Stories often begin with imagination.
Cecile’s Christmas Miracle started with experiences from my childhood. My family lived in Botswana, Africa, for four years. My parents led Bible studies, discipled a local pastor, and helped him plant a church.
Celebrating Christmas in Africa is very different from North America. The average December daytime temperature in Botswana is around 90. We often went swimming and ate watermelon after our family Bible reading and gift exchange.
I remember “Aunt” Ngairie coming to visit us. She worked as a missionary nurse in a remote clinic in the Kalahari Desert. I admired her courage.
As an adult, I wondered what it may have been like for her to serve as a single nurse in the middle of a desert:
Did she ever regret the path she had chosen?
Was she sure of God’s unique calling?
Did she struggle with loneliness?
What challenges did she face?
These ideas were my starting point. Cecile is a fictional character, but her clinic setting is inspired by a place I had the opportunity to visit. Today, there are still areas where most people fly in instead of driving. I also chose to weave in some fictionalized versions of political tensions I learned about through careful research.
If you have friends who appreciate clean inspirational fiction, please share this post with them.
The heart of Cecile’s story is not just about Africa. It is about the deeper questions and challenges:
Choosing obedience over personal preference
Wondering about sacrificing precious life opportunities
Dealing with intense loneliness even though you’re surrounded by people
It’s also about discovering that God is always at work, caring for us and meeting us in our times of need.
If you’ve ever looked back and wondered, What if….you may recognize yourself in Cecile and Colin’s story.
Most of you live where the July temperatures are similar to Botswana’s December average temperatures. To celebrate Christmas in July and help give you a different perspective, the Kindle edition of Cecile’s Christmas Miracle is just 99 cents (US).
On Monday, the price will be going up to $3.99 U.S. So, if you enjoy inspirational clean romance, I invite you to purchase the Kindle version this weekend, join Cecile on her journey, and experience Christmas in a different country. (Note: if you live outside the U.S., search your Amazon store for ASIN: B0CPPF4XLK)
Also, remember that one of the greatest gifts you can give an author is recommending the book to a friend and leaving a review.
Thank you for encouraging me as I continue to share stories that point towards hope and God’s faithfulness.
I’d love to hear from you in the comments:
Have you ever looked back at a decision and realized God was writing a better story than the one you imagined?
If you’ve been reading quietly for a while because you’re wondering whether your own story is worth telling, I want you to know it is. You don’t have to figure it out alone.
Learning to share our stories takes courage, discernment, and support. We all need safe places to wrestle with our words before releasing them into the world.
That’s one reason I created the paid community around Ruth’s Story Bytes. If God has been nudging you to share your story but you’re not sure where to begin, I’d be honoured to walk alongside you.
And when you’re ready to move from manuscript to published book, I’m here to help through RLS Creativity Publishing.
Keep taking one simple step at a time. Every story matters, and I’m grateful we’re walking this writing journey together.
Until our next Story Byte,
Ruth
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