So, another suggestion that I got from all of you was that you’d like to hear where my inspiration comes from for the books I write.
Sometimes I scratch my head about this, because I know I get it from somewhere, but I don’t always remember where. : )
But, yesterday I was driving to PA and I happened to be listening to the Clark family sing Middle of My Storm. It has a line that goes, “When the waves come crashing down, Lord, keep my eyes on you.”
As that song was playing, I happened to be driving by a big church. There were fire trucks all along the road, they had one lane of traffic shut down with police everywhere and other emergency vehicles. I saw a sign that said, “Funeral traffic this way” and two ladder trucks had their booms extended with a huge American flag draped between them.
Traffic had slowed to a crawl. After I passed the church, there was a line of about six police cars and several officers were carrying their hats and walking back toward the church. I saw one dude, his face series, his jaw jutted out (the way I do when I’m trying not to cry) and he looked like he wanted to be about anywhere else. It was not going to be a fun morning for them.
Obviously someone in blue had passed away.
It could have been a woman, but I assumed it was a man, and I got to thinking about his wife, left alone. Maybe she had small children, they were just starting out, now she’s facing a life alone, raising her kids by herself.
I spent a little bit of time thinking about how hard that would be for her, why she’d move to North Dakota and how that was definitely the kind of storm where a person would need to keep their eyes on Jesus in order to make it through.
So, anyway, I thought I’d name her Annie (because I passed Annie’s Lane near my house in PA, and happen to know the man who named his driveway after his beloved wife) and she’s going to be my next heroine in the next Sweet Water book I write.
Alright, don’t forget to check out all the stuff below.
Thanks so much for spending time with me this week!
Hugs and love!
~Jessie 🌷