My journey as an author of Christian books has taken me down paths in both faith-based fiction and devotional literature. I’ve always enjoyed exploring creative nonfiction, but when the idea of a collaborative devotional project came to mind, I honestly wasn’t sure what it would involve. I had a library of devotionals to guide me, giving me an idea of the “moving parts” I’d need. However, I wasn’t certain where those “moving parts” would come from.
And So It Began…
As I reflected on it, it became clear that for the type of project, we wanted to create, those elusive moving parts would have to come from my own life — from the mundane moments to the hidden “skeletons” in my closet. That realization made me extremely uncomfortable. I’ve always been a private person, protective of my personal struggles. Opening up felt daunting, but one day, the Lord impressed upon me that it was time to be what I had avoided the most: vulnerable. Despite my resistance, I realized that vulnerability was necessary.
Painful…
Each devotional piece was born from prayer and deep reflection. Some stories brought humor, but most unearthed painful memories and emotions I had long buried. Writing through the pain allowed me to illustrate how the Lord kept His promise to never leave me. By sharing my mistakes and heartaches, I hoped to convey this message of God’s unfailing presence. While I often couldn’t see His hand during those difficult times, looking back, His guidance was unmistakable.
The End…
Surprisingly, the easiest part was connecting each story to the perfect Scripture verse, which helped me see the beauty of God’s promise to always stay by my side. I was even more surprised when many readers commented, “You were pretty vulnerable.” God held my hand through one of my greatest fears — vulnerability — and, in doing so, created a connection others could relate to. As a writer of Christian books, what more could I hope for?
If you enjoy devotional literature, please feel free to check out my collaborative project, Journeys of Faith: Two Ordinary People, One Extraordinary God, available on Amazon as both a paperback and Kindle edition. I’d love to hear about your journeys of faith, so please share!