When I used to work 8-to-5 office jobs, sometimes I would just get so tired in the afternoon that I craved a nap, but it was not really allowed, permissible or welcomed for office employees to take naps at work. Also, since midway through college, I have always wanted to edit Christian books, because as a journalism and public relations major and an English minor, and then later as a graduate student in technical writing and professional communication, I learned all about proper grammar and punctuation, making sure thoughts were clarified and complete, and all that good stuff. But in my spare time (and yes I know it’s not proper to start a sentence with the word “but” but it’s becoming more common now and I’ve jumped on that bandwagon 😊), I was reading Christian books that had excellent messaging but were terrible on the editorial end. I thought, I can’t recommend these to my academic peers. There’s no way they would take these books seriously. The way the books were written didn’t sound very smart, even though actually the messaging and concepts within them carried much more wisdom than anything I could read in a secular school. (No offense to my university, but you just can’t beat the things of God 😊).
“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27).
However, I could not do what I am doing today if it weren't for the writing and editing education I received at Kansas State University, nor if it weren't for the spiritual transformation I received during my time at K-State, starting with my return from a mission trip to India and climaxing with my baptism in Carmen Schober's parents' pool. (And what happened on campus the day after my baptism; another blog post will share that dramatic true story.)
During my time at K-State, the Lord grew a desire in me to edit Christian books in such a way that they would be palatable even to people who are academically educated but who may not be accustomed to “Christian-ese” or anything biblical.
Well, today, I have been in the midst of working on the third Christian book that I have edited or co-edited since the start of 2020.
The first, "Daughter of the King — How to Find Your True Royal Purpose and Identity," by Christi Given, is now available through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Nook and Kindle. The second, "A Handbook for Life," by Grammy-nominated Platinum producer Tony Salerno, was recently published and distributed at the first-ever Forever Kids Luncheon, which benefited children in foster care. (I will let you know when that book is purchasable!)
I am waiting to announce the book I am currently editing until it is published, but I will tell you now that it is a sacred book authored by a former actress who became a student of the Lord and, eventually, a teacher of the Bible. This beautiful woman starred and co-starred in TV shows, mostly in the 1980s and somewhat in the 1990s, before surrendering her life to Jesus Christ. Her focus then turned from acting to prayer, Bible study and worship, and she started working at "regular jobs" instead of the ones that put people on screen, though she did star in a Pureflix film in 2014.
Her book is fascinating, but just like at my previous jobs (possibly partly because I focus so intensely while editing), I got really tired this afternoon.
I needed to take a nap.
As I was falling asleep in the breezy shade on this sunny day in my backyard — in California, where I’ve always dreamed of living — I realized how blessed I am to get to edit Christian books and to get to do it on my own schedule, where I can nap when needed and then wake up, have a snack, and get right back to it.
(And even pause shortly after getting back to work to share my little “dream come true” story here on my blog and social media 😊).
When we follow God, are faithful to Him, and continually submit to His leading, He brings it all to pass. Sometimes He fulfills our original desires and other times He changes our desires so that they align with His will for our lives.
But either way, the final destination in a life of following Christ is always joy.