Want to be Published?

Illustrators Needed!

Second Chance with Saving Grace is a nonprofit that helps hurting people and animals. We've been an international all volunteer team of gifted and giving people since 2007. We currently have 2 children's books in The Adventures of Gracie & Diane series that need to be illustrated. 

The first in the series was done with an artist who is no longer available. While the style does not have to be identical we are taking samples of the Gracie & Diane characters at this time to find our next winner to publish. The books are taken to children in hospitals, given to hurting people and help raise funds for animals while being sent out in Love Kits to encourage those in need all over the world. At our last hospital free story time and Love Kit giveaway a mom told us with tears in her eyes, "I haven't seen my son smile like this in months. Thank you for what you are doing, it blessed us today... more than you will ever know!"

The books are 32 pages including a bio page for illustrator and writer. We plan to print 5,000.

Join our team in promoting an inspirational message of hope and encouragement to animal lovers of all ages! 

This amazing Italian greyhound that is rescued by Diane yet she rescues Diane right back is counting on you and so are all the little children who have come to know and love her. 

Gracie is the worlds first service dog helping a woman overcome and more safely live with a rare blood disease called cryoglobulinemia vasculitis. More about the series can be found on you tube or at www.DianeDike.org

Seeking

*Your samples of previous work and character depictions of Gracie & Diane.

If chosen for this project

*We will create a timeline/plan with you to create the illustrations to fit the story line.

We look forward to discussing our goals and your dreams, asap.

Desired Skills
Illustration, Graphic Design &/or book layout and design

Please call: 

303-225-2717 or email your information/website/work samples to: Diane@SCwSG.com subject line: Book Illustrator

Please reply ASAP. 

THANK YOU.
Stay Strong & Courageous!
Diane www.DianeDike.org - Second Chance w/ Saving Grace (SCwSG), Founder
Author, Speaker, Singer, Counselor, Vasculitis & Rare Blood Disease Survivor/Warrior-Oprah's OWN Mystery Diagnosis

http://www.youtube.com/user/DianeDike

"Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope." -Eph. 3:20

Our Foster/Adoption Home Story - May is Foster Care Awareness Month!

Adoption means you grew in your mommy’s heart instead of her tummy. –Author unknown 

To be "mother" to someone who needs me means more now than ever. On February 18, 2010, my mother passed away and I realized how much I'd lost. My Father went to meet my Mother after a 15 year battle with Parkinson's disease on June 12, 2013. As I review memories one thing rings true, they loved me. 

Two days after Mom died my best friend Jan died and as I mourned, I began to think more intensely about children who are orphaned, need to be adopted or need foster care. Although I have no children of my own, I've never let that stop me from helping as many as possible. During more than twelve years as a professor and school teacher, teaching all grades and subjects to regular and special ed students which included severely disabled, blind, deaf, autistic, down syndrome, cocaine babies, severally abused, juvenile delinquents, while coaching swimming and track offered me many momentous experiences. 

Today, I continue reaching out with hope and encouragement through our book's, speaking events, singing, and leading an amazing team of international volunteers through our nonprofit, Second Chance with Saving Grace-helping hurting people and animals. I've babysat since I was eleven and earned a Ph.D. in Human Services and Counseling Psychology while growing through difficult times that included chronic illness, divorce and almost having my legs amputated. These experiences continue to motivate me to try to help as many people as possible and to have a significant and lasting relationship with children.

I spoke to Paul about my consistent desire to provide a safe place for broken children to heal through foster care and adoption, in November of 2010. Paul gave a long list of why this wasn’t a good idea. Most of the reasons were based on fear: fear that I wasn’t healthy enough; fear of the financial burden; and most significantly, fear of the lifestyle changes required to be a parent. I wasn’t deterred and did what I always do when confronted with the unknown: I prayed.

One day Paul came home and said, “Okay, go for it! I can see it will be more harmful to you not to try than any of my reasons why we shouldn’t.” He’d talked to friends and it was obvious that God had worked on his heart. He was now excited to share his love of the outdoors with hurting kids. 

We found out that there wasn't a foster home available in our county and neighboring counties so we began our certification process immediately. Since April 2011, we've been officially offering a safe place for broken hearts to heal in our home. It has been time-intensive, costly and emotion-filled. Our faith is keeping us strong, courageous and able to work through the ups and downs that family life brings. Our home is bursting with healthy family memories, working through consequences and overcoming challenges while offering hope, joy, and love. 

One day when I’m gone, my children, those I foster for a while or those we give forever homes, will know THEIR Mom loved them, and they will be sure to pass that transforming love on.

As of today, we've had over 15 foster children, we've adopted 4 and have guardianship of 2.  We've had the middle of the night children and one who came covered in blood. We are SO thankful for your help collecting items for all ages, hobbies, and backgrounds.

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers! 

Life is a roller coaster and we are riding it with arms stretched high! -Diane Dike, Ph.D.

Every child has a Love Kit, Blanket and Bear

waiting to welcome them home!

Drop off donations at the Eagle Headquarters ANYTIME. 

or Mail items/donations to: 

SCwSG/Diane Dike 

PO 673 

Eagle, CO 81631 

Our SCwSG mission is to help hurting people and animals and provide opportunities for volunteers to do the same while using their gifts and talents to live a life of impact and purpose. All with a heart to help are welcome. We offer a safe place for everyone to be a part of a family that cares and is making a difference.

Our foster/adoption Home We are a safe place for little hearts to heal! When Paul and Diane found out that there are approx. 6,800 foster children in Colorado and 550 needing adoption AND that there was not a Foster Home available in their County they immediately made plans to get re-certified, ready to open their hearts and home.   

Duties and Responsibilities  There are nearly half a million young people living in foster care in America. The goal is to return the children to their homes but when that is not possible they need long-term care and/or adoption. It's been an intense process. Duties include: parental guidance/support, face to face with CASA volunteers, social workers and guardian's, upkeep of CPR + First Aid training, daily journals, Love & Logic training, they've passed several background checks, have a bed and dresser for every child; they are prepared for: face to face time with birth parents, addressing medical and dental needs, transportation to and from activities, school, medical or therapeutic appointments, participation in treatment decisions, creating clear and consistent behavioral boundaries, providing financial, emotional and educational support, providing meals, clothing... and a stable, consistent, culturally sensitive and nurturing home environment.  Wow!

Outreach Wish List Ages we have at this time 

* Gift Cards or Monthly Donors/Mentor Buddies

* Bibles, Christian/Educational videos/books/games

* Musical Instruments

* Bike locks

*** Vehicle - (Minivan) ... so we can take care of more children.  
Help to collect used or new items is appreciated!! (This list updated 10-29-17)

SCwSG celebrates National Foster Care and Adoption Month by raising awareness of the needs of children and youth served by the foster care system. Feel free to share our Foster Care story by linking to this page from your social sites. We can all celebrate and honor foster families who open their homes and hearts to children in need while also reflecting on the resilience of the more than 2 million foster care alumni living in our country today.

Stay Strong & Courageous!

Paul, Gracie, Diane & the SCwSG Volunteer Family

Enjoy pictures on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianeDike

Paul and Diane appeared on "Mystery Diagnosis" TV "The Woman Whose Legs Turned Black" Oprah's OWN and Discovery Health 

CLICK NOW to WATCH all THREE PARTS on DianeDike.org

Introduction to Diane's Second Chance with Saving Grace Outreach

Meet SCwSG Team Member Trisha Barton 04/26 by Dr Diane Dike | Blog Talk Radio

Meet SCwSG Team Member Trisha Barton 04/26 by Dr Diane Dike | Blog Talk Radio

Amazing Interview!

How Much Can YOU Handle? Devotion brought to you by Shelley Brandon. SCwSG Grief and Encouragement Coach

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

¹⁰ God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

 ^13-18Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

Thought for Today: I’ve got a few pet peeves.  Probably more than a few truth be told.  One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone says, “God will never give me more than I can handle.”  Says who?  It’s not in the Bible anywhere, so who decided that God will never give us more than we can handle?

There are people all over the world lying in hospital beds that are facing more than they can handle.  There are millions of people dying from the unsafe water sources they must rely on.  There are more people alive right now that are dealing with more than they can handle than the total population combined just a generation or two ago. 

Try telling an abused child that God will never give you more than you handle.  Tell a mother whose baby just died that God will never give her more than she can handle and I bet she won’t give you a smile back.

The promise of God is not that we will never be given more than we can handle.  Watching my beloved husband die one day at a time for 365 days from terminal brain cancer was more than I could handle…. Alone.

God’s promise is that He will help us handle whatever life gives us.  Ephesians 6:13 tells us exactly what life will give us.  ^“13Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own.”

The enemy spends endless energy trying to give us more than we can handle and his greatest desire is that we blame God when we get too much.  “Why did God do this to me?”  God didn’t do it to you.  The enemy is doing it to you so you will turn your back on the one true God.  We are also told what to do when life gives us too much.  We are to be prepared, we are to, “Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life.”

Where are we to find these tools?  “God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare.”  The Bible is where we find the strength God is offering to us to make it through this earthly life.  Life is hard, God is good.

Prayer

Dearest Lord, Thank you for the weapons that You offer to us for our battles in this life.  We ask that you nudge us every day to spend time in Your word that we may learn how to apply Your armor and be prepared to enter the battle.  In Jesus’ name…. Amen

Meet Kaden Behan ~ Teen Volunteer Extraordinaire

I stumbled upon an excellent organization, Second Chance with Saving Grace, that I now have the pleasure of volunteering with to help hurting people and animals. My name is Kaden Behan and as a volunteer for my local hospital, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, I quickly fell in love with volunteering and was inspired to seek out more opportunities. Being limited physically as to where I could volunteer, I searched for opportunities virtually using volunteermatch.org. That is where I found many outstanding possibilities with Second Chance and immediately began transforming lives using my gifts and talents several months ago. 

I discovered a loving supportive family of dedicated individuals working towards a noble cause. Initially, I designed banners, thank-you cards, fliers, and other works that involved graphic design. However, through the support and encouragement of Dr. Diane Dike (the founder and president), Mary Owen (communications team leader), and other wonderful members, I decided to become even more involved as a Second Chance advocate.

Therefore, in collaboration with my school, The Academy of Allied Health and Science, and Jersey Shore Medical Center, I have organized an event at the K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in which students, like myself, will serve as Ambassadors of Love. As ambassadors, we will deliver Love Kits and provide comfort to the children residing in the Hospital. Through the guidance of Second Chance, I hope to experience the success of this event and plan to continue being actively involved in volunteering for this remarkable organization.