The Story Behind Little Bird Press - Part 2

Publishing a book can be a daunting task. It’s even more so when you’re a small publisher, and EVEN more so when you never had a plan to start a publishing company. But with the help of family, friends and Jesus I was able to turn my Christmas poem into a beautiful picture book.

So how did my poem become a publishing company?

The publishing journey was quite an experience for me. After communicating with a few different publishing companies, and being rejected, I ventured into the unknown world (to me) of indie publishing. Of course, that meant I would have to establish my own publishing company. The first hurdle was coming up with a name for my new company. I had the hardest time coming up with one.

Then it hit me.

 A while back when I was attending a retreat, I was brought back to a memory of a time when my husband saw a bird fly into a window. He went out and took care of the bird, and restored it back to life. I felt strongly that God was doing the same thing for me at the retreat.  He was restoring me and bringing me back to life, after a very difficult season, and I felt like He gave me the name “Little Bird”. It felt like He was showing me that He was going to pick me up, hold me in the palm of His hand, breathe His life into me, and send me off to fly.

Little Bird Press It Is

Ever since then, I have had a sweet connection with birds. I feel like they speak to my heart and I find that whenever I’m questioning something, a bird will come along and I will feel so encouraged. Through birds, God says to me, “I’m here…you’re going to be fine. Everything is okay because I am with you.”

I have bird decorations all over my house, and fun little things like that just to remind me that God is with me even if I feel alone. Everything’s going to be alright. When it came time to name my company, I heard God say (not audibly), “Embrace the child in you, Karen”...and I came up with Little Bird Press.

It’s totally me - the logo is super cute, and it’s just really who I am - the child in me that walks hand in hand with my Father, even though I’m a grown woman…I’m still His child needing His guidance every day.

When I started Little Bird Press, I wasn't always sure how everything would turn out.  I really had to trust Jesus every day through every part of the process. And as I continued on, it felt like God was giving me an opportunity to share His love with other people. And that’s what’s been so amazing about this whole journey - seeing others find Jesus in every part of the Christmas season.

In this particular season, I find myself seeing all of the Fruits of the Spirit, but most of all PATIENCE. Over the past few years, as the world has been turned upside down, I have had to learn to practice patience more than ever before with my loved ones. We’ve had to learn to connect and reconnect in new ways, really listen to one another and be truly patient with each other as we all have learned to navigate things in our own ways. 

Be Encouraged Today

So I want to encourage YOU, my friend. My advice is to focus on the positive. It tends to be easier to focus on negative and sad feelings. But there is so much that we do have and so much we can be grateful for.

What are you seeing?

Look for love… in what ways did you experience love today?

I have this little habit of seeing hearts almost everywhere. They pop up, out of nowhere, and I’m reminded that God is with me, and loves me. He is there even when I feel alone, or when things seem to be falling apart. The Spirit of Christ, is in our hearts and in our world…He’s EVERYWHERE! 

I encourage you to intentionally look for Him, and connect with Him…instead of focusing on the negative.

Why me? Why now?

I’ve been asked, "why do you think God wants to use you to get this messaging out into the world?" I suppose I feel like God wants to use everyone.

Seeing all of this as “just a poem” I believe, helped me to be completely myself. If I had known the plans that God had, I would have felt pressure to make it happen in my own strength. I think we do that to ourselves, don’t we?  We catch a vision and then we feel like we have to be the ones to run after it and make it happen.

So I am thankful that I didn’t see it all play out at once, and have had to really lean into Jesus, lean into His Fruits throughout this whole process both personally and professionally, as He has been guiding me to do for many years.

I know I’ll continue to do this, and He’ll show up in unexpected ways as He always has. He just uses us, being ourselves when we are walking with Him, and that’s how change really happens in our world.

Thank you for coming along with me, friends!  If you want to see the final product of my publishing journey check out SEEING Christmas!