Life, Faith, Stories, Interests & Everything In Between
Blog #5
Beyond the Pages
Life, Faith, Stories, Interests & Everything In Between
What Writing My First Children’s Book Taught Me
I never imagined that one day I would write a children’s book.
Writing had always been part of my journey in one way or another. I had written devotionals, shared testimonies, prepared teachings, and put my thoughts into words for women through ministry. But writing a story for children felt different.
Then came Margie.
Margie: A Journey Beyond the Sea began with a simple idea, but as I worked on the story, I realized that writing a children’s book was teaching me much more than how to tell a story. It was teaching me how to see familiar things differently.
I Learned That Simple Stories Can Carry Deep Truth
When writing for children, I had to resist the temptation to explain everything.
Children don’t need complicated language to understand something meaningful. Sometimes a simple story can communicate a truth more clearly than a long explanation.
That challenged me as a writer.
I had to ask myself, What is the heart of this story?
Not every thought needed to be included. Not every detail needed an explanation. I learned that sometimes less really does say more.
I Learned to See Through a Child’s Eyes
Writing for children required me to slow down and think differently.
What would capture a child’s imagination? What would make them curious? What would make them want to turn the page?
I began paying closer attention to the little things—the emotions, the questions, the wonder, and the sense of adventure that children naturally carry.
It reminded me that wonder is not something we outgrow. Sometimes, as adults, we simply stop noticing it.
Writing Margie’s story invited me to notice again.
I Learned That Characters Have a Way of Coming Alive
At first, Margie was simply a character in a story.
But the more I wrote, the more her journey began to feel real to me. I found myself thinking about where she was going, what she was experiencing, and what she might discover along the way.
There is something special about watching a character move from an idea in your mind to someone a reader can connect with.
That was one of the joys of writing this book.
I Learned That Writing Takes Patience
Having an idea is one thing.
Turning that idea into a finished book is another.
There were moments when I had to go back, rethink a sentence, change a detail, or look at the story from a different perspective. What seemed simple at the beginning became a process of refining, revising, and paying attention.
I learned not to rush the story.
Sometimes the best thing a writer can do is step back, look at the words again, and allow the story to become what it needs to be.
I Learned That You Don’t Have to Know Everything Before You Begin
One of the biggest lessons I learned was that I didn’t need to have the entire process figured out before I started.
I simply had to begin.
As I moved forward, I learned more about children’s books, storytelling, illustrations, formatting, and publishing. Each part of the process revealed something I hadn’t known before.
That reminded me of something I have experienced many times in my walk with God: sometimes understanding comes while we are moving forward.
We may not have every answer at the beginning.
We just have to be willing to begin.
I Learned to Trust the Story
There came a point when I had to stop trying to make the story into everything I thought it should be and allow it to simply be the story.
That was freeing.
As writers, we can become so focused on getting everything perfect that we forget why we started writing in the first place.
For me, Margie’s journey was not about creating a perfect book.
It was about sharing a story.
And sometimes a story doesn’t have to say everything to say something meaningful.
Most of All, I Learned That It Is Never Too Late to Try Something New
Perhaps this is the lesson I treasure most.
Writing my first children’s book reminded me that new beginnings don’t have an expiration date.
You can discover a new creative expression in a season of life when you never expected it.
You can learn something you have never done before.
You can begin with a simple idea and watch it become something you can hold in your hands and share with others.
That is what happened with Margie.
What began as an idea became a book.
And the book became another part of my story as a writer.
I don’t know where every story will lead, but I have learned not to dismiss the small ideas that come to my heart simply because they seem unfamiliar.
Sometimes the beginning of something new is simply a thought that refuses to go away.
And sometimes, you just need to pick up the pen and begin.
Beyond the Pages
Every book begins with words on a page.
But sometimes, the writer discovers that the pages are teaching them something too.
Blog #4
Beyond the Pages
Life, Faith, Stories, Interests & Everything In Between
When a Story Changes While You’re Writing It: How Margie’s Journey Evolved
Have you ever started something with one idea in mind, only to discover that it becomes something completely different along the way?
That happened to me while writing Margie’s Journey Beyond the Sea.
When I first began writing the story, I did not imagine that it would eventually become the rhyming children’s book it is today. I simply had a story in my heart—a shell, a pearl, and a journey.
I began putting the words on paper, and before long, I had a complete, unedited story written at a level I believed children could understand.
I thought I knew what the story was going to be.
But I was only at the beginning.
Can a Children’s Story Change While You Are Writing It?
Absolutely.
Sometimes the original idea is only the beginning.
As writers develop a story, characters can become clearer, the message can become stronger, and the way the story is told can change.
That was my experience with Margie.
The story I first wrote was not in the same form as the finished book. Over time, it began to take on a different rhythm and personality.
What had started as a story gradually began to sound more like a poem.
The words wanted to rhyme.
The rhythm became more important.
The story seemed to invite a different way of telling it.
And eventually, Margie’s Journey Beyond the Sea became a rhyming children’s book.
That transformation was not something I had planned from the beginning.
It happened as the story developed.
Why Do Children’s Books Use Rhyme?
Rhyme has a special place in children’s literature.
Rhyming words can make a story memorable. Rhythm can make a book enjoyable to read aloud. Repetition and sound patterns can help children anticipate what comes next.
But there is another reason I came to appreciate rhyme.
It gave Margie’s story a voice of its own.
The story was no longer simply about what happened to Margie. It became about how her journey sounded as she traveled through it.
The words began to move together.
The story began to have a beat.
And I realized that the form of the book was becoming part of the experience.
For a young reader, a rhyming story can become something they want to hear again and again.
And that matters because children’s books are often experienced through read-aloud time—on a parent’s lap, before bedtime, in a classroom, or with a grandparent.
A story that is enjoyable to say aloud invites children to participate.
They listen for the rhythm.
They anticipate the rhyme.
They begin to remember the words.
And sometimes, they start saying the words along with you.
The Story Was Becoming More Than Words on a Page
As Margie’s story changed, I began to understand something about writing.
A story is not always finished simply because the writer has reached the last sentence.
Sometimes the story continues to develop after the first draft.
That doesn’t mean the first version was a mistake.
It means the story is still finding its form.
My first version gave me a foundation.
The later changes helped reveal what the story wanted to become.
This is something I have learned not only in writing, but in life.
Sometimes we begin with a plan.
We think we know what something will look like.
Then circumstances change.
New ideas come.
Unexpected opportunities appear.
And what we eventually create is different from what we first imagined.
Different does not always mean wrong.
Sometimes different means developed.
How Long Does It Take to Write a Children’s Book?
People sometimes imagine that a children’s book is written quickly because it is short.
But a short book can require a great deal of thought.
Every word matters.
Every sentence needs to serve a purpose.
The language needs to be understandable to children.
The story needs to hold their attention.
The illustrations need to support the words.
And when a book uses rhyme, the writer has another layer to consider: rhythm, sound, word choice, and flow.
For me, writing the first version of Margie’s story happened quickly.
But bringing the story to its final form was a much longer journey.
And then there was another part of the process I couldn’t control.
Finding the right illustrator.
The Nearly Three-Year Wait
After the story was written, I still needed someone who could bring Margie’s world to life visually.
Finding the right illustrator took almost three years.
That was a long time to wait when you have something in your heart that you believe you are supposed to bring into the world.
There were delays.
There were changes.
There were moments when I wondered how long it would take.
But the story continued to develop.
And as the years passed, the little pearl became more than an idea.
She became Margie.
Margie’s Journey Beyond the Sea was taking shape.
Looking back, I can see that the journey of creating the book was teaching me something about the very message within it.
Sometimes you have to be willing to continue even when you cannot see the finished picture.
Sometimes you have to trust the process.
And sometimes what begins as a small idea can become something much greater than you originally imagined.
What I Learned From Watching Margie’s Story Change
One of the biggest lessons I learned was to remain open to the process.
I could have insisted that the story remain exactly as I first wrote it.
But I allowed it to develop.
I paid attention to what was working.
I listened for the rhythm.
I considered what would make the story meaningful and enjoyable for children.
And little by little, the book became something different from where it began.
That doesn’t mean every change is the right one.
Writing still requires editing, discernment, and decisions.
But sometimes we need to recognize when a story is asking to be told in a different way.
From My Story to Yours
You don’t have to be a writer to understand this.
Maybe you started a project that turned out differently than you expected.
Maybe you began a new job, relationship, hobby, or season of life with one idea of what it would look like.
Maybe the path changed.
Maybe the original plan didn’t work.
Maybe the outcome surprised you.
That can be frustrating.
But it can also be beautiful.
We don’t always know what something will become when we first begin.
Sometimes the first draft is simply that—the first draft.
The beginning is not always the final form.
Sometimes You Have to Let the Story Unfold
Margie’s Journey Beyond the Sea taught me that creating something meaningful requires both intention and openness.
I began with a story.
The story became a rhyme.
The rhyme became a book.
And the book became a journey that eventually found its way into the hands of readers.
Looking back, I am grateful that I did not stop with the first version.
I allowed the story to grow.
And perhaps that is the lesson I carry with me beyond writing:
We may begin with an idea, but we don’t always know what it will become.
Sometimes we have to keep writing.
Keep listening.
Keep refining.
Keep trusting the process.
And sometimes, the story becomes better than the one we originally imagined.
That is what happened with Margie.
And I am grateful I allowed her story to change.
Blog #3
Beyond the Pages
Life, Faith, Stories, Interests & Everything In Between
Why I Chose a Pearl as the Main Character of My Children’s Book
Have you ever wondered why an author chooses a particular character for a children’s story?
Why an animal?
Why a person?
Why a particular object?
And why, in my case, a pearl?
When I began writing Margie’s Journey Beyond the Sea, the little pearl was not simply a cute character for an ocean story.
The pearl had meaning.
It grew out of the message I had been teaching, and over time I came to see how much a pearl could represent.
Why Is a Pearl Special?
When we think of a pearl, we often think of something beautiful and valuable.
But before a pearl is admired, it is hidden beneath the surface.
It develops over time.
Its beauty is not immediately visible.
That image speaks to me when I think about children.
Children are also developing beneath the surface.
Their confidence is growing.
Their character is forming.
Their interests are emerging.
Their understanding of the world is expanding.
They may not yet know what they will become.
And sometimes the adults around them don’t know either.
That is one reason a pearl felt like such a meaningful character.
Something precious may already be developing before anyone can see it.
The Pearl and Matthew 13
There is another reason the pearl is important in Margie’s story.
The idea came from Matthew 13:45–46, the parable of the pearl of great price.
At the women’s brunch where the idea for the children’s book began, I had been teaching from this passage.
Jesus told of a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he found one pearl of great value, he sold everything he had and bought it.
The image of the pearl stayed with me.
As I prayed about the children’s book I believed God had placed on my heart, the shell and the pearl became part of the story.
What began as a biblical teaching became the beginning of a children’s adventure.
And eventually, that little pearl became Margie.
Why a Pearl Instead of an Animal?
There is a reason so many children’s books feature animals. Animals are familiar, expressive, and easy for children to imagine as characters.
But I wanted something different.
I wanted a character that could carry a deeper image of value, growth, discovery, and transformation.
A pearl gave me that opportunity.
Margie isn’t simply a pearl because she belongs in the sea.
She is a pearl because her journey invites children to think about what can be discovered beyond the surface.
What may be hidden?
What may be developing?
What may still be waiting to be discovered?
Those questions are part of what makes Margie’s story meaningful to me.
What Can a Pearl Teach Children About Growth?
Children don’t become confident, courageous, curious, and capable overnight.
Growth takes time.
There are stages.
There are discoveries.
There are things children may not yet understand about themselves.
A pearl reminds me that becoming takes time.
We do not always see what is happening while it is happening.
That is true for children.
And it is true for adults, too.
Sometimes we look at where someone is today and forget that they are still becoming.
Why the Sea?
The sea was a natural setting for Margie’s story because a pearl belongs to that world.
But the ocean also provides something else: a sense of wonder.
To a child, the sea can feel enormous.
There is life beneath the surface that we cannot see.
There are places that have not been explored.
There are things to discover.
That makes an ocean adventure a wonderful setting for a children’s book about curiosity and discovery.
The sea invites questions:
What is beyond what I already know?
What might I discover if I explore?
What happens when I venture into unfamiliar waters?
Those questions are for children.
But they belong to adults, too.
Why I Named Her Margie
At some point, the little pearl needed more than a description.
She needed a name.
And that is how Margie came to be.
Giving her a name changed the story.
She was no longer simply “the pearl.”
She became someone readers could follow.
Someone they could care about.
Someone whose journey could become personal.
That is one of the beautiful things about children’s literature.
A character can become a companion.
Children can wonder with her.
They can worry with her.
They can celebrate with her.
And perhaps they can recognize something of themselves in her.
A Little Pearl With a Big Journey
I chose a pearl because I wanted children to meet a character who could live in an imaginative world while carrying a meaningful message.
Margie’s story is about curiosity.
It is about courage.
It is about discovery.
It is about what can happen when we go beyond what is familiar.
A pearl may be small, but that does not mean it is insignificant.
And perhaps that is another lesson worth remembering:
Never underestimate what can come from something small.
A small idea became a story.
A little pearl became Margie.
And Margie’s journey became a children’s book.
Blog #2
Beyond the Pages
Life, Faith, Stories, Interests & Everything In Between
Children’s Books About Courage: How Stories Help Children Face the Unfamiliar
How do you teach a child courage?
One meaningful way is through children’s books about courage. Stories can help children understand bravery, face unfamiliar experiences, and discover that being afraid does not mean they cannot be brave.
Children encounter new experiences throughout their lives. Starting school, making new friends, moving to a new place, trying a new activity, or facing a change they did not expect can bring excitement, but it can also bring fear and uncertainty.
For a child, something that may seem small to an adult can feel like a very big challenge.
That is why books that teach children courage can be so valuable. A story allows children to see courage through a character they can follow, understand, and identify with. Instead of simply telling a child, “Be brave,” a story can show them what courage looks like.
A good children’s book about bravery can help a child discover that courage is not the absence of fear. Courage can mean trying something new, continuing when something is difficult, asking questions, or moving forward even when you don’t know exactly what will happen next.
Stories can also give children a safe way to talk about feelings they may not yet know how to express.
A child may not know how to say, “I’m afraid of what is going to happen.” But after reading about a character who faces something unfamiliar, that same child may begin to open up.
“Were you ever afraid like the character?”
“What would you do if you were in that situation?”
“What do you think it means to be brave?”
These simple questions can turn a children’s story into a meaningful conversation between a child and the adult reading with them.
This idea of courage, curiosity, and discovering what lies beyond the familiar is at the heart of my children’s book, Margie’s Journey Beyond the Sea.
Margie is a little pearl who begins a journey beyond the sea she knows. Her story is about more than traveling from one place to another. It is about encountering something unfamiliar, discovering what lies beyond it, and finding the courage to continue.
And Margie’s story began in a way I never expected.
The Book I Never Planned to Write
Writing a children’s book was not on my mind.
Apparently, it was on God’s.
At the time, I was already working on another book—my memoir. I had no plans to write a children’s book, and I certainly didn’t know how to write one.
But during a women’s brunch at my home, something unexpected happened.
After I finished sharing the message with the women, my friend Angela approached me. She told me that she had seen a vision of me holding a children’s book. Then she told me that she believed I was supposed to write that book to encourage children.
I had no idea how to begin.
My first thought was probably the same thought many of us have when we sense God leading us into something completely unfamiliar:
“How would I even do this?”
I didn’t know how to write a children’s book.
I didn’t know what the process looked like.
I didn’t know how to turn an idea into a story for children.
But I knew how to pray.
That night, I began asking God if this was truly an assignment He had given me. The next morning, I continued seeking Him, asking for confirmation and direction.
As I prayed, the idea began to take shape.
Angela also reminded me that because I had homeschooled my children, I could approach the process almost as if I were creating an outline for a lesson. That gave me a starting point.
So I sat down and began writing an outline—not because I knew exactly what I was doing, but because I needed a framework for what I believed God was asking me to create.
The message I had been teaching at the women’s brunch came from Matthew 13:45–46, the parable of the pearl of great price.
And from that teaching, the story began to emerge.
A shell.
A pearl.
And a journey.
It felt as though the story had already been placed in my heart and mind. I wasn’t searching for an idea. I was simply trying to put into words what had already begun forming within me.
So I began to write.
Within hours, I had written an unedited version of the story in a form I believed children could understand.
I didn’t have all the answers.
I didn’t have an illustrator.
I didn’t even know exactly what the finished book would look like.
But I had begun.
And sometimes that is how an assignment from God unfolds.
You don’t always receive the finished picture.
Sometimes you receive the first piece.
Then you begin.
Blog #1
Welcome to Beyond the Pages
There are stories that become books.
And then there are stories that happen between the pages.
Welcome to Beyond the Pages.
I created this space as a place to share more than the books I write. Some of my stories come from faith. Others come from family, ministry, travel, hobbies, interests, lessons learned, and everyday experiences.
Some stories may begin with a Scripture passage. Others may come from a conversation, a place I have visited, something I have learned, or an experience that made me stop and think.
Some may even begin with a little pearl named Margie.
As an author, much of what I write eventually finds its way into a book. But not every thought belongs in a book.
Some experiences are simply meant to be shared.
There are lessons we learn while writing a book. There are stories behind the stories. There are interests we develop, skills we discover, places we visit, and ordinary moments that leave an unexpected impression on us.
That is what I mean by Beyond the Pages.
This is where I can share what happens beyond the finished book.
It is a place for stories, reflections, ideas, discoveries, and the things that make life meaningful.
What Will You Find Here?
You may find articles about books and writing, including what it is like to create a story, publish a book, develop an idea, or learn something new as an author.
You may find faith and spiritual reflections, including lessons from Scripture, personal testimonies, and encouragement for everyday life.
You may find life lessons that have come through relationships, transitions, family, ministry, and seasons I never expected.
You may also find hobbies and interests, practical skills, travel experiences, and other things I enjoy learning and sharing.
In other words, Beyond the Pages can go wherever life takes me.
Stories Can Teach Us
I have always believed that stories have a way of reaching us differently.
Sometimes we remember a lesson because someone explained it to us.
Other times, we remember it because we experienced it through a story.
A story can make us laugh.
It can make us think.
It can help us see something from another person’s perspective.
It can even help us recognize something about ourselves.
That is one reason I love writing.
I don’t simply want to put words on a page. I want those words to connect with real life.
Beyond the Books
My books are part of my journey, but they are not the whole journey.
There are stories that led to the books.
There are experiences that shaped the words.
There are people who influenced me.
There are lessons I learned before I ever knew I would write about them.
There are also things that simply interest me because they are part of life.
I want Beyond the Pages to be a place where all of those things can come together.
A Place to Explore
Perhaps you are here because you discovered one of my books.
Perhaps you found an article through a search.
Perhaps someone shared something with you.
However you arrived, I hope you find something here that is useful, encouraging, interesting, or simply enjoyable.
Maybe you will discover a new children’s book.
Maybe you’ll find a reflection that speaks to something you are experiencing.
Maybe you’ll learn something practical.
Maybe you’ll read a story that makes you smile.
Or maybe you’ll simply pause for a moment and see something familiar in a new way.
Life is full of moments like that.
Beyond the Pages Begins Here
My hope is that Beyond the Pages will become more than a collection of articles.
I hope it becomes a place where stories meet life.
A place where books can lead to conversations.
Where experiences can become lessons.
Where interests can become discoveries.
And where ordinary moments can remind us that there is often more to life than what first appears on the page.
Some stories are written.
Some are lived.
And some are still unfolding.
Welcome to Beyond the Pages.
I’m glad you’re here.
