I Wrote a Book!

Photo credit: Emily Kathryn Photography

You guys, I wrote a book.

I’m still emotional about it.

I’m so proud of the girl I have become.

I wanted to take a few moments and share a little about why I decided to delve into the book-writing process. It’s been a long journey, almost two years in the making.  I never imagined the growth that would occur or the healing that would take place.

I didn’t decide to write on my own.  I have always enjoyed journaling but never saw myself as one who would want to write a book.   English was a subject in school that never had the highest grades.  Commas, verbs, and comprehension were a lot to take in.

I started my counseling journey in August 2021.  Anxiety, fear, and depression had wreaked havoc on every aspect of my life.  I was no longer the person I thought I was.  I didn’t know who I was.  I sunk inward, isolated myself, and lost sight of much positivity.

As I began my journey toward healing, my counselor recommended I write about some of the painful moments I had been through in my journal. It was healing for me to write words and then spend time talking through them with her.

Looking back was hard.  I didn’t realize then that I had been holding onto so much.  I had just kept stuffing emotions until finally I could not handle anything more.  If you’ve been around my story for any time, you’ve heard me say this many times.  Give yourself grace.

The words saved my life.  My counselor mentioned them early in our journey together.  They were the words God wanted me to hear.  Over time I was able to realize that Jesus doesn’t waste anything.  No pain, no tear, no ache, and no loss.  Amidst all of the pain I had experienced, I had to give myself grace.  Grace for the journey ahead of me because there was still so much to see.

It’s been a lot of looking back with this grace for myself so that I can look ahead with hope for the future.

I’ve been learning so much through this process, and that was the foundation for this book. It is my story.  Though it is my story, my prayer is that you, the reader, will be able to identify people, circumstances, or situations that have shaped you and molded you into the person you are. May it remind you that Jesus isn’t yet finished with you.

I wrote a book because I learned so much and felt God tug at me and nudge me to share it.  I don’t share it lightly, and I don’t share it without much prayer.

At the Grove Conference this past year, I heard Christine Caine say this:

“I want to finish strong because of the generations watching me.”

This is why I kept showing up.  This is why I kept working so hard to heal.  This is why I decided to share my story.

I cannot help but think about my nieces and nephews and how much they mean to me.  I think about the children I may have one day. I don’t want them to give up when life gets hard.  I don’t want them to stuff so many emotions that they lose themselves along the way.

I want these generations behind me to know their story matters too.  We all have pivotal pieces of our journeys that have molded us and shaped us.  May we not be afraid to share where we have been so that we can get where we are going.

1 Corinthians 1:6 - MSG

There’s no end to what has happened in you—it’s beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.

(Stay tuned friends … it will be available NEXT WEEK!!!!!)