The Son in My Eyes

Did you ever play the sing-along-song-game, “Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?”

Do you remember the question and reply? “Who me? Couldn’t be!”
That’s how I sometimes feel I should answer when I am asked, “Are you a children’s author?”

I have to be honest and admit I never set out to be a children’s author, but God had different plans. I am living proof that God can use anybody and make them what they never dreamed they could be.

When I was around eight years old, I visited my paternal grandmother. I told her about a missionary story I heard at Sunday school. Grandma disappeared into her utility room and came back with a few sheets of typing paper stapled together and said, “Go write your own missionary story.”

A title flashed in my head and I scribbled it down on the front page—Mae Sue’s God. I wrote about an oriental woman, who worshipped idols and then heard of God’s love for her. Soon she came into a personal relationship with Jesus and destroyed all of her false gods. I even found a box of crayons and illustrated my tiny booklet.

Little did my grandmother know when she read every page and affirmed my efforts, she was helping mold me and whet my writing appetite.

Forty-four years later, I was hired to write a biography about a Vietnamese Buddhist woman who had a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ. (Mai Spencer’s book The Son in My Eyes was released in June.) Although Mai’s book was not for children, the proceeds from book sales go to some poor children in Vietnam.

When people ask me how they can write for the Lord. I encourage them to give their “writing” lunch to Jesus and watch it multiply. He has bigger dreams for us than we could ever dream for ourselves.

Father Knows Best

2010 has started with numerous full circle moments because they seem to be popping up everywhere I turn these days.

Childhood pictures of my two older brothers and myself are hard to come by. We do have a few black and white photos, but color photographs are almost obsolete. Our mother tells us most of our treasured pictures were destroyed by flood waters. God always seems to know when I need a little "wink" from Heaven and He sent me one today.

A few years ago, my grandmother's brother passed away and sometime later his daughter was rummaging through some old photos. She discovered a few photos she thought we might be interested in. You can imagine how thrilled we were when we opened the thick envelope and colored pictures of us as kids dropped out. In the picture above I am the little girl dangling Bongo, a children's picture book, from my hand. I'm clenching another unknown book in my other hand.

Of all the pictures she could have sent, she sends one of me holding a children's book. Somehow that spoke to me. It seemed it was already in God's plan for me to write for little ones. I pray my words will help shape small souls for Jesus!

After examining the picture for a few minutes, I brushed a tear or two from my eyes, and took another sentimental journey. I was probably around eight and visiting my paternal grandma. She had cut and stapled a few sheets of white paper together and told me to write a book about anything I wanted to. I began to write about an oriental woman, who worshipped idols. I remember titling my story Mae Sue's God.

Fast forward forty years later, I was hired by a precious Vietnamese woman named Mai Spencer to ghostwrite her life's story. Mai had been a Buddhist for most of her life, but when she lost her third child she called out to Jesus and her life was forever changed. I didn't write about Mae Sue's God, but I did write about Mai Spencer's God. ;-)

I don't believe in coincidence. I know this was Divine providence.

2010 is the year of full circle moments. Be on the lookout for them. ;-) They will build your faith in a Father who always knows best.