Throughout life, we get comfortable. Suddenly, you get jaw-dropping, unexpected sand grains (news). Our belief in God should be fierce enough that no matter what comes our way, it does not shake our faith. Our experiences should not change our faith in him.

When life happens, we must decide - opportunity to grow or surrender to the enemy? It’s our choice to use those trials for God’s glory or to waste them. You will never know how fierce you are until a simple grain of sand embedded in you is turned around by an all-powerful God transforming you into a cherished pearl.

What others say about the book:

"So many people today are under the deceptive impression that God only impacts their world for 'the big stuff'. The danger of this is believing he isn’t involved or doesn’t want to be bothered with the routine, mundane, smaller irritants we encounter. Don’t Let Sand Fool You debunks this ideology right from the start. The author embeds this truth on every page: Irritants are never wasted when we allow God to use them on our behalf. Ingrid Simmonds’ phrase, 'from grains to grit and into a pearl' captures our imagination and gives the reader an immediate realization that this will not be an ordinary book proclaiming a few life-defining victories. Ingrid has thoughtfully laid out her authentic journey with sobering transparency, encountering grains of all sizes, more grit than she ever thought she had and deliberate encouragement for all of us thriving or surviving on our path to becoming pearls!" (Joni Hennigan Lora, senior business development manager and nine-year cancer thriver)

"Ingrid has captured the very essence of transformation. Her inspirational story reveals the joy of being transported from adversity to victory; what it looks like to be delivered from tremendous physical, spiritual, and emotional attacks through an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Having survived a debilitating illness myself, I applaud and admire her strength, courage, and steadfast faith. This story could have been written from the perspective of a two-time victim of cancer - for she was exactly that - but it was not. I don't believe Ingrid ever saw herself as a victim. She epitomizes what it means to be a conqueror through Christ." (Sue Arrington, Christian speaker and author of Killin' Snakes)

"This book is a manifestation of a heart for God. If you thought you could not still be used by God in this season, this is a guide to turning your test into a testimony and your mess into your message. It is a practical guide to learning how to count your days because they are numbered by the Lord. The lessons on how we find God's voice in the unpleasantness of our human existence is inspirational and challenging. God is faithful to use you as you are. It’s hard to comprehend when all you see are the scars of your life, but those scars are your unique stamp and you can rest in the fact that 'God created you to be you'. After reading this, I am refreshed, revived, and redirected to be a thriver, not a survivor. Thank you for sharing this journey. I no longer feel alone." (Floyd Smith, retired associate pastor of Calvary Chapel Los Alamos, husband to Loretta Smith for 50 years, cancer thriver)

About the author:

Ingrid Simmonds, wife and mother, loves writing, reading, studying the Bible and genealogy. She has been writing and journaling since high school, with poems published in several books. For 30 years, she has been researching genealogy. She loves to combine his word and genealogy. She loves reading stories about ancestors who declare his works to the next generation and impact who we are today as believers.