Renata Bigham-Derry began writing poetry in 1995. She entered a poetry contest in 1996 and was published in the Lyrical Heritage. Since that time, she realized how much she enjoys sharing the special presence of love with others and began to write her first book. Renata was raised in a home with her Mother and Father and 12 other family members. She lived through the hard times and strict discipline of her Parents as they experienced the ups and downs of raising a large family in the small town of Marlin, Texas. Through all of the challenges in life, her family survived by the Grace of God, hard work and help from others. Her Mother’s strong faith in God helped each of them understand that God is love and His presence is the answer to this journey through life.