I had been given two characters for a story, the two old hags Unloved and Unwanted. I have always been a writer and I’ve always wanted to write a book. The story began forming in my mind. So I began writing.

Originally I imagined a little fairy tale, thinking it would be a short story. I actually began the first draft with “Once upon a time.” But as I wrote, the story grew and grew. I didn’t have an outline or a clear idea of where I was going with it. I would just sit down to write and the settings, characters, and events just came to me.

I didn’t know this at the time, but they say there are two types of writers, Plotters and Pantsers. I am a Pantser — writing by the seat of my pants, as it were — although later on in the process I did begin to plot things out a little.

I firmly believe God gave me the whole thing. I would hear a voice in my mind saying something like, “There is a woman on the edge of the crowd and her name is Lady Fairhaven,” and I’d say “Okay!” and write her in. “There is a harp in the music room,” He would say, or “There is a painting on the ceiling of the ballroom,” and the pictures began to come to me as I described these things in detail. The books are full of these inspirations. (My college degree in Art History really helped with all this too.)

In the process a complex plot began to develop. The story grew longer and longer and became much more involved than I had thought it would. I worked on it for several years while my two boys were in our church’s K-8 school. During that time I also taught Art there and one school year I also worked at McDonalds.

But although I had always wanted to write a novel, I didn’t know how. By the time the book had grown to about 40 chapters, I was completely bogged down in all the details. There were things in the story that were just not working for me, but I didn’t know how to fix them. The biggest problem — because I was pantsing my way along — was that I had no idea how to get my main character, Aidan, from where she was in the beginning to where I knew she would be in the end. It was like God gave me the first part of the story and then stopped. I couldn’t see further ahead.

At the same time real life just got in the way in 1998 when my daughter was born (my surprise at age 40). A couple years later, my writing had to be set aside completely when my oldest son graduated 8th grade and we began what turned into sixteen years of homeschooling — the boys just for high school and my daughter all the way through.

Over those years I pulled the book out from time to time but eventually realized I would probably never finish it and finally just gave it up for lost. My life had moved on in so many ways. In time we moved twice, finally buying a house in 2013. Technology changed and we went through several computers, from desktop to laptops. Eventually I no longer had the word processor I had been using. And I still had no idea how to fix what was wrong with the story.

But the pictures God had given me never left me. At odd times they would come to my mind, especially in prayer times. The story was still there in my heart.

30 years went by.

One day in May of 2021 I happened to share my testimony of deliverance with my Thursday morning prayer group. Right after I finished, I remember looking down at my feet and suddenly the Lord spoke to me in my mind as clearly as I have ever heard Him.

“What are you going to do with that book you started writing? It came out of your testimony of deliverance. It’s a story only you can tell — and it needs to be told.”

I mulled that over in my mind and — true to form — procrastinated. The idea of writing again seemed overwhelming and I felt powerless to finish it. And I still had no vision for how it would end.

But God wouldn’t let me go. He apparently had a plan for this thing all along. And when He says to do something, He doesn’t change His mind.

About 3 weeks later, on June 10, 2021, my friend brought up an episode of an internet program called “Front Porch Friends” on her phone to share with the Thursday group. It’s a weekly ministry of encouragement by a woman named Karen Wheaton. I had never heard of her nor had I ever seen this program before, but she gave a prophetic word that day.

“Whatever the Lord has told you to do, DO IT NOW. Time is of the essence!”

Her words cut through my heart with all the power of the Sword of the Spirit. I will never forget how strongly they convicted me. I went right home, found my old computer files, and began rereading the book. I had forgotten so much of what was in there and it completely shocked and amazed me to revisit this old creation. I wasn’t at the computer ten minutes before I knew I was born to write this story.

And as I began working on it again, all the problems I had struggled with were surprisingly easy to fix. Converting to a new word processor was simple and quick. The biggest problem with the story line that had bothered me so much years before was fixed with just a few paragraphs when a fresh inspiration came to me that worked much better.

As I wrote, the Lord again provided the inspirations. He gave me an amazing picture of where the story was heading that gave me a new perspective on who He is and what He is like. As I worked on the book in obedience, God did an awesome work in my heart. The only way I can describe it is that it was like I was born again, all over again.

During 2021 and 2022 I was often on my face before Him rededicating all my life, heart and creative gifts to Him, offering them up as a sacrifice for Him to burn up on His altar. In the process beauty rose out of the ashes and I fell in love with Jesus like never before.

Coincidentally, 2022 was my 50th year of walking with Him — I called it my “Year of Jubilee.” And it felt like a jubilee, working every day on something I absolutely loved doing. There was so much joy in creating the characters, crafting dialogue, and bringing Aidan’s story to life.

Over the last three years the book has grown into two books, then three, and it may go into four at this point. As I have worked, my writing style has changed and developed. My characters are sometimes more real to me than my own family and I have laughed and cried with them as the events of their lives unfolded. (If you are a fiction writer I think you will understand that perfectly!)

I still can hardly believe where this journey has brought me. As I write this, I am right on the verge of publishing the first book. I don’t understand God’s timing, but He had a plan all along — and He always finishes what He starts.

If He has told you to do something, He has incredible blessings in store for you. I can’t encourage you enough to be obedient.

DO IT NOW!