Big Day, Big News!

I’ve got some news! News that I’ve been holding back, hesitant to proclaim prematurely. But now it’s official; the contract signed…

A Publishing Contract, that is!

I AM GOING TO BE AN AUTHOR WITH NEW GROWTH PRESS AS MY PUBLISHER! AND TODAY ON MY BIRTHDAY MY NEW NIECE WAS BORN WITH MY NAMESAKE! AND THE WEATHER IS BEAUTIFUL WITH NO WIND! OH, WHAT A DAY!!

The book will be a year-long teen devotional. The idea was actually born a few years back out of my frustration to find good teaching material for the girls’ Bible study I lead (more on that here).

There is a lot of “fluff” out there. A lot of slickly packaged books filled with moral pep-talks and typical teen topics, but where is Jesus? Why are we not feeding them Jesus? He is the only One who can satisfy their (and our) deepest longings, give them/us life and transform hearts. But how is that ever going to happen if we don’t hold Him out to them?  They don’t need more law; they don’t need more self-focus; they need Christ! And when they know who He is – who He is for them – then all the issues they face, now and forever, can be viewed in light of the gospel and His grace.

Couple that frustration with a group of teen girls quickly growing up before my eyes. These girls who were in 7th grade just yesterday when I started dreaming about a book, but who will be graduating high school when it finally finds its way to a bookstore near you. As I’ve spent the past few years leading them, my passion for the gospel taking root in their hearts has grown deeply. So I started writing Bible study lessons to teach and then finally took it a step further and began forming daily devotionals to send to a publisher in hopes of what is now transpiring.

There is just so much I want them to understand and to know about Jesus and themselves before they are off on their own. Things I wish all teenage girls and guys… and adult women and men… could hear, to know, to believe, to rest in.

So I am beyond humbled and grateful for the opportunity to have a platform. But beyond even that I am so thankful for my husband, who faithfully preaches Christ every week; for apart from his insight and teaching working its way deep in to my heart, I could not write.

And writing is just what I’ll be furiously doing over the coming months as I work to complete my manuscript. I covet your prayers for this time I will spend writing, the words that will be written and the whole long publishing process, which won’t culminate in to the final product until sometime in 2015!

But, I’m sure I’ll have much more to say about it along the way…

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