Purchase “Lessons from the Depression, Eliminating Debt the Old-fashioned Way” HERE.

After a job layoff and real estate troubles, Tim and Tricia Smith are buried in debt. Their only hope to avoid bankruptcy lies in a loan from Tricia’s estranged grandmother. But instead of lending them the money, Crazy Grammy Ti sets them on a course of action that not only cleans up their financial mess, but changes their lives. A timely parable, “Lessons from the Depression” reveals the easy steps you can take today to turn your finances around. Without using confusing charts or graphs, financial planner Darlene Gudrie Butts lays out a simple plan anyone can follow drawing on the strong principles used by people in the Great Depression and channels these through the fun and feisty character of Grammy Ti. This book covers: Beating credit card bullies, breaking old habits, boosting income to balance the budget, savings vs. debt reduction, having fun for free, and much more. With positive and practical lessons at the end of each chapter, Butts offers essential emotional and financial advice to help you map out a sound financial strategy and take control of your future!

“The story format makes it an easy read. I really like the chapter review and advice at the end of each chapter.”

“Darlene Gudrie Butts lays out a simple plan anyone can follow. She draws on the strong principles used by people in the Great Depression and channels these through the fun and feisty character of Grammy Ti.”

You can purchase    “The Promise” HERE

Where are you, God? Whispers a child waiting alone to die and a woman wanting her life back. He answers, I am here. What follows is a journey of faith restored and divine purpose revealed as a conversation with God begins with the written answer and ends in enlightenment and hope. In The Promise, Darlene Gudrie Butts’ spiritual insight and her sensitivity to emotional loss produces a rich portrait of life derailed by a crisis of faith. Revealing a new perspective on God, this parable speaks to anyone who has struggled in despair, prayed without answer, and wondered about the meaning of life.

“I opened the book and 3 hours later I finished reading it. Yes indeed, we are spiritual beings simply having a human experience! It spoke to me of how far God will go to communicate with us especially when we have given up on Him. And Darlene’s style is simply beautiful and such a gift.”

“I loved this book and had so many unanswered questions about my faith make more sense. A must read that you won’t be able to put down. Incredible read!”

I have been a “Chicken Soup for the Soul” geek from the very first anthology they published. It was perfect for me, a voracious reader who had a hard time putting a book down at night and a person who loved inspirational stories. I loved the short story format!

When I met Mark Victor Hansen in New York in 2009, he told me they were always looking for good writers so I should check on the website for submission information. When I did, they were looking for stories on cats (NOT a cat person), for nurses (not a nurse), and American Fourth of July experiences (not an American). None, of course, were subjects I could write about. I checked back in a few months later and still nothing. I did that for two years!

After my sister died in September 2011, I wrote a blog about our last conversation. It went viral and was read by thousands of people around the world. It was the first time anything I had written connected with so many people. The title of the blog was, “Finding My Faith at the Run for the Cure.” A week after all this happened, I did my quarterly Chicken Soup for the Soul check expecting that AGAIN to strike out. But, there, at the top of the screen, was a call out for submissions for a book called “Finding My Faith.” I immediately started to cry. I knew in that moment I was going to be in Chicken Soup for the Soul. Over 1,000 people submitted stories for the 101 spots. I was not surprised when the email came through saying I was in. I WAS surprised when I received my advanced copy and was the first chapter! Jack Canfield had said that the first story was the most important one because when people are in the book store they often read the first story to decide whether to purchase or not, so they put the best one in Chapter 1. I can honestly say of all of the writing I have done, literally millions of words, hundreds of blogs, emails, short stories, this is my greatest honour. I shared a piece of my sister with the world and felt for the first time, I am a real writer. I will be forever grateful for the experience.

You can purchase the book in bookstores but if you want to read my story you can HERE