We went camping one time, my siblings and I, somewhere in the Myakka Forest not far from our home. It must have been in the fall or winter, because summer time is too hot to be caught sleeping in a tent, and there are way too many mosquitos with all the summer rain storms. I’m sure we must have had friends with us, and we probably stayed more than just one night. But it isn’t those kinds of details that lead me to share this memory. In fact, it isn’t anything huge that happened or even something exciting that transpired. It’s just this small moment in time, a snapshot of sorts that just stuck.

We were getting ready for bed. It was late and we were ready to leave the campfire for the night and tuck into our tents, but first we had to make use of the restroom. That’s the worst thing about camping, if you ask me. Something about being deprived of a proper toilet or shower always has me rethinking these kinds of outings. Of course, by this time it was dark out and so, with flashlight in hand, my sister and I made the desolate trek to the portable bathroom hidden somewhere in the woods between our campsite and the one adjacent to ours. When we got there, I let my sister go before me, and stood outside holding the flashlight up for her. Behind me, I heard my sister’s husband creep up. He held his finger over his mouth and pointed toward the porta-potty. Slowly, he crept up to the back of it and then all of a sudden he pounded on the wall and shouted, “oh my gosh, there’s a spider!”

To our delight and her utter dismay, she came flying out of there all fury and spitfire. What happened after that is what rocked my world. The next thing I knew, after she had thrown a solid punch at her husband, she burst into tears. It was the first time, in a long time, I had seen my sister crack. Sure, she had her moments when we were kids, but for the most part she was always the strong one. The tough one. Whereas, I was better known for drama and high emotions, tears were just not her thing. Being my older sister I have always looked up to her. She’s my role model, my biggest supporter, my closest companion. I always wanted to be more like her, to possess the kind of strength she did. Somehow, after that night, I came to admire her all the more.

When I was in the process of writing the second book in The Romalo Legacy, I thought back to that moment. I knew I wanted my female character to be like my sister. Someone who, even in all her strength, still had a gentle heart. Then I began to imagine a leading lady with that kind of heart, strength, and resilience. I saw who I wanted to be as well…a lady of great faith. But I wondered, what would happen if that lady faced crisis? What would happen to her heart of faith and resilience when she met someone who didn’t share that same faith? That’s where Gabriel comes in. I guess in my mind he’s the face of a generation raised in the church, jaded by the religious rituals, and just going through the motions. His heart isn’t even involved anymore and somewhere along the way he has lost his pure faith and hasn’t even noticed.

If An Unrivaled Faith is anything, it’s a message about the fight for faith and the perseverance it takes to wrestle with that faith in dark times, in hardships, and against all the odds. More than that, it’s a testament to the influence faith and my family of faith has had on my life. I am who I am today because of those who taught me about the Lord, offered me forgiveness and love, and have helped me face outstanding obstacles. I’m so thankful to my friends, my church, and to my sister, who has been and always will be a true leading lady.