Heather Whitestone. Her name has become synonymous with incredible determination and unprecedented achievement. InListening with My Heart,Heather tells her own story and the stories of others who have inspired her, proving that with hard work, perseverance, and faith, each of us can move mountains. Profoundly deaf since she was eighteen months old, Heather strove to live a normal life, and refused to listen to the voices of discouragement that many of us so often hear, no matter what problems confront us. She wouldn't listen to the doctor who said she wouldn't develop beyond third-grade abilities, or to those who said she would never dance ballet, or even speak. She did, however, hear the encouraging spirit of her family and followed the guidance of her own heart's dreams. Struggling through her difficulties, she was sustained by every success--no matter how small--and ultimately became Miss America 1995. Though she is disabled, her incredible gifts have inspired many throughout the world, and inListening with My Heartshe at last shares her life-changing wisdom."Heather is a living example of faith, hope, and perseverance. It is my pleasure to call her my friend." --Kathie Lee GiffordSometimes life catches us by surprise.
Sometimes, though, those surprises are hinted at in our dreams.
Consider David, the shepherd boy who went to check on his big brothers who were in the Israelite camp. Imagine his distress when he arrived and discovered that the entire army of hundreds of strong men had been sidelined--by a single boastful giant! David was so young and so small that a man's armor hung from his slender frame, more an encumbrance than protection. With five simple stones, the best weapons he knew, he went out in the name of God, killed the giant, and brought peace to the land. David, the one who praised God through his dance, had faith in his dream...and in his God.