DATE: Friday, July 11, 1997                 TAG: 9707090161

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 07   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TRUDY CUTHRELL, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   64 lines

HAMPTON ROADS WOMAN PUBLISHES A BOOK OF INSPIRATIONAL POETIC VERSE

When you enter Max and Barbara Wiggins' house on Carroll Bridge Road in Smithfield, you get the distinct feeling of ``home.'' There are inviting sofas all around and a long picnic-style dining room table which has probably served up hundreds of good meals and a zillion hours of good times. The den is decorated with lots of framed pictures of family and friends, reflective of the Wiggins' philosophy that ``home is where your heart is.''

For more than 40 years, Barbara Wiggins has jotted down her personal thoughts about the simple things of life - home and family and friends. She collected a mound of notes in an overnight bag - scribbles of inspiration on brown paper bags, napkins, grocery receipts and checkbook deposit slips.

``My husband and children stayed on me constantly to do something with my poems,'' Wiggins admitted.

Then in 1995, close friends Greg and Sandy Prescott discovered Wiggins' hidden talent. They took the overnight bag in hand and in about eight months had the poems edited and typed on their computer.

In 1996, she won first place and a spotlight in ``The National Library of Poetry.''

After Christmas, Wiggins decided to take the plunge and publish her own book. ``But we soon realized that we needed a publisher for it to take off,'' Wiggins reported.

Recently, Wiggins had her greatest thrill as a writer when Brentwood Christian Press of Columbus, Ga., released her first book of poetry, ``Christ In My Life.'' This 79-page softback book includes more than 100 poems ranging in length from a few lines to several pages. The cost of production was steep - about $1,300 for 325 copies - but two gifts of $400 helped the Wigginses meet this expense. ``Another miracle,'' Wiggins admitted.

``Most of my poems are written around stress,'' Wiggins said. ``I never let stress get me down, because I know God will always see me through.'' By sharing her poetry, Wiggins hopes to encourage others to turn to God in their times of stress.

Wiggins credits her parents, Major Thomas and Hildamay Manning, for her Christian training. From age 16, Wiggins has dabbled with poetry about personal experiences , special events and crisis situations.

``God has been good to me,'' she wrote in the introduction to her book. ``Although there have been many stressful moments, there have been miracles, too. . . .''

Throughout her book, Wiggins shares candid accounts of the ups and downs of life: the blessings of marriage and family, the challenges of raising children, the joys of spoiling grandkids, the nightmares of her own battle with cancer and her husband's struggle to recover from 26 brain tumors.

``I think the stressful moments of life draw you closer to God,'' Wiggins said. ``When things like these happen, more than ever you need God . . . that's what has inspired me to write.''

Both in their early 60's, Barbara and Max are retired and are actively involved at the Uzzell United Methodist Church. ``We're really enjoying our retirement because now we can spend all of our time doing for others,'' Barbara said. ``Of course, I'm also working on a second book.'' MEMO: For information about ``Christ In My Life,'' call Barbara Wiggins

at (757) 357-6378. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo/MICHAEL KESTNER

Barbara Wiggins and her book, ``Christ In My Life.''

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