Hear the Forgotten Voices by Alan Anderson

 

"[B]ut Jesus said, “Let the little children come

to me and do not hinder them, for to such

belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 19:14 ESV

A Brief Background

Since retiring from my work as a chaplain in healthcare in 2017, God has blessed me as a writer. I had the honour of contributing stories and poems to four books plus a series of articles to FellowScript Magazine. This honour continues as I am privileged to be a monthly contributor to our InScribe Blog.

My intent in stating this is not pride, but thankfulness toward God and the writers who encouraged me. I have yet to publish my first solo-authored book. Lord willing, I will.

I wrote my InScribe blog post of June 22, 2021 with a particular group of people in mind. They are grandparents who grieve the death of their grandchildren. They will also be the focus of my first book, Lord willing. Grandparents who grieve continue to be those whose voices have gained little attention from society. The idea for this book germinated in 2017 when I co-authored the book, Good Grief People, published by Angel Hope Publishing.

A Determined Focus

In June 2008, when my wife and I attended the Scottish Highland Games event in Coquitlam, B.C., our daughter told us devastating news. While bagpipes played in the background and Scottish dancers entertained nearby, our daughter approached us. She said, “Mom and Dad, I lost my baby.” The news stunned us into silence. We hugged her as she cried.

My daughter “lost” four babies altogether. One of my daughters-in-law also suffered a pregnancy loss. Numerous women, both young and mature, have recounted tales of infant loss to me over the years.

A common theme I gleaned from grandparents, especially grandmothers, is that they believe they must be “strong” for their families. Their view is by being strong, they will not give further upset to the grieving parents or other family members. They remain strong, but in reality, suppress their own honest expressions of their grief. Grandparents tell me they grieve in private, and their voices are often silent. People do not hear silent voices.

Regardless of what our grief-fearing or grief-evading culture says, to be “strong” in our grief is to express it in an honest manner. Grandparents possess the right to express sorrow openly. Society and especially other family members must not forget their voices and their utterances of grief.

A Voice Forgotten No More

In my experience of listening to grandparents who grieve over the death of their grandchildren, their words are poetic utterances. They are honest, although few in their expressions of their grief.

The original title of the book was Plant Them a Garden: A Reflective Work of Grief, Faith, and Poetry. A number of InScribe members liked the title, as did I. As time went on, however, and I heard more grief stories, I kept hearing, “We don’t have a voice.” After consulting with a few people, including other writers, I proposed another title. I am calling the book Forgotten Voices: Poetic Utterances of Grandparent Grief. This title is direct and concise.

While scanning through book topics and titles on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca I noticed there is not a lot written about grandparent grief. I pondered this reality, but the words, the voices of grandparents, encouraged me to persevere. Such platforms as Amazon seem to say grandparent grief is not marketable. Regardless, I focus on the voices of grandparents. Society overlooks their mourning and forgets their voices. I don’t.

I pray that the forgotten voices of grieving grandparents will soon reach someone's ears. Someday, only God knows when, I'll see my five grandchildren in heaven. Until then, I hope and pray, in my little way, to be one voice of those too often forgotten.

In Deroche, British Columbia, Alan shares his home with his wife, Terry, and their poodle, Charlie. Alan and Terry are grandparents of six grandchildren plus five grandbabies in heaven. Alan enjoys walking on the dike near his home, with trees all around and where he finds inspiration to write. He has occasionally written articles for FellowScript Magazine and is a regular contributor to the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship blog. Alan’s website and blog are https://scarredjoy.ca. He also writes on Substack.

My First Book by Steph Beth Nickel

 

Not That First Book

When I read the prompt for this month's posts, "tell us about your first book," I, like many writers, thought of my first (and as of yet, only) published book.

But then I thought, "No, the first book that I shared with others goes back many, many, many, many years."

When I was in school... (I can't remember if it was elementary or secondary school.) Way back then, one of our assignments was to write, illustrate, and produce a board book for young children.

I can still remember how I felt when my book was chosen as one to be displayed in our school library. It still brings a smile to my face decades later.

Books & I Go W-a-y Back

My mom loved books. Although my dad didn't read as much, he, too, was a reader.

It's no wonder I can remember many of the books I read as a child and some that my mom read to me.

Each Christmas my mom would read The First Noel and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas to me. I'm sure she read many others throughout the year, but I remember those two distinctly.

P. D. Eastman books, such as Go, Dog. Go!, Sam and the Firefly, and Are You My Mother were among my favourites. They were part of the "I Can Read It All By Myself" series, published by Dr. Seuss. I also had several more books in the series.

And like many young girls, I read a plethora of Nancy Drew books. This is where I first learned about including cliffhangers at the end of a chapter. It was also where I picked up the just-one-more-chapter philosophy of reading.

As the Years Went By

Reading (and writing) remained an important part of my life until, ironically, I attended Bible College. Because our Required Reading List was so long, it was over a year and a half after I left college that I picked up a book just for the sheer pleasure of doing so.

Over the years, I've written several articles; dozens of blog posts, poems, and devotionals; a number of unpublished picture book manuscripts; and at least a couple of partially finished fiction manuscripts. Additionally, I coauthored Paralympian Deb Willows' first memoir, Living Beyond My Circumstances. We are currently working on a follow-up volume, tentatively titled Keep Looking Up.

Currently, I post to Substack one to two times per week. On Mondays, I publish a chapter of the YA (young adult) manuscript I'm working on, and on Fridays, I post devotionals based on the gospel of John that I originally wrote for HopeStreamRadio.

From Board Books to...

While some writers "stay in their lane," this isn't in my nature. And that's okay.

Do I plan to publish my YA novel and a selection of the devotionals I've written? I do.

Would I like to publish some children's books? I would.

Will I continue to write blog posts and other short pieces? I would imagine so.

Whatever I end up writing and putting out into the world, it had its foundation in a little purple board book displayed in a country school library way back when.

Steph Beth Nickel is the former Editor of FellowScript and the current InScribe Contest Coordinator. Steph is an editor and author and plans to relocate to Saskatchewan from Ontario to be close to family in 2027, Lord willing. (Headshot Photo Credit: Jaime Mellor Photography)

An Interview about a First Book by Sandi Somers

 

Interviewer: Greetings, everyone. Today we have a special guest, Sandra K. Somers, commonly known as Sandi, to talk about her first published book, Divine Encounters: 21 Stories of God’s Miraculous Ways. 

INT: The title sounds intriguing. Tell us what the book is about.

SKS: These personal stories illustrate how God often comes to us in ways that surprise and inspire us. Then I follow each narrative with a meditation, reflection questions to journal, and a prayer.

INT: The dramatist Jennifer Lee said, "Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire." What set you on fire to write this book?

SKS: While living in Colombia, South America, I read how Paul Freed developed his Trans World Radio in the late 1950s and early 60s—a station I listened to—and how God provided $500,000 in six months to set up a station in Monte Carlo, Europe ($5 million in today’s exchange rate!). Amazing! I realized God could do so much more in my life than small requests that I had made—and I began to seek God’s abundance. From there, I wrote to encourage readers to invite the Lord into their situations and believe He could do more, so much more for them.

INT: People are always fascinated by where authors get their ideas. How did your inspiration come about?

SKS: I was in Edmonton visiting a friend and a cousin, and in between I visited the Conservatories. While enjoying the different plant environments, ideas began bubbling up, and so I listed a number of new stories/devos and some shorter versions which had been published in devotional books.

INT: I’m fascinated to know why you chose 21 stories? Not 31 nor 51…

SKS: I began aiming for 75, but in drafting I ran out of ideas by about #60 and couldn’t discover more. A coach advised me to break down the project into a more manageable size—about 21 stories per book. It was a much better process and enabled me to work within a tighter theme.

INT: Yes, we often have to adapt our plans. What other challenges or difficulties arose while writing this book?

SKS: After the stories and devos were written and edited, I had the more tedious task of reviewing and rereading each story, cross-checking for appropriate and duplicate Scriptures—and I stalled. The Lord had to nudge me to quit procrastinating.

INT: God sometimes has to prompt us to keep us following His plans. Now in contrast, what positive things did you learn about the writing process?

Mostly I was so aware of how God brings people into my life when needs arise. Feedback from my local InScribe writers’ group members was invaluable as they critiqued articles, then became beta readers and editors—and even a formatter and publisher! I gained new appreciation for their own gifts and talents.  

INT: In what ways did writing change you? What surprised you most?

SKS: I had two major “Aha” moments. One was to pay attention to moments where God is active. In one story, I write about how a friend told me she was praying for me at the exact time I needed help. If I hadn’t paid attention to the connection, I might have just said, “Thanks for praying.”

The second major discovery was that we have a creative God. Several stories point to how He sometimes answers our requests in ways we can’t imagine.

INT: Do you have plans for writing another book?

SKS: Actually, I have plans for several more, and I’ve asked the Lord to help me finish what I believe He’s calling me to write.

I’m deep into my second book, The Obstacle Is the Way: 21 Stories of Meeting Life’s Challenges. The writing is going much faster this time.

INT: Tell me more. What is making the difference?

SKS: With Diving Encounters taking so long, I’m learning to give myself a deadline to complete it. Yet I know that in summer months my writing slows down because I’m busier with outside activities, visiting others, and travelling. I also decided to give myself extra breathing room in case health, family issues, or other emergencies demand my time and energy. I’ve had to move my deadline to mid-September.

Another process is to combine the creative work of writing and editing with the more tedious tasks of checking Scriptures that apply, choosing the front and back matter, and developing the introduction as I go along. This synthesis has really helped to speed things up!

INT: There’s such an emphasis on marketing these days. Tell me how you’re getting your work into the public.

I’ll admit it is a challenge. Yet the morning after my book went live on Amazon, the Lord gave me a special verse: "As thou goest, step by step, I will open up the way before thee" (paraphrase of Proverbs 4:12 NKJV). God has given me ideas and opportunities.

INT: This has been an enlightening conversation, Sandra/Sandi. What advice can you give your readers?

SKS: God has great plans for you and gives you a vision of what He wants you to write.  Thank God for that vision and work towards unleashing your dreams.

But more: pray into that vision. Invest deeply in your spiritual life, Scripture reading, and prayer to receive His wisdom and words.

 And finally, I’m reminded of the Lord’s promise: “God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns (Philippians 1:6 NLT).

The Lord knows how many books we can write, and I have confidence that He will complete His purposes for all of us.

INT: Thank you for this interview, Sandra/Sandi. I look forward to reading your second and future books as they are published. 

Sandi Somers’ writing passion is to help readers grow their faith in Jesus, including their vision of what God wants them to be and do. She writes of her love of nature, gardening, travel, and family in several genres—devotionals, personal essays, and Biblical fiction. Sandi lives in Calgary, Alberta, the delightful city between the Rocky Mountains and the Prairies.

Book of a Lifetime ~ Valerie Ronald

 

I remember the smell and feel of the new school scribbler on the desk in my childhood bedroom. Within its blue cover, blank pages waited to receive my first attempt at writing a book. I was eight years old. Now that I could read and print, I was eager to record the story swirling around in my head. Determined to fill the notebook, I laboured with my limited vocabulary to describe scenes of a log cabin and the family living in it, especially a girl just my age. My stubby pencil hardly kept up with her adventures pouring out of my mind. The notebook was never filled as my focus moved on to some other childhood interest, but I remember the excitement of creating a whole world from my imagination. 

Throughout my school years and post secondary education in journalism, writing was my passion. I planned to make it my career and hoped someday to publish a book. I worked for a few years in my chosen field but too soon marriage and a growing family took over. I barely had time or energy to journal occasionally, never mind write a book.

Fast forward fifty years and finally the dream is becoming a reality. My first book will soon be launched. Each Shining Moment is a devotional compilation of my many moments of lingering in God’s light. They comprise a lifetime of experiences and lessons gleaned from my walk with God and time in His Word. But it is not the book I thought I would write when I first dreamed of being published so many years ago. I imagined a work of fiction with exciting characters, vivid settings, and a riveting plot. God was not included in the story then.

It wasn’t until life became hard that I knew I needed to include God. I struggled in a painful marriage, raising my children alone while my husband pursued his own adventures, eventually abandoning his family. Then came a time of clinging to God through the deep valley of a cancer diagnosis and an uncertain future. I am so thankful God renewed my health and brought me to a place of peace and blessing, giving me an opportunity to finally write a book.

Now I realize that the book I was meant to write needed to rise from the ashes of adversity so others could hopefully identify and learn from what God taught me. Looking back over the deep truths God instilled in me in those hard places, I see His perfect timing and wisdom in having me wait until my senior years to write this book.

It is not about me. It is all about Him. 

"Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips."  Hosea 14:2 NIV
 

 Valerie Ronald writes from an old roll top desk in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, with her tortoiseshell cat for a muse. A graduate of Langara College School of Journalism, she writes devotionals, fiction and inspirational prose. Her purpose in writing is to encourage others to grow in their spiritual walk.