36: When God Says Write: Shannon's Publishing Journey

What if the book you're meant to write starts with simply putting your thoughts on paper?

In this heartfelt episode of For Women Who Write, Mikaela sits down with first-time author Shannon to discuss the journey behind her beautiful devotional, Becoming: 30 Days to Becoming a More Present, Peaceful, and Purposeful Mom.

Shannon shares how encouragement from her adult children first planted the seed to write a book, why she spent a year quietly writing without telling anyone, and how God guided every step of the process. Together, she and Mikaela pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to write a book, from overcoming self-doubt and vulnerability to finding structure, refining a message, and preparing for publication.

Whether you're dreaming of writing a devotional, a nonfiction book, or simply wondering if your story is worth sharing, this conversation is full of encouragement, wisdom, and practical insight.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Shannon knew it was time to write her book
• Why writing can be a deeply personal and spiritual journey
• The surprising reason she kept her manuscript a secret for a year
• How a book idea evolved into a 30-day devotional
• The importance of structure when writing a nonfiction book
• What the editing process is really like
• How to move forward even when you feel insecure or unqualified
• Why obedience matters more than perfection

One of the most powerful moments in this conversation is Shannon's reminder that your writing doesn't have to be "good enough" by the world's standards, it simply needs to be faithful to what God has asked you to create.

If you've been feeling the nudge to write, this episode may be exactly the encouragement you need to take the first step.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome to For Women Who Write Podcasts. I'm Michaela, a certified writing coach, editor, and self-publishing expert with over a decade of experience, helping women find their ideas into powerful best. Share your stories, share your experiences, here we have finding a point. Overcoming resistance into the world with her is possible. Your story matters, and chances are you're closer to holding a finished book in your finished. Welcome you guys to another episode for Women Who Write. I have a really fun guest with me here today. Shannon just wrote a beautiful, beautiful devotional, you guys called Becoming. And I cannot wait for more mamas to get their hands on this book. Seriously, I helped edit it and I had to keep reminding myself you are editing. You are not reading this book to apply it to your life. And I definitely have applied many of the things to my life in my parenting, but it is such a beautiful devotional that Janan has written and has lived experience in as a mom herself. And so I am so excited to welcome Shannon to the podcast to talk a little bit more about the process of writing her book. So if you have ever wanted to write a devotional or really any book, and you're really curious about the process, this interview is going to be very interesting to you because we are going to pull back the curtain and look a little bit deeper into what the process is of writing a book. What are the thoughts that go into it? What things do you need to overcome? And how can you eventually be a successful published author just like Shannon? So, Shannon, thank you so much for being here. We're so excited to have you.

SPEAKER_01 2:03

Thank you. I'm equal parts excited and nervous right now, but thank you so much. I love it.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Isn't that honestly like just all writing it is too? It's like you're equal parts excited and kind of terrified at the same time. But it's when you face that nervousness and you just take the leap that all of the incredible things happen when you don't allow that anxiety to rule and control you. Yes, I would agree. I would absolutely agree. Yes. So let's talk about your book a little bit more. It's called Becoming 30 Days to Becoming a More Present, Peaceful, and Purposeful Mom. So let's go all the way back. Before this book was written, what was in your heart? Have you always wanted to write a book, or was this just a new idea for you in the last year or two?

SPEAKER_01 2:55

Honestly, so it kind of started a few years ago with my kids. My kids, my kids are they're 26 and 28. And well, actually, my son turns 28 on the day that the book officially launches, which is yeah, it was such a god thing. Um, that because we we didn't have a particular date in mind for the launch, and they suggested that I'm like to launch this on the day that I became a mom. I feel like it's just such a godwink. But my gosh, that's so special. It really is. I was yeah, I was great. But my kids start, you know, they're adults. Well, they always say they're little baby adults, but they're adults. And they started telling me, like, you should write a book, you should write a book. Because what they were saying to me is, you know, we you've you've been able to navigate so many different things. And the older they've gotten, they've gotten to that stage of realizing like that their parent is a human too, and like has their own challenges and uh struggles and their own walk with God. And as a as a kid, you don't see that. But as you kind of come into your own as an adult, you start to see that. And they started to see, my gosh, this this maybe wasn't very easy for you. And you should you should share what God has taught you along the way. And I was like, no, you know, no, nobody needs to hear that. Like it's it would be a book of mistakes. That's what it would be. A book of don't do this. Please don't do this. But they sort of planted that seed, and it was a combination of God watering that seed and the kids revisiting that over time and saying, you know, you should you should do this. And most of my actual like paid career is around reading. I think you know this, Michaela. And but on Tuesdays, I do a parent tip Tuesday, and I was getting so much response from moms on Parent Tip Tuesday that I was like, okay, maybe moms do want guidance from like a middle-aged woman who has raised kids who are, you know, and I'm on the other side of that day-to-day um overwhelm. And so it was kind of a combination of all of those things and really God watering that seed and finally him taking over that nudge and saying, yes, this is something I want you to do. And then that became that became really a source of tremendous anxiety because, like I said, like it's you know, I felt like this is just a book of mistakes. This is just a and it, it's so vulnerable. I feel like writing in general is so vulnerable, but writing about yourself as a mother, my gosh, like it was like laying myself bare. It still sort of is. I mean, I'm not gonna lie like that, but that's that's where it started. Um, and it took me a year, a full year to write it. And I would start it. And it wasn't that I was stopping it, I just never had an end goal in mind. It was sort of, hey, Lord, what do you want me to say? These need to be your words. You need to remind me of all the things that you taught me that you want me to share. And so that process took time somewhat because of the overwhelm of it all and the emotional weight of it, but also just life. And I did the other thing is I didn't tell a single soul that I was writing. Not a I did not tell my husband, I didn't tell my kids, I didn't tell my sister, my parents, my friends. I told not a living soul that I was writing. It was, and that honestly made it special. It was just between me and God. And I think I did that more so that I had an out. Because I feel like as soon as you tell somebody you're doing something, you now have accountability to finish it. And it was kind of like, well, as long as the Lord and I are the only two that know, like if I don't finish, I'll just be asking for forgiveness. So which I do not recommend that. That is not how grace and forgiveness works.

SPEAKER_00 6:56

So I want to talk about a lot in here because I there's quite a few people I've been talking to lately where they are like they have this desire to write a book. Maybe somebody told them to write a book or they've just kind of like always wanted to write one, which by the way, having your own kids want to like telling you to write a book on motherhood, like Shannon, that is that's huge. Like I just that is what I aspire to someday. But to also, you know, a lot of people have this like desire, or someone tells them they really want to write a book and they should write a book, and they like sit on it for a while because it's a pretty scary idea to put yourself out there. And I've talked to a several women lately who were on a walk and they were just wrestling with it. And the Lord was like, just go, just do it, see what happens. I'm here, I'm with you. Like, just go. Do you feel like you had kind of that type of a moment too where it was like the Lord was like, just gave you this permission and you felt like, okay, let's go and let's do it. You know, even though you're kind of maybe hiding it a little bit or not hiding it, but you're not telling other people about it, it's still like a secret thing between you and the Lord. Did you feel like you needed like for him to give you permission to go and do this?

SPEAKER_01 8:10

Oh, 100%. I needed it to be from him. And I needed, and sort of for two reasons. One for sort of the courage to do it, but also for what to put in there. You know, like even when I had sort of and started to entertain the idea, I didn't know what was gonna go in there. It was just, it was, and and I will say, Michaela, that's honestly where you came in as truly a gift from God. I know I've told you that before, but I feel like God gave you to me in exactly his right timing because by the time, you know, I I had the thoughts, like I had the content, I had the bones, I had a lot of the words even. I had a lot of a lot of that, but it was almost like I needed structure to it. And I couldn't figure out the structure. And I think partly because I was so close to it. And I needed somebody to say, I needed an outside voice who but an outside voice who understood what I was trying to say to help me bring structure to it because without the structure, it was just thoughts. And there's a lot of thoughts. I mean, um, but it it it I'm trying to think of an analogy and I can't. So, but it it was it was definitely honestly probably more than one moment of God saying, you need to just go, just start. Don't worry about the structure, just start writing. And for that year that I wrote, it really was just, I would sit down when I felt like he I had something to say. And then I'd walk away from it for sometimes days, sometimes sometimes an hour, sometimes days, sometimes a couple of weeks. And then when I would feel him saying, like, okay, now go talk about this, okay. I, you know, so it was definitely a process, but even at the end, when I felt like my manuscript script was like, quote, done, you know, I felt like when I felt like it was done, it was just I had said everything that I felt like God had asked me to say.

SPEAKER_00 10:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

But I it still needed structure and organization.

SPEAKER_00 10:20

So well, I love that too, that like the writing process, it's very different for everyone. Some people, it's like, let me hammer it down and like let's just go in a weekend. And other people need a full year of like writing with the Lord and going at your own pace. And because, and I I think they're so different because every person is different, but because also like co-laboring, co-working with God in this creative work, I think He wants to spend time with us. He wants to do this with us, and that looks different for everyone. Because yes, it's about the book coming out and helping other people, but I think first and foremost, the writing with God is spending time with him, is growing deeper in love with him, you working with him and being with him and growing in that relationship with him. And as a Christian, when you do that work with God, I think that the writing is is almost sacred. And so sometimes that means it's like the Lord's like, let's go and let's get it out, you know, in 90 days. But often I think he just walks at the pace of love, which is often way slower than we want it to be sometimes. And sometimes it is just let's just walk together and and write this together. And so I just I love that. And then you get to a point though where it's like, okay, I've written this, but now it's time to start moving towards publishing it. And so I've got the clay. Now we need to start shaping that clay a little bit more. So I think you and I got connected on Instagram. Am I remembering that correctly? That's exactly where we connected. Okay. Did we have mutual friends? Was it an ad? What was it on Instagram?

SPEAKER_01 11:57

We had so you know, your reel popped up on my um thing, and it was right, it was kind of a combination of things. So I don't even know if I've ever told you this. So I had gotten to where I was like, quote, done. Like I thought when I say done, I had I had gotten out everything, and there was a sense of like God's telling me it's finished, like that this part is finished. And literally, like, I think within 24 hours, one of your reels popped up on Instagram just in like as discovery.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

And you were talking about self-publishing. Cause I was like, okay, now what? And he and at that point, because up until that point, God had only given me the directive to write everything down.

SPEAKER_00 12:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:47

And in my mind, I was sort of thinking, this is just gonna be for my children. This isn't necessarily gonna be for anybody else. Sure. And at that point, he started nudging me towards this being available to other moms. And I didn't know what that was gonna look like. I didn't want to, I I I just I felt really overwhelmed by that process because I was like, I I have no, and and then you popped up and you talked about that. And so then I went to your page and we do we had Beth Isabel is uh a mutual connection, yes. And so she I love her, and so I saw that so I saw that we had a mutual connection, and then I went through a lot of your content and just kind of started silently like following you. And because I'm a lurker, like I swear I'm a lurker. And yes, I know it's it yes, and but it was actually pretty quickly that God was like, This, I want you to reach out. I want you to reach out to her and and just connect. Like I didn't even know what that meant, but I was like, because I don't I didn't know the process, so I didn't know the questions to ask. I didn't know what I was asking for. I just knew that contacting you was my next step. And then from there, you you sort of because this is your area of expertise. I feel like you were able to take me and say, like, okay, I got this, like I know what to do next. This is my area. Like you, like you had it from there. And it was such confirmation to me that like this whole part that I really don't know what I'm doing, you did. And from our first conversation, I felt like you understood the message that I was trying to convey and communicate. And then went and then like the whole editing process was just complete confirmation of that.

SPEAKER_00 14:50

I love, oh, that makes me so grateful to hear. And it's just so sweet when you're like, oh man, thank you, Lord, for bringing us together. And because that's exactly what editing should be, and that's what coaching should be, is not my voice. This is not my experience. My job is simply here to help amplify and sharpen what you were trying to say. And so when you we first met and you had your manuscript written, and so we did like a kind of a version of the outline intensive, and because it was kind of in its early stages, and you had written a lot of the manuscript already. And so, but even you had only like 12,000-ish words, I think. And so it was pretty small. Um, so that's why we did an outline intensive. I don't like doing ones with like full, full blown, like 30,000, 50,000 words. Right. Um, it just doesn't make sense. So you had what you had was totally eligible for an outline intensive. And so we uh I went through and reviewed everything that you had, looked through, and then we got on a three-hour long call. And it was on that call, I believe, that the idea of it becoming a devotional started to get shaped because what you had was really, really great, but it was like short bursts of wisdom that felt like it could be more easily digestible for uh in like a devotional form. And so I believe on that call was when we had started talking about that and what that could look like. Or maybe we talked about that before, because actually on that call, on the intensive, we maybe started. Was it okay? Because we started dividing it at some point into like all of these different days. But how was that process for you? Kind of like you shifting the form a little bit from like it being a book to a devotional.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

So that was interesting, and we did it on the call. I distinctly remember it because I was like, it was such a shift, but not a negative shift. It was more of a like, oh my gosh, I never would have thought of that. And honestly, I don't, I think even if I had thought of that, I would have said no, thank you, because I already felt like I wasn't standing in any place to offer or to devotion. And so I think when you initially proposed it, it was more of I like you were so wise in the way you pitched it to me because you were like, just from an organizational structure, I think like you could read me that I was like, Yeah, I'm not, I'm not a pastor, I'm not a minister, I'm not in ministry. Like, I can't write a devotion. And all I could think is people are gonna see this and be like, who does she think she is? And I think you were so wise to approach it from like just structurally. Yeah. But and you were, and and then we did, we started ironing it out, and you kind of you proposed it in a way that like this is for moms, and moms can't necessarily sit down and read a whole chapter. Like, how many moms have books they start and never finish? But if we break it into 30 days and give give moms a month, they can sit down and read a couple of pages a day, or it's at least more manageable, and if they skip, they can come right back to it. And it helped me to reframe the content and really meet the needs of the audience more, I think. Um, because it wasn't changing what I had to say, but it was making it much more consumable for the women that I was trying to connect with. And so on that call, like you proposed it, and I think you could tell that I was hesitant, which I was, but it was just insecurity, which God's been working on me with that lately. But but you, I think we went straight into breaking out those 30 days because I think you recognize this is where like your zone of genius comes in. Cause I think you could read me and you were like, okay, let me show you what this would look like. And as you started showing me what it would look like, because I'm a teacher, like in my heart of hearts teacher, and I was like, oh, this is it shifted it into that model, like teaching, where you're doing something, it's it's very systematic and sequential and direct. And that uh that just I don't know, like that made so much sense to me. And so I think if there are people that are setting out to write a devotion, now I feel like in hindsight, that's a much easier format because you're not trying to write a whole chapter. You're just writing, you're writing a concise thought around something. And it's a specific teaching, it's not a whole chapter full of a million examples and stories and you know, all the things that go into that.

SPEAKER_00 19:41

Yeah, 100%. And I think what's interesting too, because I think a lot of people like you kind of shy away from devotionals a little bit too, because like you said, like I don't have a seminary degree, I'm not a pastor, you know, all those kinds of things. But I believe we're all theologians, honestly, um, because we're all in the process of studying God and learning and knowing God. But if the idea of, you know, kind of expositing scripture is a little overwhelming, then you don't necessarily have to go into all the scripture because that's not exactly what you do. Like we have scripture throughout it, but a lot more of this is taking the idea of scripture and expanding on it in a way more practical way and how that applies to motherhood. You're not really getting into the history of scripture and you know, getting into like the Greek and Hebrew of all of all of the verses. It's like, hey, this is the principle in scripture, but we're gonna like way tease this out in a very practical way and using like examples from your own um mothering journey and all of that. And so for a lot of people too, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to have a seminary degree to be able to write something like that. So I think that was really, you know, helpful too as we were working through it of let's like let's let loose of kind of that definition that it has to you have to be a pastor in order to write this and use scripture, of course. It's like a guiding principle for, you know, a guide for these ideas, but it's not everything that, you know, we're not going super deep into all that, you know, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 21:13

Oh, it does. Well, and it's not a Bible study, like this book is not Bible study. And once we made that, and I mean, especially I should say especially once we made that shift, because there was some of that in the initial what I felt like God was giving to me to write. But especially when we made that shift into devotion, it was I felt like my goal was not Bible study, but giving moms a really practical way of showing them what does living out scripture look like in your home as a mom? And what does that look like as a woman? What does that look like with your kids? What does that look like in friendship? What does that look like across the board? And so adding in those pieces of daily scripture and then some questions and a prayer, like all of that, that became my focus, like making this truly practical on a day-to-day basis for moms. Cause I feel like that's what we, I mean, that's what I need now. Like that's why I need daily time in the word, because what I read yesterday, I can't, I hardly remember the following day. And I certainly need recalibration on a daily basis. And you know, so that that that really did become the focus. But I I yes, I would say most people, even if they even even if they feel the nudge from the beginning, that can feel very intimidating.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

For sure. For sure. Oh, I love, I love that. And man, you talking about the book gets me so excited for it to come out because it's just so good. I loved it. Yes. So, so okay, so we do our outline intensive, we kind of start to like hammer it out a little bit more, start tracking like, hey, I think this could be day one, day two, and we kind of create this table of contents for you. And so we end that time together. And so you've got your outline and it's changed a little bit. So now there's like, hey, we need to fill in day 14 and day 15 and that kind of a thing. So walk me through that process. What was that like? Because it was pretty fast. I was surprised when you emailed me and were like, I'm done. And I was like, wow, like that was so fast. So talk to me more about that process, that couple month process after the intensive when you were filling things in and finishing out the writing.

SPEAKER_01 23:32

I felt like initially, and it was interesting because the whole first year was so slow, you know, I would come and go and come and go. But I think once we outlined it out into the 30 days and you gave me those topics and you sort of went through and like shifted things. So when it was like, okay, now we need to fill in content for day 14, but I knew what the content was. Yeah. And I knew what day 13 and what day 15 were. And so it was filling, and I think this is where like the teacher in me kicked in because it felt like a lesson plan. And I've written enough lesson plans that I can write a lesson plan in my sleep at this point. And so filling in days felt like that. Like I am writing a lesson on this particular topic. Um, and so it wasn't, I don't know, that that definitely felt easier for me. Um, and by then, too, uh, you had read it and sort of confirmed and helped me build confidence. God was working on me with my confidence. And I had had one other person read it. Her name's Lindsay. I put her in the acknowledgments because she happened to reach out to me right around the time that I reached out to you. And I and I knew her personally. Also, I should say that I knew her personally. And I was like, hey, would you mind reading this and just give me your honest thoughts? She's got two little boys. And she she gave me so much positive feedback that it like I had wind in my sails that I was like, okay, this is actually maybe going to be helpful for moms. Like, you know, even if it's like two moms, that's fine. Um, like you and Lindsay, that's totally fine with me. And so I just so by the time we got there, I don't know. I I I the only way I can describe it is I felt like I had direction. Whereas before I was like, it was such a like, is this right? Am I doing this right? Lord, are you sure? Are you sure? Are you sure? And at that point, I was like, Michaela said, so yes, she's sure. She's sure. Like, I don't know. That's probably the only way I could describe it.

SPEAKER_00 25:48

Well, I think there is something when you have like outside feedback on what you're working on. You know, like there's a common saying, I feel like I hear it all the time, that's becoming cliche, but like you can't read the ingredients when you're inside the jar. And when you're writing your book, like you're inside the jar and you can't read the label. You can't see like, what is this? Is it good? You know? And so you need that like outside perspective and feedback to tell you, like, hey, this is working. Maybe we can change this a little bit. And then it helps too when you're in the moment and you're like kind of having that spiral second guessing. You can step out of that and be like, well, you can kind of borrow someone else's belief, borrow someone else's like expertise and be like, okay, well, this person really liked this. They said it was good. Let's just go with it. And um, it just gives you that confidence in that direction, exactly like you're talking about. So I love that. I love that it was like, let's go. Like it turned on the motor for you and like, let's just go and get it done. So then after you finished writing it, you sent it to me and I did some edits on it, and I didn't have to do a ton because we had done so much structure work and you're a really strong writer. And so it was, we didn't have to do a ton of changes, and or at least from my end, it didn't seem like it. Maybe from yours, once you got it back, maybe it's a little different. How was that process for you? You know, you get the edits back and you have to review all of that. What was that like for you?

SPEAKER_01 27:15

So I it was actually great. I was anticipating it being, I don't know, I like I was anticipating, like, oh my gosh, you know, and I think that's just like our nature to be like, oh my gosh, she's gonna have hated it, she's going to. And so when I got it back, like all of the edits, it was so helpful to me because the primary thing that I felt like was the most helpful was as a writer, I love that analogy, you can't eradicates from the jar. Because also when you're writing, you feel like you've been crystal clear on something. Because in your mind it was clear and you feel like you've explained it well. And so it was so helpful for me for you to say, like, tease this out, add more here. I love this, but I need an example here. I need, you know, so and you gave very specific feedback, which I swear, like you, I don't know if you used to be a teacher, but you could be and should be because I I don't do great with children.

SPEAKER_00 28:17

My own are great, but I don't have the patience, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_01 28:22

But you gave such specific feedback. It wasn't just you didn't just say, like, this is good, this needs to be more clear. Like you told me how to make it clear. You told me if I needed an example, you told me if I needed to tease it out and give more um like structure to the idea. So you gave me, and even when you were being positive, you're like, I like your word choice here. I like your, I like your story, I like your analogy. Like you all of your and so the positive and the constructive feedback were so helpful to me that the edits became first of all, that made it easier for me to do because I I didn't feel like I was shooting in the dark of like, what is she asking me for? Like I knew. Um, but I also by then, and I feel like this is key. I at that point, I really trusted you. And I would feel like, or I I do feel like the relationship between writer and editor, like I wouldn't have known the level of trust that that required before this, because I've never done it. I would have thought like anybody can like I could give this to anybody and they could edit it for like you know, add here, give feedback. That is absolutely untrue. Like the trust is key. And and that is why I say all the time, you were such a gift, because I didn't, you were the gift that I didn't know that I needed for this book. And so the edits, like I trusted you. I trusted when you asked me, I tr if you said to cut something, I trusted to cut it. If you said to add something, I trusted that it it didn't make sense, even though I felt like I did. And there was one thing, I can't remember what it was, but I remember there was one thing, and you you said something to the effect of I think we need to explain this differently, unless you feel like this is the way God wanted you to say it. And you gave me that freedom to go back to Him and say, should I change this or should I leave it? And you were so just all of those things made it just much easier for me to be honest.

SPEAKER_00 30:39

I'm so glad to hear that because sometimes this can be really difficult for the edits because it's you know, you've done all of this work and then you get it back and it's like bleeding red, and you're like, oh great, okay, I'm a terrible writer. And that's not that's not what editing is. And you know, with track changes on word, it's like it just changes everything is red, and so it looks more terrifying than it actually is. But I think you're right, speaking on the trust piece, because I used to edit for people that I had never met before, like we never had a conversation, and it felt so sterile and it felt so like I had a hard time editing because I didn't know what the writer was trying to communicate. And then the writer would also feel a little defensive with any suggestion that I made, which totally makes sense because they're like, who is this girl? And she doesn't know me, which was true. Like I didn't, and so that I was working with like a company for that time, and so that's one of the reasons why we do the outline intensives ahead of time is we can get to know each other really well. We get to know your voice, what you're trying to communicate, so that then the whole process can just go so much more smoothly. So I'm so, so glad to hear that. That just makes me so happy. So you finish the edits and then it's time to move into publishing. And so you worked with my publishing partner, Miranda and Whitney, and they've got your cover and your formatting. And as of this recording, you're going to be launching in a week, which is so exciting. How do you feel about your launch, your marketing? How does all of that feel for you?

SPEAKER_01 32:08

Oh my gosh. I so I I feel so many. One, I feel like such a fish out of water. Yeah. I also feel so well taken care of. I am so excited I could cry and I could also make a run to throw up. Like I didn't, yeah. It is like all the things. And each part of this has kind of felt like that. So um, but yeah, it's I I they've been wonderful. They've been really wonderful. They've held my hand through the whole thing. And Whitney's been my project manager. So I primarily communicate with her and and she is amazing.

SPEAKER_00 32:43

I love Whitney. She works for me too, still. And she's a dream. Yep, she's a dream. Love her. Yes. So okay, good. Yes. I mean, it's so exciting. It was fun to you. Like you were working on your cover and you sent it back to me and wanted to like get my feedback, which I love doing too, of like, you know, because they're like your cover is also telling a story just as much as your book is. And so it was fun to like get to kind of see the process too of you that and kind of working all of that out. And I just, I'm so excited for you, Shannon. This is this is incredible. And the book is beautiful. And I just, I cannot wait for this to come out and for more mamas to get to read this because what you have lived through and what you like, the wisdom that has come out of that is what us mamas need more of. We're like in the trenches and you were there, so you know what it's like, and it's encouraging to see that it is possible to raise really wonderful kids and still come out alive and yourself, maintaining like your identity too throughout all of that process. And so I'm just I'm so excited and I'm so grateful that we got to meet Shannon.

SPEAKER_01 33:51

I know, me too, likewise.

SPEAKER_00 33:53

Likewise. Yes. Anything else that we didn't cover that you would want to talk about with the book writing and how you're feeling about the book and anything else?

SPEAKER_01 34:02

I don't know that there's anything else that I would say to add to this. I wouldn't, I but I would encourage anybody. You even felt an inkling of wanting to write, even if you start writing just for yourself. Like just start writing it for yourself or out of obedience to God without any end game in mind. Just get your words on paper and then be open to whatever God wants to do with that. I feel like one thing that we are so guilty of as women, as people, as believers, is keeping our stories to ourselves. And I always, you know, they always say you never know what somebody's walking through. And I think it's so true. And I I feel like if we if we shared more of that with one another, there's so much to be learned from one another. And there's also so much grace that grows towards one another when we understand some of those struggles, some of the roads that people have walked. And that's one thing. I you mentioned my kids, I mentioned my kids. They wrote the foreword for this book, they asked to, which was, you know, I mean, it was, I was, I was so touched. And they wrote it together. And my kids are so very different. So it was interesting because in the foreword, you can hear both of their personalities and both of their voices. Nobody else would, but I I can. And and that was one of the things that they that they talked to me about, but also put in there that like rate, they now recognize like raising them, they did not know all the challenge, all the challenging parts of it. Nobody does. Um, and I feel like as moms, we're so conditioned to try to hide that because we feel like if we share that, we're failing, or we share it as a like, I'm struggling, I don't care, you know, I I'm a mess all the time. Like, and that is just such a deflection of insecurity, usually, I think. And but I feel like I'm rambling, but this is good. Like if more people just took that step and just started putting their thoughts on paper or putting the lessons God's teaching them on paper and trust him with it. That's been the that's been the learning that God's walked me through in this whole process that's been a couple of years long, honestly, is I don't need to know how, I don't need to know what, I don't need to know why. I just need to do what he's asking me to do. And I feel like that's the lesson in motherhood too. Like you don't always know what you're doing in that moment. That's the lesson still. And with my insecurity, one thing that he has taught me is not to rely on the criticism or the compliments because both are not necessarily trustworthy. The criticism usually has more to do with the other person than it does with me. But the compliments, I can't trust that either, because that leads to pride. Like the only voice I can listen to is his. Like, is he happy with the work I've done? Is he happy with the way that I've walked out his directive? And if he's happy, then if not a single book sells, if not well, and one will sell, my mama will buy it. Um I'll buy it. Two will sell. Way more than two. But in all honesty, like now, and God is pleased with me. Like that, that if that's not enough, then that's hard work I have to do. You know what I mean? So that's in the work that he's been doing in me lately.

SPEAKER_00 37:58

Oh my gosh, there's so much in this. I think sometimes I do this too of like, well, I want to write, but if I'm not gonna be a New York Times bestseller, I'm out. I'm not doing it, you know, like it has to be so incredible and so big and good in order for me to do this. And yet I'm I'm focusing on the end result. I'm not focusing on the process itself and that, you know, like just sit down and write. What would it look like to just write and not even think about a book just yet, but just start and see what God does through that whole process. And I really think writing is a sacred, sanctifying journey because a lot comes out while you're writing, and it is not easy to do this whole thing, and yet you become a different person throughout the process. Like there's parts of you that change because of the experience of writing and publishing a book. And I think it's incredible. And I'm hearing you say that too of like the insecurity and the, you know, walking with God through it is it's it's a really it's hard, but it's a beautiful experience that's totally worth it.

SPEAKER_01 39:03

That's so funny you said that, Michaela. I didn't want to interrupt. I have such a bad habit of interrupting people. But when you said like people don't want to start unless they know it's gonna be good, there was a day that I was really wrestling with God. And I was like, it was early on when I first started writing things down. And I was like, well, it was actually, it was, it was when he was asking me to write it and then kind of planting the idea of it being for other people besides me, my mom, and my children. And I was like, is it even gonna be good? Like, what if it's not good? And he responded to my spirit so clearly, he was like, it will be mine. And oh my, I could cry now. Like, it doesn't have to be good by the way I define it or the world defines it. If it's his, it is good. He is good. Yes, and at the end of the day, if that's not my goal, I shouldn't say that is my goal because so many days that's not my goal because I get lost in my own junk. But if if and when that's not my goal, that's what it should be, and that's where I need to recalibrate to. It doesn't need to be good, it needs to be his.

SPEAKER_00 40:06

Yes. And I think when you anchor yourself like that, the publishing side of things too and launching get, I don't know if I'd say easier, but you can regulate a little bit more because you have this anchor in you of like, you know what, this is not about hitting bestseller. This is not about getting a certain number of sales, this is not about somebody thinking a certain way about me. This is about doing something that God has called me to do. And that in 20 years, 30 years, I'm gonna be so proud of myself and so glad that I did that. And what am I communicating to my kids? And, you know, like all of these other things that you do have control over. You don't have control over how many sales you make, you don't have control over bestseller, you don't have control over other people's opinions. But what you do have control over is the fact that you have been faithful to do what God asked you to do. And at the end of all of this, when all everything else burns, that is what's going to matter. And I just I think that's such a like grounding attitude to take, especially when you're doing something as vulnerable as writing and publishing a book. Very well said. Yes, yes. Oh my goodness. Okay, we could probably go on and on about all of this. So good. But she'll have eternity. We'll we'll spend some time in eternity catching up. We will we'll actually get to meet in person, which will be something to live. Yeah, so hopefully before eternity.

SPEAKER_01 41:26

But if not, certain people that I'm like, oh Lord, if you could put my mansion next to theirs, because I feel like we would get along so well. 100%. We're gonna have to chat about.

SPEAKER_00 41:36

We will have the time if you're on the other side of the world, no problem. I'll just go see you. That's right. That's right. I love it. Well, Sheen and where can we go to learn a little bit more about you and most importantly, to buy your book? So the book is on Amazon.

SPEAKER_01 41:52

By the time this recording launches, it will be on Amazon. You can find me on Instagram at Literacy Simplified, because I told you my usual paying job is uh reading. And then you can also find everything through literacysimplified.com.

SPEAKER_00 42:10

Love it. Amazing, awesome. Well, thank you so, so much, Shannon. This was such a joy, so much wisdom, and I'm just so excited and so proud of you.

SPEAKER_01 42:19

Thanks so much, Michaela. I will never stop thanking God for you.

SPEAKER_00 42:22

Oh my goodness. You either, friend. You either. That is just so sweet. Thank you.