Not Pictured

After a book release: thoughts on the normal and mundane and the growth that blooms out of them

On August 1st, I published a book. As the sun peeked through ashen clouds between rainstorms, my brother grabbed his DSLR, and we took release photos under the grape vines of his garden.

The photos came out crisp and vibrant with natural light, and I clicked “publish” on the announcement post, and the notification appeared on your email or app, and that was publishing day… 📖

But so much of life is not pictured or able to be captured in a social media caption. It’s normal, mundane, and somehow sacred.

Today, I want to celebrate the moments not pictured.

If you slip open the paper wrapping around your new paperback of seven thousand in Israel, you’ll see beyond the stone walls of a cave to where a windblown, autumn tree stands on the book cover, and, beyond her, are erected small, Jewish sukkahs for Sukkot—the Feast of Tabernacles.

But what’s not pictured?

The Unseen Moments

70+ days throughout the year when I found myself, journal on lap and pencil in hand, pouring out prayers, adoration, and petitions to the Love of my soul through poetry, feeling Him guide the lead across lined paper.

The moment when my eyes trailed the words of Romans 11:15 cross referenced to 1 Kings 19, and a new poetry book title was birthed from His Word.

Turning through pages of poems to prayerfully group them in themes of autumn and disciple-endurance.

Fingers traveling across the keyboard as I glanced up and down from the full journal, typing up each individual piece and finding typos or lines when I stopped and wondered what I’d been thinking. 🤭

Rushing to publish too early, and God whispering that I didn’t have to keep my self-made timeline. I breathed deep, felt a weight lift.

Emails chatting with a dear friend who hand-crafted the cover illustration.

Hours of designing text with my graphic designer brother and moving letters slightly left or right or up or down, and what color should “Israel” be anyway? Laughing at corny jokes then turning music loud.

The first proof copy coming in, and us squinting down the cover to make sure my author's name wasn’t tilted. Instead, we found errors on the spine and reformatted.

Praying over the book release and my own heart.

Times I wondered if I should make a release team or have a giveaway or something fancy.

Friends who slipped in words of encouragement.

Days when I did no book work because I had a house to clean and a job to work.

Receiving the email that my book was ready to publish with no issues found, and I stared at it, unbelieving, then assumed they’d send problem later (they didn’t).

A completely normal, rainy Saturday when the book was published, and I was done.

Taking pictures under the grape vines as my toes squished them into wine before I picked more sour-sweet fruit, and my photographer rushed to finish the photos right away for release.

^^ All moments, not pictured or capturable in just words—simple days of persevering and praying and continuing.

Because life is full of those.

The True Value of Life

Today I read Philippians 1 and Paul’s prayer for the everyday:

And here is what I am constantly praying for: That your love will continue to grow more and more and more, with true knowledge and every kind of moral insight, so that you can discern the things that are of greater value and importance, that you will be genuine and blameless for the Day of the Messiah, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus the Messiah to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:9-11

I’m so grateful for normal moments.

For the days preceding release day which no one sees, but they’re moments of walking through life with Jesus and loving Him more and more.

Because isn’t that the whole point?

If I publish a book with life-altering poems and receive 5-star reviews and get to slap an “award winning” badge on the cover but I don’t know Jesus deeper, don’t I miss out on what’s most important?

The value isn’t in the Instagram photo or expertly written caption.

It’s not pictured.

It’s in the walk of righteousness, the unseen moments, and the faithfulness as we draw near to God, and He draws near to us.

The true Treasure will be revealed when we stand on the Day of Jesus—genuine and blameless.

So I encourage you: embrace the not pictured moments as ones that may be sacred.

That poem you scribbled? One day, He could use it, and today He could be tending your heart like a garden through the words you process on paper.

The day you serve your family while your projects lay abandoned? Maybe He’s planting humility inside you and watering seeds of love in relationships that are easily overlooked.

The serving that no one sees? He sees, and He loves it.

May God be praised and glorified, Friend, through the quiet work of Jesus within you, and may you embrace them. 💛

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1