about pam amlung
COME AND SEE! Just like my main character, Gabby, in my first picture book, I’m eager to invite people in to “Come see what I see!” Or perhaps it is better stated like this: “Come and know Who I know!” I want people of all ages to experience the love and peace and joy that come from spending time in the presence of Jesus! Come know the Father! Come know Holy Spirit! Know what this means: ‘Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent’ (John 17:3 NIV).”
HOW OLD ARE YOU, ANYWAY? Well, old enough to be a grandma (my favorite title yet). My oldest daughter turns 30 soon – Time flies! – And my youngest will be 22 soon after. The past 30 years my life have been filled with the joys (and trials) of mothering five daughters, and it has been both the most difficult and most rewarding adventure I could ever imagine. Through those 30 years, the Lord challenged me to say “yes” to some pretty crazy things. Three international adoptions. Homeschooling. Working with a team to start a house of prayer. All while working parttime as a lawyer. Those times of wrestling with the Lord and finally saying “yes” certainly weren’t easy. But I must say that each “yes” was totally worth it.
A NEW SEASON. Now it is a new season of saying “yes.” The next 30 years may be filled with a lot of grandparenting, but the Lord has shown me that it will also be a time of invitation to a wider audience. My heart is to continue to say “Yes!” to the Lord and to continue to call others to know the beauty and wonder of experiencing the reality of life in Him – from the youngest ones to the oldest. JESUS TELLS US that in order to enter the Kingdom, we must be like little children, and I believe that starting with the young ones is key. Keep it simple. And a little child shall lead them. Isa 11:6.
If you want to hear the long version of my story, please keep reading …. And please keep coming back for updates!
my story, a longer version
In the beginning. From the early days of cuddling up with my own mother as she read Dr. Seuss books, to embracing the joys of motherhood – and now grandmothering – my journey as an author has been filled with wonder and interesting detours. Childhood was a magical time, my imagination sparked by the great outdoors, the companionship of beloved pets, and loving parents who enjoyed playing with me and my younger brother. Our backyard, with a garden and swing set, was the stage for many exciting backyard adventures with each other and our friends.
At our neighborhood Good News Club, I remember so clearly asking Jesus into my heart as a six year old. I felt the incredible reality of welcoming this great friend into my life, like a precious secret that I had no words to describe. Around the same time, my parents were also experiencing God’s fresh reality in their lives. I feel enormously blessed for the spiritual journey that our family pursued together and individually. Although it wasn’t always a straight path, the detours were things God used to draw us closer in the long run.
My first “published” book-for the Young Authors conference when I was in third grade-was called “Mittens and her Mother Ginger” Attending the conference with my teacher, I remember being delighted and terrified, because as a child, I was terribly shy. But the conference made me believe that one day I would be an author.
Figuring out a Path. As the years unfolded, my love for writing blossomed from silly stories to heartfelt poetry that poured from my soul. During the summer after high school, I studied children’s literature a bit, but decided to attend Hanover College and major in biology based on my passion for science and animals. My journey took another turn when I met my college sweetheart, Tom, who is now my husband of nearly 38 years. In those days, I wrote plenty of love poetry.
While at Hanover, I changed my major to psychology and took as many writing classes as I could fit into my schedule. After I married Tom in 1996 and graduated in 1997, I took a graduate writing class, but ended up choosing law school instead. Law school was brutal, but I fought hard, excelled, and ended up securing a job at a large law firm. The members of that firm taught me so much, not just about law, but also about interpersonal relationships. Working in the firm, though, I soon realized that my true passions were following Jesus, writing, and starting a family. When I said good-bye, several of the partners there encouraged me to pursue creative writing.
While continuing to take more graduate writing classes, particularly writing fiction, I simultaneously embarked on the exhilarating adventure of motherhood, which I found to be the most difficult and also the most rewarding job in the world. Meanwhile, I continued to practice law primarily to pay the bills, but also because I found that the area of estate planning (meeting with people and preparing wills and trusts, etc.) was quite interesting and rewarding. To this day, I remain a part-time estate planning attorney.
Mothering, Adoption, and Homeschooling. After bringing two beautiful daughters into the world the traditional way (pregnancy, labor, and delivery), my husband and I turned our hearts to adoption. Our first adoption journey to China was in 2001 where we adopted a toddler. Two more trips to China, in 2005 (adopting a preschooler) and 2008 (adopting an 8-year-old daughter) made our family complete. Each journey is its own long story filled with both joys and heartaches; however, there’s no doubt in our minds that God orchestrated each one
In the midst of the beautiful chaos of motherhood, I found solace in spending time with God and in writing – weaving stories and poetry into every nook and cranny of time that I could manage to carve out. In the middle of parenting (after our first adoption and before the second one), the Lord threw us a major curve ball by calling me to homeschool our children. I thought He was crazy at first, but He made it clear. As a result, it ended up being exactly the right thing for our family for 13 years. In the midst of homeschooling, I used storytelling and poetry to teach and nurture my own children along with teaching a love for writing in others through homeschool co-ops.
The years of raising children, homeschooling, and continuing to work part-time were both deeply rich and intensely full. In the midst of it all, finding time to be in the presence of Jesus, Father God, and Holy Spirit provided the peace and creative energy that were necessary to navigate this season. In addition, deep friendships and enriching seasons of attending (and then leading) women’s Bible studies, illuminated my path, guiding me closer to the heart of Jesus and the boundless love of our Heavenly Father.
Teaching children to spend time with Jesus. In this season, the Lord revealed, through many different experiences and studies, the reality of encountering God using the eyes of my heart (and all five spiritual senses). This reality was transformational not only for me but for my children, particularly my three younger ones. By personally encountering Jesus from a young age, they learned that they were cherished and truly belonged to Him. They had no doubt that God wanted a personal, close relationship with them because He made it clear to them as they spent time with Him.
Fast Forward. Today, my five daughters are all following Jesus – pursuing their own dynamic relationships with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each has embarked on her own journey, including mission work (one to Thailand) and various pursuits of higher education. Two attended Lee University with one graduating in 2017 in pre-medicine and the other in 2023 in teaching. The two others have attended the University of Cincinnati – one just graduated in April 2024 in dietetics/nutrition (and going on to a Masters program) and the other will graduate in 2025 in mechanical engineering. I’m delighted that they’ve each stayed close to us and to each other. With two daughters now married, my role has expanded into grandmothering. Watching my grandchildren grow and thrive fills my heart with immeasurable joy, knowing that the legacy of love and faith will continue to flourish through the generations.
Today, I stand in awe of the journey that has brought me to this moment – a journey marked by love, faith, hope, and the willingness to say “yes” over and over. Perhaps this journey will become its own book someday! As I continue to explore the depths of God’s grace and the transformative power of His love, I’m filled with gratitude for the beautiful chapters yet to unfold.