It’s Almost Time!

Writing and publishing a book is a lot like having a baby.

Much preparation, anticipation, and jubilation (and some worry) fill each moment—from the positive pregnancy test—to our ever-expanding waistline—until our unseen miracle finally decides to come out of hiding.

I had an extremely easy pregnancy with my son.

I wish I could say the same about the actual birthing process.

My due date, December 6, 1984, came and went without so much as a cramp.

Wesley just wasn’t ready to make his appearance, even though he was plenty big.

My doctor was in Pampa, Texas, thirty-two miles from Mobeetie.

So, there was a little bit of apprehension, given that I had never give birth before.

My mom told me that she was in labor with my oldest brother, Mark, for more than twenty-four hours.

I was sure hoping mine didn’t last that long.

But then again, I didn’t have any idea what to expect.

There was another glitch.

The Texas Panhandle was expecting a major ice storm, so my doctor decided to induce my labor the morning of December 10 (and he was leaving on a snow-skiing vacation that evening!).

After twenty-six hours of labor, my doctor’s partner in practice broke my water, I went into hard labor, and the delivery room nurses began making bets about the sex of my baby (we didn’t have routine sonograms back then).

On December 11, at 4:30 in the afternoon, Wesley Ryan Hathaway, a bright-eyed and healthy eight-pound, five-ounce baby boy, entered this world.

I was overjoyed and thankful that he was finally here!

And today, I couldn’t be more proud of the Jesus-loving man he has become.

I didn’t know then that Wesley would be my only child.

I had a hysterectomy when I was thirty years old, so when Steven and I got married in July 1997, we both knew that there wouldn’t be any children in our future—unless we adopted.

We prayed about it, but never felt like that was something God wanted for us.

Now, after almost twenty years of marriage, we know that God had something entirely different in mind for us.

And, in a sense, Steven and I are having a baby—my first book, His Banner Over Me Is Pursuing Love.

While Steven didn’t co-write this book with me, he has read and reread it at different stages, offering valuable insights. (The following is my book’s first cover. I recently republished it through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing with a new cover that you can see by scrolling to the bottom of this page.)

Steven has believed in this God-given dream since the moment it was conceived in my heart and spoken out of my mouth.

And he has done nothing but support and encourage me throughout this entire almost nine-year process.

Steven believed in me even when I didn’t.

Even when I thought I was going to have a miscarriage (at several different stages), he pushed and cheered me on.

Nine years is a long time to see the birth—the realization—of a dream.

But now, I’m so happy to say, “It’s almost time!

I have learned a lot (probably just as much about what not to do as to do) through this huge undertaking.

In 2012, at the advice of a published author whom I respect, I purchased a publishing package through WestBow Press, the Christian self-publishing division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. (As stated above, I republished my book through KDP with a new cover.)

That’s when the commitment became real. It wasn’t cheap.

And now, over five years later, the only part of the process that’s left is for me to do the final review of the proofs of the manuscript I submitted this past Monday.

If everything goes according to plan, His Banner Over Me Is Pursuing Love should be in print by next month, July 2017—exactly nine years from when the dream of writing this book was first implanted in my heart and I began punching away at the keys on my laptop.

(Post update: My book was published in September 2017.)

In 2003, I remember hearing a Bible teacher talk about coauthoring a book, saying, “We decided to write a book together … and ten years later, it’s finally in print.”

I remember thinking, Why did it take so long?

Now, I know how it’s possible.

There are some things you just don’t understand until you experience them.

Part of the process of publishing a book is asking people you know and respect to read your book and offer an endorsement for it—if they like it.

So, I would like to close today’s post by sharing a couple of the endorsements I’ve received:

“This book called me to deeper, more passionate love for our Bridegroom. With intensive research, thoughtful insights and personal experience, Kim Francis makes the Song of Songs come alive. Using contemporary examples ranging from ‘do not disturb’ signs and overdrawn checking accounts, she makes application to this timeless, and often overlooked, portion of Scripture. The book also provides diagrams, study questions, and book and song resources.”—Latayne C. Scott, award-winning author

“A beautifully crafted, in-depth study of the Song of Solomon. A gifted mentor and writer, Kim Francis weaves relatable examples with biblical truths to bring deeper insights into this ultimate love story. I highly recommend this study for those who long for and are ready to seek deeper intimacy with Christ.”—Carla Stewart, award-winning author of Chasing Lilacs and Stardust

Dear reader,

1. Has God given you a dream?
2. If yes, what is it and are you currently taking steps to see it come to pass?
3. If no, ask Him if there is something that He would like to birth through the gift of your life on planet earth. 

(After publishing His Banner over Me Is Pursuing Love, I published a companion devotional, Fifty Days in His Pursuing Love Devotional, to it.)