True Life: Finding Creative Purpose from Life’s Struggles

Xulon Press employee Elizabeth Marrero talks about how God used her biggest struggle to give birth to her creative purpose — and the book she’s publishing because of it.

When we moved back to the United States from Puerto Rico, I struggled with English. It was all Chinese to me (though it was English… ::kick drum, snare, high hat::).

My 1st grade teacher sent a letter home one day with me – that I couldn’t read – and that night, my mom and brother sat down with me and a book. My brother pointed at one word. “Esto dice Marty.” He pointed at another. “Esto dice Pepe.” My mind was blown. It all clicked together and I read an entire textbook to the teacher assistant the next day.

A year later, the school initiated me to the Young Author’s Club when I wrote The Day Santa Claus Lost His Button. I remember when I first showed the story to my 2nd grade teacher. She loved it so much, she read it out loud to the entire class. They loved it as well and laughed uncontrollably. Seems I had misspelled button and it was now The Day Santa Claus Lost His Bottom. Oops. (At least they were laughing!)

After that, I never thought much about writing a book. But in cleaning out some old papers, I found some life goals I had written, possibly during high school. And there it was: write a book.

Fast forward to about 5 years ago when I felt God wanted me to combine my love and knowledge of fashion with His Word. I started seeing fashion terms everywhere in Scripture. I began to research through the Bible entirely, marking all the verses I saw that used a fashion term or concept. I didn’t think I would find much but I quickly found too many to know what to do with. And there was birthed the idea of writing a book.

I researched where to publish. I wasn’t working here at the time, but I remember Xulon Press being one of the companies I researched. Then publishers started calling me. Woah, hold up. I haven’t even started writing! But the questions that were asked by the consultant got me headed in the right direction and I still ask myself the same ones today to make sure I’m hitting the mark in my writing.

Working at Xulon Press is definitely a “God thing.” He meant for me to write a book to reach people in a creative way. He led me here when I was in need of provision, not knowing that He was also providing to have this book published.

And now, I’m also known as Project I.D. #59429: the book FASHION: Holy. Sacred. Pure., which will be available for Christmas. I am so excited and so grateful to God and to everyone at Xulon who has been so encouraging in this journey.