The One Day Hope Author's Bio
Cecelia Simon is a twin
sister, and sibling of 5. The collegiate coaches wife of retired NFL pro
athlete, John Simon, mother of two sons, John and James, Educator, Counselor,
and Speaker.
She is also the CEO and
Founder of Caterpillars Transformed, Inc. A Christian women’s ministry
organization that is committed to “transforming lives into the beauty of
creation” by empowering young ladies to allow God to transform the way they
think, according to Romans 12:2.
Cecelia possesses a Master’s
Degree in Professional Counseling and is currently an Elementary School
Guidance Counselor in Hattiesburg, MS where she and her family resides.
1. Introduce yourself to our reading audience?
HI, my name is Cecelia Simon. I have been married to my
college sweetheart for 10.5 years. We share the privilege of parenting two
precious sons, John who is 8 and James who is 7. We reside in Hattiesburg, MS
where I am currently the 3rd-6th grade Guidance Counselor
at an elementary school. I hold a bachelors degree in Business Administration
w/emphasis in Human Resources, a Masters Degree, in Professional Counseling and
certifications to teach 4th – 8th grades in Language Arts
and Reading in the states of Mississippi and Texas. In addition, I also possess
a Texas Real Estate License. I love to
read, write, and watch football!!
2. What was the inspiration for this book?
You know, I never really had a desire to write a book until
God told me that I would in December 2012. Prior to December 2012 I’d been
journaling my prayers and my feeling for about 9 years. In doing so, God
developed my love for writing, and eventually established a book out of my diligence
to communicate with Him through written expression.
As for the inspiration for this book, I’m sure it came from
the willingness to be transparent and tell my story…the real story. See, most
people think when you’re from a small country town and marry a NFL Pro Football
player; all of life’s problems go away. Not true. Money doesn't solve life’s issues.
It bandages them, but doesn't heal them. I wanted people to know that I don’t
have it all together and the person you see now has nothing to do with money or
the life in the NFL. It has everything to do with the power of God on my life
and the things he used through the NFL to transform who I am today. The NFL life was a detour to me destiny.
3. What message do you want the reader to
grasp?
I want the reader to understand that if they GROW through
the process glory awaits them. I want them to know that giving up when times
get hard is for the weak at heart. My reader needs to know that through the
hard times, God is developing a leader in them. There are things that come from
struggling that won’t come from a degree, class, or career. Trials build character
and you’ll see just how strong you really are when weight is applied. One day, everything in your life will turn
around, so hold on to your hope. It’s what’s fueling your faith.
4. Briefly tell us about your organization,
Caterpillars Transformed.
Caterpillars Transformed is an organization committed to the
transformation process. Every person needs to
know that they were created for a
purpose and the treasure that God has placed on the inside of each and every
one of them can’t be aborted. There’s someone who needs their gift and they
must die empty! Caterpillars Transformed targets young ladies ages 14-22, but
is not limited to that age group or gender.
know that they were created for a
purpose and the treasure that God has placed on the inside of each and every
one of them can’t be aborted. There’s someone who needs their gift and they
must die empty! Caterpillars Transformed targets young ladies ages 14-22, but
is not limited to that age group or gender.
God has anointed me to help Him transform lives into the
beauty of creation by one positive thought at a time. CT’s scripture reference
is taken out of Romans chapter 12 verse 2 and I am dedication to setting a
Transformation Trendsetting Movement all around the world.
5. What do you like most about being an
author?
I like sharing my story and I
enjoy inspiring and empowering others to know that they are not alone on this
Christian walk. We all have a story to tell. We all have a responsibility and a
purpose. We all must share the love of Jesus and his resurrection until the day
he returns for His people. It is my responsibility to spread hope! I love
encouraging those that need it at just the right time.
6. Is your book fiction, or non-fiction?
My book is non-fiction. It is a true
account of the things my family and I have been through and how we overcame hard
times and adversity.
7. Why do you choose to write inspiration
rather than secular?
I choose to write inspiration rather than
secular because over the years, I’ve taken much of what is secular out of my
life. Secular has failed me in many ways. The world and the choices I’ve made
have caused me much pain. I didn't find hope in the secular; I found hope in
THE Savior. As a result, I’ve given Him my whole heart. I want others to find
the same hope I did. That’s why I choose inspirational writing over secular
writing.
8.
What do
you do when you’re not speaking or writing?
When I’m not speaking or writing I’m most
likely at a sporting event cheering our two sons on in soccer, basketball,
football, or baseball. You can also find me waving my pom-pom in the stands screaming
and hollering for the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles football
team where my husband is the Running Backs Coach. We are definitely a sports
family and I love every minute of it!!
9. Are you planning to make writing a career?
I would love to make writing my career and
also pursue my organization, Caterpillars Transformed full-time. It is my hope
and my dream.
110. What advice would you like to leave with
our readers?
I would like the readers to know that life
may throw some curve balls at you…you may get hit a couple of times, but don’t
give up. Don’t die there. There’s a peace that surpasses all understanding when
you totally surrender your heart to Jesus and begin to do life God’s way. He’s
waiting on your “YES!”
Chapter
Excerpt
Life
After the League
And Jesus said unto them… for verily I say unto you,
If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall
say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be
impossible unto you.
—Matthew
17:20 (kjv)
On
May 24, 2003, I graduated from Louisiana Tech
University,
and less than two months later, on July
5,
2003, John and I were married. Can you imagine
sending
out graduation and wedding invitations at the
same
time? Yeah, that was me! Such a stressful, yet fun
time
indeed! After the wedding, I moved to join John in
our
brand new home in Nashville, Tennessee. We began
our
new life together in a new state, starting his second
year
in a new career with his new wife. It was more than
a
dream come true! John worked so very hard to get to
this
place in his life, and at that present moment, we
were
about to share his dream come true together as Mr.
and
Mrs. Simon.
All
was well! We were enjoying life and love and the
joys
of being a part of the NFL family and then the
unexpected
happened. About a month after we were
married
and settled in our new home, John was released
from
the Titans Football Organization. He was no
longer
employed. What a huge mountain to climb as a
newlywed
couple! To say the least, we were devastated! I
didn't have a job, John no longer had a job, and we were
totally
dependent on God for our next move.
Everything
we were taught in college was being
tested
and tried. You see, faith doesn't really become
reality
until you have to use it. After you've gotten full
on the knowledge of God,
there will come a time when
you will have to apply what you have learned, but
don’t fret.
God will not put more on you than you can bear. If
he
can trust you to get the blessing through you, he will
give
it to you, but first you've got to grow through some
things.
God wants to see if you can praise him when
you
don’t know the outcome…through the good and
the
bad, the pretty and the ugly. Now, that’s real faith!
It
was not by happenstance that we were in Nashville,
Tennessee,
with no jobs and no family, and only God. It
was
a setback to be set up for a comeback!
For
the next two months, all we had was time on
our
hands, so we sought God daily, attended church
regularly,
and surrounded ourselves with people who
would
encourage and build us up. Sound familiar? It
should.
This is the formula for winning at life. Seek God
daily
in prayer and in his Word. Attend a Bible-based
church
regularly where you are taught to apply the word
you
are receiving (Joshua 1:8). Lastly, surround yourself
with
people who will build you up. This became our daily
routine,
and we were strengthened because we had one
another,
but most importantly, we had God!
In
times of trouble, you don’t need to feed your spirit
negativity,
and you don’t need to be around people who
will.
The only way you will win is when you tell yourself
what
the word of God says about your situation! Double
the
blessing is when you have friends and family who will
encourage
you and do the same. This is the same formula
I
used in college when John left for the NFL. I quickly
found
out God was all I needed! I took these same three
principles
that I used back then and was now applying
it
to my marriage. Faith doesn't have to be complicated.
Do
what you know works! If it worked before, it will
work
again on another level, but with more faith. Faith
believes
what it doesn't see! As newlyweds, we trusted
God
through that time of unemployed uncertainty.
On
October 4, 2003, John received a call from the
Washington
Redskins and was asked to join their
football
roster as a running back. We were elated! That
was
a long two months of just waiting! It felt like two
years!
That one phone call would change everything. We
never
gave up hope, and the little faith we held on to was
the
beginning of how we learned as a married couple
to
trust God with our lives, our finances, our careers,
and
our marriage. John would go on and play for the
Washington
Redskins for two years after his release
from
the Titans organization, and then, unfortunately,
a
recurring shoulder injury would end his career in the
We
eventually sold our first home in Tennessee after
staying
in it a year and a half longer than we had planned,
and
decided to make our new home in Dallas, Texas. For
the
next eight years, life would take us on a roller coaster
ride
of twists and turns. Nevertheless, our foundation
was
built on the Word of God and growing stronger day
by
day. God had shown us in many ways how faithful he
was
in those first three years of marriage, but we’d never
thought
we would have to experience what was to come.
God
was about to show us just how much more faithful
he
could be.
When
we moved in March 2005 from Bellevue,
Tennessee
to Frisco, Texas, I was four months pregnant
with
our first son. Neither of us had jobs and truly had
no
idea what we were going to do next. We had some
irons
burning in the fire, but nothing major. Both of us
possessed
college degrees, but we didn't expect John’s
football
career to end so quickly and that after two years
of
marriage we would be trying to figure out our next
career
moves. At that time, real estate was booming. We
thought
that industry would be a great fit for the two
of
us. I went to real estate school and received my real
estate
license, and John received a license issued from
the
State of Texas as a loan officer. We dillydallied in
that
for a while and weren't fulfilled. I tried my hand at
modeling
after the birth of John IV and landed a couple
of
gigs, but still, there was no fulfillment…no purpose.
By
this time, money was looking funny! What we had
saved
from our NFL days was dwindling away, and with
no
money coming in and everything we had going out,
our
stash was drying up. This was not an easy transition
coming
from a pro-athlete lifestyle. We were totally out
of
our financial comfort zone! It was not that simple to
just
pick up the phone and call the first one you knew on
speed
dial and ask to borrow money to make up for the
difference
in expenses.
The
lifestyle John and I established, based on his pro athlete
income,
was one that needed more than hundred
dollar
loans to maintain. It was a quick lifestyle change
in
and an immediate lifestyle change out. We adapted
going
in and tried to adapt coming out. We soon found
ourselves
at a point in our lives where for the first time,
we
had to get real jobs. I mean a nine to five! John was
not
a first round draft pick. He wasn't one of those
players
that made millions of dollars. All professional
athletes
don’t make dust (money that’s never touched
because
it’s not needed)! John was a free agent. I was a
new
wife, John was a new husband, and we were now in
our
third new state, now with a new baby, in less than
three
years after our NFL debut as a married couple!
But
God had a plan. He always does.
By
now, John had begun to pursue his teaching
certification
and was hired as a physical education
teacher
and coach at Griffin Middle School. It was some
income
but not enough. We were grateful but would
eventually
experience foreclosure on our home. By this
time,
James, our second son, was already three months
old,
and this life we grew to know after the league was
serving
us up many losses. I’ll never forget the morning
John
got up to leave for work and his truck was not
parked
in the spot he left it the night before. The re-po
man
had come and served us notice. God was beginning
to
subtract things out of our lives that we thought made
us
who we were, and started to multiply in our lives, his
grace
and mercy. Material possessions were being taken
away
day by day. Our home, rental properties, and cars
were
dropping like flies. God was stripping our outsides
so
we’d become more like him on the inside.
Author's Website: www.ceceliasimon.com
Where books can be purchased: Barnes and Noble.com,
Amazon.com, Tate Publishing.com, and at my website at www.ceceliasimon.com
