The Story Behind the Story

by Mindy Obenhaus

With every book I write, I feel as though God is trying to teach me something. Whatever my characters need to learn, seems God wants me to gain a better understanding of that, too.

In Her Rocky Mountain Hope, my February Love Inspired release, the theme is trusting God, no matter the circumstances. And writing this story quickly became a lesson in trust. In leaning on Him, knowing that He would equip me for the task He'd laid before me.

  

When I was putting together the proposal for my Rocky Mountain Heroes series, I had to write a story blurb for each book. I had ideas for all of them, except the last one. I had no clue what to do with Daniel’s story. I knew he was an adventurer, but that was about it. So, I began to think about a summer camp, but where would I go from there. Yet when I put pen to paper, the words spilled onto the page. I’ve never experienced anything like it before or since.

When I finished, I read:

Outdoorsman Daniel Stephens is all set to open Adventure Haven, a camp for teen cancer patients, dedicated to the memory of his mother. But his plans are thwarted at every turn when the overseer appointed by the foundation funding the camp arrives, nit-picking every little thing.

Blythe McDonald refuses to let one penny of Ridley Foundation money go to a camp that doesn’t fulfill its promise. Not only because it’s her job, but also as a former cancer patient let down by the camp that once promised her fun. And given that Adventure Haven is run by a man who looks more like a ski bum than a director, this should be a slam-dunk. Yet when the first campers arrive, Blythe soon sees that Daniel is a caring man with a heart for each and every child.

As Blythe and Daniel grow closer, she finds herself having more fun than she ever imagined. But just when Daniel believes he’s found the perfect partner for Adventure Haven, the unthinkable happens. Will they let her cancer tear them apart? Or is love strong enough to overcome their fears?

Sitting back, I thought, “Wow, that's really good. But I can't write that story. What do I know about childhood cancer?” I knew I could research it, but that was one topic that needed personal knowledge. Something I did not have. Still, the blurb sounded good and that was the only thing stopping me from sending the proposal off, so I left it, thinking I could change it later, and sent off the proposal.

That was in the first quarter of 2016. I received a contract for the first two books in the series but would not be contracted for the final three until early 2018. During those two years, life changed. My husband retired, our youngest graduated high school and we bid farewell to the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and moved to our family ranch seventy miles west of Houston. New home, new church, new friends. Friends that included a couple who had lost their teenage son to cancer. Then there was a divine appointment with another author whose son had attended a summer camp for youth cancer patients. There was even an acquaintance in our little town whose grandson was working at a youth cancer camp.

God put each of these people in my path precisely when I needed them so I could tell the story He wanted me to tell.

Okay, so you may be sitting in front of your computer, thinking, “Great story, but what does it have to do with me?”

It has everything to do with you. Here's what I want you to take away from this story.

If God calls you, He will equip you – You've heard me say this before and I will say it to my dying day because I believe it with all my heart. No matter what God has called us to do, our job is to be obedient and trust Him to give us exactly what we need, when we need it. I would have preferred to have had all the information I'd need right up front, but that didn't happen. Still, God wasn't late. Everything I needed was provided right on time.

God is in the details – Perhaps I could have gotten the information I needed from researching the internet, but God knows me. He knows I’m detail oriented and that unless I talked with someone who had a first-hand account, I would not be confident telling His story. God knows you, too. How you think, how you work. Instead of stressing over the details, trust Him to take care of them.

He is the author and perfecter of our faith – And He wants to work in tandem with us. Talk with Him, tell Him your fears, then let Him guide you, even if things don't match up with your plans. Walk by faith and trust Him to lead you where He wants you to be.

God doesn't mold all of us the same. No, He handcrafts each of us individually, giving us unique talents, strengths and weaknesses. And where we are weak, He is strong, growing and stretching us. 

What has God called you do to that you feel ill-equipped for? Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Her Rocky Mountain Hope, print or ebook for US entries, ebook only for international. 

Three-time Carol Award nominee, Mindy Obenhaus, writes contemporary romance for Love Inspired Books. She’s passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren at her Texas ranch. Learn more at www.mindyobenhaus.com