Who doesn’t love a good story? I have such wonderful memories of my childhood, sitting in Mama’s lap or next to her while she read me a story. But more than the stories she read, I enjoyed the stories she told me of her own childhood. Somehow, they were more graphic, and there was more emotion when she told me about taking care of the wounded fawn Grandpa found in the woods than reading to me about Bambi. Perhaps those early stories influenced me more than I realized.  

Mama taught me well as a child to be other-centered and never to toot my own horn, but in today’s world of publishing, I fear we writers must toot our own horns about a few things. Two of those things happened this spring. Searching for the Song, the fifth book in the Rockwater Suite, was announced as an International Book Award finalist in the category of Inspirational Fiction. And, Sacred Sense from Taking a Second Look, my first venture into non-fiction, won a third place Selah Award in the category of Audiobooks. Since this was the book of my heart and it was my voice reading my stories, I was humbly proud and so grateful that this particular book of my life stories was acknowledged.

As a writer, my goal is to write an engaging story with characters that you can’t wait to get back to, and one that takes you to some place in your imagination and your emotions, some place you enjoy being. Writing requires solitude. Solitude gives me time and space to think, imagine, do research, craft a sentence, and shape a scene. I live in the skin of each character, learning who she really is and giving her a voice different from any other character. I sketch floor plans to houses and placement of furniture inside the rooms and landscapes of gardens. I know which windows the morning sun comes through and what shade trees are in the yard. If I don’t know those places as if I’d lived there, then I cannot take you there. Details that appeal to your senses truly matter.

Presently, I’m working on the sixth book in the Rockwater Suite, and I must tell you how much I enjoy being with these characters. They are like family to me, and I enjoy making good things happen to them among the hardships that just come from living. It remains untitled as the title usually comes to me as I’m typing THE END. There are a two good reasons that I have yet to finish this book. I’ve been working on two others.

I am co-writing a book that I will be so proud to present to you early in the fall. My co-author is a dear friend of twenty-five years. She is a doctor, scientist, and a healer. We have completed the writing and are finishing up the editing on a book about self-care. What she has discovered as a doctor and healer and what I have discovered as one interested in health and wellness, we want to share with you, along with some of our personal stories. The book will be informative, instructive, and empowering. I’ll be telling you more about it in a few weeks. 

And I am equally proud to tell you about Defining Moments, the book that was released today that I co-edited with the love of my life, Bill. In early March, Bill read a verse that spoke to him as if it were the first time he’d ever read it. Peter was reminding his friends, “Make sure you always remember these things after I’m gone” (2 Peter 1:15 NLT). We began talking about some things we wanted our family and friends to remember about us. That led to conversation about some defining moments in our lives – those moments that we never forget. Those moments that shape our beliefs, values, and goals in life, and sometimes they are so powerful that they change the trajectory of our lives.

So, Bill came up with the idea of inviting some of our friends, twenty-six of them, to share two of those defining moments in their lives. We compiled those stories into a book, and all the proceeds go to Samaritan’s Purse for their relief efforts in Ukraine. We believe we are blessed with some of God’s finest folks as our friends: writers, philanthropists, professors, scientists, soldiers, business leaders, medical professionals, entrepreneurs, and mission-minded folks. 

We saw this as an opportunity to do missions in a creative way of using stories, true stories where the golden thread tying them all together was God’s presence and His activity. We have worked, played, prayed, served, traveled, laughed, and cried with these friends. Whether we were in the office, on a church pew, around the piano, in the boardroom, in a cinderblock church in the middle of a Guatemalan cornfield, on a cruise ship, a hospital room, or around our table, we have shared so many moments and meaningful things of life with these good and godly people.

Their incredible stories span the globe from India, Guatemala, Honduras, Congo, Afghanistan, Haiti, and even outer space. They take us to places like classrooms, battlefields, hospital rooms, board rooms, and quiet places. Our hope is that these stories will inspire you and perhaps inspire you to reflect over your life and recall some of your defining moments. 
 
And the best part is that when you purchase this book, treating yourself to these stories, you’re supporting relief efforts in Ukraine, a place where most of us will never go, yet we can help Christ’s presence to be felt there. The Amazon link is below. Buy yourself one and a few more for the people you love.

And now back to my story . . . I’ll soon be back in my favorite place with time to continue writing Caroline’s ongoing story. I don’t sense an end to it yet.
 
Always with joy,
Phyllis

DEFINING MOMENTS: Memorable and Inspiring Stories from Outstanding Leaders

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1736915789/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_GSZD5FQ3A16RWS52WPM4