I sent a message in a bottle…

Writing a book is like pouring your heart into a message, sealing it in a bottle, and sending it out to sea.

And when the content lays bare all your hopes, flaws, struggles, and fears, it can feel like you’re sending naked pictures along with it.

That’s exactly how it felt writing my book Mission: Motherhood: Writing a New Fairy Tale of Love and Family.

My infertility journey took ten years.
It took five more to write about it.

When I finished the manuscript, I had no idea who would read it or what impact it might have.

Since then, I’ve spoken with many people about my story—likely thousands.

But one specific conversation changed me.

I recently joined Raquel Howard and Jennifer Bolanos on their podcast Madness Café.

Unlike your typical podcast interview, they had read the book deeply and came to the conversation with open hearts.

Each woman had very different motherhood experiences.

Jennifer got pregnant easily. She was married and is now single.  She has a niece currently going through IVF.

Raquel is single and never wanted children.

I wondered whether my story would feel relatable to either of them.

We had a wonderful conversation about familiar topics—finding the right partner, balancing the desires of career and motherhood, the challenges infertility brings, and my chaotic child custody battle.

When we finished the interview, they told me they were going to take me off camera and record a recap discussion about the book.

I didn’t think much of it.

But the next five to seven minutes changed me.

I got to hear their thoughts when I wasn’t in the room.

Jennifer shared how my story highlights the complicated tension between choice, autonomy, and the modern “you can have it all” narrative. She said the book helped her better understand what her niece is going through with IVF.

Raquel said the book was triggering—but not in the way you might expect. My custody battle after seven years of legal separation reminded her of what her mother went through with her father. It brought back the anxiety she felt as a child living through that upheaval and reinforced how important it is to resolve those conflicts through a formal divorce sooner rather than later.

Both women appreciated the healing journey described in the book—the willingness to confront childhood wounds and the ability to find goodness and redemption even in complicated parent-child relationships.

They also resonated with the idea of “tender mercies”—the moments when we notice the people and circumstances that bless us even in life’s hardest seasons.

Listening to how the book impacted them gave me an incredible gift.

Two different women.
Two very different life experiences from my own.

And yet, the message I sent in a bottle was received.

It made me realize something important:

Our deepest trauma can become our greatest gift.  But only if we’re brave enough to share it.

I hope you’ll check out the podcast and let me know what you think.

But here’s the bigger question…

Who needs to hear your story today?

#shareyourstory
#missionmotherhood