Story 19 | How Do You Knit a Miracle?

Giving you access to the first draft of the text for my children's picture book idea. Emphasis on first draft.

Mar 06, 2025

Committing to writing a weekly newsletter has turned out to be a powerful motivator. Today’s story is an idea for a children’s picture book that I’ve had for several months, and if not for Plot Twists, it would have languished in my head or as a sketch of notes on my computer for years, probably. Instead, I have a draft to share with you today. Not a finished project, because this is a treasured idea, and it deserves more than a couple hours on deadline.

Please hear me when I say this is a draft. And an early draft, at that. Most of what I’ve shared with you so far has been polished enough. This one though, this is like a sculpture that is meant to be realistic but is still in the abstract. There is still much more pushing away of marble to achieve the envisioned detail and feeling, but the shape is there, and the promise of something good is there. There are a few lines that are almost brilliant, but they are floundering in muddy phrases and structure that still needs sorting.

If anything, you’ll be able to say, “I knew that story when it was a mess of underworked, lofty nonsense, but now, wow!”

Also, I have a cool idea for the illustrations. I won’t share it now because it’s tough to verbalize and because I have to keep some things under wraps!

Obviously this book will be dedicated to Celine. 💞

How Do You Knit a Miracle?

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

How do you knit a miracle?
My child, my precious one, let me explain
It’s quite simple, you see
My heart set itself on a miracle, one created just for me

Radiantly, I summon the materials, soft and nimble
Swirls of stardust plucked from the tails of comets streaking by
Golden beams of warm sun bursting through parting clouds like tender, attentive hugs
The ripest buds, brightest blooms and softest petals, cheery faces pointing to the sun
Pure wishes from the soft place inside
I lace this with laughter and silly dances and kindness and shy smiles

But the grandness begins to get away from me
How can I corral stardust or contain beams or control a bud?
How can my incantations amount to more than invisible will?
Grasp and gasp
strain and strive
pore and pour
try and invent
give of myself and sacrifice
And it’s not enough
Too much for me, too big for me, more than me
So I rest my armloads of dreams, wishes and tears, whispering prayers and hopes over them
Delicate dreams relaxed in trusting hands

Uncertain and exhausted, I back away, my hope curdled with worry and doubt
My reason clouded by fatigue
My vision weighed down by reality
My confidence shaken by tremors and what-ifs
I catch occasional wafts of possibility, reminding me of what I thought could be, a painful little memory

But I remember your promises and grace, and faith begins to smile down on me again
And I allow, I allow it to not just be me, not be done alone, know that it’s more than me
I realize it’s not for me, it’s for you, it’s all for you
And I sit back, and my doubt and patience wrestle, until they are quieted by trust
I can hear my hope again
My tears renew, but happy this time

And the miracle landed like perfect peace, like purpose arrived and love personified
There you were, a delicate dream relaxed in trusted hands
Like my heart was now something new, no longer beating in my chest but now breathing in my arms

And that’s how you were knit, my little miracle.

Thank you so much for reading! Your feedback is welcome: rate the story with one click in this poll, or get a discussion going in the comments.

Story 19 | How Do You Knit a Miracle?

Giving you access to the first draft of the text for my children's picture book idea. Emphasis on first draft.

How Do You Knit a Miracle?

Discussion about this post