I’m not going to lie…posting this picture of a letter that I wrote at 13 was hard to do, but I had a vision and a passion, I just didn’t know what to do with it! Who would’ve thought 17 years later, I would finally publish a book! God had a purpose for my passion but He also had a time for it to be used. In His timing, His plan would start to unveil and make sense to me.
17 years after I wrote the letter in the picture above, I published my first book.
That letter was part of a plan that I had no idea about at the time.
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” John 13:7
When I was 13, I had a passion for writing and a dream to be a published author. I had no idea what I was doing or where to turn. I was searching for anyone to help me. I mailed (yeah I’m that old) this letter out to a bunch of authors, but only one wrote back, TJ Fritz. That one author wrote back and forth a few times a year just to encourage me and wish me luck. Of course, over time, we lost touch, but I plan to one day find him and thank him for simply encouraging me when I was lost and no one else seemed to listen.
God planted a passion for writing in my life at a young age, but knew it would take time for my subject matter to mature to glorify Him. A few months after that letter, I gave up on publishing, forgot about it, and lived my life with only sporadic writing, until one day, God reminded me of that passion and showed me His purpose.
At 30, I published my first devotional, “But God Had a Plan.” The following year, I published “Empowered Jesus Girl”, a devotional for teen girls, to raise money for future Empowered Jesus Girl conferences.
It was a process. It took time. It took guidance from another author that God placed in my path, Robin Lynn Leitch. It took God’s timing, not my own.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1
In God’s timing, I met Robin who would direct me in publishing. She walked me through the process, edited and revised my mess, and celebrated with me when I found my way. She is a great author and friend and I thank God for her ministry.
The ones that walk with you, help you clean up your messes, and celebrate with you as your find your purpose that God has planned for you, those are the friends that you need by your side. Those are the prayer warriors that are fighting for your purpose.
Be that friend to someone today.
Pray that God will reveal His purpose for your life and allow you to be a part of encouraging others in finding their way.
God has a purpose. He has a plan. Stay strong and stay focused on Him.
May God bless you and show you His grace every day!
Kayla Rampey