This year has kind of felt like the book If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. Have you read it? It opens with "If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk." He then needs a napkin for his milk mustache, and goes to the mirror to wipe his mouth. He then realizes he needs a haircut so he asks for scissors. The haircut makes a mess so he asks for a broom to clean it up... and on and on. You get the point, I'm sure!
But this year has felt similar. God gave us music to write so we wanted to share about them on the blog. The blog posts felt empty so Peter painted an accompanying painting with each one. The twelve paintings were so beautiful we designed a calendar to share them with all of you. To get the calendars in your hands, we needed an online shop. So Poems of Grace became an official LLC. To accurately track inventory and sales tax, we needed accounting software. While we originally set out to make music, Peter and I have quickly found ourselves in unfamiliar realms!!
The other piece of this project that I am thrilled about is the devotional. The editing is almost complete, and it is going to be a perfect companion to the CD in early 2022. Our dear friend, author and publisher Britney Lyn Hamm, has agreed to publish our book through her company, Storyformed Press. She has a heart for projects focused on telling the greatest Story, and you can check out the stories and resources she currently has for sale. We are excited for this partnership!
This journey has been remarkable. At each step, we've seen God's provision and been aware of His presence. October 11, 2020, Peter announced to our church that he was stepping down as the pastor. To be writing a year later about all the ways God has directed us to new work is an answer to our hearts' aches this time last year. Sometimes, life's circumstances don't make a lot of sense. It's like walking along a fog-covered trail in early morning. The eery quiet and lack of visibility makes our heart race. But walking with God through those foggy mornings means that our visibility doesn't make or break our hike. We have a Guide who is sure of the route.
And I'm not going to lie. I am thankful the fog has cleared. I am immensely thankful we have seen God's faithfulness in the last year, and a clear, definable path forward. My hope is that when I find myself on a foggy path once again--because I know I will--I will remember God's goodness to us this year, and trust.
As we move forward with the small business and recording in Nashville in a little over a month, this is our prayer for the Story Project:
Our prayer is for you to be immersed in God's Story. For you to catch a glimpse of His brilliance from our perspective. We pray that glimpse inspires you, fills you, and stretches you. His Story has shaped us, and we pray it does likewise for you!
If music doesn't speak to you, maybe the artwork will.
If the artwork doesn't speak to you, maybe the devotional will.
If the devotional doesn't speak to you, maybe the music will.
And on and on. I am grateful for my If You Give A Mouse A Cookie year, and I'm equally grateful you've walked with us through it!
P.S. We have a 10% off coupon for the Story Calendar if you sign up for our email newsletter today! Subscribe below and I can send you the coupon code!