Two Decembers: A Journey to Faith — An Author’s Testimony Inspired by Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Two Decembers Book Cover, watercolor art by Robin Wutke

When I sat down to write a note for my very first book, Two Decembers…a journey to faith, I was a bit stumped on where to begin. This is not the book I set out to write but rather a story inspired by grace. Along the way it became my testimony and if you’ll allow me, I’d like to share a bit of background with you before telling you about Two Decembers…a journey to faith, being published today!

I began a story in the vein of a typical romance novel in the fall of 2022, based on a dream I’d had earlier that spring. Fast forwarding three years, I am now convinced the dream was a seed planted by God. 

In the beginning, writing for me was a way of escaping from my internal struggles and the challenges I faced in personal relationships as a result. I channeled my feelings of anger, depression, and sadness into the development of the characters, producing a storyline with a somber tone. 

At this time, I had been away from God, prayer and any type of grounding in faith for over thirty-five years and considered myself to be secular. I was broken and so was everything around me. I felt like I had nowhere to turn. So I put on a smile, vowed “work harder on myself”, and lived this way for another year. 

When the struggles finally came to a climax, I turned to something I hadn’t done since my early twenties. I prayed. The effort was somewhat fruitful but my continued stubbornness and desire for control limited my progress. 

In the spring of 2024, within a few weeks of each other, I listened to Matthew 13, the Parable of the Sower, and heard Ann Wilson’s song ‘Strong’. I realized my seeds lay amongst thorns, that’s what I was reaping, and I was trying to put on a good face. These experiences led me to the conclusion that the change I desperately sought would only be found through surrender to God’s will for me.  

As I began to build trust in the Lord, I developed misgivings about the direction, tone and purpose of the book. In the summer of 2024, I decided to make a major course correction in the storyline. I wanted my heroine, Natasha, to become a woman of God. 

One day after hours of editing, it dawned on me that the awakening I was rewriting for Natasha was actually taking in place in my life as well. I too was discovering grace, mercy, forgiveness and peace through letting go of the past and looking for every day miracles. I sought out God’s word, pouring over Bible verses so that I could weave them into the story, realizing daily how much of an impact this process made in my own life. 

Now, here's a peek behind the cover:

One year after a nearly fatal accident in December, an unsettled Natasha Stewart attempts to regain control of her life in the aftermath. Her physical recovery having drawn to a close, she turns her focus to the psychological challenges of her existence. 

With her dissociative amnesia blocking the memories of an ardent love that uprooted from the Midwest and planted her California, Natasha struggles to reconcile her present with an elusive past. As the memories unfold, she’s forced to revisit her mistakes, fears and self-doubt all the while trusting in this inscrutable bond. 

Through this journey, Natasha’s eyes are opened to God’s providence. 

When memories fail, faith remembers. 

I truly believe that in our most difficult moments, God is sharpening us. He’s asking us to turn to Him for answers and not look inward. That is why I love this verse from Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Faith provides a certainty that what is hoped for in Christ will someday be realized. Faith is not passive, and it is not blind when it is based on trust in God rather than the things of this temporal life. 

I tried to live my life without God in this broken world and came out broken.  

If you struggle to trust or are in the midst of a storm that seems unrelenting, I hope that you will find inspiration in Natasha’s spiritual awakening and be encouraged that God’s divine guardianship is ever present.

In Christ,

Cheryl

Meet the Author, Cheryl Woodson

Cheryl is the author of Two Decembers: A Journey to Faith, a Christian fiction novel born from personal testimony, grace, and surrender to God’s will. After decades away from faith, her writing journey became a spiritual awakening—transforming a story she set out to write into one she was called to tell. Through themes of redemption, healing, and trust in God’s providence, Cheryl weaves Scripture and lived experience into narratives that point readers back to hope in Christ. She believes that even in life’s most broken seasons, God is always at work—planting seeds, restoring hearts, and revealing His purpose in ways we may not yet see.