In early November, 2019, I saw a post on social media seeking prayers for a family in Texas who had been in a car accident. The father and one child died, the mother and the other child lived. As I prayed for the survivors, it inspired me to write a very short story (about 2,800 words) about how a grieving family got through their first Thanksgiving. I titled it The First Thanksgiving, and a couple of my critique partners loved it.

Fast forward to February, 2020, when I discovered PBG’s Christmas Extravaganza opportunity. That story was still stuck in my mind and I wondered if I could expand it and turn it into a Christmas story.

That’s when The First Christmas was born. With my heart in my throat, I submitted the first chapter to PBG in mid-April.

They eventually asked for the full manuscript and in early July, my life changed when I opened an e-mail stating that it had been accepted for publication. The only thing was…another manuscript had a similar title, and I was told my title would probably change.

I admit that at first, I was disappointed, but it turned out to be a tremendous blessing! A New Hope for Christmas is the perfect title for a story of hope, the gift God gives us when we have nowhere else to turn and no other choice but to put our faith in Him.

I still pray for that family in Texas, even though I never knew their names. We all know someone who is grieving this holiday season. I pray that A New Hope for Christmas will touch the heart of every reader in some way. There is no greater gift in these troubled times.

Erin Stevenson