When Darlene Franklin-Campbell heard her minister give a sermon entitled, "What is That in Your Hand?" she pondered the story of how God asked Moses that question as he stood at the burning bush. She says, "God had a plan for Moses' life, a plan that was more far-reaching than being a shepherd in the desert, a plan that had a deeper purpose than being the estranged son of Pharaoh's daughter. God's plan was to bring many people out of a bondage that they had become so accustomed to, that although they suffered greatly from it, they had come to accept as a way of life."

When Darlene's father was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year Adair County was rallying around a young mother-to-be who was fighting bravely for her life. Having lost a cousin to leukemia, countless friends to cancer, four neighbors and a student, Darlene took note of the way that cancer had brought bondage to so many families and how it had become all too common. She thought of the bravery she had seen in families as they stood against this common foe, and she began to question, "What can I do to help? How can I make a difference in the fight against cancer?"

It was during a Sunday worship service that a question came to her mind, a question that would not go away. "What is that in your hand?" and then the reply came, "The ability to write."

At the time Darlene was working on the coming of age tale of a young Kentuckian. Immediately, as she sat there in the worship service, the story line unfolded before her and she knew just how to finish the book she had been working on, and she knew just what to do with the funds if the book were accepted for publication. She would donate them to Adair County Relay for Life.

The book was accepted by Moon Gypsy Press, a California publishing company, and now Darlene is working with Adair County Relay for Life and Moon Gypsy Press to place as much money as she can into the fight against cancer.

"Every time someone purchases a copy of 'I Listened, Momma,' they aid in the fight against cancer, they make a statement that Adair County walks its talk," she says. "We are all kind of like Moses. We each have something in our hands that can make a difference in our community."

Darlene encourages everyone who has had or now has a loved one with cancer to add their names to Click here.

Darlene is available to speak at Relay for Life events, churches, schools, book clubs, women's groups, etc.

The book can be purchased now from Click here, Click here, and other bookstores.

This story was posted on 2010-12-06 05:35:36