Meet The Author
Alexa Boehler, a Nebraska native, is a wife and mom to four little girls: Lark (5), Blythe (3), Ethel (3), and baby Fern. A lifelong creative, Alexa is a successful singer-songwriter, using her gifts to share the light of Jesus. She draws inspiration from the beauty of God’s creation—marveling at sunsets, wildflowers, and especially the birds that remind her of His care and love.
In addition to music, Alexa is passionate about holistic wellness, supporting moms as a doula, and working with her family to build their dream homestead. Writing children’s books felt like a natural addition to her creative endeavors as her family continues to grow. Through her stories and songs, Alexa hopes to instill the promises of God in young hearts sharing His truth and love with the next generation.
Children’s Books
Emmanuel Emu: God Is With You
Emmanuel Emu loves running fast with his mob, until one day he is left behind with a stubbed toe, feeling lonely and hurt. Join Emmanuel Emu as he is comforted by Deuteronomy 31:8 inspired song and finds peace in biblical promise despite his circumstance.
Through vibrant illustration, Bible scripture, and a heartfelt lullaby, Emmanuel Emu is a character for young readers to emulate during times of loneliness and hurt.
Meet Emmanuel Emu
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 - 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. 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. Now that I have my own, 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.
The Mission
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!
Meet The 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
