Donna Austgen Frisinger has invested her life in kindling the flames of impossible dreams. From childhood on, when she first overheard a miserly neighbor tell her granddaughter she couldn’t play with her because her family was “trash,” Donna has aspired to stoke the fires of excellence in both herself and others. A product of a nasty divorce, alcoholic father, and sexual abuse, she continues to prove the naysayers wrong. Today, her award-winning poetry, children’s stories, and inspirational articles motivate her readers with this same “can do it” attitude as she encourages others to own their choices.

 

Told she had “two-left-feet” when she auditioned for her award-winning high school dance team at Lake Central H.S., then chosen as an alternate her second year on the Butler University Dance Squad, Donna ended up being captain of both groups. After marrying her college sweetheart, together they chalked up one championship after another in marching band and dance team competitions, including numerous state and national titles. In 2005 Indiana named her their “Dance Educator of the Year.”

As a life-long teacher of the performing arts, Donna has motivated thousands of insecure wallflowers, adults and children alike, to see them blossom into self-confident, purpose-driven achievers. In addition, she’s organized a community-wide Bible reading marathon, helped to pioneer a thriving church, Faith Outreach Center in Rochester, Indiana, served as its worship leader, Sunday School teacher, music director, and creative arts consultant, taken a singing group to Washington DC to perform for The National Day of Prayer, and obtained her pastor’s license.

 

Since embarking on a writing career seven years ago, the ACW (American Christian Writers) has named her “Writer of the Year” in 2012, 2011 and 2009. A singing evangelist with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Donna’s contagious smile and enthusiasm still sparks the hearts of all God’s children to burn brightly for the Kingdom while she shares her message of hope and faith in a loving Father—with Whom all things are possible.