Hello!
Welcome. Join me as I document my adventures in health and wellness, my faith, a big home renovation project, and the publishing of my first children’s book! I am so glad you are here.
Welcome. Join me as I document my adventures in health and wellness, my faith, a big home renovation project, and the publishing of my first children’s book! I am so glad you are here.
Whoosh! What was that running by? Why it was Emmanuel the Emu and his mob of emu friends doing what they love best…running! Being the fastest in his mob, Emmanuel is faced with uncertainty when a stubbed toe leaves him behind his friends as they race off without him, leaving him lonely and feeling hurt.
Share in the growth that Emmanuel Emu feels in this Deuteronomy 31:8 inspired story when he remembers the song his mother would sing to him about God never leaving him alone…a song you can actually listen to!
Join Emmanuel Emu, his family, and friends as they find peace and joy in all situations through the promise of God’s word found in scripture. With each new book, you and your child can focus on one scripture as it teaches Emmanuel Emu the important lessons of growing up immersed in the teachings of The Bible. With beautiful illustrations and simple songs to learn, Emmanuel Emu will quickly become a part of your mob!
Emmanuel Emu: God is With You is an 8.5in x 8.5in soft cover picture book for children 8 years and under. The book will initially be published and sold on Amazon. With enough support, I hope to donate physical copies to local churches, libraries, and other places where children can hear the biblical truth that God is with you.
This is a story about a young emu named Emmanuel who loves running fast with his mob, until one day he is left behind with a stubbed toe, lonely and hurt. How Emmanuel is comforted by remembering the song his mom sings and finds peace in bible scripture despite his circumstance is depicted beautifully in vibrant illustrations and a song that helps tell the story.
We reached our first $3,500 goal! Thank you so much for your support!
Additional donations will fund marketing efforts, the creation of our Emmanuel Emu stuffed toy, the cost to sign a Christian partner publishing deal, and the next book in the series.
The name Emmanuel means “God with us.” In a moment of hurt and loneliness, when Emmanuel remembers the song his mom would sing him and chooses to rely on Biblical truth, he finds peace and comfort and realizes the things that really matter. The character of Emmanuel presents a good model for young readers to emulate in their own experiences of loneliness and hurt in life.
Many people are unaware of the extent to which loneliness can affect young children and that this is a serious issue we see on the rise in our youth today. From changes in family structure, to increased electronic use, to purposeful isolation, to reduced participation in a Christian community, it is no doubt loneliness has taken a massive toll on our children. And it’s not just a childhood problem. A child’s formative experiences are critical in the trajectory of their life, and it is reported that Americans who had a lonely childhood are much more likely to feel lonely or isolated as adults. (https://www.aei.org/articles/the-childhood-loneliness-of-generation-z/)
Hopefully, Emmanuel Emu’s story will bring awareness of this childhood loneliness epidemic and to the hope we can have through Emmanuel “God with us.” Perhaps awareness of the problem through this story will invite readers of all ages to cling to the truth and inspire you to share this good news with the precious children who are lonely and hurting. Through this Deuteronomy 31:8 inspired story of Emmanuel Emu, children will be assured that God is always with them, will be encouraged to store up scripture in their heart, and will be equipped to live and share the truth through story and song.
Sometimes simply the memory of a story and melody can make all the difference in a child’s life. Would you like to be a part of making that difference?
Emmanuel Emu: God Is With You features a song that actually appears within the storytelling. It's so fun to read a story that leaves a song in your heart, and what a powerful tool it is when we can keep the book's scripture message tunefully alive within the readers with music? While other books often include a poem that can be sung, this book goes a step further and includes the actual sheet music for the portion of the song in the back of the book.
Have fun remembering Biblical truth with the music in the book by playing and listening to the song together. Emmanuel's song is available online so everyone can sing along.
I am making plans to hopefully partner with a teacher and Biblical counselor to provide additional information and Biblical counsel for parents on the last page of the book. Together children and parents will be guided into meaningful conversations about turning to God’s word in times of loneliness and hurt and living by faith in everyday life.
Photo by Lucie Keithley
Giant Birds: Emus are the second-largest birds in the world, just after the ostrich. Imagine having a bird friend as tall as 6.5 feet tall!
Super Dads: Emu dads are extraordinary. They not only incubate the eggs but also take care of the little chicks. It's like having a superhero dad around!
Egg-citing Colors: Emu eggs are large and have a dark green hue. It's like finding a special treasure in the bird world.
Drumroll, Please: Female emus have a musical side. They make a drumming sound to communicate, creating their unique rhythm in the wild.
Calf Muscles and Speed: Emus are the only birds with calf muscles, making them not only strong but also super fast runners. They can even swim!
Strong & Adaptable: While native to Australia, emus have become world travelers. They now are raised in various parts of the world!
Back Fat Pad: Emus have a fat pad on their back, which is quite unique. This pad is used by the emu as an energy source, and can be made into emu oil by humans for many extraordinary health benefits!
Lean and Red Meat: Emus have very lean red meat, similar to beef. It's a tasty treat for those who enjoy trying different types of meat.
Feathered Fashion: Emus sport two quilled feathers with a special pattern. These feathers not only make them look cool but also help them regulate their temperature in extreme weather.
Lifelong Love: Emus like to live in a group called a "mob," and they often pair up with a mate for life. Isn’t that incredible!
The character of Emmanuel Emu was born late 2019 following the birth of my first daughter, Lark. Activities as a singer had slowed down for me as a new mom, along with other strange things going on in the world at the time. As I spent the days and nights nursing the new little life I had somehow been entrusted, the idea of Emmanuel quickly developed into stories, and stories into songs, the first of which is this one - Emmanuel Emu: God Is With You. Emmanuel Emu, and this story in particular, is special to me for many reasons.
In a way, Emmanuel Emu represents many of my most favorite things! Most importantly, the name Emmanuel is a reminder of the promise that God is with us and a fun way to share the good news of Jesus, specifically to children of whom are so special to me. Anyone who knows me, knows I love birds, and emus quite possibly top the list. The emu collectively called a mob, is a large flightless bird originating from Australia, often known for its quirky mannerisms and its ability to run fast. I have many exciting memories of running track and sprinting in high school and college. This and many other reasons is why it made sense that Emmanuel is an emu. The landscape in the illustrations of the Emmanuel Emu books is inspired by the beautiful prairies of my home state of Nebraska. And then of course, incorporating song into the stories is a natural progression as a singer songwriter.
So as you can see, Emmanuel Emu is a special character, who needs a very special introductory story. While singing and praying over my own babies, I asked God to show me how I could share the Good News of Jesus to children through this special character. After having my own babies, I recognize the innocence of young children and their great need for connectedness. I also see the lack of that found in the world and the declining mental health and wellness of our youth. In an often lonely world, I want all children to know that God is with them. That is why Emmanuel Emu: God Is With You is inspired by the Deuteronomy 31:8 scripture, "He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."
I hope you and your children will find this story of Emmanuel Emu to be as special as I do.
Emmanuel Emu: God Is With You book publishing date as been moved to the spring of 2024! We have had an incredible response of support for the book. We are confident that people will continue to see the value of Emmanuel Emu’s story and will want to become part of the project. Rewards may take a bit longer to reach backers and the plan is to complete fulfillment shortly after publishing.
Alexa Boehler
Author & Singer
Alexa is a Child of God, wife, and mom of three precious little girls. In addition to Emmanuel Emu: God Is With You being the first children's book for her to author, Alexa's had a 16 plus year career as a professional singer songwriter, is a Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist and doula, and lives in Missouri with the family's 2 dogs, cat, and backyard chickens.
Joel Partain
Illustrator
Joel Partain is a cartoonist and digital illustrator. He lives near Bozeman, Montana with his wife and four daughters (and a dog). When Joel is not working, he loves being outside–hiking, watching wildlife, or just poking around a river looking for frogs with his family (and our dog). Joel is constantly inspired by the amazing beauty God has put on this earth. He is also inspired by watching cartoons with his kids. His greatest challenge right now is trying to spot a Great Gray owl–which is really hard to find (he blames the dog).
Be still, and know that I am God. - Psalms 46:10
We need to raise $3,500 to cover production (design, illustrations, publishing, fulfillment of rewards, song recording, promotion costs, future books in the series).
While logistics are still developing I have a vision to partner with an orphanage or similar children's ministry and provide Emmanuel Emu Audio Bible Storytellers and books to the children they serve.
What's an Emmanuel Emu Audio Bible Storyteller? It's a huggable and loveable plush of Emmanuel Emu that comes with a small audio player loaded with recordings such as Bible stories for children, the complete dramatized Old and New Testament, and Emmanuel Emu stories and songs! I have recently reached out to MegaVoice International, a company that makes such devices for partner ministries, as they have a similar ministry project for children called Wildlife STORYTELLERS. I am excited at the prospect of reaching children with such a unique ministry tool.
I am praying for guidance and provision as I step out in obedience to this vision.
I am praying God will make the path clear from vision to reality.
And I am praying God will reveal the exact people to work with and the special children's ministry or orphanage to partner with.
When all costs are covered for this book, I also plan to use extra funds to donate books to local libraries, schools, and churches. I hope to visit churches and do book readings and special music during services. I would love to be able to create complementary book items such as an audio book, a video storytelling, a lyric video for the song, fun merchandise such as a plush Emmanuel Emu, and maybe even an animated cartoon!
I am already excited at the thought of publishing other stories in the series for even more opportunities to spread God’s word with Emmanuel Emu. The next two stories and their songs are already waiting to be shared!
I hope you consider partnering with me to bring these stories to life.
More items coming soon!
Emmanuel Emu will be challenging, but Lord willing, it will get done. I truly believe it was He who started a good work, many times I have already seen confirmation of His handiwork in the process, and I believe He will see this book project to completion. The biggest challenge for the project is the costs associated with production and promotion of a high quality, professional, and successful self-published book. I have such big ideas and dreams for Emmanuel Emu, but of course, they all add up rather quickly! So, I want to be faithful in the small things first. I want to glorify God and allow the entire process to be a testimony to the goodness and provision of God. He is in control of the timeline and the outcome - though rest assured to all my Emmanuel Emu backers, I am doing everything I can to be a good steward of the time, money, and resources He provides to make this project happen.
Welcome and thank you for visiting my author page!
I’m so happy to meet you! Have you ever known that you had a book inside of you that you felt God was calling you to write? Welcome to my world and dream of creating stories that are placed in my heart by the power of the Holy Spirit and meant to bless you and your child.
Come along with me as we explore different characters who are influenced by the word of God and the many blessings he bestows on us each day! As a wife to my husband Max and a stay at home mommy to our oldest daughter Lark and twin girls, Blythe and Ethel, you can be assured that the tales I spin are field tested to make sure they are entertaining and insightful for all ages. From illustrations to storyline, their stamp of approval is very important!
Along with an engaging story, each page (book) glorifies our Heavenly Father and the lessons and blessings he lovingly provides us with daily. Join me as I seek to entertain your child and touch your heart as a reader.
