A Story and a Book
This past summer was one of the most difficult summers of my life. There were incredible highs where memory-making once-in-a-life-time things happened, and incredible lows where we faced loss and sorrow in a very deep and life-altering way.
It was a bit like the year I got married, which was also the year I began my battle with infertility and depression. A year where I found myself caught in the perpetual swing between the joys of being a newlywed and the sorrows of lost dreams.
It took me years to crawl out of the depression that began in that first year. I still cringe a bit when I read things I wrote from that time. Even when I was trying to be light-hearted and funny, it was more cynical and angry.
Thankfully, God met me. He drew me out and freed me up and I was able to see beauty even in the loss and pain. Glorious.
This year as we waded back into some of the perpetual swings and deeper tastes of loss, I was a bit apprehensive. I had no desire to go back .
But today I am struck by the goodness of God. The way His grace pours out into us and soothes us and grows us up.
I wrote a book this year.
At one point during the writing I thought, “What am I doing? This doesn’t even make sense. Maybe it’s just silly and should be tossed.” But something propelled me forward and I kept writing and kept calling my mom up to read her sections. I kept pestering my husband for stories. I kept asking questions on my facebook feed and scribbling down answers from all over the country.
It wasn’t until the book was in the hands of my editor, and I was waiting to get her “yay” or “nay” on the publishable scale, that I realized why God had me write this book right now.
This book is proof that God has changed me. Oh, glory. He has changed me. I am different than I was. I can’t tell you how beautiful those words are.
This summer, during this incredibly hard season, I wrote a book full of humor.
And it’s funny.
It’s not cynical or angry.
It’s just funny.
And that, friends, is the grace of God in my life.
The Thing About Dairy Farmers releases on December 2nd. Join me next week for a chance to win an advance e-version of the book (we’ll be giving one away every day!) and to hear a few stories that didn’t quite make it in the book (but are pretty darn funny anyway).
You can check back each day, or follow via Facebook, or (if you’re very brave) you can even opt to receive my newsletter or sign up in the sidebar to get my blog posts via email.
Want to enter to win a free copy right now? Just jump over to the book page and leave a comment about farming. It can be a story. A joke. A comment about the one time you ran into a farmer at the Broadway show in New York City and they refused to remove their hat, blocking your view through the entire thing. You know, whatever. 🙂
Beautiful testimony, Natasha! I’m really looking forward to this book. I’ve hand-milked Jersey cows for 3 years; it’s been a fun and challenging adventure! I’m sure I will enjoy this book. <3 🙂
How fun, Melinda. 🙂 I’ve only hand-milked one cow (I’ll be sharing about her this week!) but there is something extremely relaxing about the quietness of the barn when you hand milk.
Loved reading part of your testimony!! Congrats on your book! How exciting! Love seeing (reading) about how God has changed your life!
Aw, thanks, Kate! 🙂
Oh, precious Tasha! So sorry for your struggles, but I love what God has done in your heart. You bring me to tears than lift my spirits to soar with the birds. Your stories are powerful, vulnerable, and full of truth.
I can’t wait for this book! Will it be in print? I’d love to get a copy for my dad and a brother or two for Christmas, but they won’t read an ebook.
yes! It will be available in print and pdf versions. 🙂
> Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 23:03:39 +0000 > To: [email protected] >
You know you’re a farmer if a horn sounds during the night and your first thought is: Oh, no, the cows are out again!
love this one, grandma! It made it in the first chapter of the book. 🙂
> Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 21:02:11 +0000 > To: [email protected] >
Praise God! I love it when God molds us…sometimes we don’t even realize it until later and that’s what I love so much about Him. Some people are afraid that if God changes them that it will hurt or be too much too soon. But He knows how painful change can be and so He does it in the most subtle ways so that one day when we wake up and we suddenly realize the work He has done in us without even realizing it. I loved this post! I can’t wait to read the book
You’re so right. He is good, isn’t He?