From Idea to Published!

 Last night I taught at Philly Cru's city-wide meeting (virtually) for a series they're hosting called "The Gospel & ____." My topic was "The Gospel & Social Media," which is one of my favorites things to teach. In 2014 when I spoke about it at Cru's Spring Break conference, people asked me if I could put some of it in writing. I liked the idea, but it was also the year we were moving to Italy, and while writing in the Italian countryside sounds dreamy, our city life in Italia was full of other endeavors.

In 2017, after we had been back in the U.S. for a year, I wondered if it might be the time to start writing. My wondering turned to certainty when I began consistently waking up at 5AM without an alarm, which gave me two hours of alone time on an average day. I knew the Lord was guiding me because I never (ever ever) wake up on my own that early, yet I consistently was up and felt clear-headed and compelled to write. My bff commemorated the commencement of writing season by gifting me gourmet tea and a new mug. After a few months, Karl arranged for his parents to keep our kids so I could have a 4 day writing retreat at home, and during those 4 days, I realized I had more material than just a single lesson or digital download, but a whole book.

So I kept writing, and trusting God with the timing. I had also wanted to finish my classes with the Institute of Biblical Studies and get input from professors and other writers. God provided all of this! I took a mini-mester last January and two classes in the Spring semester, which finished my certificate. My professors were eager to give guidance with my content, and my friends who are authors mentored me through the process of compiling a formal proposal and submitting it for publishing. I really wanted to go the traditional route with publishing since one of the aspects of the book is that, in the digital age, we can get information from scads of sources even if the sources aren't accurate or vetted.

In August, my book was accepted for publishing! We just finished the first round of edits, and I'll have a title and cover to share soon! *(This pic is not the title--it's from last night's meeting) And here's also a pic of me at my desk which is where I've spent many hours this past year!

With all that's been going on in the world, I haven't been sure when to share my news. But today feels like a good day! :) Also all that to say, that one of the greatest lessons I've learned through the process is that writing a book takes 1. a long time and 2. the collaboration of many people. <3