Life Is a Gift

An Author Spotlight: Mrs. Maureen Adedokun

 

Some authors set out to write a book. Mrs. Maureen Adedokun will tell you, plainly, that she never imagined she would become one.

She describes herself first as a daughter of God, and everything else in her story follows from there. Her writing began in prayer. But the inspiration for this book came from a place of angst. She received three words that would not let her go: life is a gift.

Those three words eventually became the title of her second book. Below, she talks about where her writing gift came from, the quiet ache that shaped her most recent book, and what she has learned about trusting a process she never planned for herself.

 

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Meet the Author

Before anything else, Maureen will tell you who she is at her core.

Maureen is a quiet and reflective person who deeply appreciates the atmosphere of God’s presence. She feels most at home in environments filled with worship, prayer, and meaningful discussions about the Word of God.

Above all, Maureen describes herself as a daughter of God. Her relationship with God is the most important aspect of her life and forms the foundation of who she is, how she lives, and what she values. For her, being a daughter of God is not simply a description; it is her identity.

Her writing gift did not arrive with fanfare. It surfaced quietly, in the same place so much of her identity has been shaped: prayer.

Some of the giftings I have come to recognise in my life were birthed when I discovered and joined atmospheres of prayer that captivated me, and I discovered that the more I remained in those environments, the more certain giftings within me began to emerge.

I never imagined that I could write. However, at a particular point in my life, the inspiration of the Almighty began to give me understanding and a strong desire to put my thoughts into writing. What started as something I never considered possible gradually became a gifting that I began to recognise and develop.

I have come to understand that there are gifts within us that may remain dormant until we create the right spiritual atmosphere for them to be stirred up. For me, prayer became one of those environments where hidden abilities were awakened, understanding was deepened, and the desire to express what God was placing within me began to grow.

 

Ask her what inspired her to become an author, and she does not point to a personal ambition. She points somewhere else entirely.

The Holy Spirit, the Author of life and the Author of the Scriptures, gave me the grace and authority to become an author. The One who inspired the Scriptures also awakened within me the desire and ability to write. What I could not have imagined for myself, He brought forth through His inspiration.

 

For a long time, becoming a published author was not even a possibility she considered for herself.

I never imagined that I could become an author. I had admired many authors and their ability to put their thoughts into words, but I never saw myself as one of them. I thought all I was capable of doing was simply admiring their work. Little did I know that the same God who had allowed me to appreciate the gift in others was preparing to awaken that gift within me.

 

Writing is not her only creative outlet. There is also singing, something she came to see differently over time.

I have also always loved singing. I did not initially think of singing as a creative gift, but I have come to realise that creativity can take many forms. For me, singing is one of the ways I express what is within me, particularly in an atmosphere of worship. It allows me to communicate emotions and thoughts that sometimes words alone cannot express.

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The Story Behind Life Is a Gift

Her most recent book did not begin as a writing project. It began as a cry.

My most recent book, Life Is a Gift, was birthed out of a place of deep anguish of soul. In a moment when I cried out to the Lord, without expecting an answer, I heard Him say to me, “Life is a gift.”

Those words remained with me for many years. What began as a simple but profound word in a moment of anguish eventually became the title and message of a book. Many years later, those words came alive on the pages of Life Is a Gift, reminding me that even in seasons of pain and uncertainty, life remains a precious gift from God.

So what should a reader expect from the pages that followed that moment?

The book opens our eyes to the many blessings in our lives that we often take for granted or remain oblivious to. Every second we are given is another opportunity to experience life and enjoy the many things God has graciously placed in and around us.

Life Is a Gift encourages us to slow down, take time to reflect, and appreciate the life we have been given. It reminds us that life itself is a gift, and within that gift are many other gifts: people, relationships, experiences, opportunities, and the simple moments that are often overlooked but are meant to be appreciated and enjoyed.

The book is an invitation to become more intentional about recognizing, appreciating, and enjoying the gifts that God has already placed in our lives.

If the whole book had to be reduced to a single line, this is the one she’d choose.

 

 

As for what shaped the book beyond that first moment of anguish, her answer is simple and direct.

Yes, God and certain experiences of life inspired the book.

 

What began as a book about noticing life’s gifts eventually asked something bigger of her: what is the purpose of one’s life on earth?

I began writing the book with the intention of exploring the many things in life that are gifts. However, as the writing progressed, I felt led to address a deeper question: the purpose of one’s life here on earth.

The transition from writing about the gifts of life to exploring the purpose of life was not easy. At some point, I struggled with how to connect the two themes and bring the book to completion. However, the Holy Spirit guided me through the process and helped me eventually complete the book.

Looking back, I realise that the transition was necessary. It allowed the book to move beyond simply appreciating the gift of life to considering why we have been given that gift and what we are meant to do with it.

 

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What the Book Means to Her

Ask most authors for a favourite part of their own book, and they usually have one ready. Maureen doesn’t.

Every part was an experience for me.

 

That feeling only deepened once readers started sharing what the book had done for them.

Every part of the book is meaningful to me. I am still starting out as a writer, so every part of the journey feels new and fresh. I also recognise that I do not always know what God is doing through every page.

During the launch of the book, there was a session where selected people who had read copies of the book were given the opportunity to share how it had blessed them. I was surprised to discover that different people had been impacted by different pages and chapters of the book.

That experience reminded me that the Holy Spirit is at work in ways we may not always understand. A page or a chapter that may seem ordinary to one person could speak directly to another person’s situation or address a specific need in their life. It reinforced my understanding that, as a writer, my responsibility is to be obedient to what God places in my heart, while trusting Him to use every word and every page according to His purpose.

 

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The Author’s Journey

For a process that could easily feel overwhelming, her account of it is disarmingly simple.

It’s simple when the Holy Spirit gives the inspiration.

Writing had to fit around a full life, not the other way around, so her rhythm became a matter of catching inspiration whenever it appeared.

I write whenever inspiration comes. Sometimes, I have to jot things down immediately so that I do not lose the thoughts that come to me or what I sense I am receiving in my spirit. Some ideas come at unexpected moments, so I have learnt to capture them as they come.

I also write during my leisure hours, making use of whatever opportunities are available to me. I seize the moments when inspiration comes and allow the thoughts to develop over time. This has become an important part of my writing journey.

 

When asked what she had to give up to make room for writing, her answer pushes back gently on the premise of the question itself.

I did not feel that there was any sacrifice involved. I was not under any pressure to write or publish. I simply wrote whenever I had the opportunity. The first book took about a year to complete, while the second was shorter. I continued writing until I felt there was nothing more to write. The only thing I could have used more of was money, but even that was provided by the Lord when the need arose.

 

Her two books did not come with the same experience of writer’s block. The first came easily. The second asked more of her.

My first book, The Secret Place, did not come with any significant experience of writer’s block. I cannot recall a point where I felt completely unable to write. However, my second book, Life Is a Gift, presented a different experience. I began with the intention of writing about the things in life that are gifts, but when I felt led to transition into the purpose of one’s life on earth, I experienced a pause. I found the transition challenging and had to take time to find the right direction for the book.

Ultimately, the Holy Spirit helped me navigate that transition and bring the book to completion. It was a reminder to me that the writing journey is not always about having all the answers from the beginning but about trusting God through the process.

 

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On Publishing With Crows

Maureen had already published her first book, The Secret Place, elsewhere before she crossed paths with Crows Publishing while finishing Life Is a Gift.

I had already published my first book, The Secret Place, with another publisher before I encountered Crow’s Publishing. I met them around the time I was completing my second book, Life Is a Gift, and they began working on the book.

Throughout the publishing process, they brought a professional perspective to the manuscript. They read through the content carefully, offered valuable suggestions, and helped rephrase some sentences to give the book a more polished and professional presentation. I was also particularly impressed with the quality of the book cover.

By the time they completed Life Is a Gift, I had become convinced that I wanted to republish my first book, The Secret Place, with them as well. For me, the decision to entrust them with a book that had already been published speaks volumes about the quality of their work and the confidence I had developed in their publishing process. I could call the office 100 times to change something; they never complained.

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Her Advice and What’s Next

For anyone holding onto a manuscript and unsure whether to move forward, her advice is short and unwavering.

If you are convinced about this. Take the bold step. Ask the Lord for help. The clarity will come as you go ahead.

Besides that, you are in good hands if you are publishing with Crow’s publishing.

 

As for what comes next, she isn’t chasing a third book. She’s letting the first two continue to breathe.

I am not currently writing another book. However, I believe the Lord is still adding to and refining the two books I have already published. I am learning to allow Him to do this at His own pace, trusting that He knows what each book needs and the purpose He intends for them to fulfil.

For now, I am content to remain open to His leading and to allow the books to continue evolving as He gives further understanding and insight.

 

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A Question for the Reader

We asked what she’d want to know from someone who had just finished her book. Her answer wasn’t about the writing at all.

I would love to hear how the Lord has used the books to bless them.

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Conclusion

What comes through most in this conversation is not confidence in her ability, but a consistent willingness to be surprised by what she was given. A word in a moment of anguish. A gift she never asked for. A chapter that spoke to someone she’d never meet.

Her books did not come from a plan. They came from paying attention and from being willing to write down what she heard.