge smile on her face the entire time. She spent
her time looking out of the window and pushing all of the
buttons in her way, mainly to adjust her headset, which she
blasted at the highest volume. When we landed, she asked,
“Mom, America now?” I said “America now.” She said,
“Mom, I very happy.” I said “Me, too.” (What an understatement)

ADOPTION PASSION: Excerpt from TO BE A MOTHER

Chapter 16 WHAT DOES GOD WANT?

I regretted my prayers as a selfish young woman continually
asking the Almighty to grant me my deepest
worldly desires. God is many things, but He is not a genie
obligated to fulfill my every command. He is the King of
kings. I learned to truly love Him and to desire His heart.
When we love someone, we put aside our selfish desires
and then live to fulfill the needs of our true beloved. He
had become my Beloved.

What does God want? I prayed so hard as a young
adult for God to show me what He wanted for me. I was
sure He would give me an amazing career or a creative endeavor
that would elevate me somehow in the world’s
eyes. I believed that I needed to achieve fame and notoriety
in order to receive approval from the world before I
could realize my dream of being a mother. But once I gave
birth to my daughter Samantha, things changed drastically.
I discovered God as my Redeemer and was born again.
After the birth of Samantha, I felt that my life could
never be more blessed. But then to be engulfed in God’s
expansive love with the birth of Andrew was indescribable.
After Andrew was born, I was overwhelmed with joy
and appreciation for the Father. I didn’t think it would be
possible to have any more of God’s love showered on me.
Then, just when I thought I could not take another
miracle, God gave me the heaviest burden of my life. It
seemed so obvious. Why hadn’t I seen it before? God’s
road signs for me were in black in white all over the Bible,
spelled out for me to see clearly, especially made most evident
in James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts
as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows
in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted
by the world.”

In letting God into my life, asking Him what He
wanted for me and longing to adopt His heart, I was now
consumed with the unquenchable desire to look after orphans.
I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. My new consuming
passion was adoption.

Waking up on BOOK RELEASE DAY...AND Watching the CLIMB!

I am just humbled by the fact that my memoir has been #1 on the Amazon BEST SELLER list all day in the adoption category. It also has vascillated between 3 and 5 all day on the CHRISTIAN/WOMEN'S ISSUES category all day right behind BETH MOORE (Esther) and John/Stasi Eldredge's incredible book "CAPTIVATING".

When I woke up this morning I am not sure I really knew what to expect. I have never written a book before and I have never self published. So, when I started writing over a year ago it was just sort of free association until I prayed and God told me to tell the whole story including my abortion decision years ago and the brutal after effects that I kept secret. So, since then I have counseled a woman with my high school spanish to keep her baby (this was the first time I gave my testimony)...she kept her baby. I encouraged a friend to talk about her 3 abortions...She now will be a foster mother to the baby of a woman who ended up keeping her baby after my friend gave her testimony..GOD IS GOOD..the rewards have been evident even before releasing this book officially today. Children have been given an opportunity to live. Women have been spared the depression and I feel as if I am living a truthful, honest, transparent life. It is beautiful...SO, when I woke up and saw that the book was already a best seller at 13, i was thrilled. That was 7am. At 8am it was #4. By 9:50 it was number one and has been there since....There is no big publishing company handling this. There is no big PR firm orchestrating this. This is just a labor of love and the resources have been friends and family only....

So, as I have been observing my wedding music career slow down considerably, I am seeing a momentum that stems from a confession of mine and then a redemption story (mine) and lives being spared (mine, my kids, and others who have read or listened as I talked about my regret)....I don't know what is ahead. I just know I am happy that I started typing with free association and got it out of my mind and heart and put it on paper. My kids will have the story and my kids are the story....there is a sense of fulfillment in just accomplishing a completed work. But seeing TO BE A MOTHER sit on the number one spot in the ADOPTION category warms my heart. God didn't have to do that but HE did and I PRAISE HIM for it....THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO IS READING AND TOUCHED BY THE STORY....

Thanks from Deanna Jones for making the Book TO BE A MOTHER a best seller!

TO BE A MOTHER #1 Amazon Best Seller (adoption/prolife memoir)

This is a very exciting and humbling day for us. Our book went to number one on the amazon best seller ADOPTION list and #3 on the Christian/Women's Issues list right under Beth Moore "Esther" and John and Stasi Eldredge's "Captivating"..It was also surreal to see it as #6 under Louise Hay's book "You Can Heal Your Life"...in the Motivational/Inspirational category.

This book is self published. My cousin Nora Jayne did the artwork. My 11 year old son made the blogs for 10 dollars a piece and I wrote the book on my laptop in between making dinner for the kids and cleaning the house....PRAISE GOD! I am hoping many women will be inspired to speak out about their abortion experiences and be set free...And I pray many more people will adopt the children without families that need to be adopted...

God is good!

#Prolife Memoir "TO BE A MOTHER" Anticipated release today -8/24

Please buy my book TO BE A MOTHER today 8/24/09 at AMAZON . I would love to have many people buy it on release date in hopes of making it an AMAZON best seller....

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To Be A Mother: Adopting God’s Heart

The Aftermath of Abortion and the Power of Redemption

July 15, 2009, Raleigh, NC and Denver, CO – When a woman chooses abortion, the lingering psychological effects can be devastating. Deanna Jones, author of To Be a Mother, knows too well the grief and guilt that can haunt these women. As a teenager, an abortion seemed the only answer for Deanna, but the decision caused her great pain afterward. Finally, by opening her heart to Jesus Christ, she was able to transcend her grief and forgive herself. Her memoir, published by Outskirts Press, is a story of hope that will resonate with many women, and inspire all who read it.

Deanna Jones found herself pregnant at the age of 19. In an unstable relationship, and with a musical career starting to take off, she decided she was not ready for motherhood. “No way,” she said. “This is my life, my body.” And so she made an appointment at a local clinic. But she was not prepared for the overwhelming despair that would result. After the abortion she was left with a feeling of emptiness and loss. “Legalized abortion denied me a beautiful gift from God,” she says. “The desperation post-abortion far outweighed the desperation during my brief, unplanned pregnancy, and I was so off balance that I felt as if I would never be able to hold onto anything ever again. A part of me was missing and I would never get it back.”

There is a happy ending, however. To Be a Mother is not focused on Deanna’s loss, but rather, it is a story of redemption, resurrection, God’s grace, and His extravagant blessings. Deanna found that by facing her actions and calling out to the true Father, she would be transformed, forgiven, and enlivened. With the Lord by her side, she was able to move from a difficult childhood and a painful abortion decision to the miraculous redemption of Christ and the healing joy that came from the birth and adoption of her six children.

“The poignant and compassionate words of Deanna Jones articulate America’s latent sorrow in the aftermath of our abortion culture. Deanna’s sympathetic perception is borne from a personal

encounter with grief. Listen to her and be illuminated, healed, and refreshed.”

—Troy Newman

President, Operation Rescue

“To Be a Mother truly highlights the healing presence of Christ in Deanna’s life. She eloquently travels from her painful past to her redemption and new life in Christ. This book would be an inspiration to any woman, or man, who has suffered, as Deanna has, and is searching for healing.”

—Theresa Burke, PhD

Author of Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion

Founder, Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries

“Finally, in To Be a Mother, Deanna beautifully redefines the term pro-life—pro-life and pro-adoption become one. An elegant portrayal of the choice to give redeeming love that makes receiving it in turn so much sweeter.”

—Carolyn Twietmeyer, Founder/Executive Director, Project HOPEFUL

This true story shows us firsthand that God is compassionate, illustrating the relentless nature of His pursuit to save and claim His children and allow them life everlasting. The Bible declares that the Lord will turn our mourning into gladness and our despair into praise (Is 61:3), and for Deanna Jones, this has become truth. Follow her inspirational story as she is lifted from a wounded child to a place of understanding and joy as a woman of God. To Be a Mother is a celebration of life, of motherhood, and the sanctity of life itself.

About the Author: Deanna Jones was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, and is currently a bandleader and singer for the New York based band The Deanna Jones Orchestra. She considers her greatest assets to be her six children—two by birth, and four by miraculous adoption. Her web site (www.tobeamother.com) is dedicated to the miracle of motherhood, and she and her husband, Mark, are active pro-life, adoption advocates.

HELP us to Make TO BE A MOTHER a number one best Seller!

This has been an incredible day. I woke up and my book was at 13 on the Adoption list at Amazon and then it went to #4. I was going to be happy with anything. So now, I would love to see it at number one. Still the real reward is in the confession and heart of women who have been touched and inspired at seeing God in this book. It is self published. My cousin did the artwork. My friends helped edit it...and I am seeing GOD. Four babies are being born within the next few months because of my testimony and that is reward enough. So I will be happy either way..STILL it would be great to have it at number one..Mostly PRAISE GOD in EVERYTHING!!!!

TO BE A MOTHER buy it here

#Prolife TO BE A MOTHER book release TOMORROW 8/24

I am getting very excited. Tomorrow is the official release of my pro life memoir TO BE A MOTHER. I am attaching the press release for all the review.

Please buy my book TO BE A MOTHER today 8/24/09 at AMAZON . I would love to have many people buy it on release date in hopes of making it an AMAZON best seller....

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To Be A Mother: Adopting God’s Heart

The Aftermath of Abortion and the Power of Redemption

August 24, 2009, Raleigh, NC and Denver, CO – When a woman chooses abortion, the lingering psychological effects can be devastating. Deanna Jones, author of To Be a Mother, knows too well the grief and guilt that can haunt these women. As a teenager, an abortion seemed the only answer for Deanna, but the decision caused her great pain afterward. Finally, by opening her heart to Jesus Christ, she was able to transcend her grief and forgive herself. Her memoir, published by Outskirts Press, is a story of hope that will resonate with many women, and inspire all who read it.

Deanna Jones found herself pregnant at the age of 19. In an unstable relationship, and with a musical career starting to take off, she decided she was not ready for motherhood. “No way,” she said. “This is my life, my body.” And so she made an appointment at a local clinic. But she was not prepared for the overwhelming despair that would result. After the abortion she was left with a feeling of emptiness and loss. “Legalized abortion denied me a beautiful gift from God,” she says. “The desperation post-abortion far outweighed the desperation during my brief, unplanned pregnancy, and I was so off balance that I felt as if I would never be able to hold onto anything ever again. A part of me was missing and I would never get it back.”

There is a happy ending, however. To Be a Mother is not focused on Deanna’s loss, but rather, it is a story of redemption, resurrection, God’s grace, and His extravagant blessings. Deanna found that by facing her actions and calling out to the true Father, she would be transformed, forgiven, and enlivened. With the Lord by her side, she was able to move from a difficult childhood and a painful abortion decision to the miraculous redemption of Christ and the healing joy that came from the birth and adoption of her six children.

“The poignant and compassionate words of Deanna Jones articulate America’s latent sorrow in the aftermath of our abortion culture. Deanna’s sympathetic perception is borne from a personal

encounter with grief. Listen to her and be illuminated, healed, and refreshed.”

—Troy Newman

President, Operation Rescue

“To Be a Mother truly highlights the healing presence of Christ in Deanna’s life. She eloquently travels from her painful past to her redemption and new life in Christ. This book would be an inspiration to any woman, or man, who has suffered, as Deanna has, and is searching for healing.”

—Theresa Burke, PhD

Author of Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion

Founder, Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries

“Finally, in To Be a Mother, Deanna beautifully redefines the term pro-life—pro-life and pro-adoption become one. An elegant portrayal of the choice to give redeeming love that makes receiving it in turn so much sweeter.”

—Carolyn Twietmeyer, Founder/Executive Director, Project HOPEFUL

This true story shows us firsthand that God is compassionate, illustrating the relentless nature of His pursuit to save and claim His children and allow them life everlasting. The Bible declares that the Lord will turn our mourning into gladness and our despair into praise (Is 61:3), and for Deanna Jones, this has become truth. Follow her inspirational story as she is lifted from a wounded child to a place of understanding and joy as a woman of God. To Be a Mother is a celebration of life, of motherhood, and the sanctity of life itself.

About the Author: Deanna Jones was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, and is currently a bandleader and singer for the New York based band The Deanna Jones Orchestra. She considers her greatest assets to be her six children—two by birth, and four by miraculous adoption. Her web site (www.tobeamother.com) is dedicated to the miracle of motherhood, and she and her husband, Mark, are active pro-life, adoption advocates.

TO BE A MOTHER: excerpt Chapt 11 SAMANTHA (release date 8/24)

CHAPTER 11 – Samantha (excerpt)

Holding my newborn daughter, in this moment of maternal
bliss I realized the lies I had been living. With a fresh
clarity, I saw the truth. As I entered into motherhood, I also
entered into my healing as a new creation in Christ. When
our baby was born, somehow I knew that God was there.
When I looked into my daughter’s eyes, I saw God’s forgiveness
to me personified. Samantha was proof to me that
God was the sweetest Father ever. She was evidence that
He lives, He forgives, and He loves me. How is it that this
Creator, this magnificent God who created the massive
universe, mountains, planets, and stars, could show me His
presence in the eyes of my newborn daughter? How could
He love me and forgive me?
A switch was turned on. Suddenly I realized that God
wasn’t in fame. God wasn’t in the money and thrill of show
business. In the whimpers of my daughter, He was shouting
to me, I’m here. You found me.

God’s heart and truth resides inside the eyes of the
sweet children He cherishes so much. And He showed me
through my daughter how He can be gentle and small yet
big and awesome. I had no idea that Samantha’s birth was
just the beginning of God’s outpouring of love in my life.
God’s love and pursuit of me was relentless. But that’s
what fathers do. They never give up on their children. I had
found my Father. And although it was Samantha’s birthday,
it was also the day that I had been reborn. Praise Him!

The Monstrous Regiment of Women

Thanks Nancy for introducing this to us.

Monstrous Regiment

To Be A Mother: Excerpt Chapter 7 (Obedience is a Choice)

Chapter 7 Obedience is A Choice (excerpt)

It was my turn. I walked into a room with a nurse and a
doctor with a mask. There was some kind of nature scene
on the ceiling. I scooted down on the table like I had for my
first Pap smear the year before. The doctor said nothing to
me. I felt a tight pinch and then lost my breath as I heard a
vacuum sound. I winced, cringed, and cried. I then felt a silent
NOOO! Please don’t take my baby from me! screaming
out from my soul. I continued to cry as I listened to the
screaming inside of my head and the whoosh of the garbage
disposal sound. It was now too late. No one had come to
save me. No one cared. I hated myself for destroying Aubrey.
I cried and cried and was told to calm down as they
brought me to a recliner in another room with six other
women, including the two laughing girls who were now
saying they wanted a cigarette. I didn’t smoke but felt like I
could also use one.
I felt so angry with myself, God, Bill, and all of the
people who could have reached out to save me, but didn’t.
Why Lord? Why? Maybe now You will leave me alone forever.
You must really hate me now, and that is why You
didn’t come. I need You but hate You because You never
came. I love You and need You. I am confused, depressed,
and sore. And on Friday I have to sing my happy songs.

Leaving the clinic three hours later was like an out-of body
experience. A hand grabbed the doorknob—it was
mine. The bells banged against the glass while the door
opened. I squinted, having misplaced my sunglasses, as the
sun blasted into my glazed and teary eyes. My knees were
wobbly. My back felt like a broken shell unable able to
contain the vital parts of itself. I was disconnected from my
body, shivering and feeling as if I could have been blown
over by the light Florida breeze.

As I walked alone down the sidewalk to the front of the
building, I felt as if I were watching myself from afar, like I
belonged somewhere else. I didn’t want to be thrust back
into reality. I didn’t want to fall back into the body that was
now incomplete without the baby who had been growing
inside of it for eight weeks. It started to rain one of those
Florida rainbow rains, with the sun shining through a brief
cloud. But I couldn’t lift my head and didn’t care if I saw a
rainbow. I was chilled by light rain, despite the warm temperature.
I waited for Bill to pick me up, thinking it was
odd that the clinic told us to bring our own socks to wear
during the abortion procedure in case our feet became cold.
Eventually Bill showed up, got out of the car, and helped
me in. He never did step foot on the sidewalk.

TO BE A MOTHER: excerpt Chapt 6 DEFIANCE (release date 8/24)

Chapter 6 Defiance (excerpt)

I was not courageous. I found an abortion clinic in the
yellow pages. I didn’t know anyone who had had an abortion,
and I wasn’t going to ask anyone. No one but Bill and
the people at the clinic would know about this. I went to the
clinic alone. In the morning, I was in the abortion clinic
scheduling a date for my abortion. In the afternoon, I was
in front of the castle singing “What a happy day.” Bill
didn’t come with me to the clinic on the first visit. No one
at the clinic gave me another option or counseling. But I
wouldn’t have received it anyhow.
I had to wait about three weeks. I was early on in the
pregnancy and had to be at least eight weeks pregnant before
they would do the abortion. I tried to hide my morning
sickness and my sadness as I sang happy songs, greeted
happy tourists, and danced in the sun. Then I would go
home and cry myself to sleep. I answered weekly telephone
calls from my sisters and mom as if nothing was wrong. As
sure as I was that I was going to do this, I still had my moments
to fantasize about what “could be.” I imagined I was
having a girl. I imagined what she looked like. I knew the
date she would be born. It would be around Christmas,
around the time my mother would have her first wedding
anniversary. I imagined that my dream of becoming a
mother was finally coming true. I longed for there to be a
way for me to keep my baby, but I couldn’t find one. I
hoped that my boyfriend would love me enough to tell me
that he wanted me to be his wife and we could live happily
ever after with our baby, but he didn’t.
I named my baby Aubrey (which I later learned appropriately
and ironically meant “noble and bright”). Singing
in front of a castle in the blazing sun, I cried out to God to
rescue me from this dilemma. I also blamed Him for the
predicament I was in. I was scrambling for answers and solutions
but could only see one option.

I wanted all of my dreams to become a reality. I was
hoping for someone to magically come and save me (and
my noble, bright, princess Aubrey). But I realized that
would never happen. There would be no happy endings for
us. So I jolted myself out of my daydreams and my wild
happy imagination, and looked at the calendar. In a few
days, my dream and my nightmare would be over.

TO BE A MOTHER: Aubrey's Legacy/Excerpt

FORWARD: Aubrey’s Legacy
To Be a Mother reveals how God was always present in
my life as I stumbled, struggled, and eventually stood victorious
as a mother. My hope is that my story will lift you
up from grief, pain, anger, and desperation to a place of
spiritual healing. I hope you will see that Jesus is very
much alive and eager to come to the aid of His children. I
also hope that women who read my story will learn from
my mistakes and make decisions that advocate for life. I
pray that those who are suffering from intense pain and regret
from poor choices will turn to the Lord, knowing that
through His love they too can be made white as snow.

Mother Mary - Pro Life Song by Deanna Jones author of TO BE A MOTHER

I am not Catholic but love Mary with a passion and respect that I can't describe. Just the thought of her makes me cry and i believe that God annointed her greatly and she will always be the icon and angel of perfection...blessed and awesome...I wrote this song in my hopes in believing that when my daughter Aubrey left this world that Mother Mary was there to hold her and deliver her into the arms of Jesus...A vision that is so beautiful to me...

Mother-By Definition-Life Giver

To Be A Mother: Excerpt-Abortion Decision

So in my mind, I had only one way out. I was alone with only the perspective
of a lost, confused, sad, and wounded young woman.

I was not courageous. I found an abortion clinic in the
yellow pages. I didn’t know anyone who had had an abortion,
and I wasn’t going to ask anyone. No one but Bill and
the people at the clinic would know about this. I went to the
clinic alone. In the morning, I was in the abortion clinic
scheduling a date for my abortion. In the afternoon, I was
in front of the castle singing “What a happy day.” Bill
didn’t come with me to the clinic on the first visit. No one
at the clinic gave me another option or counseling. But I
wouldn’t have received it anyhow.

I had to wait about three weeks. I was early on in the
pregnancy and had to be at least eight weeks pregnant before
they would do the abortion. I tried to hide my morning
sickness and my sadness as I sang happy songs, greeted
happy tourists, and danced in the sun. Then I would go
home and cry myself to sleep. I answered weekly telephone
calls from my sisters and mom as if nothing was wrong. As
sure as I was that I was going to do this, I still had my moments
to fantasize about what “could be.” I imagined I was
having a girl. I imagined what she looked like. I knew the
date she would be born. It would be around Christmas,
around the time my mother would have her first wedding
anniversary. I imagined that my dream of becoming a
mother was finally coming true. I longed for there to be a
way for me to keep my baby, but I couldn’t find one. I
hoped that my boyfriend would love me enough to tell me
that he wanted me to be his wife and we could live happily
ever after with our baby, but he didn’t.

I named my baby Aubrey (which I later learned appropriately
and ironically meant “noble and bright”). Singing
in front of a castle in the blazing sun, I cried out to God to
rescue me from this dilemma. I also blamed Him for the
predicament I was in. I was scrambling for answers and solutions
but could only see one option.

I wanted all of my dreams to become a reality. I was
hoping for someone to magically come and save me (and
my noble, bright, princess Aubrey). But I realized that
would never happen. There would be no happy endings for
us. So I jolted myself out of my daydreams and my wild
happy imagination, and looked at the calendar. In a few
days, my dream and my nightmare would be over.

To Be A Mother: Book Cover Explanation

National Pro Life Radio Interview! Book Release!

National ProLife Radio

I will be on National Pro Life Radio on 8/24 on Day Life News with Day Gardner (she is incredible and that is an understatement). And the show will be repeated on 8/25 at 12:30 and 5...

Because of this interview I also have moved up my book release date to 8/24...Please mark your calendar's for that date. If I sell enough on the date of release I could receive the Amazon credentials of being a best seller. So, please Mark your calendars and support the message of embracing motherhood and empowering women through motherhood....

To Be A Mother: Excerpt from Chapter One

As the years passed, I began to feel like it was my responsibility
to validate the hard work of the generation of
women before me by taking advantage of the newfound
freedom and rights they had worked so hard to implement.
The only problem was that my honest desire was to be a
wife and mother. What did I want to be? I wanted to be
loved. I wanted a peaceful life. I longed for security, normalcy,
and time to spend with the children I longed to
have.

In some ways, I did aspire to something my mother
never had. In that way, my dream reflected more than what
was possible for my mother. She had to endure a life taking
care of four children in a home with my father, who was
diagnosed as paranoid/schizophrenic. In our home, there
was no normalcy. There was no peace. And my mother,
who had to work hard just to put food on the table, was also
stripped of precious time with her children. So in some
ways, I was like the women of generations past who
wanted more than their mothers were allowed to have.
In the 1960s and ’70s, the women’s liberation movement
paved the way for many opportunities for women but
frowned on a women’s right to chose to be a mother only.
The message was clear: women who stayed home to be
married and take care of their kids were unhappy. People
assumed that women who stayed home to raise their children
had other desires they weren’t fulfilling, because they
felt trapped in “having” to be a mother. In this confusing
time, many women who were genuinely happy at home developed
a sense of guilt in not having any other, grandiose
dreams. “What’s wrong with me? I am just a dull housewife,”
they seemed to be saying. The new paradigm claimed that motherhood was something you did when you weren’t brave enough to pursue the thing you really wanted
to do. Or at least that was what was largely assumed, as
evident in television, books, and movies of the era. In
adopting the philosophy of “liberated women,” we robbed
women of their right to be happy as mothers only.
Young girls like myself were being fed the message
that we had the choice to be anything that we wanted to be,
so why choose to be “merely” a mother? Apparently mothers
weren’t as valuable as businesswomen, artists, athletes,
or politicians. It was as if the culture was trying to deprogram
something that was innately bred in me as a child, a
desire so deep in my DNA that it felt unnatural to deny it:
my desire to be a mother.

A New Dream
Like a lost and confused child wandering in an unfamiliar
neighborhood, I took the advice of people who seemed
to have my best interest at heart but weren’t really listening
or interested in what I truly wanted. Through many conversations
like the one I had with Aunt Claire, I was eventually
lured away from my innocent hopes and dreams into a future
that looked promising but ended up being a destructive
path.
The women in my life were beautiful and strong, and
they encouraged me to go out to find my dream. After all,
how else could I support myself? Men were unreliable, and
they were not supportive. With no positive male role models
in my life, I learned early on that perhaps it was better
to move on to plan B—getting a job and making a life for
myself.
Even as a little girl I could sing well. So I put everything
I could into singing, hoping to become famous and
make good money. I knew that if I became a famous singer,
then the women I admired so much would be proud of me.
In my mind, I had decided that if I became famous first and
had the money and security I longed for, then maybe one
day way off in the future I could then decide to marry a
great man (if there was one out there), have children, and
buy a home for myself.
In the meantime, I concentrated on perfecting my voice
and performance skills. I now had a new passion. I wanted
to be a singer. I was intensely motivated and focused,
knowing that if I succeeded as a singer, one day I could finally
afford the luxury of motherhood.

Facebook Fanpage

To Be A Mother on Facebook

Press Release "TO BE A MOTHER" pro life memoir! Release August 30, 2009!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To Be A Mother: Adopting God’s Heart
The Aftermath of Abortion and the Power of Redemption

July 15, 2009, Raleigh, NC and Denver, CO – When a woman chooses abortion, the lingering psychological effects can be devastating. Deanna Jones, author of To Be a Mother, knows too well the grief and guilt that can haunt these women. As a teenager, an abortion seemed the only answer for Deanna, but the decision caused her great pain afterward. Finally, by opening her heart to Jesus Christ, she was able to transcend her grief and forgive herself. Her memoir, published by Outskirts Press, is a story of hope that will resonate with many women, and inspire all who read it.

Deanna Jones found herself pregnant at the age of 19. In an unstable relationship, and with a musical career starting to take off, she decided she was not ready for motherhood. “No way,” she said. “This is my life, my body.” And so she made an appointment at a local clinic. But she was not prepared for the overwhelming despair that would result. After the abortion she was left with a feeling of emptiness and loss. “Legalized abortion denied me a beautiful gift from God,” she says. “The desperation post-abortion far outweighed the desperation during my brief, unplanned pregnancy, and I was so off balance that I felt as if I would never be able to hold onto anything ever again. A part of me was missing and I would never get it back.”

There is a happy ending, however. To Be a Mother is not focused on Deanna’s loss, but rather, it is a story of redemption, resurrection, God’s grace, and His extravagant blessings. Deanna found that by facing her actions and calling out to the true Father, she would be transformed, forgiven, and enlivened. With the Lord by her side, she was able to move from a difficult childhood and a painful abortion decision to the miraculous redemption of Christ and the healing joy that came from the birth and adoption of her six children.

“The poignant and compassionate words of Deanna Jones articulate America’s latent sorrow in the aftermath of our abortion culture. Deanna’s sympathetic perception is borne from a personal
encounter with grief. Listen to her and be illuminated, healed, and refreshed.”

—Troy Newman
President, Operation Rescue

“To Be a Mother truly highlights the healing presence of Christ in Deanna’s life. She eloquently travels from her painful past to her redemption and new life in Christ. This book would be an inspiration to any woman, or man, who has suffered, as Deanna has, and is searching for healing.”
—Theresa Burke, PhD
Author of Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion
Founder, Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries

“Finally, in To Be a Mother, Deanna beautifully redefines the term pro-life—pro-life and pro-adoption become one. An elegant portrayal of the choice to give redeeming love that makes receiving it in turn so much sweeter.”
—Carolyn Twietmeyer, Founder/Executive Director, Project HOPEFUL

This true story shows us firsthand that God is compassionate, illustrating the relentless nature of His pursuit to save and claim His children and allow them life everlasting. The Bible declares that the Lord will turn our mourning into gladness and our despair into praise (Is 61:3), and for Deanna Jones, this has become truth. Follow her inspirational story as she is lifted from a wounded child to a place of understanding and joy as a woman of God. To Be a Mother is a celebration of life, of motherhood, and the sanctity of life itself.

ISBN: 978-1-4327-3839-6 Format: 5.5 x 8.5 paperback SRP: $16.95
Genre: Christian Life / Women’s Issues

About the Author: Deanna Jones was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, and is currently a bandleader and singer for the New York based band The Deanna Jones Orchestra. She considers her greatest assets to be her six children—two by birth, and four by miraculous adoption. Her web site (www.tobeamother.com) is dedicated to the miracle of motherhood, and she and her husband, Mark, are active pro-life, adoption advocates. For more information or to contact the author, you may also visit www.outskirtspress.com/tobeamother.

About Outskirts Press, Inc.: Outskirts Press, Inc. offers full-service, custom self-publishing services for authors seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining all their rights and full creative control. Available for authors globally at www.outskirtspress.com and located on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado, Outskirts Press represents the future of book publishing, today.
# # #

Outskirts Press, Inc., 10940 S. Parker Rd - 515, Parker, Colorado 8014
http://outskirtspress.com 1-888-OP-BOOKS

Operation Outcry!

OPERATION OUTCRY

Amazing Women Summit!

When I started to write TO BE A MOTHER at first it was a book focusing on adoption. In the end I realized it was a redemption story from my abortion experience to really standing in awe of my Father God with the miracles in front of me. But the book also does delve into the topic of abortion. Still, my passion is on the topic of motherhood and what it means today. I spent this weekend with friends like Carolyn Twietmeyer from Project Hopeful who is working on setting up facilities internationally for HIV positive children in need of families...Her organization has also done amazing work at streamlining the paperwork for children with special needs who need to get to the US quickly. She also is a mother of 11. I also spent the weekend with Eileen Mestas of Job's Daughters who has been a friend of mine now for 2 years and who is has adopted 5 children and is an incredible mother of 8. Jodi Tucker who is working with Christian Alliance for Orphans and soon to be mother of 3 additional children from Uganda totaling 7 in her family. Elsa Mugyenzi is from Uganda and previously a member and employee of the African Children's Choir. Sharon, Rachel, Katye, Briskilla, Elizabeth, Karen and Rebeca...ALL amazing mothers and women. I think there were about 30-40 children represented between us....currently and I am guessing other children to come home from places unknown in the future.

We worshipped. We prayed. We laughed. We cried. We ate, We are all passionate about the children of the world both orphans and the unborn who need to have armies of mothers mobilized to save, nurture, heal, protect and advocate for them. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for all of us...Just watch out because we are all about to MOTHER THE WORLD back to appreciating THE CHILD and believing in Christ's message of raising up the forgotten children, the abandoned, the abused, the sick, the orphaned and the vulnerable. Praise God for truly empowering women with the Holy Spirit and the ability to change the world for the better...

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