Christian Fiction

Woman holding a vintage typewriter pauses in the doorway of an empty home beneath a quote by Christian author Lori Domingo about moving forward with God.

Closing One Door, Trusting God With the Next

When my dad passed away in January, I knew my life would never be the same. There are some losses that change us forever, and losing a parent is one of them. Since then, I’ve spent months walking through grief, handling the countless details that come after someone you love is gone, and trying to figure out what life looks like now.

Recently, I closed on the sale of the house we shared for the past twelve years.

That was harder than I expected.

Walking through those empty rooms one last time brought back so many memories. It was the place where we laughed, talked, celebrated holidays, weathered difficult days, and simply lived ordinary life together. It was home.

Closing that door doesn’t mean I’m closing the door on my dad.

It doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten him.

It doesn’t mean the memories disappear.

It simply means that one chapter has ended, and by God’s grace, another is beginning.

Closing a Chapter Isn’t the Same as Letting Go of Love

Sometimes we hesitate to move forward because it feels like we’re leaving someone—or something—we deeply love behind.

But love doesn’t stay tied to an address.

Memories aren’t contained within four walls.

The people God places in our lives become part of who we are. We carry them with us wherever we go.

My dad will always be part of my story.

His encouragement, his laughter, the lessons he taught me, and the memories we made together aren’t staying behind in that house. They’re coming with me because they’ve become part of my heart.

That’s one of God’s beautiful gifts.

God Is Already in the Next Chapter

Woman packing books into moving boxes in an empty home with an inspirational quote about trusting God for the next step by Christian Author, Lori Domingo.One thing I’ve learned over the past several months is that God never asks us to step somewhere He hasn’t already gone before us.

We may not see what’s around the corner.
We may wish He would hand us a detailed map.

Instead, He usually gives us enough light for the next step.

Not the next fifty.

Just the next one.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)

I’ve read those verses countless times.

Now I’m learning to live them.

Faith Often Means Walking Without All the Answers

If I waited until every question was answered before moving forward, I’d probably never leave.

Fear loves uncertainty.

Anxiety feeds on all the “what ifs.”

But faith asks a different question.

What if God is already preparing something I simply can’t see yet?

That changes everything.

Not because all the uncertainty disappears—but because my confidence shifts from my circumstances to God’s character.

What I’m Choosing to Remember

  • God has never abandoned me before, and He won’t start now.
  • Closing one chapter doesn’t erase the blessings of the last one.
  • The memories of those we love travel with us.
  • God often does His greatest work in seasons that feel uncertain.
  • I don’t have to know every step ahead. I only need to follow the One who does.

Moving Forward Doesn’t Mean Leaving God Behind

If anything, I’ve discovered that the hardest seasons have drawn me closer to Him.

The road ahead still has plenty of unknowns. I’ll probably have moments of fear. I’ll probably wonder if I’m doing the right thing.

But I’ve also seen God’s faithfulness too many times to believe He’ll stop leading me now.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

That promise wasn’t just for people in Bible times. It’s a reminder that God is still writing our stories today.

One Step at a Time

As I head toward the mountains, I’m carrying more than boxes.

I’m carrying memories.
I’m carrying gratitude.
I’m carrying grief.

Most importantly, I’m carrying the assurance that God already knows what’s waiting on the other side of this new beginning.

Maybe you’re standing at the end of one chapter too.

Maybe you’re grieving, facing change, or wondering what’s next.

Don’t let fear convince you to stay where God is gently asking you to move.

Closing one door doesn’t mean forgetting the people or the season that shaped you.

Sometimes it simply means trusting that the Author of your story is ready to write the next chapter.

And if we’ve learned anything about God, it’s this:

His plans are always worth trusting—even when we can’t yet see the ending.

Scripture References

  • Proverbs 3:5–6
  • Jeremiah 29:11
  • Isaiah 41:10
  • Psalm 32:8
  • Hebrews 11:1

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Woman sitting in a gothic church looking toward a cross beside an inspirational Christian quote about healing after loss and trusting God by Lori Domingo.

Regrouping After Loss: Trusting God with the Next Chapter

Starting over after loss is one of the most difficult and emotional journeys a person can face. Grief changes routines, relationships, and even the vision we once had for the future. In seasons of uncertainty, many people search for hope, direction, and peace while trying to rebuild life one step at a time.

This blog offers Christian encouragement after loss for those walking through grief and trying to trust God with the next chapter. Through personal reflection, Scripture, and honest reminders about healing and hope, this article explores what it looks like to regroup slowly while leaning on God’s faithfulness in the middle of change.

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Walking with God Through Grief: Trusting Him in the Unknown

Walking with God Through Grief: Trusting Him in the Unknown

Grief has a way of changing everything. We don’t get to prepare for it or ease into it. It arrives suddenly, settles deeply, and reshapes parts of our hearts we didn’t even know existed.

Walking with God through grief can feel disorienting. Loss has a way of shaking what once felt steady, leaving us searching for footing in the unknown. And yet, even in this, God remains present—steady when everything else feels uncertain.

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Victorian-era woman sitting near a warm fire with a worried expression, reflecting quietly during a season of faith, uncertainty, and walking with God through trials.

Walking With God Through Trials and Uncertainty

There’s something unsettling about not knowing what’s next. We like plans. We like answers. We like to feel steady under our feet. But so often, faith doesn’t grow in certainty—it grows in the in-between.

When we are walking with God through trials, uncertainty can feel overwhelming. Trials have a way of stripping things down, reminding us how little control we actually have and how deeply we need to trust God in hard seasons. And yet, these difficult times are often where our faith grows the most.

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Ways to Draw Nearer to God in 2026 – Finding Stillness With God

Ways to Draw Nearer to God in 2026

As a new year begins, there’s a quiet invitation waiting for us—not to strive harder or do more, but simply to draw nearer to God.

2026 doesn’t need to be marked by grand spiritual resolutions. Sometimes the deepest growth happens through small, faithful steps taken consistently. Drawing closer to God isn’t about perfection; it’s about posture—turning our hearts toward Him again and again.

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Christian writer sitting alone in darkness, writing quietly while reflecting on faith, calling, and perseverance during a season of discouragement

When Writing Feels Quiet—and I Wonder If I’m Still Called to It

There are moments when I sit down to write and feel the weight of discouragement settle in. The words still come, but the progress doesn’t seem to follow. Social media feels quiet. Sales feel slow. And I start wondering if I’m truly moving forward—or just standing still.

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When Giving It All to God Feels Hard

When Giving It All to God Feels Hard

I don’t know about you, but I like a good plan. A clear path. A sense of control that makes me feel like everything is going to be okay because I can manage it. But the longer I walk with God, the more I realize—those instincts are often the very things He invites me to release.

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Digital noise drains the soul.

Protecting Our Hearts in a Digital Age

There are days when I don’t even realize how much digital noise I’ve allowed into my heart. The world is loud, our feeds never stop refreshing, and our phones buzz like they have something urgent to say every five minutes. The truth is, most of it can wait. Our hearts, however, need rest.

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Warm-toned illustration of a young woman writing in a notebook while holding a coffee cup, sunlight streaming through a window, evoking calm, faith, and quiet contemplation.

Quiet Moments in a Noisy World

Quiet Moments in a Noisy World – Finding Peace with God | LoriDomingo.com

Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down. The world around us moves so fast — notifications, messages, updates — and it’s easy to mistake constant motion for meaning. But I’ve learned that some of the most important things God whispers can only be heard when we pause long enough to listen.

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Christian writer and her character

Setting the Stage: How Environment Reflects and Shapes Character

In Christian fiction, every compelling character deserves an equally compelling world. Setting is far more than a backdrop—it’s a silent character of its own. It infuses mood into moments, challenges protagonists to grow, and often reveals the hidden truths of their hearts. Used with intention, setting becomes:
– an emotional mirror
– a source of conflict
– and a cradle for transformation

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Faith in Fiction: How Christian Stories Reflect Real-Life Struggles and God’s Grace

The Power of Storytelling in the Christian Life

In a world overwhelmed by noise and distraction, stories have a way of reaching hearts in a quiet, personal way. As a Christian fiction author, I’ve discovered how deeply faith-based stories can reflect our real struggles—grief, doubt, hope, and healing—and ultimately point us back to God’s grace.

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Why Time Spent Creating Characters Really Matters. (Part 1: In the Beginning…)

Have you ever?

Have you ever picked up a book only to put it down after reading just a few chapters? Or, having finished a book, have you felt completely unsatisfied, as if the book failed you in some way? Someone told me once that probably the main reason we delve into a work of fiction is to escape. What I’ve found is that, while a book can be filled with exotic settings or fast-paced action, it can still feel “flat” to me. When I put some thought into it, I realized that the main reason the book felt “flat” to me was because I didn’t care about the main characters. I felt no sense of empathy for them. I found no reason to cheer them on. I didn’t like or dislike them. I simply didn’t care about them – or what happened to them. In short, I felt nothing. Surely, I can’t be the only one whose had this experience.

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What It Means to Me

The Question

Perhaps one of the most-asked questions I’ve been on the receiving end of across my authorial journey is, “Why did you decide on the Christian genre?” I think the answer most expect is that I believe I was “called” by God to explore the genre. While that’s a very good reason to write in the genre, it never really felt like it was my reason. I’ve always believed that what I’ve been called to do is use the gifts God has given me to share the message of His love with others – some of which might not ever hear it outside of having possibly picked up my book by chance. A handful of years after stepping into writing in the Christian genre, I can still say that is my primary motivation behind everything I write (or hope to write).

A Look Behind the Scenes

Recently, however, I’ve been doing some pretty deep soul-searching because I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was another, more personal, reason behind just why I ventured into the world of the Christian genre author. The reason finally made itself apparent to me today as I was trying to put together a mental plot outline for my latest book, “More than Promises.” I started this book quite a while ago, and have written roughly 1700 words to date – and every thought was a struggle to put into words. I’d sit down and attempt to do so, but usually just end up walking away from it. Trust me when I say that there’s not anything that’s more frustrating to a writer than being at a loss for words. Why can’t I get it, I ask myself almost angrily. This just isn’t me, God – please help me with this. Please give me my words…

First Things First

It was as I was pacing back and forth through the house this morning that God gave me part of my answer. I suddenly realized that before I could write another word, I had to know why I wanted to write them – or, in this case, why I needed to write them. It became clear to me that the more personal reason for writing within the Christian genre – at least during this season God has put me in – is because I’m writing through grief. I’m trying to make sense of questions like, “Why does God let bad things happen to good people?” or “We prayed for healing…something we KNOW God can (and does) do…but that healing didn’t come – He chose not to heal that person. With those thoughts in my heart, I looked back on my first novel, Light of Grace, and could clearly see that I was trying to write through the grief of unexpectedly losing my mom in her sleep one night. When I started writing “More than Promises,” I had a general idea of where I wanted the story to go but couldn’t put my finger on the reason I wanted to write it. Lo and behold, there it was again – writing through grief.

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

BEAUTY FROM ASHES

 

In my first novel, Light of Grace, the reader walks alongside Sara Jacobs as she navigates the path of shattered dreams and grief toward learning to live again. What God teaches her along the way is that He does, in fact, make beauty from the ashes of our lives if we are willing to let Him. I’ll be transparent here and admit that, in so many ways, I still haven’t been quite able to open myself up completely to learning that lesson. But, like each one of us, I’m a work-in-progress.

 

WHAT WILL COME NEXT?

 

That was a question I was asked more than once by a few people who were kind enough to read my book before I published it. As I fumbled around for a response only to answer, “I don’t really know,” it was suggested that I write a second novel focusing on a character introduced briefly in the epilogue of Light of Grace, Lilly Wilkes. Lilly was the gift God created from the ashes of Sara’s life. 

 

I have to say that I wasn’t really captured by that idea at first. I pulled out my first novel manuscript (one that never saw the light of day and probably never will) and toyed with the idea of re-writing it, moving it from the Romance genre to the Christian fiction genre. I tried. Many times. But it just wouldn’t come together. As I prayed about it, it felt as if the Lord was steering me towards picking up where Light of Grace left off and following Lilly Wilkes’ story. To date, I’ve only written about 4800 words, but the idea is slowly coming together. Once again, the spark came from a song: Broken Together by Casting Crowns. I’m currently struggling with making a plot outline while simply sitting down and writing, to see where the story will go – but it is my goal to have the novel completed by the end of 2025.

COMING in 2026:

So, please allow me to introduce my next novel, “More than Promises.”

 

Lilly Wilkes left her hometown with her dreams and her faith tucked away in her heart. Being accepted into Julliard promised the chance to make those dreams come true. Choosing between pursuing the path she believed God had put before her and the road paved by the pressures to fit in was never part of her plan. When a chance meeting with Marcus Allen, one of the biggest names in the music industry, catapults her into living in the spotlight, choices are made and lines are crossed. With her innocence lost, will her buried faith be enough to save her? Or will the person she used to be remain lost in the darkness of who she had become?

In the meantime, please check out Light of Grace, available on Amazon, in both a Kindle and paperback edition. Thanks for your support!

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