My Story
Jana – My Story in My Own Words
I am a child of imagination and my story begins, as most do, with my birth. I was born and raised in Czechoslovakia (AKA Czech Republic and now Czechia – what an awful name). From my younger days, I have always had a vivid imagination. Because of that stories have been rumbling around in my brain since I was a child.
Some of my stories stayed with me and evolved and grew as I grew. For one of my stories, I created a toy doll from beads and wire. She was about 2 inches tall and lived in a matchbox, complete with a pillow and blanket. She was my treasure and the star of my childhood stories.
Russian Invasion
When I was ten years old, Russia invaded Czechoslovakia. After four months, my parents packed us up and we left. We took a midnight train to Vienna, where we were granted passage to Canada. We weren’t refugees but immigrants. Within a few weeks of our arrival, my Dad, who spoke some English, got a job in a factory. He had two degrees, one of which was in economics, but worked as a tool and die maker. Shortly after, my mom, who was a cartographer, got a job in a restaurant washing dishes. It was what they had to do to support us and make a life for us in a new country.
World Ending… and beginning.
For me, much of my world had come to an end when we left. All that I loved, except for my parents and yes, even my brother, remained behind. Therefore, the life I had known and loved was gone. We were in a country where I couldn’t speak a word, except to count to ten and say ‘I don’t speak English’.
But a new world opened up before me as well. A friend came alongside and made things bearable. She introduced me to Christ and set me on the right path, for which I am eternally grateful.
Pursued by God
Because of her, I became a Christian at fifteen. Then ran away from God at eighteen (yes, there is a story there, but for another time). However, God is a loving God, who has pursued me for most of my life.
As a young child, I had decided that God was someone to be feared and I wanted nothing to do with him. (Yup, that is another story.) However, I believe because of that, God decided to show me his TRUE self. That He is a God of love and mercy and grace. So, at thirty-one, he brought me back to Himself.
God Has A Plan
Through these life experiences, I believe, that God has a plan and a purpose for each of us, His children. We may be too stubborn, blind, or simply in denial to see the truth, and some see it but reject it. But He is a God of love who pursues us. I am grateful He didn’t give up on me. He rescued our family from the Communist regime. A regime where I would not have had the opportunity to get to know him… at least not at such an early age. He brought us to a country full of promise and potential. He provided and protected us (Yup, more stories).
Share the Truth
Through all of this, I am a first-hand witness to God’s unending mercy and grace, provision and protection, guiding wisdom, eternal love, and the gift of salvation. Because of that, I have a deep desire to share these truths.
For years, I’ve written stories and books, but none hit the mark. They fell flat, and still collect dust, tucked away in a cupboard. But, my desire to write and share the truth has persisted. I’ve written hundreds of ‘devotional’ style notes, which I think people now call blogs, except mine rest in notebooks under more dust. Some will find the light of day, but that is to come.
Story of Children of Light
Finally, in 2017 a story came to mind (yes, there is a story behind how that came to be), that I could not help but write. So, wrote and wrote and after about 18 months, I started thinking I had a book… a single book. I kept writing and three years later, when I came up for air I realized what I wrote was too long, and maybe I should make it two books. Well, long story short, the Children of Light series is now a set of 5, yes five, books. The fifth of which is now done and published.
All I can say, is thank you, LORD! Thank you for giving me the desire of my heart, which is to write. Being retired, I have the time to devote to writing, and more importantly learning how to write, which I suspect will be an ongoing learning curve. I am also an amateur photographer and take a great deal of inspiration from God’s creation, both for photography and for writing.
Rest, Restoration, and Relaxation
My husband and I live in Southwestern Ontario, in the house my father built. It has become a place of rest, restoration, and relaxation. Since our children and grandchildren live in Alberta, we either travel there to visit with them, or they come here. It is wonderful to have the fourth generation come to this house.
So, God has restored all that I had lost as a child and given me so much more! (Just like for Job.) He has a purpose for me, I am sure of that, and hope that it is in what I am doing. My books focus on encouraging my readers that God has a purpose for each of his children. We have to be open and willing to follow His path for us, a path illuminated by His Light.