My Book

 

On October 14, 2016 I was thinking that when I was in elementary school we would be asked by our teacher to make up a short story.  At the time I couldn’t think of one off the top of my head, so in case anyone had writer’s block there was a bunch of photos in a box for people to choose from to be used to make a story up from the photo.  I found at that time that I had to see something to be able to imagine a story.

Later in high school when I took writer’s craft I found that it became easier to write.  I often took experiences from my own life and incorporated them into a story or essay.  I didn’t need a picture this time as I had read many books by this point and been to many places which made it easier to write a story.

After high school I didn’t do much writing, besides writing in my journal.  When I went to Mercy Canada for help, they often had reflective writing assignments on a teaching video or a book that we read.  One of the staff pointed out to me that I wrote well.  I was surprised as I didn’t think much of my writing at that time.

There came a point when I felt like I wanted to self-harm at Mercy and for once I wanted to work through it, so I reached out to a staff member to help distract me.  She was trying to think of a way that she could help me when she thought of something that would distract both my mind and hands.  She remembered that I wrote well and asked if I could write her a story.

I was a bit nervous at first as I had never written a story in the spur of the moment before.  I asked her what she wanted it to be about, and she replied with ‘an animal.’  Then I asked for the type, with which she replied ‘a bird.’  I went to the table and decided to write a story about a baby bird and its mother.  I ended up writing it in 45 minutes, which quite surprised her and even myself.

Another staff on shift then asked to have a story written for her, but this time she didn’t give me any ideas about what to write.  I heard a cute joke before about a child mixing up what they heard when an adult said ‘stand by the cross I bear’ connected with Christ and the child thought they said ‘Stanley the crossed eyed bear.’  That’s when I thought I would write about Stanley for the staff.

After 35 minutes I finished the story and I read it to the Mercy girls and staff.  They were amazed how I could write a children’s story so quickly.  That’s when it got me thinking that maybe one day I could become a children’s author.

When I got home from Mercy I decided to write a few more stories and I sent off three of my favourite ones to publishers.  I got rejection letters from all of the publishers I sent them to.  I wasn’t discouraged as I knew that often happens in the beginning.  A lady at my church suggested a Christian publisher where she had a book of hers published, so I decided to send my story there.

A month later I was surprised to find out that the publisher wanted to publish my story.  I found out it was more of a self-publisher as you had to pay to have your book produced, but I was still excited.

The story that I ended up publishing was ‘Stanley the Bear.’  I was proud that someone would want to publish my story.  I write my children’s stories with a ‘moral of the story’-type theme as I think it is always important for a child and even an adult to learn a life lesson.

It’s amazing to see how God let me find out about Mercy through a friend and while there I ended up writing a story that I would later have published.  It showed me that even in the hard things in life there can be good things going on.

Patricia <3 J

James 1:5    If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

A reminder for those in need for help to check out Mercy Canada. https://mercycanada.ca/

 

Here’s a song about feeling a lot of pain and tears were coming up, but you know that our Lord saw us during those difficult times.  At the same time, you can feel so alone, and you are trying your best to be strong and you can feel like there is no one to turn to, but that’s when you find the Lord as He was always there with you all this time through everything.  He will never leave you and will restore you in this life.

Through every heartbreak, failure, and broken dream God see’s you, and rescues you.

 

“All This Time” by Britt Nicole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bw8pIoLeMU&list=PL3whQX319DaB37iB8NZpJe206iSdpe3kc&index=157