“April is designated as the Month of the Military Child; a time to honor the sacrifices made by military families worldwide.”

In my last post, I explained that I am following a nudge to write a Contemporary Romance series about Wounded Warriors. My proposal for a three-book series is currently on the desks of editors at multiple publishing houses, and I’m waiting for their feedback with great anticipation.

I’ve written the first book in this series, and the idea for the second book was born on September 23, 2018, the day I was scheduled to return home from the ACFW Conference. I woke that morning with a vivid scene in mind about a young girl whose father – a Marine – was killed in action. The scene was rooted in a comment made by the woman sitting next to me at the Awards Gala the previous evening. I jotted down a few notes and headed home.

During the drive from Nashville to Cincinnati, God flooded my mind with the backstory for the heroine, that little girl who lost her father is now an Air Force veteran participating in an equine therapy program. He introduced me to the hero and provided clear scenes, some of which involved a dandelion. I couldn’t take notes fast enough.

Later that evening, I created a secret Pinterest Board and saved a few images for future reference as I’ve done for all of the books I’ve written. When I searched dandelion, I came across this image.

While I’ve had spiritual experiences like this in the past, I’ve never felt so close to my Creator. God met me where I was to give me an amazing gift. Since then, I’ve put an enormous amount of pressure on myself to make the book perfect. Though this is my seventh manuscript, it has been the most difficult story to write. In the past, I’ve been a plotter, writing plot-driven stories. This time, I’m more of a pantser, writing a character-driven story. The experience has been different, for sure, but I’m certain God is using this story to transform me. I know that He would not stir something in my soul and then not finish the work He started.

The promise to follow where He leads me requires me to surrender all control to Him, to abandon perfection, to find my identity in Him, and to give Him the glory. We all have a calling, we all struggle through tough times, and we all stumble. In the Bible, Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” We can rest, knowing that He is walking alongside us – perhaps even sitting in the passenger seat on a road trip. We can have faith and let go because He is the author of our story.

Through my writing, I hope to inspire readers to serve others. Here are a few ways you can make a difference for military children and their families:

• Celebrate Purple Up! Day – wear purple to show support of military children.
• Donate to or volunteer with United Through Reading
• Donate to equine therapy programs for military and veteran families