Mary Helen Blanchard is the author of Shirley’s Story - The Heart Always Remembers, a beloved children’s book about Shirley the Elephant and her reunion with a younger elephant she knew from years ago. Throughout this heart-warming interview, Mary Helen reminds us that, just like the elephants, we can find joy in the midst of grief and eventually allow our pain to bring us to a place of deep gratitude.

Below are some of our favorite takeaways from today’s show:

️ If the Lord puts a dream in our hearts, then we can rest that He will be faithful to bring it to fruition. In the meantime, we delight in Him.

️ God’s grace can be tangible when we most need it. Jesus is always enough and He is ever-present in our darkness.

️ Grief can be a gift because it can bring forth a closeness to God. However, we must surrender to our grief in order to heal.

️ We can use our pain to encourage others. Perspective is key for us to live with intentionally, embracing the fact that we are only on this earth for a moment in time.

️ Elephants can remember each other even after years of separation and they are known to trumpet at another elephant’s passing. The parallel is that we can grieve with hope when we lose a loved one who has put their faith in Jesus.

About Our Guest:

Mary Helen Blanchard is an educator and author with over 40 years teaching and writing experience.  As a young mother and teacher, she would take her 3 children and classroom students to visit The Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo in Monroe, LA and there they would see lonely Shirley the Elephant, with her crooked leg and torn ear.  When the story of Shirley and a younger elephant’s reunion unfolded, Mary Helen knew that Shirley’s story had to be told in a format for children.  Mary Helen now resides in Mandeville, Louisiana where she continues to enjoy providing professional development for teachers, writing, and reading to her nine grandchildren.