What inspired it; why did you write it and what's its purpose? All excellent questions I've been asked multiple times since the release of my book Jesus Makes Me Fruit-Tabulous. To my surprise, I found myself fumbling for words on how to answer those questions. Don't get me wrong, I know what inspired it, I just wasn't quite sure how to put it into words. That is until now.
I initially wrote this book to give parents a fun and interactive way of introducing the Fruit of the Spirit, as the bible talks about in Galatians 5:22, to their children. But this past year I took a step back from all social media, postings, & sales and really began to seek God in how to market it to parents; something I should have done from the very beginning. After all, he is the one from which the idea for this book came. I just took the idea and ran with it from a natural point of view. And let me tell you, nothing about this book comes from a natural point of view. It's actually quite the opposite which is why I was having such a hard time explaining it - especially in a secular arena.
He began nudging me to read it to Chloe, our 5-year-old, every day along with her regular bedtime stories. So, I did. With each passing day, I began to notice how she responded to the storyline, even the scripture references; the connection she made with the characters, and how they related to things and people in her life. The conversations it inspired between my daughter and I totally took me by surprise. Even I myself found an unexpected connection to each phrase written throughout its pages. The more I read it, tears began to trickle down my cheeks as God began to unveil the concept of what I had written and its possibilities.
This wasn't just a simple little children's book featuring fruit and behavior traits we all want our children to have. It's so much more than that it's the basic principles we see in Romans 10:17, Mark 11:22-24 & Philippians 4:13 summed up in the simplest of terms that even a child can understand and relate to. It's the very foundation our faith is based upon and every time you read it to your little ones you are not just reading a cute story, you are literally painting a picture of what life lived every day with Jesus looks like. You are sowing seeds of faith deep within their heart that says "with Jesus, I can do all things." I love the Passion Translation of this verse. "For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty."
WOW! Now that's what I call a power-packed storybook! I was so impacted by this I pulled it and rewrote the book's description. Don't worry if you have already purchased a copy, the illustrations & storyline are all still the same. The only thing that has changed is the scripture reference in the back & the book's description. It's now back on the market along with a companion coloring book to build your child's faith even stronger than before. Click on the link below to learn more about this amazing little book - Jesus Makes Me Fruit-Tabulous!
In life, we have many opportunities to get discouraged and feel defeated. However, if we teach these principles to our children while they are young, not only will they develop a "Can Do" attitude, but the faith and trust in Jesus that you instill in them as children will carry them through life's most difficult moments with ease, and that is something that will stay with them throughout the rest of their life.
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