Colleen James

Blog

  • Bloom

    Image of the cacti budding outside of the grocery store

    The flowers on the cacti in front of our local super center budded not too long ago. Their soft, yellow blossoms lasted for nearly a month, crowning the hardy succulents with beauty for a short while.

    When we moved here over three years ago, their blooms that spring left me feeling mesmerized. There was something about these blossoms that felt therapeutic, as if some healing balm was slowly pouring over me each time I passed them by. That season, I drove past them a little slower, taking in the sight of such delicate beauties and somehow trying to understand the mystery as to why such a simple sight could minister to my soul. It was a secret that I sensed God was whispering into my heart. However, much like a gift, the mystery had yet to be unwrapped and made known.

    The last few years, I’ve continued to drive by these cacti when in full bloom and to consider the mystery, although not as urgently, as to why my heart resonates with such a scene so much. And as time has gone by, the mystery has started to unravel a little more.

    The truth is, I relate to these cacti in some ways. Although I would not characterize the life of my family and me as hard by any means, we’ve experienced several trials over the years. In 2019, our lives were plagued by illness only to be confronted by a pandemic at the end of our own personal health problems. Then, after a year of reprieve, 2022 hit us head on with incredible heartache, and additional hardships only continued to follow all throughout that year.

    In the midst of heartbreak, the sight of those happy, yellow blooms upon first moving here felt like a gentle breeze to me in the midst of blistering heat. They filled my heart with a sense of hope. And as they did, I would later come to consider how, even though the cactus is made to endure the harsh elements of scorching sunlight and drought, they are still granted their own season to bloom. The hardships of life do not take that away from them. They bloom, and they continue to be granted that season to thrive every year. Although for a short while, their soft, cheerful blossoms inspire a sense of wonder and appreciation for their beauty year after year.

    As I admired the blossoms on the cactus more recently, I couldn’t help but think about how different our lives are since I first saw those tiny, golden flowers. Our family grew a little over two years ago as we welcomed a second son into our lives, and throughout this time, we’ve enjoyed watching him develop and grow. We’ve also seen our oldest son growing and beginning to bloom over the past year in ways we could only have wistfully wished for several years ago. Furthermore, God has been giving my husband wonderful opportunities in his career, and He has been giving me a sense of purpose in writing in this season as well.

     After enduring our own harsh “conditions” for several years, He has given us a season to bloom, and it has been beautiful.

    Regardless, I hope to keep the image of those blooming cacti in my mind, especially as we face hardships again at some point in our lives—and to remember that, even a plant that is made to dwell in harsh climates is granted its own season to bloom. And I’ll trust that, like the cactus, God will grant my family and me different seasons in which to bloom as well.

    He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

    Ecclesiastes 3:11a

  • My First Children’s Book Is Available for Purchase!

    Picture of the cover of The Instrument Maker and the Mandolin

    After a year and nearly five months, I’m pleased to announce that my first children’s book is now available for purchase!

    If you are curious to the back story of this book, you can read about it here: The Story Behind the Story – Colleen James Publishing. Otherwise, I’ll leave you with the blurb to my book and links where it can be purchased. Thank you so much for those of you who have supported me in this endeavor. I am so grateful to God for you all and for how He has been drawing me further into my purpose in my writing through your encouraging words. For those of you who purchase this book, I pray that it encourages you and reminds you that God has a wonderful purpose for your life. Without further ado, here are the blurb and purchasing links!

    Book blurb:

    Links to the Book:

    In my opinion, the best option for purchase is the soft cover found on Amazon due to the quality of its pictures. If durability is not an issue, I highly recommend this option. Go to the “Buy on Amazon” link below and be sure to select soft cover to buy it there, or simply search for it under The Instrument Maker and the Mandolin, by Colleen James.

    The hard cover can be purchased on websites like Amazon or Barnes and Noble online. Otherwise, you can go directly to the distributor’s website below. Although the quality is not as superb as the Amazon soft cover, this is a good option for those with little children that are concerned about the book’s durability.

    Buy Now

    If you prefer to buy outside of Amazon and also prefer paperback, then this is the option for you! Go to the link below to purchase.

    Buy Now

    Thank you again for your prayers, support, and words of encouragement. It means a lot to me to have you all on this new adventure with me!

    The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

    Psalm 138:8

  • Not Without You

    Some of Liam’s paintings
    Four of Liam’s paintings, the top two looking like the continent of Africa and a monkey. Bottom left: a colorful, lopsided target. Bottom right: a tree on a purple background

    I had been talking about hanging up his paintings for several weeks. We had an open space for his artwork in the dining room, and I painted a picture for him of what that area could be. Life seemed much too busy, however, to actually find the time to turn this vision into a reality. But then one morning, with a surge of energy and a fresh sense of motivation, I gathered his masterpieces while he was away at school and got to work on making his own art gallery. Then I stood back and admired such a display—rich purples, greens, blues, pinks, and reds splattered over canvases expanding across three walls. Surely Liam would be surprised and delighted by the finished result. I could barely wait for him to get home. When he did, however, his reaction was nothing close to what I had imagined. He immediately wanted the paintings to be taken down.

    I felt completely deflated as I tried to determine a way to convince him otherwise, yet he remained firm on his desire for them to be removed, and since they were his paintings, I felt compelled to comply. Fortunately, he soon considered that I might keep his paintings up if I hung up some of my own, too.

    It was a sweet gesture, although nearly impossible as I had not been doing much artwork as of late. Nonethless, I pulled out the one piece of art that I could claim as my own, and that seemed to appease him for the time being, so the remaining canvases stayed on the walls. Today, the walls get fuller as he continues to paint, making this place feel more like a home. I’m glad I had a painting of my own to hang on the wall that day, because that was all it took to come to where we are today. He just needed me to be a part of what he was doing. He didn’t want all the attention or to do it alone.

    The interaction I had with my son that day reminded me of a conversation that Moses had with the Lord shortly after the Israelites made the golden calf. Understandably, God was angry with the Israelites for their idolatry and told Moses that He would not go up with him or the Israelites to Canaan ‘lest [He] consume [them] on the way” (Exodus 33:3). He would send an angel before them and defeat their enemies so they could live in the Promised Land. Nonetheless, He would not go with them.

    Several verses later, however, as Moses is talking to God, he makes this request of Him:

     If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

    Exodus 33:15-16 ESV

    Although Moses could have had the Promised Land and the fame and success that would have come in safely bringing God’s people to this land, he didn’t want any of it without God’s presence itself. None of it mattered if God wasn’t in it.

    Fortunately for Moses, God responded to him as follows:

    This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”

    Exodus 33:17b ESV

    Lately, I’ve been standing outside the entrance of my own “Promised Land” in some ways. I’m close to seeing a dream come true of releasing my first published work—a children’s book. I have had to continue to delay its release, however, due to errors in formatting. As I continue to address those issues and work toward having a perfect printed copy in hardback and soft cover, I find myself needing to be more like Moses and my son. The truth is, no success, fame, gain, or any other thing matters if God is not in it. Those are all just temporal things that will fade away after we are gone. But if God is with us and at work within us, the things He can accomplish through us will have a lasting effect for all eternity.

    Maybe all of these delays have been necessary so that I can realign my heart with His and remind myself that this book is for His glory and His pleasure, regardless of the external results. After all, the Promised Land doesn’t look so promising when devoid of the One who keeps all His promises. Let’s not forget that this life is ultimately about knowing and loving and glorifying Him above all else.

  • Video Update Regarding the Children’s Book

    I uploaded this video on social media a few days ago, but I wanted to share it here, too, with everyone in my blogging community.

    In case you missed an earlier post about it, I have been working on getting a children’s book published for a little over a year now, and I’m entering into the final stages of doing so now that my illustrations are complete (or so I hope)!

    At this point, I’m hoping to launch the book sometime in early to mid-April, but I’ll keep you all posted on that!

    The video above is around three minutes long, and it  simply shares my initial response to having the illustrations complete. I hope you enjoy it! Please excuse all the sounds my toddler was making! I am starting to understand why so many adults make videos in their cars! 😆

  • Boast in This

    The certificate my son received for being on the “A” Honor Roll, with a picture of a golden apple on it.

    I walked into the school cafeteria a minute before the awards ceremony began and searched for my son, who was sitting somewhere on the floor past the rows of parents seated at the lunch tables.

    Somehow, I had missed the memo about this awards ceremony until the night before and had to cancel plans to celebrate my birthday with friends the next morning, which made me feel bad. I hated to cancel on them so late, and I was also a bit disappointed to have to postpone the celebration. Still, there was no way I was about to miss this awards ceremony if I could help it. I wanted my son to know that, after God, he and our family came first.

    A few minutes into the program, I got a better idea of where Liam might be, so I strolled over to the other side of the room, stopping to stand within his direct line of vision once I had spotted him.

    Being the shy kid that he is, he mainly stared at the floor that morning, but when he dared to look out into the sea of faces, his gaze met mine,  and suddenly, his eyes brightened as the broadest smile spread over his face.

    “That’s my mom!” he excitedly told his classmates as he pointed to me. I could hear him from the opposite end of the room. And although none of them seemed too interested in this news, his sheer happiness over seeing me compelled him to tell them all the same.

    I fought back tears of joy that morning as I watched my son’s reaction to seeing me.

    I felt so deeply honored that Liam would want everyone around him to know who I was, and I felt humbled, too. The truth is, I’m very aware of my shortcomings as a mom. That morning, however, Liam saw me as the best mom in the world because I had shown up for him at this event. He felt loved. He felt happy. And he felt proud to have me as his mom.

    As I reveled in this tender moment, I couldn’t help but think about how much we, as believers, must please God when we respond to Him as my son did to me that day. He “shows up” for us all the time,  because He, in fact, is always with us.
    When we recognize His presence with us,  albeit through how He works in our lives, through His Word, or through the glorious work of His hands, how do we respond?

    Are we quick to tell others around us “that’s my Dad!” even when we are met by the apathy of others? I pray God will help me to be that type of woman.  I want to overflow with joy and excitement over knowing God and knowing He is with me.

    At one point during the awards ceremony, some parents crowded around Liam to take pictures of their own children getting awards directly behind him, which obstructed his view of me. Determined to keep me in sight, however, Liam simply hunched over to look at me through the forest of grown-up legs separating us. It was yet another tenderhearted moment which has only come to mean more to me in light of these spiritual ponderings.

    The truth is, I was there to recognize Liam for his achievements that day. That was the whole point of the ceremony–to focus on and honor the students who had obtained some sort of academic achievement. And yet Liam just wanted to keep me in focus the whole time and to boast about having me as a mom.

    This life will afford us all opportunities to be recognized for some reason or another–graduations, promotions, weddings, births, and personal goals and achievements met that others will notice and celebrate. But as we are recognized and applauded in these important life moments, may we never lose focus of our Father. Let’s strive to see Him in the midst of distractions that would try to obstruct Him from our view. Because, as many things as there might be for us to take pride in, they all dim in comparison to the joy and beauty of knowing God and knowing that He has claimed us as His own. That is what we should really boast about.

    But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

    Jeremiah 9:24 ESV

  • Reflection Questions for the New Year

    Image of a calendar and a day planner

    Last year, my sister and brother-in-law stayed at our place to bring in the new year, so I made a nice brunch and came up with a list of questions for us to answer so we could reflect on the past year and prepare for the one ahead. The idea was for each person to take a card with a question written on it and then for each individual to answer the question they had drawn. In the end, however, we all answered each question, finishing the “game” well after brunch in the comfort of my living room as we sipped what was left of our coffee. No one complained about how long this activity took, however. Answering these questions and getting the chance to reflect upon the year and what we anticipated in the new one together was really delightful. So delightful,  in fact, that I knew I needed to keep these questions and use them again for the following year.

    This year, we won’t have any special visitors on New Year’s Eve (or day), and since my husband is not a morning person, we won’t start off the day answering these questions as a family either. Still, I’ll try to make a special breakfast for my boys and ask the eldest the questions he’ll most enjoy answering. Then, I’ll find some time to personally reflect in the days to follow, thinking about these questions and reminiscing over the best moments of this past year.

    As we bid farewell to this year and prepare ourselves for the one ahead, I hope the following questions can be of service to you as they have been to me. May God bless you and keep you in this coming year. And may we seek after Him more than ever! Happy New Year!

    Reflection Questions:

    1. What was the best thing about last year?
    2. What was most challenging?
    3. Where did you see growth (spiritually and otherwise)?
    4. What new thing did you experience?
    5. What was your favorite place to visit?
    6. What was something you were happy to    accomplish?
    7. What was your favorite moment with family?
    8. What made you most proud of your spouse, children, etc?
    9. What was one of the funniest moments of the year?
    10. What was your favorite song last year?
    11. How would you describe the year in one word?

    New Year Questions

    1. What are you looking forward to this year?
    2. What do you anticipate potentially being a challenge?
    3. What do you hope to learn?
    4. How do you hope to grow (spiritually and otherwise)?
    5. What goals do you hope to accomplish?
    6. How would you hope to describe this year in one word?

    You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.”
    Psalms 65:11 NKJV

  • White Chocolate Peanut Butter Loaf

    Picture compliments of my younger sister, a peanut butter white chocolate loaf of bread

    Although I didn’t get around to creating a Christmas cookie recipe this year, I did spend some time trying to perfect a bread recipe that was inspired by my white chocolate peanut butter latte. After all, what could go better with a specialty coffee than some sort of baked good?

    As I mentioned in my former post, I was quite busy this fall, so I didn’t have a lot of time to dedicate to this recipe.. Fortunately, my younger sister helped me out with this one when she offered to make it herself and try to figure out why it was initially turning out so dry. What she determined is that i needed to add twice as much buttermilk, then add more sweetener to counteract any sour taste the added buttermilk might bring.

    My little sister is a gifted baker, so her advice seemed good, and I thought I’d test out her ideas at a later time. I didn’t get around to it, however, until  she was asking for my revised recipe again weeks later.  After seeing a picture of her last white chocolate peanit butter loaf, complete with chopped up peanuts and drizzled white chocolate on top, I felt motivated to make it myself. And I must say, I am so pleased with the end results!

    The secret to this recipe is to chill the loaf in the fridge. Not only will it allow for easy slicing, but it also better brings out the bread’s taste. Before setting it in the fridge, I sprinkled  some Reeses baking chips (found in the baking aisle at my local Walmart) over the top of the loaf while it was still warm. Then, once they had softened, I spread the mixture out with a knife and drizzled melted white chocolate over that, adding extra flavor and a little bit of crunch once the toppings had hardened. There are plenty of options for garnishing the top,  however. A white chocolate and/or peanut butter cream cheese frosting would be delicious, or  serve it like my younger sister did with crushed peanuts and drizzled white chocolate for a more elegant loaf! No matter how you garnish it (or don’t), you’ll be sure to enjoy it if you like peanut butter like I do!

    WHITE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER LOAF

    Picture also from my little sister. Hers looked so much better than mine did!

    Ingredients:

    1 4 oz white chocolate baking bar
    1/2 c creamy peanut butter
    1/2 c granulated sugar
    1/2 c brown sugar
    1 c buttermilk
    1/2 c apple sauce
    1 egg
    2 c flour
    1 t baking soda
    1/2 baking powder
    1/2 t salt

    Optional toppings: melted white chocolate,  peanut butter chips or candy, peanut butter, peanuts, white chocolate and/or peanut butter cream cheese frosting

    Instructions:
    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

    Melt the white chocolate over medium heat on the stove, then add the peanut butter and stir until combined. Remove from heat.

    In a large mixing bowl,  mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, apple sauce, and egg, then stir in the white chocolate peanut butter mixture.

    Once combined, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the wet ingredients. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool once removed from the oven and garnish as desired. For best results, chill in the fridge before slicing. Makes one loaf.

  • A Collection of Christmas Cookies

    Pictures of the different cookies above

    I didn’t get around to entering the Christmas cookie bake off this year. Between working a part-time job this fall, taking Liam to soccer practices and games, helping him with his homework and Bible work and memory verses, and trying to keep up with the normal routine of cooking, cleaning, and trying to be a good wife and mom, I just didn’t have the energy or time to commit to such an endeavor.  I may be back at it next year, but this year I thought I’d share my collection of past cookies in one blogpost to make them easier to find.

    I have yet to make any cookies this Christmas season, so this listing will help me as well. So, without further ado, here are the Christmas cookies I’ve made throughout the years with a brief description of each:

    ALMOND CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

    These cookies combine the sweet, juicy taste of maraschino cherries with chocolate and a hint of almond extract. Soft and chewy, they make for a great party treat. These may very well be my husband’s favorite out of all the cookies I have made. Recipe below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2020/12/02/almond-cherry-chocolate-chip-cookies/

    DOUBLE DECKER BUTTERSCOTCH BARS WITH EGGNOT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

    This recipe is a bit complicated but completely worth the hassle! It consists of a chewy cookie bar covered in a creamy, rich butterscotch layer, which is then topped off with a fluffy eggnog frosting. It’s delicious, travels well for Christmas gatherings (when kept in its pan), and, if topped with some extra butterscotch pieces or nuts, looks quite elegant. Recipe Below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2021/12/11/double-decker-butterscotch-bars-with-eggnog-cream-cheese-frosting/

    CHRISTMAS EVE COOKIES (MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES)

    Made with Abuelita hot chocolate, these drop cookies are the perfect, chewy blend of chocolate and cinnamon, making them a great Christmas Eve treat! Recipe below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2022/12/07/christmas-eve-cookies-mexican-hot-chocolate-cookies/

    CHRISTMAS PIE COOKIE CUPS

    The next two cookies I’m about to share are my favorite and were a big hit at my church family group last year. This first one is a sweet and tart combination of strawberry-cranberry filling with hints of cinnamon and clove in a chewy cinnamon cookie cup. They are so elegant looking and are only bite-sized, so there won’t be any guilt in indulging in these a little! Recipe below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2023/12/10/christmas-pie-cookie-cups/

    SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES WITH NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM

    Creamy Nutella buttercream makes for a winning combination with this soft, gingerbread cookie! These can be made as whoopie cookies or kept as a single cookie with the frosting on top. Both are delicious! Recipe below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2023/12/18/soft-gingerbread-cookies-with-nutella-buttercream/

    If you try any of these recipes, please send me a message and let me know how it turned out for you! I hope you enjoy this season, these cookies,  and everything this month has to offer as we remember the birth of our Savior. Merry Christmas!

  • To the New Mama

    Photo by Kailash Kumar on Pexels.com of a shepherd in a pasture with his sheep

    To the New Mama

    Go on up to a high mountain,
        O Zion, herald of good news;
    lift up your voice with strength,
        O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
        lift it up, fear not;
    say to the cities of Judah,
        “Behold your God!”
    10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
        and his arm rules for him;
    behold, his reward is with him,
        and his recompense before him.
    11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
        he will gather the lambs in his arms;
    he will carry them in his bosom,
        and gently lead those that are with young”

    Isaiah 40:9-11 ESV

    We read the passage above in Sunday school yesterday, and that last verse transported me back to a time when my firstborn was a newborn and I was learning how to be a mom. I have tender memories of those moments now, but the learning curve of motherhood was a steep mountain to climb, and those first few cold, wintry nights with a newborn seemed interminable to me.

    It was during that time that I truly understood the phrase “to drag oneself out of bed.” I would hear my baby crying in the wee hours of the morning, and it took all the strength and sheer determination I could muster to drag myself out of bed. Throughout the first month or so with little Liam, I prayed for God to make each day a little easier for me. Then, in the months to follow, I begged Him to cause Liam to sleep through the night so that I could get some much-needed sleep!

    I hope I’m not painting too bleak of a picture here—especially for the women who have yet to become moms. I loved my baby boy so deeply. He was so cute and sweet and precious, and he would continue to win my heart over and over again in the months to come as he learned how to smile and then started to coo and then crawl and walk and everything in between. Nonetheless, I quickly learned that motherhood, especially at this stage, was exhausting, and I sure didn’t have the energy I thought I should for it!

    It was somewhere around the time that Liam was born that I stumbled upon the last verse mentioned above, and in my sleep-deprived, foggy brain, I was immensely encouraged that God would gently lead those with young. The truth is, I needed that leading so much. I felt vulnerable and completely incapable of making simple decisions on my own. So, to know that God was tenderly leading me and looking out for my young family and me brought a lot of comfort to my heart back then. I wasn’t alone in this new journey of motherhood. God’s eyes were upon me, gently guiding me and protecting my family and me along the way.

    When I think back to when I first became a mom, it encourages me to share this verse with any woman who may be experiencing the same things as I did. As lonely as motherhood might seem (especially in those initial days), God has not abandoned us in it. As huge of a responsibility that it is, we can cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

    Sleep my not come for a good while in those early days (It sure didn’t for me with my youngest more recently!), and we may suffer the effects that exhaustion often brings. Still, God’s outpouring of love and compassion will still be there. His eyes will still be upon us in each joy and sorrow. And He will tenderly guide us like a good and loving shepherd, because He is the one who gave His own life for His sheep.

    “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

    John 10:11 ESV

  • The Story Behind the Story

    I posted a six-part video series in September regarding a children’s book I hope to publish this spring. I’ve been a little less active on this blog due to focusing on that story and the general busyness of life as of late, but I wanted to share what I did on social media since I have grown fond of this blogging community and consider quite a few of you dear friends. If you would rather watch the video series, you can find it on Instagram at colleenjamesgetspublished. Otherwise, please enjoy this written rendition of how God has brought me to this point.

    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com of a computer keyboard, coffee, and a pen and journal

     I’m no longer writing the book. As I drank a coffee at a quaint little café across from my brother and sister-in-law over a year ago, my sister-in-law told me how she and my brother had been praying about writing the book themselves. Furthermore, after a series of recent events, they believed God was calling them to do just that.

    I had been writing about the spiritual lessons that my family and I had learned while my brother was sick in 2011 for over three years now, so it was really disappointing to hear those words at first. However, writing that book had been so painstaking and a much slower process than it ever should have been, so I could only imagine the huge sense of relief I would feel at some point to be freed of this responsibility. 

    Days passed by, and although that relief never washed over me, I did feel lighter. Lighter and free to dream again. But before committing myself to working on another big writing project, I decided to pray about what God would have me work on next. I didn’t want to rush ahead of Him on this. 

    After around a week of praying, I was washing dishes when a children’s story idea came to me with very few details for me to flesh out on my own. I was equally surprised and delighted by the idea and could only attribute the plot to God. I somehow failed to realize that this was God’s answer to my prayer, however. The truth is, I wanted to do something more “important” with my writing. Something the likes of a novel or non-fiction, and I kept waiting for Him to show me which of these ideas to pursue. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the momentary “distraction” of this story idea in the meantime as I tried to figure out the two details that needed to be determined for it. What hardships would the main character face? And, since she was to be a personified instrument in this tale, which one would she be?

    About a week later, my son was watching a show while I cleaned the kitchen, and as soon as the cartoon featured a girl with her mandolin, I instinctively knew that this was the instrument that my main character had to be. Choosing some hardships for her (the personified mandolin) became easy after that. Still, the fleshed-out story idea remained in the notes section of my phone for three more months because I was still waiting for God to answer my prayer.

    By January, I was starting to accept the fact that perhaps God didn’t intend for me to get published. Maybe I was supposed to just stick with blogging. But then I watched a movie in a rare moment of free time, and as I soon realized that the life and legacy of Beatrix Potter (the author of the Peter Rabbit books) was unfolding before my eyes, I sensed God’s plan for my writing unfolding for me, too.

    With the plot still in the notes section of my phone and a newfound confidence that I was supposed to be writing children’s books, I began to work feverishly on the story, sensing God’s favor that week as my baby napped better than ever.

    The day after my birthday, the first draft was complete, and I saw God’s favor in the timing of this story, too, thanks to a letter I had written to myself a year prior to be opened on this particular birthday.

    Within the letter, I simply stated that “God knows the timing, and He makes no mistake. Just like each note belongs where it does in a symphony, each God-ordained moment of your life belongs where it does, too.” 

    The idea of each note in a symphony resonated with me deeply, considering the story that I was writing was about music. I had written about an instrument maker, the mandolin he made, and the purpose she (the mandolin) eventually found as an instrument in his hands. 

    If you’ve read some of my past blogposts, you already know how much I’ve struggled with God’s timing throughout my own life. Reading those words, however, was such a succinct reminder that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing in this season. I could trust God on the timing of this book and this publishing journey, which has been so important to remember in these past months.

    There is still so much to do, and I don’t expect to be ready to publish this story until March 2025 at the earliest, but I’m so thankful for the gift of this story and for how God has been guiding me and providing for this story thus far. Ephesians 3:20 comes to mind as I think of all God has been doing in my life as of late, and all I can say is that I’m just so thankful that His dreams for us are bigger than anything we could have imagined. In the meantime, I’ll keep you all updated as the exact publishing date draws near!

    Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

    Ephesians 3:20-21