Lyn Hanush
Lyn is fairly new to the speaking circuit, but her presentations are sparked with enthusiasm, filled with adventure, and showered with God's faithfulness. She will challenge her audiences to pray more fervently, seek God's clear direction, and discover that there is no such thing as "an ordinary person."
Lyn grew up on a farm outside of Visalia, California where she daydreamed her way through many exciting adventures. Until she was in her forties she didn't realize she would experience any real adventures of her own. At that time God opened up some doors to Lyn that would change her life forever.
When a doctor told Lyn that she needed to get out and exercise she wasn't too excited by the idea. Still the doctor suggested twenty minutes a day, three times a week, and build up. Concerned about a very rapid heartbeat Lyn decided to at least do the three times a week. Much to her surprise she discovered she actually enjoyed the walking, and before long she found herself walking almost everywhere. When her mother had a stroke that put her in a wheelchair, Lyn and her husband, Dave, brought her home to live with them. This greatly curtailed the walking Lyn had come to love - until they realized that mother and daughter both needed fresh air, exercise, and time to enjoy each other in a separate environment from the home. Soon they were going on fifteen-mile, or longer, walks, two or three times a week. Now Lyn has a passion for walking and a passion for prayer. Putting the two together for longer distances was a natural outcome. The summer of 1983 saw Lyn and two others walking the length of the state of California along the coast.
An annual six day walk from San Jose to San Francisco began in 1984 that would eventually attract hikers from various parts of the United States and Canada. In 1993, with another friend, Lyn walked the Oregon and Washington coastline finishing at the Washington/Canada border. Then years later this would be the starting place of Lyn's greatest adventure yet - a walk from Washington to Florida praying for the healing of our nation. She was accompanied by her sixteen year old granddaughter, and another friend for this four thousand twenty six and a half mile walk. The trio talked with hundreds of people and received prayer requests from many. These were entered into a notebook to pray for each night before they went to sleep. Each Sunday saw them in a different church, often sharing their story with the congregation.
Lyn, with help from her prayer walk partners Joni and Samantha, wrote a book, Putting A Face On America, about their experiences. Lyn and Joni also began speaking to a wide variety of groups, telling their stories of the people and places across the United States.
On March 6, 2008, Lyn began a walk up the East Coast of the United States that would be over eighteen hundred miles. Much of this walk was done alone - with various support drivers. Again, this was a walk to pray for the nation. Humanly it seemed that a lot of things went wrong, but through it all Lyn saw God work in incredible ways.
As Lyn shares pictures and stories of her extraordinary journeys she tells of asking God to make her a blessing, and in turn being blessed by so many. She tells of the accident that destroyed her support vehicle; the illness that put her in the emergency room; the opportunities in inner city areas; the radio station that became an integral part of her journey; and many more stories of how God took seemingly bad experiences, as well as many good experiences, and turned them into opportunities and blessings.
Lyn has been married to her incredibly supportive husband, Dave, for forty-nine years. They are blessed with four grown children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
By Lyn Hanush
With Joni Balog and Samantha Gruver
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Putting a Face on America relates how, after the shock of 9/11, three West Coast women purposed to make a difference the best way they knew how - walk and pray across the country. From Washington State to the Florida Keys they passed through fifteen states, following country roads and making friends in countless towns and villages.
Meeting and praying for so many opened their eyes to see the myriad types of people who make up America. Regardless of age, race, religion, or occupation, Lyn Hanush and her fellow walkers befriended and prayed for fellow Americans in their amazing 14-month walk of love and faith.
Their prayers went up daily for communities, individuals, churches, and for those serving overseas and their families. The stories in this book will cause you to laugh, cry, and hopefully think about the blessings God has given you and what you can do to reach out to others around you. Read Putting a Face on America and re-live their extraordinary adventure.
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