I never planned to be a Christian book author or novelist. I never thought I had the gift of gab nor a complex mind to devise plot twists.
If God asks me to write a math textbook, I probably will. Friends say I overcomplicate numbers. Normal folks call a three, a “3.” I see it as a square root of 9 or a “4x – 10 = 2”. I guess, something as dry as a textbook isn’t too far-fetched of a project for me.
But to write a real book, with words and stories, and … uhm, chapters? Nah! I tried that in middle school. I wanted to be the next Carolyn Keene and pen a Nancy Drew mystery with more twists than pretzels. But my opening paragraph alone was too predictable. You could tell the kid with garlicky breath was the culprit. Mystery of the missing toothpaste? Solved in page one.
In the early 90’s, however, I heard the Lord’s call to write through my life. Little by little, He planted the desire in me. He shaped a dream I never thought existed within my bones. He ignited my passion for writing until I took ownership of the dream and dashed towards the goal without a push on my back.
Often, I resisted for fear of an uncertain future. I’d been brainwashed enough times to believe … writing should remain a hobby. It couldn’t feed a family.
But God’s voice—gentle yet firm— soothed away my timidity.
And so, I put pen into paper and assembled stories—one little word at a time.
THE BACKSTORY
God is in the Kitchen: What’s He Cooking Up for Me? is a Christian book that wasn’t conceived easily. Years of labor pains marked its birth.
I had to live through dark seasons in the wilderness, where suffering was a daily event. God deemed it necessary to expose my vulnerability. He had to draw authenticity out of my testimony. He knew it wouldn’t make sense for an author to speak of hope and suffering, unless she too experienced the stabs of adversity.
Real proof was not in the preaching on paper, but in the living.
In that sense, my call wasn’t solely to be a writer, but to be a breathing, walking evidence of what God can do to overcome the impossible.
An unknown writer with no marketing platform has little chance to compete in a tight market. It was no wonder that traditional publishers scrapped my manuscript. I wrote query letter after query letter. I submitted proposals left and right. I did my homework with diligence and studied the writing craft. Despite relentless efforts, my collection of rejection letters grew from five … to ten … to more than the fingers and toes of my entire clan!
Friends and family thought I wasted away by scaling a mountain reserved only for seasoned climbers. Nagging voices echoed.
“It’s no use!”
“You’ll never make the cut.”
“This isn’t for you!”
“Go find a more stable job.”
“You don’t have what it takes to be a Christian book writer.”
One New Year’s Eve, an editor sent the harshest slap that reduced my faith to a pulp.
“Ginger, there’s no chance of marketing your work unless you’re famous or infamous. Your writing isn’t going to carry wide appeal to readers, and it won’t sell enough to justify a print run. I suggest you just send it as an email attachment to your friends and family as they are the only ones who’d be interested. And that’s if they love you enough.”
That was the last thumbs down I swallowed. My eyes clouded and turned liquid for weeks. This Christian book publisher could have been more benevolent and picked a better day to wither my hope.
New Year was supposed to be a doorway to new beginnings … not the time to say, “I quit!”
That was the last punch that broke me. I succumbed to depression. I questioned the God who cornered me against a suffocating brick wall. My journey landed on a dead-end. And though I screamed at my Red Sea to part, it didn’t.
It took many more years before I picked up from where I left off. Still discouraged, I moved forward with writing only because God told me not to quit. The hurdles were part of the story. Purging me of arrogance was His Plan A. I had no clue. But God knew His glory must shine through my work. And ego could ruin it.
The Lord taught me to refocus. I shouldn’t covet fame, fortune, or the tag line “best-selling Christian book author.” I must set my heart on pointing people to Himself. That was His Plan B. Even if only one soul responded to the effort, in God’s eyes, that was the measure of success.
As a dear friend told me, “Your mission is greater than just to survive, to gain wealth, or even to excel. Your mission is to love so that people know what God’s love feels like. Whether it’s in action or in word, touch or service, spoken or written, the true fruit of our action is when someone responds by thanking God.”
Front and Back Cover Art Illustrated by Ginger Umali
For more of Ginger’s acrylic, watercolor, or oil paintings, check out her PORTFOLIO.
NEXT PHASE
God blocks all avenues except the one He intends for us to walk on. Sometimes, this is His way of letting us know His will.
Such was the case with this Christian book. I had no plans of publishing independently. But suddenly, every encounter I had was with people who pointed me in that direction. Opportunities came. Resources I didn’t have suddenly arrived. Before I knew it, my manuscript moved into production, and I had as much creative control over my book as I wished.
This isn’t to say the process was smooth-sailing. Far from it! Harassments slapped me cold, one hit after another. Moments before my publisher ran a test print of the fully-edited manuscript, the file was mysteriously corrupted. My computer screen showed nothing but strings of indecipherable characters!
Years ago, something similar happened. Just as I completed my entire book―all 50 chapters—my computer crashed! Nothing was recovered! Not a single word or punctuation survived the technical bombshell. I had to rebuild from page one … purely from memory.
At the most crucial moment, the glitch reared its ugly head to mess me up again. This time, I was prepared. I knew instinctively. I wasn’t fighting a physical battle. There was more to this nuisance than was visible to the eyes.
I fought back with prayers.
Within minutes, the file resurrected. Clean. Readable. As if nothing happened.
The unseen battle raged! But God fought for me.
The negativity I received from an editor on that grief-stricken New Year’s Eve still pinches my heart. Sometimes, I wish I can tell him, “It’s not as bad as you said. See? There are many others, apart from family, who are happy to read the book.”
These people may not be best-selling authors or influential voices in society whose testimonials tip the balance of public opinion in their favor. My readers may be random strangers … everyday folks with serious heartaches. But I’m convinced their souls sighed for God. And the Holy Spirit blew comfort—even in tiny gusts—through this Christian book.
WHAT READERS SAY
I love it when God knows just what we need, when we need it. … which is exactly where I have been in this book! The “Strength in Suffering” chapters have been balm to my soul the last two weeks. I am so, so very thankful to have found this author. Her words are written so beautifully and honestly and they are speaking to my very heart.
SHANNON LINDE
Finally! I got hold of this wonderful, wonderful book, God is in the Kitchen! I sincerely liked it ― the approach to the mysticism of everyday life, the author’s gentle way of inviting me to step into an ordinary experience, like witnessing a road accident, and then showing me God’s presence in such a quotidian scene. Beautiful!
FR. ALBERT ALEJO S.J.
I never thought a faith-based reading can keep my adrenaline going. This Christian book, from cover to cover, just did that for me. It was riveting, soul-pinching, and kept me hungry for more of God’s omnipresence in my life. Ginger’s pockets of incidences and how they parallel to God’s teachings in the Bible, are through the roof. I feel so blessed reading God is in the Kitchen. Ginger’s narration of simple exchanges with her kids strikes a chord very close to home, and there I find the mommy connection. I can read this book every day and always get new inspiration each time.
ANN SYTIN
Ginger Umali writes a lucid account of her experiences in life, upheld by the grace of God. Anyone can relate to her story and enjoy the way she tells it. She is a real artist of words and illustration, and you will be getting a quality book to put in your collection of devotionals. This Christian book is a beautiful sketch of how God intervenes in life. Not only are the reflections down-to-earth, but they are also full of quiet, sparkling humour, and wonderful insights. Ginger has cooked up a real treat! A must read!
JENNIFER CAMPILLO
This book is a blessing. It’s honest, real, and hits home on so many levels. I am sharing parts of it with others. I know it will especially bless young mothers whose lives are so stressful, they wonder where God fits in. Dear one, when we bare ourselves as you do in your book, we must be content if it helps only one person. Although I believe God has bigger plans than that!
MARJI MILLER
One of my favorite chapters is that of the nice old man the author saw in church who gave her a dollar out of the blue, which she coincidentally used to get a bus ride home when she left her purse. That story was amazing! It’s proof that God loves!”