Ten years ago my first book, A Heart Set Free, was released. It was a book born out of my wrestling with hard things—of coming to the end of myself and finding God as my refuge and strength.
I had read the Psalms my whole life, but it wasn’t until I found myself in the pit of despair that I found the psalmist’s words to be a guide to learning the way of lament. In studying and learning about the structure of laments, and then following the pattern myself, I found hope. God heard my cries and answered me. He helped me see that He was the answer to the cries of my heart. He restored my joy. And out of that journey, I wrote A Heart Set Free.
Since then, I’ve written nine more books and participated in many multi-author projects. I’ve spoken at retreats and conferences in twenty states and in Canada. I’ve done some freelance editing and enjoy mentoring other writers wanting to grow in their craft.
It’s been a blessing to watch God use me to help others see Jesus.
Over the last ten years, my journey with the Psalms, and particularly the laments, has only grown deeper and richer. I continue to learn more about my heart and how God works in my life. I’ve experienced more of God’s faithfulness and steadfast love—two characteristics of God that the psalmist always points to.
I’ve also had more reasons and opportunities to lament over the last ten years. There have been losses and griefs to bear, huge transitions and changes to navigate, and worries and fears to bring to the Lord. Many of my plans have been disrupted or changed altogether. I’ve also faced great uncertainty, where the path ahead was completely dark and unknown. More recently, I’ve stepped into a new season of life as an empty nester and am still wrapping my head around that. We’ve moved twice in the last two years, moves that were both good and stressful. We are still finding our place and seeking to develop community (the topic of my second book!). In all these circumstances, the practice of lament has been a regular rhythm to my life with the Lord.
As I think about all I’ve navigated since A Heart Set Free came out, I find that the truths I learned in writing the book still shape me. They still give structure to my prayers. They continue to draw me to God’s Word and His promises. They remind me that God hears, He knows, and He responds.
If you haven’t read the book, click here to learn more about it.
