The beginning
I grew up hearing Daddy tell the stories of his life–stories about his time fighting in World War II under General MacArthur, stories about his childhood, and his time as a young convert. I would see the spot where the bullet went into his neck and feel inspired by how God had worked. I felt compelled to share his life as a visualized children’s story.
By 2006, I had spent over twenty years involved in children’s ministry. I understood the need for materials. The only thing I didn’t understand was how I was going to pay for this venture. As I was wrestling with this, I talked to a friend. She was in her fifties, looking back on her life. She had dreams as a young woman, but she had never tried to step out on faith. She had listened to her fears. When I talked to her, I could hear regret in her voice. If she had tried, what would she have been able to do?
I didn’t know if I would be able to pull off self-publishing stories, but I felt determined that I must try! I didn’t want to be sitting around in my fifties, wondering if I could have shared what was in my heart. Living with regrets.
So I sat down with Daddy and wrote the script. I did not have the money I needed, so I did the only thing I could think of…borrow the money from Daddy! (Heehee) I worried that I would never be able to pay Daddy back the $4,000 I borrowed for this project.
I talked to my brother Joe, and instantly realized that his heart was beating with my heart! I had worried that I was spending my brothers’ and sisters’ inheritance.
Joe wasn’t worried. He told me that once we split $4,000 eight ways, there wasn’t going to be much anyway. He told me, “If you never are able to pay back the money, I can’t think of anything else better that Pap could have his money spent on. This is spreading his testimony.”
We ordered 1,000 books. I thought we would never get rid of them; I thought we would still have stories left when Jesus came back! To my amazement, we sold enough books to pay our bills, and I even paid back Daddy. We sold out and had to reprint! Instead of feeling like I took my siblings’ inheritance, I think that God used this book to help preserve their inheritance!
That one story was just the beginning. I have gone on to self-publish ten more visualized children’s stories and a couple of devotionals for adults. Together with Nomad Studios, we have starting producing biographical audio dramas.
I’m in my fifties now, and my heart is glad! So glad that I sat down with Daddy. Today it would not be possible; he went to heaven in 2016. So glad that God has allowed me to be a part of His big plan.