I’ve been writing a little magazine column in my hometown for almost three years. It’s truly one of my favorite ongoing assignments because I can write about anything I want to, and I love feeling a part of the community.

A couple of years ago, I wrote a column encouraging people to get outdoors and take pictures of their children — especially while all the spring flowers were bursting with blooms. I wrote a few paragraphs about how one of my favorite memories as a mom was of taking some pictures of my two oldest children in a patch of jonquils.

I revised that column into an essay and submitted it to an editor who was looking for stories for a Christian book publisher. She emailed back to thank me, and asked if she could hold it for a future project. I was of course a little disappointed, figuring that she was rejecting my story in a very nice way!

So what a surprise it was for me to hear from this editor a couple of months ago — nearly two years since I submitted. She wanted to send me a contract and said my story had made it through final revisions to be included in this beautiful new gift book, Blessed Among Women: God’s Gift to Mothers.

My story, “Spring Portraits,” is among several other essays written by moms and grandmoms celebrating the joys of motherhood, and I’m simply amazed to be included. It’s a hardback book, with artfully decorated pages — and there are poems, Bible verses, and famous quotations that make any mother feel that her job is the best, most significant job in the world.

If you’re in charge of planning a Mother’s Day tea or banquet, this book is full of inspiration (especially if you need some quotes for a speech!) It also makes a nice Mother’s Day gift for making someone you love feel special.