Open Bible Baptist Church and the Navajo Reservation

 Where to begin...

My first mission trip without my family was a new and exciting adventure - one I hope to take with them next time.

My friend, Halee, had been wanting to take a trip to Waterflow, New Mexico to visit Open Bible Baptist Church where Bro. Don Chitty pastors. When she mentioned it to me, I was excited. When Bro. Chitty visited our church in November 2022, I was dying to take a trip out west. I am so thankful that God had allowed me to save up some money to be able to take the trip. If it was a year and a half ago, I would not have been able to go.

It did not work out for last fall, but we were able to go at the beginning of this month.  I enjoyed our trip so much. I learned a lot, and I was stretched in ways I did not know I would be stretched in.

When my dad mentioned to Bro. Chitty that Halee and I had been wanting to see the ministry at OBBC, Bro. Chitty was glad that we wanted to come. He said that the church had been praying for teachers since his wife would be retiring after this school year. Dad told him that there was a young lady in our church who is a teacher. Of course, it would be sad to lose Halee, but his heart was broken by the need at Open Bible Baptist Academy. My friend is praying about it, but she at least has to finish out the school year at the Florida Sherriff Youth Ranch where she teaches. It is a big decision, for the youth ranch needs a godly testimony in Halee, too. 

We set the date and purchased our tickets. We were even prepared to scoop manure at the ranch if need be. (Bro. Chitty lives on a ranch with horses and cows. Every year they host Cowboy Camp Week in May.) I had gone in with my dad to get the buy one, get two free deal at Boot Barn, so I was ready with my work boots, just in case ;). 

We flew out Saturday, March 30, and got to Durango around noon where Bro. Chitty picked us up. We had a layover in Denver. The flight from Denver to Durango was very turbulent. I had fun though. It reminded me a little of a roller coaster. One little girl giggled when the plane bounced along with the turbulence. Halee used her neck pillow and closed her eyes, but I was dying to look out the window since we were passing over snow-capped mountains. Halee had picked our seats so she had the aisle seat, and I had the middle. The kid I was sitting next to took a couple pictures out the window for me.

The drive from Durango, Colorado, to Waterflow, New Mexico was beautiful. Once you start to get into New Mexico, the terrain becomes a little more rocky, but it is pretty. I took a bunch of pictures. I was so excited to be out west, for the farthest west I had been was Texas.

Bro. Chitty took us for burgers, but he wouldn't let us pay for any meals. In fact, on Monday, when we needed to get gas before going onto the reservation, Halee offered to gas up his truck, but he would have none of it. When he finally did take her card, he got out of the truck and put it underneath his windshield wiper. Halee had to jump out and get it when he went inside to pay!😂

I had just gotten over Flu B, so I was still trying to get my appetite back. Bro. Chitty wondered why I wasn't eating very much those first few days.

I am glad we arrived in the afternoon, that way we could get our bearings and the lay of the land. He took us to the blue guest house at the ranch. It was really nice with a kitchen, two baths, two bedrooms. The house even had a washer and dryer which was such a blessing.

Our view from the front door

After we were settled and another family who was from Locust Grove, Georgia arrived, Bro. Chitty, gave us a tour of the church and school, as well as the ranch and tabernacle they use during their Cowboy Camp Meeting. Like any building, there is always work to be done. He showed us the Navajo chapel where they have a service in Navajo. They even have their own hymnal which is really cool. The chapel needed new flooring, but a team from Hanes City, Florida was supposed to come to put flooring in. Other areas needed work as well - the bathrooms in the dining hall at the ranch were in the middle of being refinished, half of the double-wide trailer needed to be renovated (a couple who stay in half of it were fixing it up), a few upstairs rooms at the church need to be fixed up, and the prophet's chamber needed new carpeting. I think the only perfect buildings are the mansions Jesus is preparing for us in Heaven.

On Sunday, we were able to go to Open Bible Baptist Church's Easter service. We went around shaking hands to show the people that we love them and not don't look down on them because they are Navajo Indians. They were very nice. A few of them came up to us and asked if we were the teachers. I had to tell them, "Well, she is," and pointed at Halee.😊 

We were able to hear Bro. Chitty preach. Afterward, they had an Easter egg hunt and an egg toss competition. It was so windy and cold, but it was fun. After the egg hunt and egg toss, Mrs. Regina Chitty made us a good old southern lunch with ham, ham rice, two kinds of greens, mac n' cheese, two kinds of cornbread, and corn she put up in the freezer like my Mam-maw used to. It was a lot of good food. We had leftovers after church that night, but I am a leftovers kind of girl. The assistant pastor from Heritage Baptist Church in Locust Grove preached the night service. I really liked his wife, Amanda, and their family.

On Monday, Bro. Chitty picked me and Halee up, showed us the school, and then took us to the Navajo Indian reservation. When you see green signs lining the median, you know you are driving onto federally owned land. When you first drive onto the reservation, you see the houses that have running water and electricity. They call it the red apple. On the outside, they have the red skin of the Indian, but on the inside, they live like white people. (It is sad to think that there are some people who are still prejudiced simply because of the color of one's skin.)  When you drive deeper onto the reservation you see the poor state they live in and your heart is burdened. It is so true that the eye affects the heart.

This one is called Snoopy Rock. Bro. Chitty had us close our eyes and

 imagine Snoopy lying on top of his doghouse with his nose in the air. 

When we opened our eyes, it really did look like Snoopy.

 I took so many pictures and a lot of notes. It is so sad that in 1850, we dropped them off in the desert to die. Though many did, they had to learn to survive. When you hear that they were dog eaters, it's because they had to find what they could to eat - prairie dog, cactus, rabbits, whatever they could find. Water and game were unavailable in the desert. Still to this day, 62% of the Navajo nation living on the reservation have no electricity or running water. They have to pay to live in one half of a duplex, but the catch is, they have to have six people in their family. The way their house is set up, is they sleep in the same room with the beds lining the walls. We so often take for granted the blessings we have. We could have been in their shoes. Though African Americans may talk of racism and black lives matter, Native American Indians are often more hated. Even to this day, it is sad that many hate them. They are living souls just like all of us. We all need Jesus. I am so thankful that Bro. Chitty and his family were willing to go about 40 years ago or so. You can tell they love their people.

After we got back from the reservation, we drove through Farmington, one of the largest cities in New Mexico nearby though it seems to be the size of Gainesville. Then, after lunch, we went back to the school and helped Mrs. Chitty's class. She taught the kindergarteners, and the first through third graders did ACE paces which will change to all Abeka next school year. I got to help grade papers and let the students read to me. Though I was out of my element helping at school, I enjoyed it.

 

When we came back, I put on my boots and we took a walk outside. To see the horses at the ranch was a good walk from the guest house, so when we were done walking in one direction, I continued in the other direction to see the horses by myself. I wish I knew what their names were. Sadly, I still haven't worn my boots in yet, so I got a good blister afterward.

That evening, a young lady named Bunny who was around our age took us out to eat at a Mexican restaurant called Si Senor. I really liked Bunny; she was very sweet. After dinner, she took us to Walmart so we could get some things for a fruit salad we were going to make for their Wednesday night soup dinner after church.

 A few of the nights, Halee and I stayed up late talking and laughing. We were friends before, but we really connected on this trip.

On Tuesday I was glad to help Mrs. Renee Chitty's class upstairs where the middle and high schoolers went, but I think I enjoyed helping the younger kids downstairs more. I felt like I could be more of a help to them. Halee was in her element upstairs since she teaches high school math and science at the Florida Sherriff's Youth Ranch. She loved seeing the school. This is a hard decision for her. She is needed in both places, so we are praying that the Lord will show her where He wants her to be.

When we got back that afternoon, we worked outside to clean up some trash around the area Bro. Chitty and the two boys from Locust Grove were clearing out. After that, I was able to pull out my notebook and sit outside. I did something I did when my family took our camping trip back in October of last year. I used my five sentences to write short one-line descriptions like wind blowing through the trees, the crunch of gravel, etc. I had wanted to jot down descriptions from the West for one of my future novels. I am glad I was able to do it.

Tuesday night we joined their church wide visitation. They have an extra emphasis on soul-winning during April. On Wednesday, Halee helped upstairs, I helped below, and then we worked with the older students to clean the gym from top to bottom for their Champions of the Lord Volleyball and Basketball competition. Halee and I made a fruit salad to bring to their soup dinner after church. They had at least four different schools in for the competition. One was even from California. That night after church, they had their first games. It was fun watching them. I had not seen a volleyball game since watching my cousins play. It made me want to play volleyball so bad. I wish I was good at it.

Thursday, we helped Mrs. Regina Chitty's class downstairs since the older students were playing for the OBBA volleyball and basketball teams. I did get to watch the girls' volleyball team play during part of it while Halee stayed to help Mrs. Chitty, and then I went back to help when their set was over. After school, we went to watch the afternoon and early evening games. Halee and I each got some nachos to eat during the game. It was so good. I love going to concession stands.:) Halee even helped Mrs. Renee Chitty keep score for some of the basketball games.  During one of the basketball games, I stepped outside to video call Brenna and Asa since I was missing them. Little Asa got to get out of his bed to say hi to his Aunt Bethy. Around 7:30-8:00, Bro. and Mrs. Chitty took us out to Chilis. I am glad we got to have some two-on-two time with them. 

On Friday, before we left, we cleaned the guest house and then got to take pics of the horses and tabernacle.

After that, Mrs. Regina Chitty picked us up to take us back to the school so we could watch one more game, and take pictures with some of the people. The students said they liked having us as "teachers" and wanted us to seriously pray about coming back and working at their school.

Though I enjoyed seeing the ministry, working in the school, and being west, I know High Springs and Fort White are where God has me. This is my home until the Lord comes back, I get married, or He gives me a clear answer that He wants me somewhere else. Just like Open Bible Baptist Church and Academy need people, my church needs me. And in the words of Pauline Harris from the Anne of Avonlea movie, "It's nice being needed."

Reaching Out Into the Community

 I have read about it in books. I have seen it done by the government and charities. I have even written about it in my book, Redeeming Louise. But I have always wanted our church to do it. And this Christmas, we were able to reach out into our community.

Someone had contacted a missionary family that goes to our church about some Christmas shoebox gifts. Churches from all over were given 20 or so shoe boxes to fill with goodies for boys and girls, even adults. They wanted to know if our church would like the boxes to pass out in our community. We jumped at the chance. I don't know the exact number, but I think it was somewhere around 2,000 boxes with labels for young girl, young boy, 3-6 yr. old girl/boy 6-9 yr. old girl/boy, teen girl/boy, adult man, and adult woman. All the boxes had different goodies inside - anything from hairbows, toothbrushes, toys, and candy to gift cards - you name it. And each box was free for the taking.

When we got there and I heard we had an hour before it started and no one from the neighborhood was there yet, I was glad when my friend, Halee, wanted to sit on the swings. If I'm not busy doing something, then I get nervous just waiting.😊

Our first outreach with the boxes was in our bus neighborhood. It was led by my brother-in-law, AJ, and my sister, Brenna who run our bus route (really our van route at the moment). Many people from our church came to help. We met at the park in our bus neighborhood. We had a great number of people show up - mostly kids. A lady in our church baked three different Christmas cookies for us to hand out while people showed up for the giveaway. AJ was able to preach the Gospel, and two souls were saved afterward. Praise the Lord! One of them was even led to the Lord by my brother, Silas. It was his first time to lead a soul to the Lord, and we are so proud of him. After the Gospel message, our missionary family in charge of the boxes opened up the trailer and started passing out boxes. The kids and families were so thankful. We were also glad that the Lord had held back the rain for us.

That was on a Saturday. On Tuesday, we still had plenty of boxes left, so we went to the Fort White community center where they were doing a food drive. We had a lot of volunteers from our church again. There were three long lines of cars, and we did a lot of running back and forth. People were so thankful. We had one that quickly turned us away saying that they did not celebrate Christmas, but that was okay. We just kept on going to all the cars. I was so excited when we came upon a lady who had thirteen children since we still had a lot of boxes even after the fifty-something cars. We asked how many kids or grandkids they had, we gave the adults in the car a box, too, and we passed out Gospel tracts. That is the difference between us and the world: we don't just do giveaways. We care about their souls.

When we were finished there, we still had a lot of boxes left, so we decided to take the boxes and pass them out at Winn Dixie. Grammy and Uncle Marc had ridden in the church van for the morning outreach, so we took them with us. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Hardee's, then met up with our missionary family to pass out the rest of the boxes. By this time, we mostly had boxes for children under 12. After we got permission from Winn Dixie, we set up two tables near the doors. As people came out and in, we asked them if they had any kids or grandchildren. Many were thankful. It was like a competition between the two tables. Grammy was trying her hardest to beat Dad's table. She was so excited when a teacher from Alachua asked to take some boxes to the kids in her school. We were there all afternoon. It was not quite how I imagined my Tuesday to go, but I had fun. 

Mom, Callie, Brenna, and I even sang some Christmas carols. I loved that part. It felt like I was in an old Hallmark movie. 😊When one of our church ladies showed up, we invited her to join us in singing Christmas carols. When we only had girl boxes left, we called it a day. By the end of the outreach, we had shown many families in Alachua, High Springs, and Fort White that there was a church that cared. Most importantly, the Gospel was given.

I felt like Louise and Agatha from Redeeming Louise with their mission of love. Though we do not base what we do on feelings as Christians, it does feel good to reach out into the community and show others that we care - even with something as simple as a shoebox gift at Christmas time.

Catching Up With the Author

 I feel like my life has been super busy the past couple of months. Not only has it been the holiday season, but it has also been NaNoWriMo, Church budget season, and Christmas revival. I'm enjoying this time of my life. I thought I would do one big post to catch up.

October Operations and Outings

My desire since I was 14 has been to write books for young ladies, but I cannot ignore the ministry God has also given me a ministry to serve in as the church secretary for Victory Springs. Our church changed our fiscal year to November 1 through October 31 that way we would not have to worry about budgeting for the new year during Christmas. Needless to say, October was pretty busy secretary-wise.

 I was also gearing up for NaNoWriMo. I wanted to learn more about London, so I checked out a few books from the library. I did not get to read all of them, but that was okay. One book that I really enjoyed was Dirty London: the Victorian Fight Against Filth. I learned so much about that period for the sequel to my second book, Redeeming Louise. In Redeeming Louise, the focus was on the London social season, but for my next book, I wanted to look into what life in London was like for the poor people. I took so many pages of notes. I tried reading another one, but it had a bad word from a source the book quoted. I was not able to finish that one. I also started reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I only made it halfway through; I want to finish it eventually, but I will have to see when I get to it.

My family was able to go on a camping trip. It was Silas, Callie, and Micah's first camping trip, and we had to much fun. There is nothing like getting away for a few days and spending extra time with your family. It was very refreshing. We arrived at the park where we camped on Monday and left Wednesday to go to the Warner Robins Museum of Aviation. We got a hotel that night that way we could get cleaned up for church. I was not allowed to read any of my books on London while we were at the campsite, but I did read some of it on the way home.

I also posted more on social media. For some reason, I have always had a hard time keeping up with Facebook, but I have been enjoying having Instagram. Now, I just post on Instagram and link it to Facebook. It has been working well for me. I have also been using Canva a lot. I have designed so much within the past couple of months between Instagram posts and book covers, but that was more November.

November -- National Novel Writing Month

That sure was a busy but exciting month. I did not get to 50,000 words but I did reach just a few words shy of 30,000. I got sick twice in one month. First I had the stomach bug, then I had a cold right before Thanksgiving. I was doing better by Thanksgiving day though I could not smell through my nose very well. I had things going on three days in a row. Mom, Tabitha, and I went on our yearly Black Friday shopping trip. And on Saturday, a few of us from our church went down to Punta Gorda to help a church canvas the area for their opening day. My friend, Halee and I followed the church van, then after visitation, we stayed in Punta Gorda and got a hotel so we could attend their first Sunday morning services. My Grandma was even able to drive up to Punta Gorda to meet up with us for dinner. I really enjoyed the trip. It felt good to be a blessing, and I loved spending time with my friend Halee. Halee and her family moved from Washington state last fall. She helps me in the church nursery. She is such a blessing to me. We sure did laugh a lot on our drive home Sunday afternoon while stuck in traffic. 

Not only was I trying to get a good word count in, but I was also trying to get my second book ready for publishing. Though I did not reach the goal of getting it published by Black Friday, it was ready by the following Monday. I finally got my first payment from Amazon sometime in November. It's a far cry from 1 Million Copies sold, but that's okay😊. I have enjoyed hearing about those who have read it. One family that has been following my mom's blog for years read it. Even their boys read it. Some girls from a family that has visited our church a few times read it. Last Wednesday they came with their copy of King's Heart and asked me to sign it. That made me happy. And it felt a little surreal to be signing something. I have already sold quite a few copies already of Redeeming Louise.

Deck the Halls December

Or I could say, Designing December. I have used Canva quite a lot the past few weeks. I designed a book signing flyer, business cards, and a table top sign. I hope my designs have not been too crazy. I had so much to design and plan for my very first book signing. I even created a Book Signing Pinterest board. My mom created a video on my books signing. I still need to post it. It turned out very well. I had about 33 people come. I was so excited that my Grandma was able to make it. One dear lady brought me flowers. I had ordered 11 author copies (these were copies I ordered through Kindle Direct Publishing and only had to pay for the printing, shipping, and tax), but when Amazon said they would not arrive until the Sunday after, Mom and I both ordered copies through our personal accounts hoping they would come in on time. I ended up having 18 copies. At least four of them were gifts, and I had to keep one for myself. The order of 11 arrived Sunday afternoon, so I messaged the VSIBC ladies group on Group me and told them I would bring a few for them to buy. One other lady wants one and then I will have three left. I am so excited.

Whew! This turned out to be another long post. Can you tell how busy my life has been as of late? But it's been a good kind of busy. The Lord is so good.

Until next time, may you keep your heart.

Elisabeth Kristine

Author of Heart of Purity Literature

Genre of Redeeming Louise

Growing Up With a Love for the Old West

 Growing up, my siblings and I loved watching Westerns - movies and classic series like The Long Ranger and Bonanza. I loved everything Western: horses, cowboys, cowgirls, hats, and boots. One time we even sang Patch the Pirate's song, "Shoot the Gospel Gun", in church with our cowboy and cowgirl outfits and cap-guns, which we shot off at the end of the song. Some of my reading even included an occasional Western. Even though the Arty Anderson series was for boys, I ate it up too for it was a youth western series.

I was super excited when I got my own horse, well, mine and Brenna's until our feed money started running out and I was the only one left wanting to take care of a horse. Of course, that lasted until I ran out of funds and my parents could no longer fit the bill. It was fun while it lasted though, and I am grateful for a desire God fulfilled for me as a young person.

When I started writing my first book, it was set in the 1800s, like Little House on the Prairie. The next book in the series would be set on a cattle drive. Yes, all things Western and country life were my first loves.

Where I Find My Second Love

When I was around 15 though, I found my second love in reading - reading everything Jane Austen. When I had read most of hers, I started reading authors like Lori Wick (who wrote both of my favorite genres) Lawana Blackwell, Julie Klassen, Carolyn Miller, Sarah M. Eden, and others. I loved the fancy parties, the romance, the tea. Yes, I fell in love with all things Regency and Victorian. Even though I had liked the good old west and Indians growing up, I also grew up with a mother who loved tea cups. I would much rather drink a nice cup of hot tea in a pretty tea cup than a mug of coffee. Although, I do drink a cup of tea in a mug most mornings.

So, all that said, in 2021, I decided to write a book set in Victorian London, England. I heard about National Novel Writing Month (I think I accidentally called it National November Writing Month in earlier posts). I started studying the writing craft deeper, researching the time period I wanted, and plotting began. Thus Redeeming Louise was born.

I tend to write what I know, and as I have probably said before, I noticed that my heroines are all preacher's daughters. What do you know? :) 

Redeeming Louise is the story of a Baptist preacher's daughter living in London, England during the Victorian era. She, her sister, cousin, and mother minister to the poor people of London. She and her sister issue each other a challenge - Louise to find a Mr. Darcy and her sister to find a Mr. Missionary to see which one will help the poor the most. The key is, that they are to find their misters before the London season is over. The problem for Louise, the one who has already been starting to become discontent, is she decided to find him by hiding the fact from her parents that she is going to balls and fancy dinners behind their backs. One thing leads to another, and before she knows it, she has hurt her family and her Mr. Darcy who has only been saved a few months. Though she gets things right, it will take a while to redeem her time and win back their trust. That is Redeeming Louise in a nutshell. I only hope I did not give too much away...

Upon Which My Readers Begin Their Lookout

Right now, Redeeming Louise is in the editing stage. A dear lady from my church offered to edit it for me which I am extremely grateful for. She is on a hunting trip up north with her husband right now. I sent a little over half the book with her, and she will read the rest when she gets back. Hopefully and prayerfully, it will be ready for purchase by Black Friday. I can't wait. Meanwhile, I am starting the next book in the series during National Novel Writing Month.

I also need to come up with a title for my series. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Until next time,

Elisabeth Kristine

The Journey of King's Heart Part 2

 In the post before last, I told you about the first part of the journey my first book has taken.

1. Formatting King's Heart

The next step of the journey was not necessarily my favorite part. I get frustrated with the nitty gritty details like formatting. Thankfully there is such a thing as YouTube. I have found a lot about writing and self-publishing. One of the first I would like to mention is Reedsy. Reedsy has been so helpful, from their posts to their YouTube tutorials. They are not a (Christian) organization, so when they use illustrations from the world's movies and books, I have to be careful. Another Youtuber I came across was Mandi Lynn with Stone Ridge Books. She has a lot of videos about self-publishing, formatting, and book covers. One more place I would like to mention is the blog - Helping Writers Become Authors.

  (Again, it is not a Christian website, so I have to be careful with the examples. I want to be a Christian author that has clean wholesome books for young ladies and even their moms to enjoy. At the same time, I want it to be professional and not cheesy. It is not okay to follow the world's standards, watch the world's movies, and talk like the world. But it is okay take advantage of things like writing tips that do not have anything to do with doctrine. Some of the people I have learned from are not Christian, but I have learned many helpful techniques and writing tips.) 

I may have mentioned it before. I found it around November 2021 during NaNoWriMo - National November Writing Month. It was very helpful when I was planning my plot and story arc for the book I started in November - Redeeming Louise. I was able to use some of what I learned for King's Heart.

It took me a while, for some reason, to decide what I wanted to use to format my book. I really struggled with it at first. Should I use Word? Find a different tool? Or should I use Kindle Create? I finally found a really handy template from Kindle Direct Publishing. After I downloaded it, I chose the English file then I picked the size I wanted. The download includes all the different sizes, including 8.5x5.5, which I chose for King's Heart. I do not know if it was the easiest way, but it worked for me. I could just download the Microsoft Word template and go from there since they already set the margins for me. I took out the contents page since King's Heart did not need it. I also took out the Acknowledgements page from the front and moved it to the back. Then I just started copying and pasting one chapter at a time. I actually started this part after my Dad had already helped me edit a few chapters.

2. Choosing the inside design

During the middle of this, I had to decide how I wanted it to look. What should the chapter page look like? What font did I want? Did I want my name at the top? The book title? These were questions that needed answers. I have heard that one of the best ways to decide is to look at other books and see how other authors/designers/publishers did it. Some things I looked up online, but mostly, I just pulled ideas from the numerous novels on my bookcase and Brenna's bookcase at her house. I even did some of this one afternoon at Brenna's house. A lot of ideas ended up being a lot of Brenna's mysteries, but that's okay. I did try to find some in my genre as well. Then I took them, opened them to their first chapter page, and lined them up side by side. I was able to see what I liked and what I did not like. 

I had read and seen that most chapter pages start on the right side of the book (or the odd-numbered pages). Once that was decided, I chose for the chapter heading to be six spaces down and to the right of the page. I also had to choose which font I wanted. One guy I watched on YouTube used Garamond. It looked good to me, so I went with that. For the Chapter heading, I made it gray, Lucida Calligraphy, and 16pt. font. I also added a Drop cap. I also learned from researching and playing around with Word that I could preset the Styles. I don't know why I never noticed that before. Once I had the Style set, it was so much easier to copy and paste and then click the style I wanted.

3. Designing the cover

I am so thankful for a brother that is good at graphic design. My brother Josh is the assistant to the pastor as well as the youth pastor at my church. He did the church website, and he also designs the thumbnails for our live stream services. I was so glad when he agreed to design my cover for me. I was not able to tell him the size for a while, for I did not know how many pages I would have until I was done formatting the inside. When I could give him a page count, then he was able to start designing. He asked for ideas of what I wanted. I went back to research and studied other book covers. I gave him a couple ideas from my bookcase then I looked up books at the main library in Ocala when I went there with Callie one day this summer. It was fun getting ideas.

Once I had a general idea, he ran with it. He ended up giving me six book cover ideas. I had a hard time deciding between the last two. Josh told me I should take a few days to decide what I wanted. He did them all on Canva, so I was able to log into Canva to look at them again. I made a copy of them so I could play around with them a little. It was a fine balance of not being nit-picky but getting the cover how I wanted it. I added the description to the back and my name to the front. I was almost going to go with a purple cover he designed. At first, he put a plane on the front, which had been Dad's idea. I liked it, but that was such a small part of my story that I did not know if it fit. I also was unsure if it would attract the readers I wanted. He took out the plane, and I liked it much better. Then I changed course and decided on Cover#5. We both played around with it. I liked the design, but I did not know about the color. I was able to keep the picture he had but changed the color of it on Canva.

Deciding on the cover took about three weeks, but I am very happy with the results.

4. Plugging it all in

I had already started setting up my account with KDP - Kindle Direct Publishing. I went to my new favorite Youtube videos by Mandi Lynn. I also watched other videos, though I don't remember which. After I set up my taxes for KDP, I started putting in my book details - title, subtitle, author, description, audience, marketplace, categories/genre, and keywords. That was the fun part. 

The next step was setting up an account on Bowker and purchasing my ISBNs. When that was done, I put it on KDP. When the inside and cover of my book were finished, then I uploaded them to KDP. After that, I previewed the book to check for errors before ordering a proof copy. A proof copy is the finished product but with "Nor For Resale" on the cover. The proof copy is for me, the author, to check for printing errors and other mistakes I may not have noticed. It said that I was able to order up to five proof copies - all I had to do was pay for the shipping and printing. Before I ordered the proof copy, I had to set the book price. I chose for my book to be $13.99. I get 60% of the royalties - which ended up being $2.97. But, hey, since I am publishing through Amazon, I don't have to worry about an upfront cost. Yay!

I hit publish Thursday, so right now, my book is in review while I wait for KDP to approve it.

5. Choosing the name of my book line

I wanted to come up with a name for what I would write under. I asked my family for ideas. I liked Ms. Francie Taylor's Keep the Heart. The first book I started writing when I was 14 was based off my purity ring. I wanted a name that would go with that and involve the heart as well.  I asked my family if it should have books, publications, fiction, literature, or something like that in the name.

Here is what I finally decided on...

Thank you, Callie, for helping me with the design!

I want to write books that are gripping, heart-touching, and encouraging. I want books that will encourage young ladies to keep a heart of purity. 

I've enjoyed the journey King's Heart has taken, but I am so glad it is almost published. I hope you enjoy reading The King's Heart in the LORD's Hands when you get your copy. If you enjoy the story, I would love for you to leave a review on Amazon. Meanwhile, you can now follow Heart of Purity Literature on Facebook and Instagram.

Until next time...

Elisabeth Kristine

The Night of the Shooting Star

 A Greater Pastime...

Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. I love a good story that grips my attention and makes me feel like the characters are my friend. I was going to read the novel I am currently reading, but I wanted to sit on the porch first with a glass of sweet tea. I like sitting on the porch when it is raining, early morning before the heat, or before bed. I also heard that there were supposed to be meteor showers this weekend. Dad, Callie, and Micah had stood outside for a while to watch for shooting stars, so I stood at the edge of the porch in the dark for a moment before turning on the porch lights and sitting on the porch swing.

I had not sat long when Dad came out of the house with a blanket and turned off the porch light. "Are you going to lay in the grass?" I asked curiously.

I followed him out to the front grass right by the porch. Callie and Micah followed soon after. One funny thing is I sat down for a moment when I realized and said, "Wait, isn't this where that ant pile was?"

"Oh, no, is it?" Dad asked, getting up and asking for a light. Sure enough, he had laid it right on top of the little ant pile. We quickly moved it a couple feet away.

When Mom came out, we laid back to watch the show. I don't know why we don't stargaze more often. It was fun. I smiled when Dad said we should pray together that God would allow all of us to see a shooting star together. A couple of us only saw one at first, but it was still awesome to look at all the stars. We started talking about stars in the Bible, and that got me to thinking of a song we had heard from the Sommerdorf family back when their kids traveled with them - the song was "What would they say if only stars would talk." We were out there for almost 15 minutes when one raced across the sky. It was super long, and I only caught the end of it, but it was still awesome. When the rest went inside, I stayed out there on a blanket, in the dark, all by myself. 

I started to quietly sing "How Great Thou Art" - softly enough to not take away from the moment. I just sang the part about the stars when all of a sudden, the biggest shooting star I have ever seen flew slowly across the sky to get even brighter as it went. I could even see the burning orange glow around it. I started crying. A true girl, I know, but I was just so amazed. I was laughing and crying at the same time. Even something as small as a shooting star made me think of how good God is and how He is mindful of me.  I was able to see two more shooting stars though they were much smaller and more fleeting. Just a few moments before, when everyone was out there, I felt so small looking up at God's vast universe.  Yet God cares for me. I thought of all the times I had put off time with God or chosen something else over Him, and I asked for forgiveness. How great He is to forgive! How great He is in His creation and care for his people!

Stars in the Bible...

I felt so humbled yet loved in that moment over something so simple, yet part of His amazing creation. God created the sun and moon on Creation Day 4, and the Bible adds, "He made the stars also," as if it was an afterthought. I am glad He did for stars are pretty to gaze at. Psalms 147:4 says, “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.” And Job 22:12 - “Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!”

  I thought of Abraham when God promised his seed would be as many as the stars of the sky. I thought of how humbled Abraham must have felt for God to choose him. God loves me and wants to use me.

Daniel the prophet wrote of the end of time when God shall judge the earth - “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” - Daniel 12:3.

The stars were made for a purpose - Jeremiah 31:35

“Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:”

Stars should never be worshipped, but they should cause us to worship the One Who made them. How great He is!

The Journey of King's Heart Part 1

I am super excited about my book. It should come out within the next couple of weeks. Today, I thought I would share the journey of my first complete, unpublished novel - The King's Heart in the LORD's Hands. So here goes...

On a Sunday morning in January 2019, I was showering and getting ready for church when a book idea started running through my head. As soon as I was done with my shower, I hurried to write down my thoughts in a small notebook before rushing to finish getting ready for church. That was when King's Heart was born.

    Two different books were already in the works by this point, but this one really came together. Like any typical girl, I have watched Princess movies and even some Hallmarks (the good ones, at least). You know, the ones where a prince will leave to travel to the States and fall in love with a waitress or another young "peasant" girl with no royal blood or rich family. Yeah, I've watched a few of those. And yes, they end up being pretty much the same, but what girl doesn't love a cheesy romance? Not only did I watch all the clean princess movies, but my favorite female character in the Old Testament is Esther. I started wondering what I would do if I were taken from my home today to go to a new country and meet a handsome Prince. Since I am a Christian, it was interesting to imagine how my life would play out if I were in one of the princess movies I had watched. Thus came the story of Elaina. [I had first named her Bethany but decided I wanted to do a different name since I already knew a few girls named Bethany. It is kind of fun yet daunting at the same time to come up with character names. I liked the name Bentley from my favorite book series growing up - The Knights of Arrethtrae. Edward Bentley Monroe sounded cool, so I went with that. (I put the two and two together afterward that my Grandpa's middle name is Edward, so that makes it special.) Elaina becomes good friends with a girl named Josephine. I wrote of her with an old friend in mind - a young lady I was pen-pals with for a time. Not all the names I choose have a special meaning behind them, though.]

    I wanted a story with a girl like me - a girl with flaws and not drop-dead gorgeous in my eyes. Too many books and movies make the heroine so perfectly beautiful that you feel you can never measure up. Also, living with brothers, I have learned that guys can be gross. Even though the hero would be a king, I did not want him to be perfect either. As a side note, though you may meet God's best for you, it does not mean that he will be Mr. Perfect; he will have flaws just like you. Hopefully, the characters will be ones you can relate to. I would also like to note that even though the heroine, Elaina, will share some of the traits as me or like some of the same things as me, the events, names, places, etc., are fictional. 

    I wrote the Prologue at the beginning of writing King's Heart, so I would read it over and over to make sure it was well-written. I finished the first draft in early 2022 and asked my parents to read it. My mom had read it as I wrote it, but I wanted her to read it out loud to Dad. It took them almost a year, life can get busy, but anyways, I had other books to work on, like the next book I am hoping to publish before Christmas. I adjusted the parts they pointed out to make my story better and brought out my antagonist more. To save money, I started editing it through Grammarly. When I first started, I got a three-month discount for being a first-time user. I keep forgetting to cancel it, but I have been using it, so it is not going to waste. In fact, as I am writing this post, it has red underlining the grammar errors pointing out what I need to fix, so it has been very helpful.

    I made a PowerPoint slide in June to show my family what else I needed to do to finish my book, and we also talked about ISBN numbers. In April or May, our church ladies went to a conference. They had a Christian author set up a booth. I was able to meet her and ask her about publishing through Amazon, which I decided to do after talking to Krista Zarn, author of the Frontier Avenger series, and her sister Hannah Danford who also published a book through Amazon. When I asked about ISBN numbers, she advised that I purchase my own. When I showed my family my PowerPoint, I also talked to them about that. My dad offered to do one final read-through and help edit it, promising to do so faster than he and Mom were able to read it the first time. It took him two months. I am so glad he read it, too. He really helped me in bringing out the conflict. One of the sweetest compliments he gave me was, "Beth, you are a good writer." We will see what the rest of y'all think when you read my published book. :)

    Well, I noticed this post is starting to get long, so I will go ahead and end it here. This post will have to be in two pieces as there is too much involved in the process of writing and self-publishing a book. When I come back with another post, I will tell you about the formatting stage, who is doing my cover for me, and finally, I will "announce" (It seems so cool to say that:) ) what the name of my fiction line will be. So, until next time...

May you keep your heart while enjoying the wait

Elisabeth Kristine