A child settles in beside you, a book opens, and for a little while, you get to discover something together. Maybe a picture makes you both laugh. Maybe a character faces a problem that feels familiar. Or perhaps a question stops you halfway through the page, and the conversation that follows becomes the best part of the story.
Those are the moments I have in mind as I prepare my new website, A Kiss From Adonai. I want to help parents, grandparents, and teachers discover books that encourage children to enjoy reading, know God’s love, and see the possibilities in their own lives.
There are many details to work through when putting a website together, from choosing colors to deciding what belongs on each page. But underneath all those decisions is a simple hope: that someone will find a book here, share it with a child, and begin something wonderful.
A love for reading can begin with time together
Before children can read every word on a page, they can enjoy the sound of a story. They can study a picture, guess what happens next, and ask you to read their favorite part one more time. When we make room for that enjoyment, we give them a reason to want to return to books.
You don’t have to be a wonderful storyteller to share that experience. You can stumble over a word, try a silly voice, or let the child correct you when you skip a line they know by heart. What matters is that you are there, paying attention and enjoying the book together.
My hope as an author is to create stories children want to spend time with. I want them to wonder, imagine, and turn the page because they are curious about what comes next. Reading should have room for delight.
Making room for God in everyday conversations
Biblically based books offer opportunities to talk about faith in ways children can connect with their own experiences. A story about kindness might lead to a conversation about someone who was left out at school. A character’s mistake might open the door to talking about forgiveness. A moment of courage might help a child tell you about something that frightens them.
Those conversations don’t have to be planned. Sometimes all it takes is asking, “What would you have done?” and giving the child time to answer.
I want children to know they can bring their questions, worries, and hopes to God. I want them to hear that they are loved, that their choices matter, and that they have something good to offer the world. A book can give us a gentle place to begin talking about those things, with room to listen as well as explain.
Helping children find joy in life
There is so much for a child to discover: the pleasure of making something, the surprise of a new friendship, the satisfaction of helping another person. Stories can invite children to notice those possibilities and imagine themselves taking part.
That is one of the reasons I care about encouraging their creativity. When children draw, tell stories, ask questions, or dream about their future, we get a glimpse of how they see the world. We also have an opportunity to encourage the gifts they are beginning to discover.
I hope my books help children see life as something worth exploring. There will be difficult days, of course. But there will also be people to love, things to learn, and opportunities to make someone else’s day a little brighter. Faith can be part of how they approach all of it.
An invitation to the grown-ups who care
If you are a parent, I hope you find a book here that earns a place in your bedtime routine. If you are a grandparent, I hope you find a story you can share during a visit or read together over a video call. If you teach in a Christian classroom, homeschool, or church setting, I hope you discover something that invites your students into a thoughtful conversation.
You know the children in your life—their interests, their questions, and the things that make them laugh. As you explore this new website, I invite you to keep one of those children in mind. What might capture their imagination? What might they want to talk about? What could you enjoy discovering together?
I’m excited to welcome you to A Kiss From Adonai and to share this part of my work with you. My hope is that the books you find here will become part of moments children remember fondly: sitting close, hearing a familiar voice, and knowing someone has time for them.
Come explore, find a story, and share it with a child you love.