BookFest Spring Award 2026

Writing a book means doing something incredibly vulnerable. It means opening your heart, sharing the chapters you once wanted to hide, and trusting that someone else might find hope in your story.When I wrote Angel on a Bridge, I didn’t know how people would respond. Would they believe me? Would they think I exaggerated the pain? Would they question the miracles? Or would they see what I saw—that even in my darkest moments, God never let go of me.This story isn’t about me. It’s about a faithful God who carried me when I couldn’t walk on my own.It’s about the quiet faith my Mommie and Daddy lived every single day. They didn’t just talk about Christianity—they modeled it. They showed me what grace looked like. They showed me how to love, forgive, persevere, and trust God even when life didn’t make sense.Winning First Place is an incredible honor, but this moment is also bittersweet.Because Mommie was an avid reader, and I know she would have been holding this book with tears in her eyes and pride in her heart.Because both Mommie and Daddy lived lives that pointed others toward Christ.And because this is the first award I’ve ever received without Mommie standing beside me for the picture.Instead, Daddy proudly stood next to me, smiling as his “little Bumpkins”—the wild child he never stopped believing in—held an award that represents so much more than a trophy. It represents redemption. Healing. Hope. Proof that God can take our deepest wounds and turn them into a testimony.If my story reaches just one person who feels like giving up… one person who wonders if God has forgotten them… one person who needs to know that their past doesn’t determine their future… then every vulnerable page was worth writing.Life is but a vapor. We are only here for a little while. Love deeply. Forgive freely. Hold your people close. And never underestimate what God can do with a surrendered heart.If Angel on a Bridge has encouraged you, I would be honored if you shared it with someone who needs hope today. You never know whose life could be changed by a single story.#AngelOnABridge #FaithOverFear #HopeLivesHere #ChristianAuthor #BookAward #AwardWinningAuthor #GodsGrace #Testimony #FaithJourney #HealingThroughFaith #ChooseHope #LifeIsShort #LeaveALegacy #ShareYourStory #ChristianLiving #Inspiration #HopeForToday #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #AuthorLife #GodIsFaithful #FamilyLegacy #MommieAndDaddy #GratefulHeart