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GREENFIELD — Jaclyn McQueeney was struggling.
Mentally. Spiritually. Relationally.
So as she stood in church one Sunday several years ago, she was feeling depleted. Yet she felt God imipressing upon her that there was more to come in her story.
Later, as she journaled trying to process this, the words flowed. She realized there was a message there that others might need to hear, too.
After releasing “Irrevocable: Get Up. You’re Not Done Yet” and speaking about it at a few events, she’s heard from others who said they benefited from the book.
“I had random people message me, or friends of friends … (mentioning) situations I wouldn’t even have thought of for this book,” said McQueeney, who grew up in Greenfield and is an elementary school teacher. “It’s been amazing to see the different scenarios that … can relate to the encouragement in the book.”
For those seeking to unwind with a book this summer, whether for a back-porch read or something to slide into a travel bag, there are quite a few authors with Hancock County ties who have released faith-related books.
Greenfield’s Mark Tabb helped Peter Mutabazi tell his story of surviving on his own as a youth in Uganda and later becoming an adoptive father, foster dad to many and advocate for children. “Now I Am Known” was a finalist for a Christian Book Award in the biography and memoir category. The awards were presented in May in Nashville, Tennessee, at the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association leadership summit.
This is not the first acclaim for one of Tabb’s books. His 2003 work “Out of the Whirlwind” was also nominated for one of the ECPA awards. His book “Mistaken Identity” was a New York Times bestseller; the book follows two families of Taylor University students after a fatal bus crash.
The list of local faith-based authors has grown over the years, perhaps as options for getting a book published also expand.
Marcia Day Brown, pianist at Mohawk United Methodist Church, released “The Thankful Principle: A Journey into Thankful Living,” nearly 10 years ago.
She is considering updating it for its 10th anniversary with stories of people who, as the book recommends, tried being thankful according to Philippians 4:6-7 in the Bible: “”Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Some of them have shared the impact that made with Brown.
“I have had a number of people tell me that the book was life-changing for them because it changed their way of thinking about difficult situations, and when they applied it to their own lives, wonderful things happened.”
McQueeney (now McClure, actually, as she got married in April) hopes her readers will also grow from what they read.
“The main thing that I hope everyone takes away from it is it doesn’t matter how far gone they think they are … God wants to redeem their story and use it …” she said.
FAITH-BASED AUTHORS WITH HANCOCK COUNTY TIES
–New York Times best-selling author Mark Tabb’s writing career spans more than 30 years and dozens of books for which he’s been author or collaborator. He’s produced both sacred and secular works; he helped a top real estate agent produce a volume of sales strategies that releases Tuesday. The Greenfield resident’s more recent faith-related works include telling the story of YouTubers Kaelin and Kyrah Edwards in “This Kind of Love” and helping former “The Bachelor” star Ben Higgins recount his spiritual journey in “Alone in Plain Sight.” Learn more about Tabb’s work at www.marktabb.com.
–Mark Adcock, pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship in Fortville, has written “A Call to Grandparenting,” “Be Strong and Show Yourself a Man, Study Edition … Becoming a REAL Man of God” and the autobiographical “Lessons Learned on Papa’s Pond.” He and his wife, Angela, released “Developing Spiritual Oneness … Through Prayer: A 42-Day Spiritual Adventure for Couples.”
–Elise Erikson Barrett is a New Palestine High School graduate and former pastor. Her writing is featured in the 2014 volume “Words that Give Life: For All Seasons.” She also released “What Was Lost: A Christian Journey Through Miscarriage” in 2010.
–Marcia Day Brown released “The Thankful Principle: A Journey into Thankful Living” in 2013.
–Stephen E. Ellis, retired pastor of Curry’s Chapel United Methodist Church, has published a range of books, from fiction to a manual on scuba diving (he was once an instructor). In recent years he’s written “50 Questions for God.” He asked people of the churches he’d served, and more people online, what they would ask God if granted one question.
-Sun Fannin co-founded what’s now Evangel Church in Greenfield with her late husband, Larry. Originally from South Korea, she shared her personal testimony in the book “Bad Luck Baby.” She also released “If My People” about prayer and fasting and “This Too Will Pass,” which shares more of her testimony in the years since her first book.
–Jai Haulk was student pastor at Fortville Christian Church when he wrote “Stronger.” After embarking on a healthier lifestyle several years ago, he found lessons that extended beyond the fitness realm. Chapters in the book deal with emotions, relationships, finances and other areas.
–Russel Jarvis, team leader for pastoral care at Hancock Regional Hospital, released a novel, “The Power of the Promise,” in 2001. It’s available as an ebook titled “PromiseLand,” along with another ebook, “Wavelength.”
–Donald Charles Lacy was a longtime United Methodist pastor; one of his early appointments was at Philadelphia United Methodist Church in the late 1950s. He worked for interfaith dialogue, particularly between Protestants and Catholics, and was openly devoted to the Virgin Mary. He wrote 17 books, releasing “Collected Works of Donald Charles Lacy” in 2001. He died in 2012.
-David Mathews used to live in the area and attend church in New Palestine. He’s written novels “A Future and A Hope” and “Fugitive of Faith.”
-Rob McCord, senior minister of Outlook Christian Church in McCordsville, released “Keepers of the Way” in 2017 and also wrote “Preachers Who Develop Disciples of Jesus Christ.” He and wife Tamara, a therapist, wrote “A Centered Soul” about a passage in the Bible’s book of Philippians. Learn more at robmccord.com.
-Jaclyn McQueeney’s “Irrevocable” is available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
-Jim Moreland, a second-career Friends pastor, has led a faith-based smoking cessation program several times in Greenfield at Brandywine Community Church. The material became a book, “Rising from Ashes: A Christ-Centered Smoking Cessation Program.”
–Hubert Nolen, founder of Hope Center Indy, released the autobiographical “Hope for a Lifetime” in 2022.
–Emily Smith of Greenfield released “Where’s the Nearest Day Spa? Renewing the Anxious Heart” in 2012.
–Kris Sorensen, lead pastor of Brookville Road Community Church in New Palestine, released “Uncertain: Finding Direction Amid Chaos” in 2019.
–Tammy Lyons Wilkinson, who grew up in Charlottesville, became the “banana lady” to some after she shared on Facebook Live about God prompting her to buy bananas for a homeless man outside a grocery store — when she wanted to buy fried chicken. Her book “Faint Whispers” is about listening to the voice of God.
–Caranita Wolsieffer, a Christian family counselor serving in Italy, released the art journaling book “Child of God, Delight in Him” in 2017. She and her late husband, Jim — longtime mission partners of Outlook Christian Church in McCordsville — founded Italy for Christ Mission in 1971. The McCordsville church played host to a book launch party when Wolsieffer was visiting. The book combines a Bible study about different names of God with art journaling and coloring pages.
-Gary Wright, president and founder of World Renewal mission organization based in Greenfield, released “He Just Showed Up: Eyewitness to Revival” in 2021. Later this month, he anticipates the release of “Committed Beyond Choice … Even If,” about pursuing the presence of God.
