Ponca City Author
Neva Balduff
Autographing
Saturday, May 8
1:00 - 2:30pm

Neva Balduff will autograph copies of her newly published book, "Uncommon Prayers for an All-too-Common Journey".

Neva and her late husband, Fred Balduff are lifelong residents of the Ponca City area.  When her husband became critically ill in 2005, Neva spent the next two years caring for him and was inspired to keep a journal of this challenging time. The journal evolved into a book of Uncommon Prayers, poems through which Neva expressed feelings ranging from frustration to gratitude. 

After a near-death experience following a prolonged back surgery in 1973, Neva Balduff began a spiritual search to help her incorporate her powerful experience. Through prayer and meditation, she began 'receiving' poetry, prose, and original musical compositions.              

Sometimes when I write,
it seems I'm taking dictation-
to give some hope, help others cope
in similar situations.
I know my writing was never meant to be
Pulitzer winning poetry.
I have no aspirations
to be a famous writer.
I just want my words to be read and heard
to make someone's day a little brighter.
For things I've read have often helped me
get through the tough spots
along life's way.
So I hope these humble words will be
a comfort to you today,
for I do believe God guides me
and gives me words to write
that will help someone else to see
the future can be bright!

The subtitle of her book is "One Woman's Faith in a Time of Doubt."  She said that it is her "hope that these writings will be helpful to others who are experiencing difficult times, times when faith in God is the only thing that can keep body and soul together."    

She said that she did not intend to write a book.  It started as a personal journal, therapeutic for her to write her feelings each day.  A friend, Sandra Brown, assisted her with email correspondence and typing all the hand-written poems.  She also helped to organize the material and title the poems, with interesting names like "Upside Down and Inside Out," and "Wherever We Are, There He is."

They decided to place the book with Tate Publishing of Mustang, Oklahoma, resulting in a small, beautiful volume dedicated to her husband, Fred.  The Foreword, written by her pastor, Rev. Larry Metzger, says in part, "Neva expresses despair and hope, loss and recovery.  Her journey is (unfortunately) not that uncommon, but her approach is.  She has conversations with God that include a most important and often overlooked ingredient: humor."

The element of humor rises unexpectedly among the words of loss and hope, as in a poem titled "The Padded Cell," with words like these:  "Have you watched a dog chasing its tail, whirling and spinning to no avail?"

Neva was born and grew up in Marland, Oklahoma, married her high school sweetheart, Fred Balduff, attended Phillips University in Enid and Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa.  When Fred accepted employment at Beech Aircraft in Wichita, she worked as a secretary at Coleman Manufacturing.  Moving to Denver, San Diego and San Jose, they returned to Ponca City in 1962 to join her father in the farm equipment business.  Later they would own and operate Gregg Moving and Storage (North American Van Lines) and Universal Travel Agency (Carlson-Wagonlit).

The couple has two children, Steve Balduff and Sherri Davis, a granddaughter, Elise, and a great-grandson, Jackson, whom she calls "the delight of my life."  Neva also calls herself the adopted mother to her three cats.

Several years ago Neva produced two CDs of her original sacred music compositions.  The CDs will be available for purchase on the day of the autographing.  "Let Your Spirit Soar" and "Sunrise," which features vocalist Jim McDonald, background vocal with her daughter, Sherri Davis.

She has always enjoyed writing stories and poetry for her children, grandchildren, and the children in her church family, First Christian Church of Ponca City.  She is known for her quick wit, clever puns and entertaining 'wordsmithing,' as well as her more profound observations and prayers.

Neva is reluctant to take credit for what she writes, explaining that she simply "receives"  the material - often awakening at night to write down words or melodies that simply "come" to her. 

Although she has volumes and volumes of handwritten journals, the impetus to finally publish her words occurred on an ordinary day - she says the only thing memorable at the time was that it was her son's fiftieth birthday.  "But", she says, "in a matter of seconds, our lives dramatically changed forever.  My husband experienced a heart arrhythmia while walking across a downtown street.  He fainted and fell backwards, the back of his head hitting full force on the bricks.  He sustained a skull fracture and horrific frontal - lobe brain injury.

"This little book is addressed to anyone who has lived or is living with stroke victims, Alzheimer's patients, or someone - like my husband - who has sustained severe brain injuries.

"My heart goes out to you and your loved ones.  I do believe through these situations we can become stronger and certainly closer to God.  In fact, for me, if that weren't one of the benefits, I think I'd throw in the towel and say, 'forget it!'......something good has to come out of the tragedy, ..... daily communion with a loving, caring God who sustains one when nothing or no one else can!"

Jean Brace has read and reviewed the book, saying, "This is a really fine work of art.  The words are therapeutic, they are calming, they are inspiring.  One can read these poems and feel them as personal prayers. Each page is also decorated with lovely designs that uplift and carry the reader forward to the next page.  This is the kind of book a person may want to buy in quantity, just to have it on hand in the event you feel the need to comfort a friend or loved one." 

Those who are not available to attend the autographing are welcome to call us to reserve signed copies. 

Uncommon Prayers

$10.99

Model: 9781615669110

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