​If you read my last blog post, you might be thinking that my author life has been very busy and productive lately, and I guess this is partly true. But behind the scenes of these exciting opportunities another version of the story is in progress. A much slower one. One that has me grappling with the gift and struggle of how to ‘be still’ (Psalm 46:10). ​

​It’s an exciting time in Barefoot Springs. A new adventure is coming!
Barefoot Springs is the name of the fictional small town in which the Pet Sitters stories are set. (For those who aren’t familiar with the series, the Pet Sitters are a series of books I co-write with author Cecily Anne Paterson under the pen name Ella Shine.) On the first of May  this year, we’re launching a brand new story called Billy Goat Boogie!

Karl Grice from the Wandering Bookseller provided me with a copy of this book and I’ve had it sitting on my shelf awaiting review for quite some time. The reason: I guess I was afraid. I didn’t want to open a book retelling the parables of Jesus and find myself disappointed. Jesus’ parables, and the contexts in which he told his multilayered stories, are common fodder for Christian children’s books and sometimes the results are sickly sweet, overdone or just dull. So I procrastinated. I read other books and reviewed other titles. Until today, when I faced the warm tones of this children’s book and began to read.

Thinking to myself about limits and disappointments, weariness and pretense, I wrote this in my journal. I know the word failure can be contentious - it's not a popular word to apply to ourselves - but despite all the positive self talk in the world, and the way we can spin our failures to be steps towards success, I believe there are still days when we feel/know our failing deeply. This 'think' is for those days. ​

***

​Quit pretending
that you have it all together, 
that your dreams came true
and you look upon your life
with satisfaction. 
The truth is
and you know, know, know it