How We Found Our Illustrator

Right around this time last year, Dave and I were out on one of our evening walks, and our conversation drifted to what what might be next for Pathfinder Press. I had a children’s story ready. The manuscript was written. But there was one very obvious bottleneck—I didn’t have an illustrator.

If you’ve ever been in that place, where part of the vision is clear but one piece feels completely out of reach, you know how that can stall everything.

At one point in the conversation, Dave said something simple that shifted things for me: “Taking the time to look for an illustrator counts as work.” That might sound small, but it clicked. I had been treating the search like something extra, something I would get to when I had time. But in that moment, I realized this was the work.

The Work You Don’t Always See

So I started searching—Instagram, Threads, websites, comments, profiles. I wasn’t just looking for talent; I was looking for alignment. Someone whose style matched the vision I had for Made to Fly Free, but also someone whose values would fit what we’re building at Pathfinder Press. I cared just as much about the heart behind the work as I did the artwork itself.

If you’ve ever gone down that kind of rabbit trail online, you know how it goes. One click turns into ten (or a hundred). You follow one lead into another. And after a while, it can start to feel a little endless.

Finding the Right Fit

During one of those searches, I came across a thread where someone was asking for illustrator recommendations. So I started doing what I had been doing for weeks—reading through comments, clicking into profiles, looking through portfolios.

And then I found Hannah.

As soon as I saw her work, I felt a small spark of excitement. Her style was exactly what I had been imagining… soft, expressive, thoughtful. It just fit. So I reached out and sent her a message.

The Step That Felt Risky

I asked if she would ever be interested in illustrating a children’s book, and she responded quickly—yes, she would. We started chatting back and forth, and eventually I reached the point where I needed to share my manuscript.

That moment felt vulnerable. Because once you share your work, you’re opening the door to, “This isn’t for me.” And if she had said that, I would have simply had to keep searching.

But I took the step anyway.

I sent over my manuscript, a non-disclosure agreement, and a values statement. I had felt a nudge to write a values statement just to bring clarity to the heart behind Pathfinder Press and make sure we were aligned from the very beginning.

That same evening, she wrote back. She had received everything and was more than happy to sign, saying she was thrilled to be part of something that “glorifies God and is meant to preserve the innocence and wonder that children have.” I still remember my reaction. I literally let out a whoop of joy in our house.

(If you read last week’s conversation with Hannah, you probably caught a glimpse of the heart she brings to her work.)

Taking the Next Step

Right around that time, just after Mother’s Day, I sent her the manuscript. She got back to me the very next day.

She told me she would love to be part of the project, and one line she wrote has stuck with me: “Its wholesomeness put a smile on my face.” That alone felt like such an encouragement.

In that same message, Hannah shared that she’d like to begin working on preliminary sketches so we could start thinking through layouts, colors, concepts, and text placement. She asked for about two weeks to get those back to me.

While she was working on those, I used that time to prepare a working contract that would meet both of our needs moving forward. When I sent it over, she responded with a simple, “I’m all in!”

By the end of May, we had a signed contract, and the project was officially underway.

When God Connected the Dots

Not long after, we scheduled a Zoom call just to meet each other face-to-face. And during that conversation, Hannah shared something I’ll never forget—one of those happy-chills moments.

She told me she had recently been praying, asking God for an open door to begin illustrating children’s books. And two days later, I had messaged her.

At the same time, I had been praying that God would connect me to the right illustrator. Not just someone talented, but someone who would be a good values fit. There we were, her in California and I in Minnesota, and God had connected those dots in a way neither of us could have planned.

It was one of those moments that surely builds your faith.

Watching the Story Come to Life

From there, everything moved so smoothly. Within a short time, she had sketched out visuals for the pages. I love them so much that I actually went and changed the book size on her! I wanted a bigger format so her artwork would have more room to shine. By the end of summer, all of the illustrations were complete.

The entire process felt like a true collaboration... thoughtful, detailed, and steady. She brought so much life into the story, and it was such a gift to watch it unfold.

One Small, Sweet Detail

At the end of our first call, I asked her something I had been wondering: “Hannah… is your last name really Bird?”

She laughed and said yes, it was.

And I just sat there smiling, because Made to Fly Free is a story about a little bird family. It felt like one more small, unexpected detail that served as a reminder that God truly was in the middle of all of it.

If You’re in the Middle of Your Own Story

If you’re sitting on a story, or a step that feels unfinished because one piece is missing, I just want to gently remind you that the searching counts. The small steps count. The unseen work is so important.

You don’t have to have the whole path figured out. You just have to take the next step in front of you. It’s the only way to keep moving forward.

Because sometimes, on the other side of that step, God is already connecting pieces you can’t yet see.

An Invitation to Be Part of It

A few families have already joined the launch team, and it’s been really special to see.

It’s reminded me again how God connects people at just the right time, and I trust He’s still doing that.

If you’d like to be part of helping this story get into the hands of other families, I’d love to invite you in.

You can read more about the launch team here.