Shortly after our son and his wife went to the hospital for the birth of their son, one of their chickens became broody.
We named her Speckles and took an interest in her life as she interacted with the eggs, other chickens, the horse, and goats. She grew to have a personality we hadn’t noticed before.
This is one of my favorite pictures from Speckles the Ordinary Chicken. You don’t see her, but you can see the farmer’s face. Originally, I intended the farmer to be a woman, but this is what the illustrator created and I love it.
~What do you see in his face? His bearing? The expression on the other animals’ faces?
~How does this picture and the text point toward Jesus’ care for us and our response?
~What events have you experienced and still don’t understand why you went through what you did?
~Are there some you are still waiting and wondering about?
~How has your trust in “The Farmer” grown as a result?
From that first day, more and more stories have emerged. Here are the Little Farm books in order:
Speckles the Ordinary Chicken-to be released in September 2026
Speckles the Brave (themes of courage and friendship)-the text is with the illustrator
Speckles’ Family (celebrating unique giftings and adoption) – multiple drafts completed
Speckles’ Extraordinary Day (death and restoration)- in the drafting stage
Juniper, the No-good Cowdog (discovering biblical identity and calling)- rough draft stage