L.A. Buckley Interview Published on: 11, Mar 2024

As a little girl, I felt very close to God. But, when I became a teen, I started drifting away. I was lucky enough to find college friends with strong Christian beliefs. I was introduced to Christian music and visited various denominations. I became inspired by what I learned and even took a class on religion. As an adult, I continued developing my relationship with our Lord, attending Bible studies and retreats. It was still not as close as I felt as a child. I continue to strive for a deeper, more intimate relationship.

When Covid hit, I had a tough time. Not only were church services limited, including not participating in choir and seeing friends, but my mother passed away. Before she passed, we decided to move as well, so we had a lot of upheaval. It took me about a year after my mother passed to redirect myself back to God. It was the best thing for me. My newfound relationship led me to write my first book.

Nolan was in High School. This was before Covid. I believe he was a freshman at the time. Nolan was taking science classes and was in the robotics club. Some of the kids talked about their faith or lack of faith. My Son had taken religious education classes at church, but school was swaying him to believe that God wasn't real. Nolan wanted solid proof. He came to me one day confessing he doesn't believe. I asked Nolan if I could give him evidence, would he be open to listening? This started my journey of finding tangible proof, like artifacts and ancient writings. It was all it took for him to believe again. However, I knew there were plenty of kids in the same situation. I had purchased a book for my Son dedicated to scientific proof. The book was huge. I thought there had to be a better way to get all the essential information out in one book for young adults to learn from and grow. I have found older adults can use the book as well.

Both my family and my faith have increased over the years. I think the biggest change was in my husband. Steve attended church on major holidays but not regularly. We were dating in college. He didn't like going to church on Sundays very often. This affected me greatly, as I went every Sunday before attending college. I had to convince him to go on occasion with me.

What made the change for my husband was after we had our first child, our daughter. I had attended a women's retreat weekend and continued the following six months preparing for the next group of women. Steve saw the changes in me. A men's retreat weekend was also starting, so I signed him up. It made such a difference to him. He is now the champion for attending church every Sunday without fail.

The main idea is to believe in God. I want readers to pursue further learning, but the main idea is to see that God is real. He is our creator. He sent his only Son to save us from our sins so we may have eternal life in Heaven. We are instinctively looking for things to make us happy. True contentment and happiness are not of this world. We will all die someday due to original sin. God created us to be in communion with Him. That is why we strive for a deeper relationship with Him. We all strive to return to that relationship and reunite in Heaven. We find salvation in our Lord.

We want to control things in our lives. I’ve had to learn to let go at various times in my life. Trusting God is hard for many people. Our peers and society try to convince us that we can only trust in things of this world. The first step is to know God. The next step is to understand what God wants and expects of us. Then, we must put into practice what we have learned.

Trusting God is about giving up control. We are to let God be in control. He knows what is best for us. The main thing I do every day is to connect with God. I will read the Bible and talk to God. I learn something new about myself and my relationship with God almost daily. It is not some magical event but an inner understanding. Sometimes, it’s just a different perspective. I remind myself that everything in this world is not mine. It is temporary. I talk to God regularly throughout my day. I ask for direction in my work, relationships, and what He wants from me that day. I try, not always successfully, to give the rest to God as we are all made for Him. We must trust God to have a deeper relationship with Him.

Honestly, it was hard. With all that my husband and I believe, we struggled with our marriage. We struggled to stay on the same page while raising our children. I know our struggles affected them. I wish I could turn back time and have a do-over. Raising my kids was different than when my parents raised me. I tried to raise them similarly to my parents. I turned out OK. However, it didn't translate the same way. I believe kids need more parental involvement in their faith now more than ever.

My daughter was afforded the most when it came to instilling values and faith. At one point in her life, she was helping me teach Vacation Bible school and Sunday school, playing the Oboe at church, and could recite verses from the Bible. She was a good kid and still is. However, this world can make our children confused. No matter how hard I tried, she no longer attends church. I am hoping she returns at some point in her life. She still believes, just not in the same way.

Oppositely, I didn't push Nolan. I was involved with his religious studies, but I spent more time talking to him about God and the world. Nolan was more open to learning various viewpoints. He takes all the information in and draws his conclusions. I find him to be a well-rounded individual. He is comfortable talking about the Bible and faith. He learned his convictions differently. Nolan has strong values. But like his sister, he is just not a churchgoer. I think there is a serious disconnect between attending church and the youth today. It is best if you meet young adults where they are.

I went into marriage with my own definition of how marriage would look. My husband and I took marriage preparation classes. But it isn't something you can plan out. We struggled, as all marriages do. There will be bad times. Nothing is perfect. Together, we decided that our marriage would last our lifetime. We had to work hard at it. It is a relationship that needs to be nurtured and grown. Love is more than attraction. It is a commitment. Interestingly, characteristics that made you love your spouse can become irritants later. It is odd how that works.

Trust is important in a marriage. It requires a solid foundation and dedication. It helps if you have a similar faith system. Pray a lot, separate and together. Have friends and family that support you. Talk to each other, even if it isn't always pleasant. Express your feelings. If that doesn't work, talk to someone else, like a counselor. We can all use someone outside of ourselves to see what we can't see from the inside. Lastly, never give up.

I was completely invested in writing this book; I felt it was God-led. I wanted it to be perfect. It took a long time to get to where I felt the book said what I wanted it to say. Throughout the process, I seemed to have something or someone pushing against me. I felt myself second-guessing my thoughts and ideas. I had to keep praying. I talked to God, asking Him to help me continue and find the words. I'm not saying it is a perfect book. I want to change several things since it was published—mainly the order of the chapters. But God got me through. The text says, and I hope it does, what I intended.

One of the verses that sustains me is John 8:12, "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." This verse grounds me. It gave me purpose for writing the book. I want everyone to follow Him and have eternal life.

Proverbs 3:5-6 is how I try to live my life. The book of Proverbs is full of advice on how to live our lives. This verse encompasses the theme of my book as well. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the LORD in everything you do, and he will show you the right way." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

If I could get my book into the hands of everyone who questions if God is real, I would be ecstatic. But, even if one person turns to God because of my book, it is all worth it. The book explains why we should believe and trust in God. It is a good starting point for someone who wants the big picture broken down. I included several references in the book to research further. I learned as well by writing this book. Anyone who needs reasons, like 21 Reasons, should read my book. There wasn't a book like this out when I wrote it. It doesn't concentrate on one aspect as other books do. “21 Reasons for Trusting in God” will help others find the truth in their life.

I am trying to remember why or how, but I received a hundred-dollar bill. I didn't feel like it was for me. So, the next time I was in the car, I saw a man on the side of the road asking for money. I don't do this often, and definitely not with a hundred dollars, but I handed it to the man out my window. He looked up at me in shock and said thank you. I felt like it was the right thing to do, and it made me feel good to help someone else.

I think God will let me know when it's the right time. I want to take more from the Bible on how we should live as believers. I want to write about attending church or keeping teens and young adults involved. I will let God direct where I go next with my writing. It is for His glory.

My experiences directly impact the reasons in my book. I have included many and was careful to have the experience related to that reason or to the next chapter. I think God has constantly been there in my life. I have gone through many of the same trials as those who read my book. I have times of disbelief and questioning God. My experiences are included to show that God is working in our lives every day.

It is hard for people, especially young adults, to find a reference to reasons for trusting God in one place. I have expanded the book to an audiobook as well, so if someone prefers to listen instead of reading, they can do so. I hope one day ministry groups will use my book to help others believe. Reading literature, especially non-fiction, is a great resource for us to learn and grow. My book can reach people worldwide, spreading the message of God to all.

I find AllAuthor comfortable to use. It has both new and seasoned writers to connect with, and you can find books in all genres. My book has reached people it wouldn’t have reached otherwise. I am very blessed to have found this group. I look forward to using and exploring AllAuthor as I progress in my writing journey.