By Jennifer Hallmark
Ellen Andersen and I met in 2011 at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. I was on my way to class when I spotted Ellen. I noticed she was using a cane so I ran ahead to open a door for her and we talked on the way to the classroom. She probably thought me a helpful person but in reality, I was so terrified at my first-ever writer’s conference that I needed a friend. And Ellen became that friend and more…
We kept in touch after the conference through e-mail and Facebook. At the end of 2015, I’d decided to add a contributing blogger to my Small Acts of Kindness posts and naturally, I thought of Ellen. She personified kindness. So on January 8th, 2016, almost four years ago, she joined my blog.
Ellen has been a faithful writer, putting together posts each month, no matter what she was going through personally. She also wrote several posts for Favorite Friday Fiction, letting others know about her favorite books. In Small Acts of Kindness, she shared how people were kind to her and her own kindness to others. She encouraged us to be kind, no matter what. And for that, I appreciate her and her ministry so much.
A few months back, Ellen emailed me to let me know her path in writing would be taking a different direction and she could no longer contribute to the blog. I’ll miss her terribly and I know that you, the reader, will also. But I rejoice in her ministry and prays she is blessed even as she blesses others.
So please take a moment and drop Ellen a comment below. She’d appreciate you letting her know how special she is.
Take care, Ellen. You’re one special lady 🙂
Ellen Andersen is a freelance writer in Mauldin, SC. She contributes to www.ChristianDevotions.com and is a Stephen Minister in her church, where she uses her gift of encouragement to help others going through difficult circumstances in their lives.
Ellen enjoys seeing God’s character in everyday situations, usually in nature or witnessing others’ responses to people in need. She enjoys sharing those insights with people in the things she writes.
She has had short stories published in “Loving Moments” and in “Cool-inary Moments” compiled by Yvonne Lehman. Ellen loves to garden, enjoys reading, baking, and getting together with her neighbors. You can read her blog at www.ellenandersen.blogspot.com or connect with Ellen on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ellen.andersen.921
