More Than Just a Book Release

Holding the very first copies of Made to Fly Free on launch day.

Launch Day Is Here

It’s a funny thing sitting here on launch day.

I’m surrounded by stacks of books while I sign copies and pack up preorders to drop in the mail today. And I can’t help but think back to the original spark of this story… just how quietly the idea lived in my heart long before I ever wrote the first draft.

So it feels a little strange that launch day is finally here.

And yet, in some ways, I also feel relief. After months of sharing about this book and trying to talk about it in a way that felt honest, it’s sweet to finally arrive at this moment.

More than anything, I simply wanted people to see that it really is possible to complete a story God has placed on your heart.

It’s surreal to finally hold this story in my hands

The Parts People Don’t See

There are so many pieces of the process readers never get to see.

When an idea first comes to an author, it often spends a long time quietly bouncing around in the background of everyday life. You wonder if the idea could actually become something. Could this little premise really turn into a story?

There are scribbled notes in the margins of notebooks, thoughts tucked away into Apple Notes, messy outlines, abandoned drafts, and tiny pockets of time stolen away for fifteen minutes here and there just to process the next scene or idea.

And then there are the pauses.

The months where you wonder if the story is ever going to come together at all.

Even waiting for the right illustrator became part of the journey. Looking back, I’m especially grateful for my husband encouraging me to count that search process as real work. I honestly don’t know how much longer I would have delayed searching for the right illustrator if he hadn’t challenged me in that.

Every time I walk through the publishing process, I discover new layers to learn, new expectations to manage, and new ways to grow. I’ve realized that people rarely see the slow pace of what it looks like to create something with care.

The Slow Work of Creating Something Meaningful

If I’m honest, there were many moments where I thought:

Surely people who know what they’re doing don’t take this long.

But I’m learning that there is purpose in the work even when it takes years.

Faithfulness matters more than perfection. Those small, messy beginnings often become the very things that carry us to the finish line.

So much of this story was built in ordinary moments at home.

The People Behind This Story

While writing the story itself was something I had to do on my own, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how grateful I am for the people who stood behind me throughout this process.

I’m grateful for my family cheering me on, and especially for my children, who inspired this story in the first place.

I’m grateful for Hannah, my illustrator, whose dedication and creativity made this project so special. Working with her was truly a joy.

And I’m incredibly grateful for every family and individual who pre-ordered this book before ever holding it in their hands. There’s something deeply humbling about people believing in something you created before it has even fully entered the world.

Most of all, I’m overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness through this process.

There were so many moments — both big and small — where He gently reminded me that He was present in the details. This journey has been incredibly special to walk through.

What This Journey Changed in Me

Looking back now, I can also see how much this experience has changed the way I think about creativity, obedience, and storytelling itself.

I’m realizing more and more how deeply stories shape a home.

Children notice more than we think they do.

One of the sweetest parts of this season has been watching creativity unfold naturally inside our family life. So many afternoons I would walk into a room and find the kids drawing, cutting, coloring, and creating their own little worlds.

And while I was working on my own story, our younger children began making their own little paper-and-staple stories inspired simply by watching someone else create nearby.

The beauty of this story began with noticing small things in the world around us.

That alone reminded me that creativity doesn’t always arrive through grand plans or perfectly organized projects. You don’t need to become a publishing expert before you begin.

You just need to start.

I truly believe God uses these small acts of obedience in ways we cannot fully see at the beginning.

More than anything, this journey has made me excited to encourage other families to tell their stories, too.

Sending It Out With Open Hands

Today feels less like crossing a finish line and more like sending something out into the world with open hands.

I don’t exactly know where this book will go, but I am deeply grateful for every family it reaches and every person who believed in this story before launch day ever arrived.

And honestly, if this story creates even one meaningful conversation between a parent and child, I think it would all be worth it.

One of my favorite parts of this process has been watching the story come to life through Hannah’s illustrations.

As these books begin landing in homes, I would absolutely love to see photos of your families reading them together. It would be such a gift to witness the ways this story is being shared and enjoyed.

Thank you for following along on this journey with us.

And if you feel this story might encourage another family, feel free to share it with them too.

Finally, I just want to encourage you with this:

If there’s something God has placed on your heart to create, don’t wait for perfection before you begin.

Take one small step at a time. The path usually becomes clearer as you walk it, because what God has called your family to create and steward is so meaningful.