My first children’s picture book!

the story behind it, the title, a sneak peak & the release date

We passed fresh sourdough bread around the dinner table.

My son, Thomas took a bite of his bread: “Mmm.”

Don’t all good things start with sourdough?

“Mom,” he said as he chewed, “if you lived when Jesus lived, Jesus totally would have eaten your bread at the Last Supper.”

The supreme compliment to a Jesus-loving bread-baking woman like myself.

And—the seed of an idea for a children’s picture book.

As I sat across the table from my son, I thought, “It would be amazing to make the bread for Jesus to have and hold at the Last Supper.”

Then, “And, it would be amazing to BE the bread in Jesus’ hands at the Last Supper.”

Enter my first children’s picture book, The Restless Grain!

Set in ancient Galilee, a little grain of wheat wants to “see things, go places, and become something important.” But, how and what will that be?

From a seed in the farmer’s hand, to a stalk of wheat, to a grain being sold in the market in Jerusalem, this little grain is restless for more—until, as bread, it finds itself in the hands of Jesus at the Last Supper.

Sneak peak! Take a look at this illustration for the book! Illustrator, Ximena Palencia is so talented!

This sweet and captivating picture book speaks to the restlessness all of us—children to adults—have in our hearts that St. Augustine spoke to when he said: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts our restless until they rest in You.”

I can’t wait for you to read this book with the ones you love most, and hear the tender words Jesus has for the little grain (and for all of us).

I will share more with you here as we anticipate the book’s release in the fall. I can’t wait to introduce you to my amazing illustrator (and friend), Ximena Palencia, and to give you more sneak peaks inside the book.

A tremendous thank you to the family and friends, parish ministers, and the best critics of all—children, who have listened to and read versions of this story along the way. What a privilege to make something beautiful together for God.