The Bravery of the Young
Guest Post
by Tammy L. Gray
I’ll never forget the first time I met Tayler. She was barely nineteen, recently engaged, and had just accepted a position as the receptionist at our church. In her lap was a squirmy seven-month-old little girl. I asked the girl’s name and, after a few inquiries, learned that little “Lilli” was Tayler’s niece. What I didn’t learn until a while later was that only three months prior, Tayler had taken full guardianship of her sister’s daughter after finding her niece in a state of severe neglect. This girl, barely out of high school, took on the responsibility of raising a child when she was still a child herself. What amazed me more was that her fiancé, Luke, accepted that responsibility as well and became a full-time parent before he was even twenty. I asked Tayler what it felt like to make that decision knowing it would forever alter her future. She just shrugged and said, “There was no decision. She needed me.” In that moment, I saw more bravery and commitment in Tayler’s eyes than I’d seen in the eyes of men and women three times her age.
I also knew in that moment that one day I wanted to write a version of her story. So, ten years later, I sat down again with Tayler as she walked me through the fight they were still in to gain custody of Lilli, of the struggle she’s had watching her sister’s life crumble due to continued addiction, of the fear she constantly dealt with of losing her daughter, and of the challenges of being a mom in every way but one. But never in that conversation did she question her choice or the gift God had given her. Thus, the inspiration for Love and the Dream Come True was born, and soon my heroine, Lexie, and her daughter, Morgan, became as real to me on paper as Tayler and Lilli were in real life.
But Lexie and Morgan’s journey isn’t the only one inspired by real events. My hero, Cameron, was also inspired by my own struggles as an artist. As I questioned the gifts God had given me and struggled with the pressure of perfection and sales and marketing, those dark moments of doubt found their way onto the pages of the story.
And what I realized in writing both character arcs was that each one of them was at their bravest when they were young, when they hadn’t yet suffered defeats and disappointments. They were willing and open and ready for the challenges God threw their way. And I began to ask myself, when did I lose this freedom? When did I begin taking each step forward with doubt and caution until I couldn’t even see the path ahead anymore? There’s a reason Jesus applauded the faith of children. They are willing, pliable, and fearless.
Love and the Dream Come True isn’t a story about fighting to make your dreams happen; it’s a story about surrender. Surrendering your dreams to the path God has for you. It’s about recognizing that God doesn’t want perfection. He wants real, true faith. He wants you to say yes when your fears are saying no. And when you do, wow, does He ever bless you for it.
I’m so thrilled to say that on December 10, 2021, after a ten-year-long legal battle, Lilli officially became the adopted daughter of Tayler and Luke. I was in that courtroom when the judge declared them a family, and I literally thought my heart might explode. This is the promise fulfilled. This is what happens when faith overcomes fear.
Since that day, God has asked me to take some mighty steps. And with each one, I remind myself of His faithfulness even when it’s hard, and some of them have been. But my hope as I age in years is that my faith and heart stay young and brave. Because the journey only ends when we become unwilling to step forward.
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The Page Unbound 