Grace & Gratitude Newsletter

Dear Readers,

For the last two years, many of you have encouraged me, prayed for me, checked on me, and patiently listened while I devoted most of my time and heart to finishing my upcoming memoir. Today, I’m finally able to say the words that once felt impossible:

The book is finished.

YAY!

Now comes the soft launch, followed by the hard launch, and all the things writers rarely think about when they first sit down at the keyboard with a story burning in their heart. I’m learning that writing the book is only the beginning.

Finishing this memoir has been cathartic and painful. In many ways, it felt like revisiting every season of my son’s life as I sorted through old records, photographs, social media posts, and thousands of emails and texts we shared over the years.

I have always been one of those mothers who save everything, especially if it belonged to my children. In this case, I am glad I did.

Those papers, messages, and memories became more than keepsakes. They became breadcrumbs leading me back through forty-five years of love, heartbreak, faith, questions, laughter, and the life of a son who left a far bigger mark on this world than he ever realized.

I couldn’t possibly capture every moment of those years together, but somewhere in the writing, I found a way through the darkest hours of grief. More importantly, I found a way to honor Ryan’s legacy and share the faith that carried our family when nothing else could.

The memoir also speaks honestly about parenting a child on the autism spectrum long before many people understood what autism looked like in everyday life. My hope is that other parents, especially those struggling to navigate adulthood with a child on the spectrum, might find comfort, understanding, or simply the reassurance that they are not alone.

The road to publication is now underway, and while I don’t have an official release date just yet, my goal is to have From Ashes to God published by Fall 2026.

Cover reveal is coming soon!

I still can’t quite believe I’m typing those words.

Thank you for walking this road with me. Your encouragement has meant more than you know.

Grace & Gratitude,

GeorgeAnn