Shoutout to a wonderful author friend of mine, Jen Booth! Her page reflects her heart for writing and her family, and I love reading through her posts to get useful information for writing/publishing. (Seriously, her posts are a treasure trove of writing tips. :D)
Her fantasy short stories are amazing, always so inventive and vivid and such a joy to read. 🙂 She’s a super supportive, kind, considerate individual who I’m honored to know. I’m so glad to call Jen a friend, and I can’t wait to see what God does in her and her family’s lives moving forward!
Check out the post above for her testimony and words of encouragement!
Go ahead and give Jen a follow and subscribe to her newsletter for author updates and fun sneak peeks at her writing! 😀
Author Interview
What was it like for you to grow up as a Christian?
I had good parents, who always took me to worship. I gave my life to the Lord when I was twelve. I grew up with a strong sense of right and wrong, but I did not understand what it meant to be a disciple. I did not understand the closeness with God that was available.
I grew up with bad influences in school, and went through some painful times as a preteen and teenager. For years felt like I’d never “get it right.” I did not have the deep, personal spiritual food that my young heart needed, even though the adults in my life were solid examples of Christians and they loved me.
As I grew into an older teenager, I made a LOT of bad choices. I’d given my life to Jesus, but in my frustration and pain, I’d stopped living for him. I was miserable. Finally, during my senior year, I cried out to him to help me, because I didn’t know how to break free of the prison I’d locked myself in.
He presented me with a clear choice – stay where I was, or start living for him. He held the prison door open for me, and I ran! Right to him.
(There’s an old song called, “Mercy Came Running,” that came out around this time. It became one of my “lifesongs.”)
That same night, I met several other young Christians at a revival. Now, over twenty years later, we are still best friends, raising our own teenagers together and encouraging one another in discipling our families.
I’ve still made bad choices as an adult. I still sin. But I grieve those sins. And I understand that God doesn’t stand behind me, arms crossed, shaking his head in disgust. He helps me.
What’s the most important thing you’d want younger Christians to know about serving God?
I’d tell younger Christians to spend time in prayer and in the word every day. To guard what you allow into your mind and heart, and make sure to fill yourself with things that are life-giving. To question the wisdom of the world, even those things that sound noble. Compare it all to the word of God and let him be your standard. Cultivate your relationship with God.
As a Christian author, what is your goal with writing?
I want to inspire hope and courage and virtue. I want those attributes of God to be evident in the stories I write. I create fictional worlds of high fantasy and high stakes, but there are underlying messages of redemption and sacrifice. I want healthy relationships to be the norm.
I want my readers to feel inspired to something greater when they close my books. (Whenever I get a book into the world.) I want that inspiration to ultimately point them to God.
What is the most important godly message you share with your audience?
There are so many! Well, I think I would share that for anyone who is skeptical about the authenticity of the Bible, that I understand that. I’m the kind of person who always needed proof. I could never accept anything on blind faith. I am a Christian because Christianity is true. I strongly recommend reading apologetics books and study the evidence for yourself.
That may not be an actual message in the sense you’re looking for.
I would also say that God loves you and wants you to know him. To really know him, as a father and a friend. Not because he needs us, but because he loves us. That you can have this relationship with the holy, perfect God who designed the universe with glorious precision, and yet cares for us, through Jesus Christ.
How to Contact
Instagram: @jenbooth.author
Newsletter and Author Website: https://jenboothauthor.com
Want to connect with some other wonderful Christian authors? Check out other authors who have been featured on the blog!
