00:00:00 - Johnny Sanders
Do you enjoy listening to podcasts and think, man, I would like to make my own podcast? This is where I found myself last year, and I have learned a lot about what to do and a lot about what not to do. I'm offering consulting services to help you launch your podcast, especially if you're looking to make a more Christian or conservative podcast. Find out more information@faithfullyengaged.com. I have a link down in the description below if you would like help on getting your podcast started. Well, welcome back, everyone, to another episode of Faithfully Engaged. So I've got a very special guest on. I believe that she's only the second guest I've had on twice. I might have had another one on twice, but this one, um, beats all the others because it's my mother. Uh-huh. So very happy to have, my mom, DeAnna Sanders, on again. But last time she was on, we were talking about her going through writing her book and talking a little bit about it. But now I actually have the book in my hands here, unseen people. And this, I've recorded this a little bit earlier, but when this episode releases, it will be open to the public the next day. So we're getting really, really close to this. So anyways, Mom, why don't you tell the audience just a little bit about yourself and, yeah, just about your excitement for the book coming up?

00:01:41 - DeAnna Sanders
Yeah. Well, thanks for having me back, son. I appreciate it. This is the only time I've done a podcast twice with the same host. So I'm honored that you asked me back in such a pivotal time that it is with the book releasing on August 6. So, yeah, it's, it's been a year since we've talked. Well, we've talked personally, but as far as the podcast goes, we've had, a lot that has happened in a year. So anxious to get into that.

00:02:16 - Johnny Sanders
So let's start on that. I know a year ago it's, it's not like you weren't involved in, the editing or the publishing process at all. But I know a lot has changed this last year since we last spoke. So, yeah, kind of tell the audience a little bit more over this past year, and especially for people that might be interested in publishing at some point, what this year has been like for you and some things that you've learned.

00:02:46 - DeAnna Sanders
So, yeah. Well, I am with a traditional publisher, Ambassador International, and there are a lot of ways to publish these days, a lot more than way back when I began my writing journey. There's the. There's the traditional route, there's the self-publishing, and there's the hybrid, just a little bit of both. So. But in every process, it's good to know that it takes a while. I think the. The patience part of this journey and I feel like I'm a patient person, but it is tested a little bit about getting this process going because this book has been in the works for goodness. It'll be almost two years, I guess, since it began from signing the contract on. And that is, I had written most of the book before that, so it's been a. It's been a while. So the patience piece of it is very important. It's been a learning process. Like, you know, I've. I've been around for a while writing, and so I've learned a lot about the processes through the years, working with different types of editors for publications, curriculum pieces for news articles, and all kinds of things. So I know about the writing process, but the book publishing journey is another animal all to itself. And so, yeah, I've learned a lot about, if I go through this again, what to do, what not to do a little bit more. And one of those things is just to get prepared to be. To be patient and to trust the people that you're working with. It is a test of the will sometimes to see through their eyes what it is you need to change. And I remember way back when, in college and even in high school, learning to write pieces. And then it goes through the editing process. I remember, and I wrote about this in the book about my professor at Washita Baptist University. He saw promise in me, but at the same time, my papers came back with a lot of red marks. So that was humbling early on to know that all of my words are not precious to everybody who's reading them. The part of the journey that's most important is to get the message across clearly, succinctly, and in words that people can understand. So that's the whole point of writing the book, to begin with, is to make an impact on the lives of the readers. It is nothing. But it's hard to remember that this book is not about me, although it contains a lot of my experiences. But the book is for the readers, for the people who are reading this, to apply what maybe some life lessons I've learned into their lives, and mostly to point them to scripture, to point them to who God is and can be in their life and wants to be in their life. So that's what I want this book to do. When it came down to the nitty-gritty, do we keep this section or do we leave it out? Do I change this part or do I leave it as it is? And who is going to be impacted by these words? So I have to say, the editing process was hard. It was brutal on some days. And just. I had to take a step back and think, okay, my editors are looking at this through. They don't know me. They don't know my experiences. I've got to think about my readers. Eventually, they're not going to know me, either. And what's the most important way I can say in these words that will make a life impact on people? So for anybody who's getting ready to get in this process, it's a roller coaster ride. It is. There's plenty of ups and downs. One day you're excited, and the next day it's like, I got to write this again. It's hard, but nobody said it'd be easy. Otherwise, everybody be writing a book, right? So it's a hard thing. It's full of goodness. It's full of happiness as well. Knowing that you're doing what God has called you to do. But with any good job you do, it takes a lot of hard work. And that's what book writing is and what I've learned through this year and continue to learn about making an impact in the lives of people, it's just hard, but it's. It's worth the journey for sure.

00:07:15 - Johnny Sanders
I think that's really good information for even for people that do not want to write a book or whatever they may be doing, that something big in your life, that's a big accomplishment. It's going to be. It's going to be hard work. It's going to take patience. There's going to be times of doubt. And if I really want it in the end, then I need to stick through that something that you very well know. That I'm going through right now. Very different situation. But we're in the middle of building a house, and I'm not physically building the house. But patience is certainly a big piece of that. You pick out the stuff and you want to see it in there, you want to go live in there, but you can't just rush the process. You have to wait. And while it's hard, you see that finished product, and it's worth it. And that's kind of what I wanted to get into. Next. I'll show that. Show the book to the audience for the. For the people that are watching on YouTube or rumble that to actually see the book right now, I am physically holding the book. It's in my hands. What was that like? I know that you even made a video of you unboxing it and stuff. What was that like? To actually see it, look at it, feel it in your hands, like, wow, this is my book. What was that like for you?

00:08:46 - DeAnna Sanders
It was a ball of emotion, I can tell you. And I thought that when I was making the video I wouldn't be able to speak coherently because of the emotion. But it was overwhelming to see it for sure, to hold it in my hands and think, wow. It wasn't a letdown, but it was like, wow, here it is. You know, I've worked so hard for this. And now here it is. Now what? And there's also this part of, and I've done a lot of reading and researching through this past year about what to expect and what the next steps are and all of that. And so I know enough to know that writers experience this imposter syndrome, and it comes with a lot of other types of jobs as well. But it's like, what is it that's in this book that people, why do they care about what I have to say? And I actually remember early on when I was pitching this book to some possible publishers that one of them told me, well, it'd be more marketable if you were somebody famous. It's basically what she said. And it's like, who's really going to care about your journeys when you're just an ordinary person? And I thought, I didn't much like that answer either, but I knew the value of experience and having gone through life, that I had some words to share, but I struggled with that. I still do from time to time. It's like, why? Why is anybody going to bother to read my weekly newsletter? You know, why are they even going to bother to look at this book? Who am I? You know? But then I look, I look at the book, and in the very first few chapters of the book, I talk about who you are. Even in the introduction, I talk about who you are. And you as an individual are important and what you have to do in this world. God made you for a reason, for a purpose, and he put you on this planet to honor and glorify him. And for me, that means through these words. And so when I opened that box and I looked at that book, I had that mix of emotions, that flood of this is what I've been working for, and I'm a little bit scared to put it out in the world, to be honest. It's like, oh, no, what are people really going to think? But the feedback that I've gotten from people since some of them have, especially on my launch team members have given me some very positive encouragement. So there's going to be some negative responses. I'm sure. I have to get prepared for that. Not everybody's going to get it and they don't have to, but for the ones that do, I'm excited about that part. So, yeah, I did a really short video because I didn't really, I lost my words when I was trying to figure out what to say about this book when I unpacked it, but it goes out to the world on, on the 6th. So ready or not, we'll find out what people think.

00:11:45 - Johnny Sanders
I'm imagining that. Yeah. Of, the mixed emotions out there with, again, anything that you put time and effort into. And you're in a really unique spot, I think, right here, of, it's, it's done. There's nothing else that's, I mean, I guess there's a little bit of marketing and stuff, but there's nothing like the book is done. There's no editing. There's, there's no anything. It's just waiting. And I'm curious there. And you've already spoken to this a little bit, but for people that are in this stage of waiting, like, there's nothing else that I can do. I just have to wait. Maybe. What are some things that maybe you've learned during this very short period of time that could be applied to other people's lives?

00:12:35 - DeAnna Sanders
Well, once again, the waiting, the getting the brain fixed around that, yes, it's finished and it's not going to be perfect. And I've got to live with that part of it, too. Actually, what I've been doing, just even in these last few days, even this morning, is taking that book and taking the study guide that I created to go with it. And so I'm reading through this book and doing the study guide, which is going to be available on my website free for folks. But as I'm reading this and trying to delve into what it is that's important in each chapter, I haven't looked to see if there are mistakes. You know, I haven't. I'm sure there are, but I haven't seen them yet. I remember when I sent that in the last time, the last time I got to look at it. It's like, here it is. You know whether it's perfect or not, and I'm sure it's not. Here it goes. And I just had to release that to the Lord. And if there's stuff in there that doesn't need to be said, or if it hurts somebody's feelings or if it brings up bad memories or emotions, I can't control that. That part is in the Lord's hands. As I was writing this and as I was going through the editing, I tried really hard to remember that this is the Lord's. It is not just my words, it is his, and he will do with it as he pleases. And sometimes that means the hard lessons, and sometimes that means rejoicing over helping somebody. I've already gotten some of that feedback back. Anyway, the other lesson that I've been learning is, I don't know at all yet. After all these years on the planet, I would think that I would know more than I know. But every new thing that you try challenges you in ways that you would not expect. Like, say, as most writers, I love to sit and write and click away the words on my laptop, but what I don't really love is the marketing part of it. I don't really like to be out there. It's just not my nature, which is true of most introverted writer folks like me. But I've learned a lot about marketing just letting people know you've got something that can help them, and how do you do that? So it's not like it's an evil word, as some would want to make it. It's not like it's packaging something false. This is all true stuff, and it's good stuff. And I want to put it out there in such a way that people will want to absorb it into their lives. So, yeah, so that's probably the patience, the learning curve, the ability just to keep at it even on days you don't want to. That's true of any good work that you do. So I think those are probably the main things. It's a tizzy right now, trying to figure out what it is I need to be doing to launch the book out into the world, how to do that well, and to honor God through the process. So that's what I'm in. A lot of prayer. Just a lot of prayer. Just taking time to pause and remember the people that I've written about, the journey that God has taken me through, and be grateful for that and the lessons I've learned, sometimes the hard way, but ways that I never could have imagined. Unless God had opened those doors. So looking back and seeing all that, it's just been. It's made me incredibly grateful, profoundly grateful for having God in my life. I can't imagine not and how that would work without him taking me on this journey. Yeah, I'm sure I've learned a lot more, but that's what's come into my.

00:16:36 - Johnny Sanders
Mind at the moment, makes a lot of sense. Said there's just sometimes when I'm talking with some of the clients I work with will process through the. Your normal everyday stuff and then you're. This is unique. This is a unique space that you're in. This is a very unique space. It's not your average, average day that you deal with. And if you had yet another book published, you'd go through something again. But it'll never be quite like this because of it. This is the first time. So this is a very unique spot that you're in now. You mentioned that marketing piece. That's all true things, and it's not just about you and your story, but more so what you're pointed to towards the ways that you've seen God work through different stories and things like that in your life, especially for people that maybe didn't listen to the. To the first interview we did about a year ago. What for people listening to this, what are some reasons or some aspects of the book that might appeal to them and why that might be a worthwhile story for them to read?

00:17:51 - DeAnna Sanders
So, yeah, there's, as I'm looking through it again, and on this side of the publishing part of it and what it is that I want to share with people, there are some lessons in there that I've kind of taken in sections of my life that will apply to different people on their journey as my growing up years, my journey through motherhood, the stories and the lessons that I've learned through my children. And there's all the. That part of my life. When I started reading this again the first time through, I thought, this really didn't have to do with unseen people, but it had to do with my formation to be able to see people that are not normally seen. And that's what the thread, that's why the title of the book is to be able to look and see through God's eyes. People that are not always seen. And the. The specialness of each individual person, whether they are the person that I'm checking out at the grocery store, that person is important. The people who help put groceries in my car sometimes are important. The servers at the restaurant I frequent, they're important and they are individually created by God. So I have those stories in there like that. A lot of my stories take me to the other side of the world, and I encourage people to go and do that as God calls you to get your passport and use it. And I talk about that in the book as well. But there are also those stories that can relate to everyone that have neighbors or families or people in your community. Everybody has somebody that they can reach, and those stories in this book do that. People just need to see through your life who God is. There are so many stories in scripture, and if I do another book, that will be the topic of it is unseen people in the Bible. The people like Hagar, the people like, and she's the one who says, you are the God who sees. And so that's pivotal to me, that as an outcast, God would look and see people in their needs. But it's not that just God can do that. He calls us to do that as well. So there's so many of those stories that I may not just do a whole, this is who this person is and tell that person's whole story. It's about who those people are and how I've gotten to interact with them and then encourage others who read this book to do the same thing. Where they are, wherever God has put them, whether that's here or on a mission somewhere else, the location is. It's just geography. The call is the same. Wherever God puts you, he will put people in your life who need to be seen and need to be heard to understand. Not that you're going to agree with all that they do and not that they're living a life that you will understand. But they need to know the God of the universe loves them and came to be their savior, and they need to know that. And if we're not telling them, then who is? So that's the message of the book that comes out over and over, whether, as a young mom, whether I'm waiting in the parking lot for your kids to get out of school, the things that I've learned from other mothers and other people in my church, whatever. It's a combination of those stories that I think will connect with readers at some level. And that's what I'm wanting. But in the study guide that I mentioned that will be available on my website, it goes into some of those scriptures that I just talked about, and it goes into going deep into why it is. What is your calling? Why did God put you on this earth, who are you? And I love Psalm 139, and I go into that about, you know, God sees you where you are. He made you to be who you are. From the womb onward. He has given you a life and a purpose. And how are you using that? So I want people not just to see the book, to read the book. Of course, I want them to buy the book, but I want it to be, to go deep into the, and not just speed through it. You know, some, this book can be, you can read through it. It's not really a very long book, but it also is in a lot of different, a lot of stories. You could take one of those stories a day and use it as your jumping-off point into your day about how you're going to face the world. And the study guide will help you do that. So however people want to use it and read it, there are some different possibilities and there are questions about that. People can contact me and I'd love, to help point them in a direction that will make it more personal to them through the journey of this book and to see unseen people.

00:23:02 - Johnny Sanders
You kind of already spoke to this a little bit, but people read the book or just hear the interview today and like, all right, like, that's great. I want to be able, to see unseen people and really take the spirit of that message. What are some, you know, on this, podcast? I really like this to be very action-based. What, what are some practical things people can do in their everyday life to be able, to see unseen people and kind of make that more of the, the message that they're, they're trying to send out to other people?

00:23:39 - DeAnna Sanders
I actually have a list in one of the chapters in the book that answers that question. And I've kind of made it into an individual piece about kind of a daily checkup, what you can do to see unseen and one of those. And very early on in the book, I say, you know what? You don't have to change the world today. You can just learn somebody's name because our names identify who we are. I have some stories in the book about that, about why my mother decided to name me and spell my name as she did, and all the uniqueness about my name, but it makes me who I am. So whenever I've tried really hard, I have a horrible memory. And I know you know that, but I try really hard to write down the names of people that I meet in, especially in the places that I frequent in a restaurant or wherever. And there's one young lady that we've gotten to know with my discipleship group, and we've kind of built a bond with her, and it's taken. We're into our fourth year in this discipleship group, but she comes and finds us now, and she tells us about her life and about her kids and about her upcoming remarriage and inviting us to the wedding, things like that. That just starts with, thank you for helping me today, and can I ask your name? If they don't have a name badge on. And that is just one easy way to. To make a connection with a person. And. And if you see that person over and over, it's helpful to build that bond. It's. It's not like you're going to be their best friend forever, but it is a connection that she would not make otherwise unless you took that extra step to know their name. There are people that. And it could be this person I'm talking about. She may wake up in the morning and think, why am I even on this planet? Who even cares about me? Who even sees me? And you can be that person that makes that 100% difference in their life for that day. And point them in the direction not just to feel good about themselves, but to point them in the direction of knowing that there's a God who made them, who loves them, and who wants to be the savior of their life. That's what you. That's where you want to get them. But starting with the name is important. Listening important. You don't just give a whole barrage of questions and not listen to them. To their answers. People want to be seen, but, yes, they also want to be heard. So ask them questions to help talk about their life. Write that something down. If your memory is as bad as mine, put it on your phone or put it in your journal or something so you can remember and pray for that person. None of that stuff that I just said cost you anything, except that you have to position your mind early on in your day to think, okay, God, put somebody in my path today and to help me to help them know you better and whatever that means. But it's. That is a mindset that you have to do, and it doesn't come naturally. It's something because we want to hurry about our day. That's one reason why this book is important, I think, in our day and age, because we're so busy, in such a hurry. So many things on our to-do list, all of us are pretty much all of us. So just being able to have the mindset of saying that your to-do list is important, yes, but give that list, you know, make sure that is stuff God wants you to do. But on that list, make sure you are including other people, whether you're seeing them in person, seeing them virtually, whether they're just a name that you're praying for, whatever it is, make your mind early on in your day to say, okay, God help me, to see who you want me to see, learn their names, hear their needs, and know how to pray for them. So those are just a few easy ways to do. Maybe go out of your way sometime to go somewhere different, to see somebody different, whether it's to a different store, to a different location. I remember when you and your sister were young, we went over to a nearby town and I had you, because our town here does not have a whole lot of different types of people, or at least it wasn't in the day. So we went to another location just so you could see the different peoples of the world. And we didn't have to go far, just 30 miles and you could see them. But I wanted you guys to know, I wanted our readers of this book to know there are other people in the world that you don't normally see. Sometimes you've got to change where you go all the time to see them. So that might be part of your something to do every so often to change where you go to see somebody different. So it's worth the effort to see through a different lens through the people of the world.
00:28:42 - Johnny Sanders
And again, these are all very practical, simple tips that are not. You don't, I know you're a big advocate of getting the. Getting the passport and going somewhere different, but to start easier, you can know the name of your waitress. Like, that doesn't. That doesn't really cost you anything.

00:28:59 - DeAnna Sanders
Absolutely.

00:29:01 - Johnny Sanders
So again, I know that this book is being released tomorrow. Once you're reading this or, sorry, listening to this, August 5, 2024 is today's date of this being released. August 6 is when the book is going to be released. I'll show it to you guys again, unseen people. So tell the audience a little bit about where they can get the book. And then also, you mentioned the. Some of the free resources. So where people can get those resources as well?

00:29:34 - DeAnna Sanders
Yep. So you can get it on. It's on pre-order now. You know, it's been on pre-order for a while, but it will be out for the public on like you said the 6th, you can get it through Amazon. You can just search unseen people in my name if you need to, and it'll pop up, you can get it on christianbook.com. it is available there as well as on my publisher site, AmbassadorInternational.com. Those three places. And I will list those on my website, which is deanalynsanders.com. I put the line in there to make it different, but DeAnna sanders.com and I'll have everything you need there. And of course, if you're not on my weekly newsletter list, a good word Wednesday. I would love, love for you to join me there. It's just a group of people who need encouragement, a daily word of hope and help, a weekly word that comes out each Wednesday. So there's an opportunity on my website for you to sign up for that. And I have some free resources I will send you when you do that as well. But the one that I mentioned about the discussion guide, the study guide, the one I really want you to have. And it will be free for you on that day on the site. You just, it'll be a PDF that you can download. You can use it on your device or you can print it out. I have journal pages in it. You don't even have to have extra space to jot down your ideas that will be there for you. So everything you need really is on dnlnsanders.com dot. There's the journey of this book is on there. There's a whole page just about unseen people. The book and most of everything that I've just said is in that section. But there's contact information, of course. There's the journey of how this book's even started from the beginning to where it is now. I wanted to do that just so for my benefit, if not for anybody else's, is to see how a book is born, the process of it getting out into the world. So that is all there. So I'd love for you to take some time to get, to get to know me a little bit and I'll share personally about who I am and we can make a connection. Whenever you go to those pages and.

00:31:50 - Johnny Sanders
Click on what you need, I'll include the website and everything down below so you guys, can check that out. Or again, if you're just interested in the book, go to Amazon, unseen people, DeAnna Sanders. You'll be able to find it there or in any of those other places that Mom mentioned there. So once again, Mom, great to have you on. Thanks for sharing with us today.

00:32:12 - DeAnna Sanders
Thank you. Thanks for having me back. I loved it and enjoyed talking with the book, but enjoyed talking with you and your audience. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

00:32:21 - Johnny Sanders
Right. Thank you to everybody who tuned in again. And, yeah, check out the book. Unseen People is the name and appreciate you listening in, we'll catch you on the next episode.