By KD Holmberg
As a woman of a ‘certain age,’ I embarked on a writing journey I didn’t plan, know what to expect, or even have a destination in mind. Like the patriarch Abraham in Genesis, God spoke to me as a friend, and on May 12th, 2006, He gave me a purpose, a promise, and a blessing.
I attended a “Girls Night Out” fellowship at my church, and the guest speaker shared a lovely twist on Mary and Gabriel’s conversation that begins in Luke 1:29. We all rewrote the scriptures with our names, and this is what mine said:
“Do not be afraid, Denise, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive an idea and bring forth a book, and shall praise the name, Jesus. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then Denise said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things told her from the Lord.”
At that time, writing had not crossed my mind, much less the thought of attempting a novel or having one published. But God knew that as my nest emptied at home, I would need a purpose, and he already had one planned.
Abraham was not the only person in Genesis that received God’s promises. The Lord offered a young,
lost maidservant named Hagar the same assurances, and consequently, she became the subject of two novels I’ve completed.
On May 13th, 2006, I typed out my rewrite of Mary’s prayer and tucked it away. Last year, I stumbled on it as I cleaned out a bin filled with school work from my children. It was the only thing in the container that belonged to me.
My cell phone rang as I stood in our home’s storage room reading the words I had written fifteen years earlier. My agent called to tell me that Mountain Brook Ink was interested in publishing my work. Blessed is she who believed for there will be a fulfillment of those things told her from the Lord.
I had forgotten the promise God made that night in 2006, but He didn’t. He never stopped working until
He fulfilled every word. My debut novel, The Egyptian Princess, A Story of Hagar, releases March 22nd by Mountain Brook Ink.
The way our Lord reminded me of His fifteen-year-old promise was nothing short of divine. His presence is clearly with us, and we are never too old (or young!) for Him to reveal His purpose for our lives.
Blessings,
KD Holmberg
KD Holmberg, a retired flight attendant, has lived and traveled all over the globe. She is the married mother of five and has eight extraordinary grandchildren. She and her husband, Keith, live in South Carolina and love to travel and golf. She welcomes new friends at www.kdholmberg.com.