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Tina Miller by Lisa Beamer

People always tell us to follow our dreams. After a life-changing situation at the age of 29, Tina Miller took that message seriously. In 1998, Tina was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She realized then that, despite symptoms that have remained mild since her diagnosis, she didn't know what tomorrow might bring, and there was no time like the present to go after her dream of having a writing career.

"I consider myself blessed that I learned this lesson in life at a young age," says Tina. "Today I am 33 and I think I work harder today than I ever have. But the difference is I'm living my life and living my dreams -- not punching a time clock for someone else."

At home in Merrill, Wisconsin, only 20 minutes away from where she grew up, Tina lives with her husband of seven years, John, and their two children, David (12 ½) and Katarina (9). John adopted Tina's children from her previous marriage shortly after they married, making their family complete.

It is from her home in Merrill that Tina pursues her writing career. After writing a scathing article about a business scam she learned about and sending it to her local paper, she got her first opportunity to have her work published. "They never did run that piece--they were worried about a lawsuit because I named names," says Tina, "but they knew I could write! And they started assigning me stories right after that."

Since then, Tina has aggressively searched for and made the most of all kinds of different writing opportunities. Because the jobs pay well, Tina writes web and advertising copy, newsletters for companies, reports, brochures, press releases and other types of business writing. "Most of that [I write] because it pays the bills," admits Tina. "I also write articles for trade magazines because they too tend to pay pretty well, and once you establish a relationship with a publication that wants your work regularly, well, it's hard to give up that regular paycheck!"

For pleasure, Tina writes motivational and inspirational articles, self-help material, parenting and family articles, essays and Christian non-fiction. She also dabbles in poetry and fiction.

Her biggest achievements in her career thus far have been the recent publication of her book, "When a Woman Prays," and her role as co-owner and Editor in Chief of Obadiah Press, a venture she entered into in late 1999 after meeting current business partner LaDonna Meredith through Momwriters. They now publish a quarterly nondenominational magazine called "Obadiah" and also run Obadiah Press, which published Tina's book and has several others slated for release this year.

Considering the fact that her faith is one of the most important things in her life -- aside from her family and her writing -- it makes sense that Tina is most proud of "When a Woman Prays." "I really feel like I was called to write that book, and I feel that God was speaking through me when I wrote it," shares Tina. "I get emails and comments from women who tell me how blessed they have been by reading the book and how it touched their lives in a very special, spiritual way. That is just an awesome and incredible feeling! God really is using me as His instrument to reach out and teach hearts and souls!"

Her hope is that someday her books and Obadiah Magazine will be profitable endeavors, but until then, she continues to find other lucrative projects to bring in money. One large project she is working on right now is a work-for-hire job writing in-depth studies of books and self-improvement/motivational works for coaches who teach them via teleclass. "This job would be a little more fun if I got name recognition for my work, but I think it may turn out to be fairly advantageous in terms of the connections I'll make, in addition to the fact that it pays better than some other kinds of writing."

Some fun facts about Tina:

PETS -- "Our family has an outdoor dog--a golden retriever I named Teddy, and my kids both have dwarf hamsters and David has fish. But I don't really count them as "my" pets. Our cat, Snickers, however, is my baby. She comes and sits on my lap when I'm working at the pc or lays in my doorway watching me work, and she often sleeps on my bed with me. My husband is an over the road truck driver, so she helps keep me company."

FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOKS -- Norman Vincent Peale. "His book, The Power of Positive Thinking" touched me very deeply and had a powerful influence on me," says Tina. "I've read many of his book and I think that his writing style has definitely influenced my mind. Reading his work is just like listening to him talk to you, and that's how I like to write--like I'm writing a personal email to a friend. I always wished I could have met Rev. Peale before he died." Tina also loves Louisa May Alcott and Laura Ingalls Wilder, and most recently, she's read two books by Bruce Wilkinson, "The Prayer of Jabez" and "Secrets of the Vine."

FAVORITE WAYS TO RELAX -- "I don't take much time to relax these days--which really isn't good. The few things I do to relax right now include taking a hot bath (and reading in the tub), watching a movie with my family, going out to dinner with my husband and perhaps going to sing karaoke afterwards with friends, and taking naps when I get tired! I don't know why children hate naps so much--they are wonderful!! I'd take one every day if I could."

BEST VACATION -- Two vacations stand out in mind for Tina. "One was my honeymoon with my husband in Boston," she explains. "It was in 1995, and it was the first time I had ever been on an airplane. Of course, I was scared to death at first but...I loved being able to experience many things for the first time with John. I got to walk in the ocean for the first time--and that was wonderful. We went to Plymouth Plantation, ate lots of lobster and seafood and drove along the shore. It was just the two of us and it was for a whole week. I don't think we've had a week together alone since."

Nowadays her favorite vacations are the camping trips she and John take in the summer with the kids. "Dancing and bathing in the rain, fishing, cooking over a campfire, singing songs in our tent, having marathon checker games in the tent on rainy days, swimming, laying on the grass reading in the shade, and being awakened in the middle of the night by raccoons going through our food and dishes (quite a way to wake up in the pitch dark night in a tent when you don't know if it's a bear, mind you!) all make memories that will last a lifetime--for us and the kids."

LAST MOVIE SEEN -- Harry Potter with her 9-year-old daughter. "I wasn't really crazy about going to see it, because it was a kids' movie and is more like fantasy which doesn't really do a whole lot for me. But it had a good story line and I really didn't see anything harmful in it because I just relate it to my kids as "it's only make believe." I guess I'd give it a thumbs up because it was better than I had expected."

FAVORITE QUOTE -- "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined." Henry David Thoreau.

IF TINA HAD A FULL DAY AWAY FROM ALL RESPONSIBILITIES, WHAT WOULD SHE DO?
"I might go horseback riding for a while, go to the park and lay on the grass on a warm summer day and read, maybe watch a great movie and cross-stitch a while (something I haven't done in a long time and I really miss it), go to a movie, dinner with a glass of wine, and slow dancing with my husband, John, and end things rather romantically, if you know what I mean." ;-)

You can learn more about Tina at her website, www.tinalmiller.com. You can also visit Obadiah Press at www.ObadiahPress.com, where you can also find her book. Tina can be reached by email at tina@tinalmiller.com.

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