Imperfect Progress Titles

Well, here we are. The book is out. The launch and discounts all start this evening. (Come join us online or in person.) Today, I wanted to do something a little different. This is the Acknowledgments from the back of my book. Without these people and organizations, I wouldn’t be here.

I hate making lists like this because I am always afraid that I will accidentally miss someone. Please don’t take offense if I missed your name! I love you all and hope to see you at one of the launch parties this weekend.

Dedication and Acknowledgments

I dedicate this book to these amazing people who made it possible.

To my family:

Mom, we did it! You were always a fierce supporter of my dreams of becoming a writer. I remember late nights together working on timelines or planning character arcs. You meticulously edited nearly everything I wrote for several years. I couldn’t have finished this marathon without you, even though I had to run the last mile by myself. I wish you could be here to see me cross the finish line.

Daddy, I know you would be so proud. Thank you for always believing in my dreams, no matter what they were. You raised all four of us to live disciplined, responsible lives. But you also instilled in me a love for Bible study and modeled consistent prayer. I think often of those moments catching you praying at 2:30 in the morning or reading the Bible before anyone else in the camper woke up.

Matt, thank you for pushing me to always keep improving. Russell, your excitement over the story you are writing rekindled my passion when it grew cold. Cassie, not only were you an amazing Beta reader, you were also my only proofreader. I love how much closer we have grown by working on this project together.

Princess Jasmine is my adorable, spoiled rotten, tiny, furry overlord. For years, I rolled my eyes at pet owners who treated their animals like family. Then you showed up. You were only supposed to stay for a few weeks until I went back to work. But as the lockdowns continued, you snuggled your way into my life and then into my heart. Now I cannot imagine life without you.

To my community:

Thank you to all the Alpha and Beta readers, who provided feedback, and to the amazing community of people God has blessed me with in this season. I am passionate about the power of community because it transformed my life. God did not create us to do life alone!

• Amanda M, your insight transformed the structure of this study between the first and second draft. Thank you for carving out time to provide feedback while juggling all your family, church, and work commitments.
• Amanda W, thank you for your insight and diligent study of the Word of God.
• Aunt Diane, thank you for all the encouraging notes in those early days when I wanted to toss the whole study.
• Aunt Kathy, thank you for encouraging me throughout the process and for everything you do to take care of Bonnie.
• Chris and Joey, your faithfulness and servants’ hearts inspire me to action. Thank you for the practical ways you love me.
• Courtney and Will, thank you for welcoming me and giving me a place to belong when I felt untethered.
• Elena, you are a delight and light up every room you enter. Keep using that influence God gave you!
• Glenda and Jim, your wisdom and insight bless our community, and your commitment to each other inspires us all.
• Gloria and Jerome, thank you for being the hands of Jesus, despite enduring personal disappointment.
• Justin, you are an amazing man of God. Your character provides a firm foundation for our community.
• Kaitlyn, you have taught me what it means to be a true friend, both when it’s easy and when it’s hard. Thank you for encouraging me to take up space in your life.
• Katina, thank you for your encouragement and prayers.
• Kristina, thank you for providing feedback from an author’s perspective and for helping me plan the book launch.
• Maria, thank you for teaching me the power of friendship and how to slow down and enjoy life.
• Michael, you inspire me with your openness as you fight to break strongholds. Stay in the process; God is writing an amazing story with your life!
• Nick, you bring a joy and youthfulness we all need. When you are gone, your absence is felt.
• Nicole, your steadiness inspires me to keep going no matter what happens. Thank you for being a constant cheerleader for myself and others, even when God’s timing doesn’t seem fair.
• Pastor Brett, thank you for providing a framework to help me articulate the Gospel so perfectly. We create as image bearers of the Author who wrote the greatest story ever told!
• Stephen and Rebecca, thank you for your Biblical insight, constant prayer, and ongoing encouragement. I appreciate the many years of wisdom and guidance; my life will never be the same.
• Swami, I love how willing you are to try new things and how you push me outside my comfort zone.
• Tranise, thank you for the unique perspective you provided on the first draft of this manuscript and for helping me plan the book launch.
• The whole Woodard Community Group! We are growing so fast that on each draft I add more names to this list! I look forward to getting to know you all better as we continue pursuing God together. Thank you for loving and serving each other well!

To Aunt Patti:

I especially want to thank Aunt Patti. Without you, I would never have written this study. After my parents died, you became a mother to me. We laughed together, cried together, and spent hours talking about a lot of nothing.

I will never forget finishing my first blog after mom’s death and not knowing what to do. Mom was my proofreader, and she was gone. You’ve never corrected my commas or reworded my sentences. But letting me read that blog to you, and many others after it, helped me continue writing.

You encouraged me to take this writing thing seriously, helped me out of writing slumps, reminded me to take breaks, and continued supporting me, no matter how many fictional characters I murdered.

When Imposter Syndrome is eating my lunch, you remind me this is God’s project, and He’s got this. When I am stuck in any story, you are the one I call to talk through the plot and figure out what to do next. No matter how many times you tell me you are “just an accountant,” your questions and ideas always give me the nudge I need to get back on track.

Thank you, Patti. I love you.

#NotSponsored… but thank you!

This is #NotSponsored. But I wanted to give a hearty “thank you” to these fantastic organizations and individuals who helped make Writing Your Story With God a reality.

• 4TheWords uses gamification to help writers write more without distraction. I slayed many “monsters,” and completed many quests while writing this book. The 4TheWords Discord is also a great place to go for inspiration and community.
• Celeste provided the final line edit. Her feedback put a layer of polish on this book to help it become what you hold in your hands.
• Crossway provides an open license for the English Standard Version (ESV). This allowed me to include scripture quotations without needing to go through an approval process. I use ESV for my personal Bible study because it balances staying true to the original texts and using common language that is easy to understand.
• Dena’s cabins in the Smokey Mountains provided the perfect getaway to finish editing this book. The cabins are charming and cozy, offering the ideal escape from my hectic Austin lifestyle. Patti and I have started a tradition of staying in the bear cabin every spring.
• Katerina, my illustrator, perfectly captured the creative and playful vision I had for this study. Working with her has been a pleasure.
• Kris, we couldn’t be more different, but we still have an excellent relationship. Thank you for supporting my dreams, both practically and emotionally.
• Lofi Girl’s music was exactly what I needed to boost my concentration when working on this manuscript. Additionally, Lofi Girl gives small creators, like me, access to quality music for their YouTube videos.
• NaNoWriMo, which you already know if you’ve read the study, affected me more than I can explain. I always wanted to be an author. But, without NaNoWriMo, I might still be planning to “someday” write a book. Thank you for giving me the push to sit down and make serious progress.
• ProWritingAid is the software I used for multiple passes of editing and proofreading. It also improves my writing in other spheres, like work, because it integrates with tools like Outlook and Word. Specifically, I cannot say enough about how much I love the new Rephrase feature! I’m grateful there’s no limit to how many times you can use Rephrase, because I’d hit the cap every day.
• Round Rock Writer’s Guild, thank you for providing a welcoming and supportive environment for writers at every skill level.
• Before clarifying my vision, I hired Shoon to illustrate the companion journal. Although Katerina’s illustrations are in Journaling through John, I included clips of Shoon’s art in the main study. You can download PDFs of Shoon’s coloring pages here.