Edwina Perkins: Telling Her Story and Helping Other People Tell Theirs

Edwina Perkins is an author and a woman on a mission. The author of The Colors of Home, Edwina has written a book about family, grief, secrets and truth. Additionally, she is the Acquisitions Editor for Harambee Press. She serves on the Advisory Boards of the Word Weavers International and Evangelical Christian Publishing Association where she helps authors find their footing and get their books published.

Website: https://www.edwinaperkins.com/

Book: The Colors of Home 

Harambee Press:  https://www.endgamepress.com/harambee-press

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:07

If you're listening right now and you're a follower of Christ, then you, my friend, are a 21st century Christian. And if you're new to the faith or interested in getting deeper into it, you're in the right place. Welcome to the 21st Century Christian Podcast. Well, hello there. It is I, Karen Beach, host of the 21st Century Christian, and it is time. Now, what time is it you ask? It's time for another episode of the podcast. And today's focus is story. So let's get started. You're here, I'm here, let's do this. And when I talk about story, I'm talking about story from the perspective of a writer and a former screenwriter, which is what I am. And it's all about the story. You know yourself the power of a good story. It can keep you on the edge of your seat. It can take you a lesson. It can put a tear in your eye. It can make you laugh. It provides a mirror that shows you a part of yourself. So today we're gonna talk about story. And our guest, Edwina Perkins, is an author and a woman dedicated to helping others get their stories out there. And we've all got a story. So let's get started by talking about a book that's filled with stories. Well, actually the Bible is 66 books, and it's a collection of stories. And stories are a great way of communicating your message, and good stories communicate with us in a way that we can both understand and appreciate. They have characters that we can relate to, and often we can see a bit of ourselves in those characters. Normally they have a theme or a moral or a lesson that we can learn from. But most books have at least one story. And one story is all you get in the book of Jonah. And it's a pretty big story. So let's talk about it. Jonah is a prophet that gets swallowed by a big fish. Most of us know that story. But that isn't the whole story. You see, Jonah was a prophet, and God told him to go preach in the wicked city of Nineveh to get the people to repent. But Jonah wasn't having all that. In fact, in chapter one verse three, from the beginning, but Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarsish. He went down to Joppa where he found a ship bound for that port, and after paying the fare, he went a full aboard and sailed to Tarsus to flee from the Lord. Now we don't have to read the rest of the story to really know how that's gonna turn out. I mean, is it a good idea to flee from the Lord? But anyway, let's keep going. The Lord causes a great storm, and the sailors on the ship knew that they had to do something. They knew something was up with the severity of the storm. And Jonah knew that it was his fault, and after going to sleep and leaving the rest of the crew to deal with it, he wakes up and he admits his fault. In verse 12 he says, Pick me up and throw me into the sea, he replied, and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you. Because he knew he was running from God and that that's pretty much not a good idea. Eventually the men who weren't even Hebrews prayed to the Lord and then they threw Jonah overboard. And that's when the story that we all know happens, because Jonah at that point gets swallowed by a big fish. It never says it's a whale, it just says a big fish. So he remained there inside of the fish for three days and three nights. Now I imagine it smelled really bad, but that's just me. So while he was in the belly of the whale, he prayed. Chapter two verse two. His prayer began by him saying, In my distress I called on the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you've listened to my cry. So I imagine he probably prayed for the majority of those three days and three nights. But after that time period the fish spat him out, and he did what he should have done in the first place. He went to Nineveh and he preached, and the people actually did repent and they turned from their evil ways. Now, you think Jonah would have been happy about this, but he wasn't. In chapter four, and that's all we get with Jonah's four chapters. In chapter four, verse two he said, and he prayed to the Lord and said, O Lord, is that not what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tartus. For I knew that you were gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and relenting from disaster. In other words, he knew that God was going to be compassionate, so he was like, Why should I bother going if he's just gonna let them off the hook? What he didn't understand was God's compassion. And in his compassion, Jonah was kind of just out and about at this time, but God grew up a leafy plant that gave him shelter and shade for the rest of the day and that night. But in the morning, God withered up that plant. Jonah didn't need it anymore. But Jonah, who obviously didn't learn anything but from being in the belly of the well for three days, Jonah was upset that God had withered the plant. He wasn't grateful that the plant was there when he needed it, but he was mad because it weathered up when he no longer needed it anymore. And so now he's mad because God didn't have compassion for the plant. He's mad that he had compassion for the people of Nineveh, but then he's upset that God didn't have compassion for the plant. So go figure. That's how the book ends. Jonah is a prophet who wanted to make his own way and follow his own decisions and not God's. He was a prophet that didn't understand God's compassion when he showed it, or his lack of compassion when it wasn't really needed. And if we look true to the story, we can see some of ourselves in Jonah. How many times have we wanted something, or God told us to do something, but it wasn't what we really wanted to do, so we tried to run away from it. Or we don't understand God's compassion or his lack thereof. It's the power of telling a story, people being able to see a little bit of themselves inside of it. Normally, this is the time when I talk about the courses that I do over at my site concepts and clarity, because I know the name of my company. But today I want to talk to you about something exciting and fun that I'm doing and that I want you to participate in, and it's free, and you know what they say. If it's free, it's for me. Anyway, I'm a huge, huge trivia nerd, and I decided that on my TikTok and on my YouTube and on my Facebook, all at the 21st century Christian, you gotta put the D in there, or you'll end up as somebody else. I'm sure they're great um 21st century Christian people, but if you want to find me, you gotta look for the 21st century Christian. And every day, and I started this past Monday, I have a trivia question that is Bible-based, and you can answer it, you can add your own spin to it. Um, I'm gonna be putting it up on TikTok. Um, it will be up on my YouTube page, it will be on my Facebook page for the podcast of 21st Century Christian. So if you like trivia, if you want to learn something new, then make my page a page you go to, and we'll put it up every day. At least Monday through Friday for now. I might take weekends off. But it's already a couple questions up there. Go ahead and answer those questions. Again, it's all at the 21st Century Christian on TikTok, on YouTube, and on Facebook. So subscribe to my YouTube, um, follow me on TikTok, follow me on Facebook, and we will have an amazing time. Did you know? Jesus often spoke in parables, and parables are just short stories, and here are several really short parables and the moral to each one Matthew thirteen, thirty three and thirty four. He told them still another parable. The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough. See, the yeast and it didn't take a lot of yeast, was worked through all of that dough, and that dough was able to rise because of that little bit of yeast. And that's just like the word of God. The word of God can raise mankind, and it doesn't take a lot of yeast, it doesn't take a lot of the word of God to do it. Just a little bit put in and worked through. Matthew again chapter thirteen, verse forty four. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field. The next verse Matthew thirteen forty five and forty six again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Now these two parables that were right back to back show what the word of God and salvation is worth. It's worth everything. When you find that treasure, that salvation, that forgiveness that God promises us, that love, that unconditional love that He shows us when He welcomes us into His family. Those two parables show us what that word of God, what that salvation is worth, whether it was a treasure or pearl, they knew that it was worth everything they had to secure it. Now Jesus didn't need a lot of time or a lot of complicated symbolism to get his point across. He used parables because he understood that people understand stories. People understand finding a treasure. People understand using yeast because they know what leaven and unleavened bread is worth. So he took those common concepts and explained something truly extraordinary. Edwina Perkins is the author of Colors of Home. It's a Christian novel that addresses issues like roots and racism, as well as coming face to face with your reckoning and experiencing redemption. She also, in addition to being an author, has her own imprint, Harambe Creative Consulting, where she works with other authors to educate them and help them get the story that lives inside of them to the outside, where others can appreciate it and learn from it. So without any further ado, here's my conversation with Edwina. Well, we're here today with Ms. Edwina Perkins. And you know, I'm I'm gonna date myself because I remember when Perkins was like a like a restaurant, like you went to Perkins like you go to IHOP, like you go to Denny's, you went to Perkins. So whenever I heard hear her name, I think of Perkins, I can get a nice little meal at Perkins. I used to be able to, but we're gonna talk to Adwina about her book and about what she does to help other people um get their stories out because a lot of us have a story lurking inside. I've been working on my biography, but then my whole life fell apart, and I'm like, okay, either this is part two or else I'm just not writing this book. The first part was all light and fun, and then the next two years happened. I was like, I'm not writing all this down. I'm just not. It's it's not gonna happen. But Adwina is here. Adwina, welcome to the 21st century for Christian.

SPEAKER_01 17:17

Oh, I am so excited to be here. And I have to tell you, a pun on uh my last name, we have four kids, grown adults now, and we would leave church and they would go, can we stop and get something to eat? And my husband and I would look at each other and go, Yeah, we're gonna go to Perkins. And they would get so excited. And then I'd go, Wait, you mean go home and eat?

SPEAKER_00 17:42

Well, just like you go to Perkins. I have to be honest, my name is Karen Beach, and I'm from Beachwood, Live. Oh my goodness. Oh cue the jokes and stuff with that very good. I understand having uh a nickname, a last name in common with somebody. So but you know, let me tell you, because when I have people on the show, at the very least, I read the the description of your book, what your book is about. And I read yours, and I'm like, I'm gonna read this book. I really want to read this book because I'm in North Carolina. You have characters that are coming back home to North Carolina. Now, my home again is in Ohio, it's outside of Cleveland, but I love the fact that your book is about going back home. Because I went back home a year ago, and I I'd be okay if I didn't go back. I'm gonna be honest. Nothing if you're listening and you're from Cleveland, it's not about Cleveland, it's just about my particular plan in Cleveland. Um, that I don't need to go back to, but it's a nice city, it's a beautiful city, but it's a city I've seen, I grew up in, and I don't need to go back to it. So I understand what it means to go back to a city because that's a lot when you go back somewhere, and in your story, it's not even your city, it's your late husband's city.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

Right. And that's why going back, I mean, she's going back to the place where she's been because her husband she's visited but never had to live there. And she is forced to go back. She doesn't want to because it's all she has, it's the only place she can take her kids. And it's she's heading back to a place with a father-in-law that does not like her. Um, and she the struggle of being a widow, being the only parent with her three kids, being the parent of three teenagers, and the parent of a special needs child, um, it's a lot for her to take in and to go back to this town that I invented, home. And I was just telling you, um I placed home on the other side of Welcome. Now anybody from North Carolina, especially a real town called Welcome. There is a real town called Welcome, and it's outside of Winston, Winston, Salem. And so I thought, well, what better place to put home than you have to drive through Welcome to get to home. And so it's welcome home.

SPEAKER_00 20:52

That is that, and and that's one of the powers of writing. You can make up stuff that gets your point across. You know, in real life, I would love to make up something. You know what? If I had a love interest right about now, I could fit him in here. Or if I had this, if I had this much money, my my book would be so much better. But when you're writing, you can do that in a way you can't do that with your life. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

And that's kind of the but I have to admit, every time you write, a part of you goes on the page. Whether you want to believe it or not, a part of you is there. Um, and through fiction you can express grief, um, you know, happiness, loyalty, and you can do so much in a biography or autobiography with the nonfiction, but with fiction you can bring in all of those real feelings. And have someone go, Yeah, I get it.

SPEAKER_00 22:05

You know, I used to be a screenwriter for several years. I lived in LA and I was a screenwriter, and I actually wrote a short film that features Danny Glover of all people. Wow. What's funny is that I used to have a picture of my dad at work that my father autographed for me. Um it was a Christmas gift. Yeah, so COVID years. So a lot of my issues come from my dad, not me and my dad. Um, but people used to come by my desk and be like, oh my god, do you have an autographed picture of Danny Glover? I'd be like, no, that's an autographed picture of my dad. So I used when I met him, because I actually met him, I had to stop myself from going, you know, he tells me my dad looks like you. Because it just would not have been okay. But when I wrote my screenplay, it's called P and OK Primary Next of Ken. And it's about two officers who have notification duty. So they have to tell three people through the course of one day that their um loved one was killed in an action. Wow. And the reason I wrote it in the way I wrote it is because everyone, no matter what side of the war you're on, can relate to that. Everyone knows, like when you see those two officers at the door when you open it up, you know what that means. Right. And it's something that you dread. And it doesn't matter if you're a Russian, it doesn't matter if you're Iranian, it doesn't matter if you're American, you're gonna feel that loss. That loss is something you can feel with. And I think that's the universal part of writing. Right can touch someone in a way that is universal, in a way that speaks to them personally. Even if you never meet them, if you never lay eyes on them, if you're never in the same room with them, you have this thing that kind of bonds you together. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 24:40

That's so true. And that's why when I wrote this story, I wanted to feel like I knew who Ebony was, is. And that was something I wanted to see more. Not just, they may have been there, but they may have been the sidekick. Or they may be that, you know, that quick, oh, I got somebody in my book who's black or Asian, um, but they didn't play a main character. So I wanted a book with main characters with real issues, and because it's the South, dealing with real issues of the South. Um, and I didn't want to back away from prejudice and racism, but I wanted to show it in such a way that would allow people to talk about the book later. I I didn't want to write a book where someone would finish it and go, excuse me, oh, that's nice. I wanted to write a book where people would finish it and go, wow, I I want to talk to somebody about this. I want to get their perspective on this. Um, and that was my heart when I started writing. And to be so inclusive of people of color and people with disabilities, because the youngest child, Destiny, has Down syndrome. And to portray her in just accurate. Um, and that's one of the things that I tell writers, if you're writing outside of your the your culture, make sure you do your homework. Um, because it's not just about you, it's about the community that you're writing about. And if you're writing with stereotypes, you're gonna do more harm than good.

SPEAKER_00 27:01

Right, right. And even when you're writing about your culture, you have to realize that everyone reading it might not be from your culture. Exactly. You know, you have to be careful. If I'm writing about the cookout, yeah, I know black people know about the cookout, and you know, at some point, Frankie Beverly amazed before I let go is gonna be on at the cookout. Um, but not everybody knows that about the cookout. So you might have to put in a couple sentences and say, you know, and you know, the anthem for black cookouts before I let go came on, and everybody from grandpa to you know your two-year-old needs was on the dance floor, you know, you but you have to speak to your audience in a way that you're addressing people that aren't members of your audience, yes, and to your point that you're addressing people who know someone with Down syndrome, exactly, would be able to call you on it if you didn't do your research.

SPEAKER_01 28:16

Exactly. And that's why it's so important because if you say something that's wrong or off about that other community, um, not only will you discourage that person to stop reading your book, but they will not encourage other people to read it. Uh, and so you've you've hurt yourself in the long run. The message that you may be trying to get out will be tainted and blocked for a better word, because they're not going to want to finish the book.

SPEAKER_00 28:53

Yeah. Now, this is the 21st century Christian show. So I have to ask, when does God show up in the book? Early on.

SPEAKER_01 29:05

Um, because Ebony is struggling about who God is, and why would he allow this to happen? And there's Destiny, who is so kind and lovable. She has no problem mentioning God. Um, and like I said early on, because Ebony says, God, what are you doing? Why am I going through this? And even down to there's a point where they're driving through Kansas and a song comes on, and it's God is in control. And so instead of naming the song, I have Destiny, you know, she's like, Turn it up, mom, it's on the radio. And so she's pointing toward the sky and singing as loud as she can about God being in control. And Ebony is like, he's really holding on to me. So I pull lines out of the song and have her question them. Uh, and so God comes in early on with how do you struggle with, you know, a good God who allows hard things to happen. And that's where she's coming from. Is she's got a 19-year-old who is as defiant as he can be, and a 16-year-old who is compliant. And she's struggling not to compare them. So when she's in difficult situations, like early early in the book, she finds herself in the bathroom and she's crying and she's going, God, how much more can I take? Um, when she gets to home and stuff starts happening, she's sitting in the car at one point and says, I hope I'm getting the message you want me to get because I don't want to go through this again. So she's asking questions that some people don't feel comfortable asking God. Um, but she does. She has that kind of a relationship with her heavenly father that she can ask questions. Um, and I'm not gonna give anything away, but you learn early on that destiny has a connection with her father, heavenly father, as well as she still feels connected to her earthly father that she lost. And um there is a very wise woman in this book who speaks into destiny's heart. Like we all have that big mama or that grandmama um that you know made was like the arch uh made a major role, played a major role in our lives. And so she has someone like that who also speaks into her life. You know, all the way through, you get that sprinkle of God.

SPEAKER_00 32:13

You talk about God and and being real with God and talking to God. And um, because my show, my heart is for new Christians. And I tell people that are new to prayer, um, number one, you don't have to be a prayer warrior, you don't have to write heavenly father. You don't you don't have to do that, you can just be honest with God. And I was blessed, um, he passed two years ago, but I was blessed with a heavenly, earthly father, you know, not a perfect earthly father, but my mom died when I was in high school. Yeah, and my dad and I had a close relationship, and so over the years, and I think this happens with a lot of parents and children, a friendship was established, a friendship that could not have been established when I was a kid and I was, you know, doing kid things. Um what I realized and what I tell people is you can pray and you can be honest, but you still gotta recognize that you're dad. So I can tell, I can tell my dad just about anything, but I'm gonna do it with a certain air of respect because he got my dad, you know, and that is how I talk to God. I'm going through something right now, and I was like, God, really? I thought this was over and put me back in here, but let me see what I've learned so I can go through this quicker because I'm not trying to stay here exactly anymore. But I I'm like, I get it. You want to see what I've learned, so let me tell you what I'm learned because we're not taking a step back, we're not going back there. But what do I need to learn? What do I need to do? And I think having that sort of relationship with God makes your relationship with God easier, yes, because you don't have to put up this pretense, I don't have to say, I don't have to pretend I'm not upset, I don't have to pretend I'm not confused, I don't have to pretend I'm not tired because I am, but this is what you need to know. Now I'm not gonna, you know, I got a Sam Jackson that sits on my left shoulder, and a lot of times he wants to say, Well, what the happened? I don't, I don't, I'm like, Sam, be quiet. Sam, calm down. But we're gonna talk up, talk this out with respect, and I'm gonna tell you how I feel because God already knows how we feel.

SPEAKER_01 35:17

He does, and that's why, like you talked about prayer. Ebony quite often, she has no problem to say God help. That's a prayer, that's two words. God help. And if you want to add me, that's three words. God help me. Um, and even though she's praying that, she still wants to be in charge. And that is, it takes her a while to realize she can't do it alone. Her brother-in-law points that out to her when they stop to see him in Missouri. And anyone who reads the book, I research how long it took them to get to cut from Colorado to where Gabe, the brother-in-law, lives, how long it takes to get from Gabe's to welcome North Carolina. So, in every bit of fiction, there needs to be a sense of reality. You can't just go off the deep end. But when they're visiting and something major happens, um, and they're getting ready to leave, and Gabe says to Ebony, stop pushing people away. And so, even though she's kind of praying, God help me, in the flesh, she's going, but I don't need help. And that's why it's a story about loss, love, grief, there's funny moments in it. Um, but it's how do you define home? How do you define home? Is it a building? Um, is it a place? Is it a family? And she has to work through all of this to discover home. Um and there is gonna it is part of a series, but the reason it's called the colors of home is people inside and out are different colors. And she's stepping into this. Um, having grown up in Colorado, and basically her kids are there, there's not a lot where this little town, well, it's a larger town, bigger than home, where they grew up. Now they're stepping into the south. Um, and they're facing things that some of the some of her kids are struggling with it. Her because the kids are biracial. Her oldest son has that caramel-colored skin, but he has green eyes. Take that into small town North Carolina. Her second son is extremely fair. And if he wants to, he can pass his white. Well, this is a kid who wants to fit in, so guess where the struggle is gonna be with that? Um so I I think, you know, as we have talked in a way, it's a bit of me because I grew up in Eden, North Carolina, and when I left, I was like, I'm never going back. Um and I don't think it was about going back to Eden. It was about finding what home is. And coming back to North Carolina, there was something in me that said, I'm home. I don't have to be in my small town, but there's a familiarity that I have stepped back into.

SPEAKER_00 38:52

Yeah, it's interesting that you're asking about home because I got married two and a half years ago, and my husband is from Ghana. Wow, I lived with him for six months, and you know, I came back here because hopefully we can get him over here. But excuse me, I realize now that my home is wherever he is, you know, so it could be Ghana, it could be America, it could be somewhere else, but as long as he is there, I'm home. It's not where I grew up, it's not where I live now, it it's that person's proximity to me that makes me feel like, okay, this is it. I'm home. I can do this, you know, and home, I think it's different for different people.

SPEAKER_01 39:58

You know there's a passage I told you there's a wise woman in here, wise African-American woman. Um, and she knows Ebony is greeting, she lives in welcome, and Ebony has known her because each time when they would take the family, uh Michael insisted on stopping there because Miss Loretta made the best fried pies. Um, and Michael loved fried pies, and so they stop, and Loretta is talking to Ebony and she sees her grief. Um, she understands her grief, and she says to her, Just because the person is low no longer here, they are here, she points to Ebony's temple and they are here. She points to Ebony's chest. And she said, the legacy of who they are doesn't have to die just because they're not physically here. And I just you know, I think about that because I lost my both my parents young, but I was older than you. My mom, I was 30. No, thirty-four when I lost my mom and thirty-five when I lost my dad. And I lost my mom six weeks after I gave birth to twins. Um, and it's that you know, God gave me this dream because I was like, God, she didn't get to see my daughter grow up and get married. She didn't see any of my kids graduate, high school or college. And I got to see her days before she died. And my brothers were there, and it was the only time all seven grandkids were in their house. And um, the dream was I'm sitting with mom and she says I have to go. And I went, but you can't. The kids need to grow up and this and that and the other. And she said, I bless them. It's time for me, Toby. And it's that keeping her legacy alive, letting the kids know who she was and what she meant to be, just because she's not here, they can know her. So this book, The Colors of Home, has things like that in it. Um, where you know, maybe you did grow up with your parents, your mom, but she's still here in your mind and in your heart, and you will carry the story forward.

SPEAKER_00 42:41

Definitely, definitely. It has been a pleasure talking to you. I do have one more question though, because we've talked about a lot about the book. I want to talk about Harambe Press. Oh, yes, so talk a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_01 42:57

I will talk a little bit about that, and I'll let you know that it's actually changed. I've started my own business and it's called Harambe Creative Consulting because I saw the need, yes, ma'am. Be quiet. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 43:18

Um okay, good. So give the name again because he's harambe creative consulting.

SPEAKER_01 43:27

Okay, like I said before, my heart was to see um people of color published, but what I was running into are people of color not understanding that process. So God gave me an opportunity to work in the industry, three publishing houses. So I just stepped away the one with Harambe Press and realized we published several books under Harambe Press, but I want to see more authors get published. So I am a mentor, I'm a coach, I ghostwrite. Um and it's the whole idea of training authors of color how to get into those publishing houses. So you can say I now prepare them to move forward. Um and that's what I want to be able to do. Because in the publishing house, yes, I worked with a team, I worked with a pup board. But this way I can send so many more, I call them soldiers into the industry prepared. Um so I'm just currently starting harambe creative consultant. And you can find Creative Consulting. Harambe Creative, because most people, if they look up the word harambe, they associate it with me. Umbe Press started with me in 2018. So now I am I I just signed the papers today to be released from that other publishing house, Indane Press, to be able to launch this and work with writers. So anybody who wants information just reaches out to me at DuanaPerkins.com. Um and let me work with you. Let me prepare you for writing.

SPEAKER_00 45:25

Right. And and as a writer, um, my you're in North Carolina. Yeah my driver's license used to be writer girl. So that's how a writer I am. Um and it it's it's really a rewarding feeling when you write something, when you create something, whether it's fiction or nonfiction, just the act of sitting down and creating something. It's a really powerful and very fulfilling feeling.

SPEAKER_01 46:00

Well, Karen, before you we before we part, there's one more thing I want to encourage people to do. Writers of color need people to purchase their books. Um if we want our voices out there, we need to support each other. Not just, you know, pat on the shoulder, oh good job, you you published a book. But no, read them, leave reviews, let the publishing industry know that we are serious as not only writers, but as readers. Um, and I cannot emphasize that enough. Yes, you can get it from the library, yes, you can borrow it from a friend, but go purchase that book. It's not gonna hurt you to do that, and then leave it with you.

SPEAKER_00 46:56

That is true. So we can support one another as we grow and go forward. Edwina, it's been a pleasure talking to you and you as well. All right, and so I'm gonna end this and then we're gonna come back with virtuous verse and uh a really good call to action that deals with knowing a story and hearing a story. So I'm really excited about that, and we'll be back with that in a minute. We looked at this verse earlier, Matthew 13 forty-four. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then his in his joy he went and sold all that he had and he bought that field. Again, Matthew thirteen forty four. That's it. That's the whole parable. Just thirty five words. This treasure that the man found has immense value. And once he found it he was filled with joy. So he took everything that he had and he bought that field to ensure that he would have the treasure. Salvation is our treasure, and once we have found it, we're filled with joy. It's worth spending everything we have to attain it. Now we all know that he really didn't have to hide it. If it was a treasure, yeah, he would have had to hide it because he would want to make sure that he had it. But salvation is for all of us, it doesn't have to be hidden. Yet in our human nature, it might feel that way, at least at first. But once we have it and we can be assured that we won't lose it, then we can share it. And that's what we all should be doing. Sharing that good news. That's what the gospel is, the good news. The treasure is ours. We can share it, we have to share it. We can't keep it to ourselves. We all have a story to tell. So your call to action from this week is to listen to somebody's story. You might even want to record it. I know I wish I had recorded my father's story because it was really, really good and interesting. I mean, the stuff movies are made out of. So listen to that story from your parents, from your grandparents, your aunts and uncles, maybe a good friend. I don't know, but you know who's got a story to tell. If necessary, take notes. Ask them what they learned, ask questions about what they were feeling when they were going through it at the time, what they wish they had known at that time, what they learned from that experience. Ask them for a funny story, then a tragic one, because we all have them, and they're there for us to learn if we know the story. We can't learn from something we don't know about. So go to somebody this week that's got a story to tell, and we all know who those people are in our lives, and let them share their story. Now, if you like what you're hearing, feel free to donate at Dollar Karen Beach 921. That's K-A-R-Y-N Beach Like by the Ocean 921. Once again, that's Dollar Karen with the Y Beach 921. And I will join you next week. I really enjoyed this episode. Um, as a writer, I am always interested in stories and how people tell those stories. And I know that people, all of us, have a story to tell, and getting that out so that other people can learn and benefit from it is important. So I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did. Come back next week and we'll have another topic. We'll have more trivial, we'll have more Bible knowledge, and we'll have a good time. And remember, um, probably as soon as you hear this, go visit me on TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook at the 21st CenturyChristian.com because I'm going to be doing daily Bible trivia that will be a lot of fun. So hopefully I'll see you over there. And I will be back next week. Bye-bye. Using the 21st century Christian Facebook group. Got questions, comments, feedback. That's where you go. God bless.