Every once in a while, I have the sweet honor of introducing a new author to you. Meet Amanda! I personally worked with Amanda at a private Christian school before she became a mother of two darling girls. Amanda has a beautiful heart for Jesus and children. I hope you are blessed by her journey from the mission field to becoming a children’s book author. You can gift her books to precious little ones in your life!
Hi, my name is Amanda Stenberg. I am a military wife, a former teacher, and a stay-at-home mother of two beautiful girls, ages 9 months and 3 years. But my biggest attribute is my love for Jesus. Recently, I’ve been able to add the title of children’s book author to my list of titles as well.
When I was a teenager, I started going on mission trips with my church. Each year was a little different—different location, different people, and a different experience with God. Each year, I also chose a different role on the trip. Every person on our “crew” had a role, including lunch maker, tool gatherer, devotional leader, and a few others.
For the first two mission trips I went on in high school, I chose to be the lunch maker because I knew it would be the easiest job. But as I grew older and my relationship with God deepened, I realized I loved being the devotional leader and bringing others closer to Him. So, I chose that role three years in a row.
I still remember it like it was yesterday. On the final workday at our assigned site during my last mission trip, after we finished building a ramp at a woman’s house in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, our crew gathered on the porch to begin our devotional time.
We had a devotional book that guided us to think more deeply about our faith through Bible passages and reflection questions we could answer aloud or write down. The ages in our crew ranged from 12 to 21 for the “kids,” and up to around 60 for the adults.
We took turns reading from the devotional, and when it was my turn, I began reading the closing prayer. As I was reading, a twelve-year-old girl on my crew started crying. It was her very first mission trip.
In that moment, it was so sweet to see her heart opening and her love for Jesus growing. That day, she accepted Him into her life.
It felt incredibly special knowing that, as the devotional leader, I had been a small part of leading her to Christ.
In June of 2017, after my last mission trip had ended, I decided in that moment that I wanted to write and publish a children’s book one day. I knew it would be about volunteering because there weren’t many books on the topic at the time. I planned for my book to include the different experiences I had on my mission trips, like sorting items at a food bank and thrift store, as well as preparing and serving food at a soup kitchen.
That night, I grabbed my notebook and pen and wrote a rough outline. I even took a picture on my phone in case I ever lost the notebook—which, of course, I did. Fast forward eight years later: thanks to the encouragement of my husband, I became a children’s book author—not just of that book, but also of another about my daughter giving up her pacifier. I also want to give a huge shout-out and thank you to my friend Ashley for connecting me with her editor, Tiffany. Without her, this project probably never would have happened.
Here’s a little blurb on the volunteer book!
Join Lyla and her family as they discover the joy of helping others in Lyla’s Volunteer Adventures! 💕
From serving in the food kitchen to collecting food from the church farm for the local food banks- this heartwarming story shows kids that even small acts of kindness can make a BIG difference in their community. 🌱📚🥫
📖 Perfect for ages 3–8 (or younger & older)
🎨 Beautiful watercolor-style illustrations
✨ Inspires compassion, generosity, and family bonding
🌍Empower your child to see themselves as a helper in the world.
📖 Lyla’s Volunteer Adventures—available now on Amazon!
Check out my author Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/share/17yyogWr8A/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Lyla and Hudson Say Goodbye to their Pacifiers-available now on Amazon!
Miracle Prayer Story: A 3-Year-Old Hears from God
But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” -Mathew 19:14 NLT
A few years ago, I operated my own state-licensed home daycare. I used to pray for the children in my care. One day, I felt the Holy Spirit quicken me to pray for one little girl in particular while she napped. As I prayed, the presence of God filled the room, and He spoke to her while she slept. She woke up and shared with me what He told her. I will never forget how God showed her how much He loves her and how that took her fears away.
God wants to speak to His children, no matter how young (or old) they are. I hope this encourages you to keep praying for your loved ones. We have a wonderful Father in Heaven who longs to connect with us.
Here is a quick video of me sharing about this experience.
Until next time, I pray that the love of the Father, the life of Jesus, and the presence of the Holy Spirit will fill your days.
xoxo