​Congratulations to fellow author, Jenny Fulton, on her new book, Princess Lillian and Grandpa's Goodbye, illustrated by Indra Grace Hunter. I had the opportunity to interview Jenny about her heritage, faith, recent loss and how a combination of those things entered into her writing to help children deal with the death of a loved one. Hope you enjoy getting to know more about Jenny and her beautiful children's book.

Jenny, can you share about your love of the Navajo people and about your Navajo heritage?

Sure, I’m a quarter Navajo and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. My Grandma Lillian is of the Bitter Water clan. She grew up there, was put into a Baptist boarding school at an early age, and later became an interpreter at one of the missions.
 
From as early as I can remember, I have loved the fact that the blood of this people runs through my veins. My eyes are brown and my skin tans dark in the summer. My hair, however, was light brown when I was young. I always wished it were darker, so I’d look more like the Natives. Although I didn’t grown up in the Navajo Nation, I heard stories about it from my dad and cousins.

When I was young, we’d make the trip to the Navajo Nation to visit family or spend time at the mission where my dad had lived for several years. I loved everything about the land. I was in awe of the mountains. My eyes soaked in the sight of the rising mesas, the rainbow-colored cliffs, the wild and untamed beauty of the terrain. My other senses were equally mesmerized. My ears listened in wonder to sounds that traveled across the mesas and through the canyons from miles away. Smells moved as easily as the noise. If someone was cooking anything nearby, you knew it.

I loved it when Grandma Lillian Litfin came to visit. She went on walks with me, made us fry bread, and talked to me like I was an adult. I loved the look of her dark brown skin and the musical quality of her speech with its Navajo tone. One time she came to visit in the fall while school was in session. We were studying Native Americans and I was able to get permission for her to speak to my class. I was proud of my heritage and excited to share both it and my grandma with my friends.
​
In my various trips there, including the year I lived and taught there, I’ve come to know many of the Navajo people, and they are amazing. In many ways, they’re just like everyone else. In other ways, there is something beautifully unique about them. And I’m so very thankful I share that heritage, even if in a small way.

How did you first come to hear about Christ and when did that become more of a knowing and trusting in Him personally as the one who came to save mankind?

I first heard about Christ from my parents and Sunday school teachers. There was one Sunday school lesson, when I was no more than 5 or 6, when the teacher told us we could ask Jesus to come live in our hearts. I liked that idea, so when I got home, I knelt down by the steps behind our back door and asked Him to come live in mine. He was real; He was with me; He was my friend.
 
I think it was around that time, I forget the order, when another event cemented the reality of Christ’s presence. It’s a lot to go into right now, but after a traumatic even left me feeling scared and alone, I heard him tell me that He was with me. I felt his presence – it was one of peace and safety. That’s what him saving me meant to me at that time. Later learning that he saved mankind added to the love and connection that was already there.

What do you want people to understand about the Navajo heritage and how do some in that culture view Christ?

There are a lot of different ideas, even among the Navajo, about what it means to be Navajo. While some of them still hold to traditional Navajo beliefs, the number who do seems to be decreasing. Some believe in and practice a hybrid of traditional beliefs with Christianity; some have left the tradition beliefs behind to follow Christ; and some don’t follow either. Regardless of which belief system they follow, there seems to be a wide-spread belief in the spiritual. They know spiritual beings are real and they know they interact with this world.
 
As far as who Christ is, there is still, among some Natives, anger toward white people and Christ/Christianity is seen as a white man’s religion. Among the Christian Navajos, Christ is seen as not only the savior of the world who set us free from sin, but also as one is stronger than the dark spirits and is able to protect against them. In many ways, these Christians have a much stronger faith and understanding of Christ’s work and power in our lives today.

How are Angels viewed by the Navajo culture?

I don’t know if there is a concept of angels in traditional Navajo culture. I’ll have to ask others about this or see if any Navajo readers can weigh in on this question. There are traditional beliefs in dark spirits that roam this world and in what they call the Holy People who love them and watch from the fourth world. But I don’t know if either of those would translate into the equivalent of an angelic being, especially as we think of them.

What age did you first start writing? When did you first begin to dream about writing and what led you to write this book?

From as early as 3 years old, I’d draw pictures and tell my mom detailed stories about them. She’d sit and patiently write them down. I still have some of those. When I learned how to hold a pencil and write the words myself, I’d fill pages of stories and ideas. I was the kid that, when the teacher told us to write one paragraph, I’d write two pages.
 
I was probably no more than 8 or 9 when I first saw the movie, Little Women. I absolutely loved Jo and wanted to be just like her. I think that’s when the dream of becoming an author began. As I grew older, reality took over and I realized that I probably wouldn’t be able to make a living as a writer right away. So, I turned my focus to teaching and kept writing on the side as a private hobby.
 
I wrote this book in December 2020 after my grandpa had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital.  My mom kept us updated. “He’s ready to go home,” she told us. A video she later sent us confirmed it. I’ve never seen someone so patiently and eagerly awaiting his call into heaven. Shortly after watching the video, I sat down to process the bittersweet feelings of seeing someone I loved preparing to leave this world. As is often the case, I processed by writing. In this case, I took a character I already loved and tried to look at the scenario through her eyes.  I also pulled from an earlier experience in my life. When I was somewhere between the ages of 5-7, my aunt died. They took us to see her in the hospital right before she went. It was scary. I didn’t like the noise or the smells, didn’t fully understand what was happening. For a long time after that moment, I didn’t like hospitals. Writing this book allowed me to pull from the past and the present to create a story that could explain death and heaven in a way that, while still sad, wasn’t bad or scary.
 
What’s the main take-away you want readers to remember after reading Princess Lillian and Grandpa’s Goodbye?

I want readers to see that death, while still sad, can also be a good and beautiful event. It doesn’t need to be feared. There is a great life we have to look forward to after we leave this world if we are following God. I also want to give children a visual reminder that, no matter what happens, God is always with them. He’s there to love and comfort them even if they feel sad or scared.

Jenny, thank you again for this interview! Below, you can find out more about Princess Lillian and Grandpa's Goodbye, as well as info about Jenny and her bio! 
 
Book Blurb for Princess Lillian and Grandpa’s Goodbye

Can two worlds exist at the same time?
Little Princess Lillian learns the spiritual world can interact with the physical. Imaginary is used to explain a reality, how heaven reaches down to earth as a young girl observes her grandpa awaiting his entrance into his eternal home.

How do you explain death and heaven to a child?
Led through a long hall in a hospital, Princess Lillian holds her mom's hand as an angel whispers comforting words.
Incorporating bits of Native American and Christian tradition, an intimate celebration of a loved one's passing occurs as a family says good-bye to a man eager to meet his best friend, the King Above All Nations.
​
Purchase the Book

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble

 
Personal Bio
Jenny Fulton is a wife, mother, children's book author, YA fantasy author, blogger, and freelance writer with a B.S. in Bible, a B.S. in elementary education, and an endorsement in K-12 ESL. After graduating from Grace University in 2007, Jenny worked as a teacher in a variety of cultural and educational settings, both abroad and in the United States. She is a storyteller, a follower of Christ, and a seeker of truth.

An enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, Jenny grew up hearing stories from her dad about the supernatural workings on the Navajo Reservation. Her days are now mostly spent raising her three young daughters (homeschooling two of them) and writing as much as time and opportunity allows.

​​With love,
Christina
Stay humble & be BOLD!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
​light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

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April is School Library Month and there are two other days that relate as well. For instance, April 13th was National Library Workers' Day and the 14th was School Librarians' Day. To celebrate, we ran a free ebook promotion in honor of my favorite school librarian, Ms. Razek, from Briarwood Christian School. That special ran from 4/12, Monday morning, through 4/14, Wednesday evening, and we were pleasantly surprised and excited to see how many people took advantage of this promotion (screenshots below), as The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake ranked very high in four different categories on Amazon's Top 100 Free list . . .

#1 in Children's Maturing Books
#2 in Children's Multigenerational Families
#3 in Children's Diet & Nutrition Books
#4 in Children's New Family Experiences

In Amazon's Top 100 Free, The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake ranked . . .
​
#1 in Children's Maturing Books

​With love,
Christina
Stay humble & be BOLD!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
​light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

​Please share, subscribe and comment below.

To check out my testimony click here
Let's get connected!
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Happy Passover and welcome to Holy Week! If you've seen signs that read Worthy is the Lamb but didn't understand the meaning, I hope to share some touching insights with you. 

It starts back to the first sacrifice written about in Genesis 3:21, where Adam and Eve are clothed by God after sin entered the world through disobedience. If you've ever worn leather, you know it is very warm, which tells us the temperatures may have fallen too, and the fig leaves (man's idea) wasn't going to be enough. Also, the fact that a beautiful animal, one that Adam named, had to die would show us all that there is no remission of sins without the shedding of blood, and that sin has a high cost. If you read Genesis 4:4, you'll see that Abel understood this and did what was favorable in the Lord's sight. To understand more, I highly recommend this article from abideinchrist.com. 

From Genesis 22 (NIV) - 
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

When God called His people out of Egypt, He gave them specific instructions about what to do!

The story of Passover, written about in Exodus, chapters 11 and 12. provides many types and shadows of things that were to come. Also, the sacrificial lamb was to live within the household for 3 days. Getting attached to the lamb was part of understanding the sacrifice. As they left Egypt, they left a life of slavery.

Some 1500 years later, John the Baptist utters an unusual phrase as Jesus approaches him. 

So remember how I didn't understand why God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? Well, God was showing mankind that not only was He NOT going to allow Abraham to sacrifice his son, but that He would GIVE OF HIMSELF, in the flesh, as an everlasting sacrifice for our sins. And that's why the phrase, Worthy is the Lamb, refers to Christ and what He accomplished on the cross for all of us during Passover! 

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:12 (NIV)

​With love,
Christina
Stay humble & be BOLD!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
​light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

​Please share, subscribe and comment below.

To check out my testimony click here
Let's get connected!
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Signed copies of The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake will be available during the Spring Open House at Antiques In Old Town in Lilburn, Georgia, this Saturday! 

They have and amazing event space in the back of their historic building, so if you're in the area, stop by and check them out! 

Just another shout out of thanks to Daddy O' Brien's Irish Ice Cream Pub in Sugar Hill, Georgia for their amazing hospitality! We had a wonderful turnout and lots of happy customers! 

​Most people don't know the interesting history of St. Patrick and why he returned to Ireland after escaping? Where did his love for the people of Ireland come from and what did he share with them about the three leaf clover? After watching this, you'll come away with a different perspective of St. Patrick's Day and three and four leaf clovers. 

Also, so thankful to my blogger friend, Sandra Black, for sharing this video snippet of her reading my book, The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake, to her grandchildren in her beautiful Irish accent. You can check out her blog at www.sandrasark.com. 

Happy out! 

With love,
Christina
Stay humble & be BOLD!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
​light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

​Please share, subscribe and comment below.

To check out my testimony click here
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Excited to announce another book signing event! This time we will be at Daddy O' Brien's Irish Ice Cream Pub this Friday in Sugar Hill, Georgia. We've really enjoyed partnering with local bookstores and unique restaurants in sharing this sweet story with the community. 

Daddy O' Brien's has so many wonderful flavors to choose from, but for the book signing of The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake, they have crafted an awesome Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream (with gourmet and infused versions) and added it to their menu. * Not shown in pic below, because we're saving that for you! But I did try a sample, and it is delicious! 

​With love,
Christina
Stay humble & be BOLD!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
​light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

​Please share, subscribe and comment below.

To check out my testimony click here
Let's get connected!
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Twitter Christina @humble_bold
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Here are the easy steps to taking old broken crayons and turning them into something completely new and bold! This project is fun to do with your children, so I recommend playing some sweet tunes, while enjoying the process . . . which can be very relaxing. 

1) Pick out your color scheme for a new, bold look to match the occasion for little gifts.
2) Peel all the paper off and sort mixture of chosen colors into mini muffin/cupcake bakeware with shape of your choice. I look for different bakeware shapes at my local thrift shops. 
3) Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

7) Pop out and enjoy looking at each unique design! 
​

Hope you enjoy this step by step process. Love to see what designs you come up with, so send us a pic! 
​

One of the cuties in this photo is a picky eater and the other is not. Can you guess which one is which? If you have Kindle Unlimited, check out The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake​ and send a Kindle ebook to the picky eater you love! 

With love,
Christina
Stay humble & be BOLD!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
​light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

​Please share, subscribe and comment below.

To check out my testimony click here
Let's get connected!
Instagram @humbleandbold
Facebook Humble & Bold
Twitter Christina @humble_bold
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When I was a child, my mother said she knew what I was up to because she had eyes in the back of her head. That really got my attention and kind of creeped me out for some time. After offering to brush her hair to investigate, I'm sure she hid her laughter as I cautiously peered at the back of her head. To my great relief, I didn't find a hidden pair of real eyes looking back at me, like some classic episode of The Twilight Zone.

But what I learned after stepping into her shoes, some decades later, was that she really wasn't telling a fib or joking. She could see me through hindsight, because she was once in my little shoes. She remembered herself as a child, and because of that, she could predict my actions and thoughts to a relatively high degree. Which brings me to where we all are now. Can you hear The Twilight Zone's iconic theme music and see Rod Serling asking the question, "What new perspective should we have moving forward as we look back on all we learned in 2020?"

The theme going into last year, for many of faith, was to ask God for clear 20/20 vision. It was what what we thought we wanted, you know, vision for our lives. But with a global pandemic, restrictions, isolation, job losses, cancelled plans, health concerns, racial injustice, protesting, rioting, mask wearing mandates, loss of loved ones, closed down businesses, political differences and a stressful election, it seemed like the theme for many was summed up in the words of our fellow countryman, George Floyd . . .  "I can't breathe!"

If you're reading this post, you survived the past year, but now, 2021 is here and is starting off on a rather upsetting note. So now I ask, "What new perspective should we have moving forward as we look back on all we learned in 2020?" I believe God had a lot to show us in 2020, in response to the request of many who prayed for clear vision,  but did we want to see it? ​​

In a prayer meeting last Saturday, I was asked in advance to pray for wisdom. As I sat down, beforehand, to research and reread the many verses on wisdom, I felt Wisdom was to be the theme for going into 2021, because our very survival and growth depends on it. Consider these verses . . .

Ephesians 5: 15-17 (NIV) says, Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 

James 1:4-6 (NIV) Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 

James 3:17 (NIV) But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
​
If you don't already journal, I encourage you to write what challenges you faced in 2020, and then write down the unexpected lessons and blessings that came out of those difficult days. ​I also want to encourage you to ask God for Wisdom this year and trust that He will give it to you. 

Instead of living in The Twilight Zone, move into the good plans God has for those who love Him!  Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

With love,

​Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (NIV)

​Three days after Hanukkah of 2020, the Christmas Star will appear on December 21st (the darkest time of the year, the Winter Solstice, the first day of winter). Think about how much the world is in need of light right now. At the beginning of 2020, many were praying for 20/20 vision and just look at all that has happened this year (the good, the bad and the ugly). What things have been revealed to you through the all the difficulties?

The God of Israel, is not only very real, but He is communicating with us through events happening in the sky that line up with Holy Days that He gave the Jewish people. With today's technology, these facts are being confirmed for the world to see. 

​Jupiter and Saturn will form rare "Christmas Star" on December 21st, the winter solstice. In the video below, it simply explains the great conjunction, but to go deeper, much deeper, watch the second video in this post.

Psalm 19:1-2 says
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 

​​There is so much that God is revealing to mankind. If you've never seen The Star of Bethlehem by Rick Larson, please watch and share. We've watched the last part several times to let the magnitude sink in of how God designed the stars to confirm the Word of God.

A dear friend of ours, Mike Spidle, saw The Star of Bethlehem and was so moved by God, he researched what was happening in the skies and wrote a book about all the blood moons and special events that would be occurring in the sky and how they lined up with Jewish Holy Days.

​He wroteThe Sign of The Son back in 2013 and everything was spot on! In February of 2021, there will be a very significant sign in the sky for all of mankind to see. Mike believes the sign of the Son would be a symbol that everyone associates with Christ . . .  a cross. 

With the New Year of 2021 approaching, why not invest in spending time in God's Word daily. If you would like to find a Bible with a 365 day reading plan, try Tyndale's The One Year Bible. 

Hope you all have a joyful New Year and use what God showed you this year to move forward in the truth of His great love. 

​
​Christina
Stay humble & be BOLD!

​"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

​Please share, subscribe and comment below.

To check out my testimony click here
Let's get connected!
Instagram @humbleandbold
Facebook Humble & Bold
Twitter Christina @humble_bold
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LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-myers-a443551a8/