When a Story Refuses to Let Go
Some of you have followed the development of Daughters of the Wilderness for years, occasionally asking, “How’s the book coming?” It feels surreal to say that after seven years, it is finally out in the world.
It seems fitting that I turn 70 this month. What a birthday gift.
Yet the truth is, this story began long before I wrote a single chapter. It has been with me for more than thirty years.
I first encountered the story of Zelophehad’s five daughters through the Network of Biblical Storytellers International, where I am now honored to serve as president. In Numbers 27, five sisters step forward to ask for something no woman had done before—the right to inherit their father’s land. Their courageous request ultimately changed the course of history for women in Israel. At its heart, this story is about courage, faith, and trust.
Something about their story never left me.
During my years climbing the corporate ladder, I often walked into rooms where I was one of the few women at the table. Before opening the door to executive meetings, I would say to myself:
“The daughters of Zelophehad came forward.” Numbers 27:1
Those words reminded me to find courage, trust in God, and take the next step.
Years later, I discovered biblical fiction in Tessa Afshar’s Pearl in the Sand. I was so inspired that I founded Seeds of Faith for Women, an organization dedicated to bringing women together through books, discussion, and faith.
At our first retreat, Tessa was our keynote speaker. As I shared the story of Zelophehad’s daughters and how much it meant to me, she looked at me and said, “You have to write this story.”
I laughed at the thought. After all, I wasn’t a novelist.
But sometimes God plants an idea long before we’re ready to act on it.
Over the next seven years, I learned the craft of writing, researched ancient Israel, and spent countless hours bringing these sisters’ story to life.
There were moments of joy and moments of frustration. More than once, life interrupted my carefully laid plans and reminded me what truly matters. Yet each time, I returned to the manuscript and kept going. Writing, I’ve learned, is often an act of perseverance.
So is faith.
One of my favorite scenes takes place when Zelophehad takes his daughters outside beneath the desert sky and teaches them a simple lesson: when life feels uncertain, look up. God’s creation has a way of turning our hearts toward gratitude and hope.
Those words have become a reminder for me as well.
As I celebrate my seventieth birthday, I find myself looking back with gratitude and forward with hope. The dream of writing this book did not come to fruition when I was 30, 40, or even 60. It happened now. Perhaps that is the lesson I am still learning: God is never early, never late, and often working in ways we cannot yet see.
My prayer is that readers will walk away from Daughters of the Wilderness remembering that courage does not always look loud or fearless.
Sometimes courage simply looks like taking one faithful step forward.
Just as five sisters did long ago.
“The daughters of Zelophehad came forward.” Numbers 27:1
More than three thousand years later, their story continues to inspire conversations about faith, courage, justice, and trusting God when the path ahead is uncertain. It has been a joy—and a surprise—to see how deeply this ancient story still resonates with readers today.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing the story of Zelophehad’s daughters at Sea Cliff UCC on June 7, on a Facebook Live podcast on June 11, and at Congregation Tifereth Israel on June 17. I’m grateful for every opportunity to explore this remarkable biblical story and the ways it still speaks to us today.
I’d love to continue the conversation with you. Details can be found on my Events page.
