Former “Blue Baby” Compares Physical Heart Defects to Spiritual Defects in New Release

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – In 2019, Johns Hopkins Hospital celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of its historic “blue baby” surgery.

“Until the day of that milestone blue baby operation, most infants and children with the heart defect died. This surgery was deemed a success, thanks to implantation of the new shunt, which increased blood flow, allowing enough of it to pass through the lungs and pick up more oxygen.”

Shannon McGee knows this topic from the inside out. She was a “blue baby” with a hole in her heart who had four surgeries before the age of nine to correct a congenital condition known as tetralogy of Fallot. In her debut book, Faith Beats: Growing Your Spiritual Heart Knowledge and Health (Redemption Press), McGee compares the four heart defects she was born with and the work of the surgeon’s hands to repair those defects to the defectiveness in our hearts and God’s perfect plan of redemption to restore our hearts back to Him.

Heart Beats reveals God’s original design and purpose of our spiritual heart, its congenital condition, our need for restoration, as well as the power of transformation and our eternal expectation.

Questions at the end of each chapter, a short exercise, and space for reflection will help the reader discover ways to better guard their heart health by examining them, filling them with the Word, exercising faith, and living a spiritual heart-healthy lifestyle.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shannon McGee was born with tetralogy of Fallot in the infant decade of open-heart surgery in Pell City, Alabama, just miles away from UAB Hospital and pioneers in the field of open-heart surgery. She had four corrective operations before the age of nine. Since then she has lived a normal life, earned a bachelor’s in theology from the International College of Ministry, and is active in women’s ministry.

A wife, mother, and Nonna to eight grands, she loves to read, immerse herself in God’s Word, spend time with family, and nurture her love/hate relationship with golf.

For interviews please contact: shannonmcgee.5110@yahoo.com

Website: www.aheartafterhis.com

Facebook: Shannon McGee Writer

Instagram: @shannonmcgeewrites

Pinterest: @mcgee2028

Suggested Interview Questions

1. Tell us about when you first started looking into the intricacies of the heart and how this book developed out of that study.
2. Can you tell us what tetralogy of Fallot means.
3. How did your four surgeries before nine years of age impact your life? Do you have ongoing limitations because of this congenital condition?
4. Can you give us an example of a comparison between our physical heart and our spiritual heart? Was it a stretch to come up with this?
5. What are some ways we can “tend” our spiritual heart?
6. I understand you are taking Faith Beats on mission to other parts of the world. Tell us about that.
7. How can someone join you in sharing heart awareness with those who have not heard of the spiritual restoration offered through Christ?