Last updated on July 13, 2025
 |
| Lorilyn Roberts |
I JUST ENTERED A CONTEST
50 Great Writers You Should be Reading 2016 Contest
(Contest closed, but enjoy the post)
My love for writing began with a homework assignment in third grade. The teacher asked us to write a short story. Fifty-plus years later, I’ll occasionally pull the old, faded, handwritten story out from underneath my bed and read it. I still remember writing the words.
In fourth grade, I wrote poetry.
In fifth grade, my teacher accused me of plagiarism in front of the class. My father went to the school and talked to her, but he never once questioned my integrity.
By the time I was in ninth grade, I had written two unfinished books. Yeah—I didn’t know how to finish them.
When I was thirteen, my parents gave me a guitar for Christmas. My writing waned for the next few years as classical guitar took up most of my time. I loved the attention and self-worth it brought me as I performed at many major events.
I rediscovered my love for writing when I went to the University of Georgia in my freshman year. Since I grew up in a family business, English wasn’t on the list of “qualifying” majors; maybe physical therapy or business administration, but not English. No starving authors were allowed in the Roberts family.
Then, as often happens, I fell in love.
I hit a crossroads. What was I going to do with the rest of my life? In a moment of insanity, I threw my college degree out the window and, at my parents’ urging, agreed to go to court reporting school. My future husband promised that someday I could go back to college.
As a court reporter, I wrote, if you can count thousands of pages of depositions, writing. I imagined how many books that would be, and I longed to write something different.
When my husband finished medical school, we moved to Gainesville, Florida, where he began his residency in radiation oncology. I enrolled in college and earned my two-year degree toward a bachelor’s in journalism. I took my first creative writing class, and my writing appetite was whet again.
My life changed forever when tragedy struck. I discovered my husband was having an affair and had gotten his girlfriend pregnant. Not only was I devastated because I loved him, but I had sacrificed a lot for his career. My dreams were beginning to be fulfilled, although my inability to get pregnant caused me great depression. My hopes of becoming a mother, earning my college degree, and writing books evaporated overnight.
I cried oceans of tears and didn’t want to live anymore, but God heard my desperate wails. I sought counseling, began to read the Bible, got involved in a local church, and started attending a prayer group. Most importantly, I recommitted my life to Jesus Christ.
Perhaps the most challenging part was accepting God’s will. I had to return to work as a court reporter since that was my only skill. I had dreamed of so much more.
While it took some time, God gave me new dreams and better opportunities. I obtained that elusive college degree and, in the process, did quite a bit of traveling, including studying in England, Israel, Italy, and Australia. On a whim, I got certified as a scuba diver and made over a hundred dives worldwide.
However, my longing to be a mother remained unfulfilled for eight more years. Then, on May 8, 1994, on Mother’s Day, I arrived home with a three-year-old Nepali girl. Five years later, over Christmas, I adopted an infant girl from Vietnam.
 |
| Manisha a couple of months after arrival. |
 |
| Joy in Vietnam: When I Adopted Her |
Reading picture books to my daughters unexpectedly rekindled my love for books and writing. We frequently visited the library, and I would come home with armfuls of books. Even into their teens, we read hundreds of books together—one of the best things about homeschooling.
Not surprisingly, the first book I wrote was a children’s picture book, The Donkey and the King. When I finished it, God told me something I didn’t expect. He wanted me to wait until my children were older before I wrote more books. My passion for writing was all-consuming. As a single mother, my daughters needed me when I wasn’t working, now as a broadcast captioner.
Lorilyn closed-captioningI waited four years to write my memoir, Children of Dreams. I was afraid if I waited any longer, I would forget my daughters’ adoption stories. I wanted them to know how God had brought us together as a forever family.
After writing Children of Dreams, my passion for writing grew. However, I only knew how to write picture books and nonfiction. How could I learn to write fiction? I remembered those two books I wrote as a teen—the books I never finished.
At the Florida Christian Writers’ Conference, I heard about a Master’s in Creative Writing degree from an accredited online college. I later enrolled at the spry young age of 53. When I completed my Master’s, the book I wrote as part of my thesis became a best-selling Christian fantasy book on Amazon. Three years later, Seventh Dimension—The Door is still listed in the top twenty Christian fantasy books (I eventually made it free on all eBook platforms).
Following Seventh Dimension – The Door, I wrote three more books in the series: Seventh Dimension – The King, Seventh Dimension – The Castle, and Seventh Dimension – The City. I’m working on the fifth book in the set to be published next year.
What drives me to write? I write for an Audience of One. God gives me the desire to write, and He gets all the glory. I feel God’s pleasure and spiritual insights I can’t explain.
Looking back, I’ve learned I needed to live a little so God can teach me much. God has shown me He never wastes anything and limits the feasts of the locusts. They can only eat what He allows. It is never too late to start writing, and it’s always too soon to quit. If we commit our way to our heavenly Father, God will multiply our time, effort, and ability. If my writing can change a life—even if it’s only my own—then I know I’m in God’s will, and really, isn’t that all that matters?
You can read more of Lorilyn Roberts’ blog posts at LorilynRoberts.com.
*~*~*
Very inspiring Lorilyn. Wonderful that you were able to make your dream come true.
Amen. Praise the Lord that He delights in giving His children good things.
I've wanted to be a writer since I was in the third grade as well, but God also had other plans for me. I'm glad He did. I don't know how anyone can write well, formulate stories, when they haven't lived yet themselves. I'm thankful that God has given me the inspiration to write at this time in my life.
May He continue to bless your writing.
So inspirational; loved your story. God blesses us each and every day.
voted! all the best
Your writing career seems to be a progressive journey. I see myself in a similar place. I hope you continue writing for God's glory and find blessing in the process. I voted for you and hope you get the honor as one of the best writers in 2016 and I'll be picking up one of your works to read.
Thank you. Yes, my writing journey mirrors my faith in God. The more you learn, the more you see the greatness of God and His mercy. I'm thankful that He has allowed me to have a voice. God bless.
Now, I know you Mama Lorilyn. God is good. I voted; all the best!
Lorilyn, You are beautiful inside and out! May God continue to use you in your writing to reach the young souls for his kingdom.
This is awesome!! Can I quote you from this text as well as vote?