Dear readers,
Today I’m excited to introduce you to Heidi Gray McGill, who is a guest blogger this week. Heidi recently released a four-book bundle of her Discerning God’s Best series, featuring four historical romances set in the rugged beauty of 1800s America where faith, love, and resilience intertwine.. Here, she reflects on how her struggle with blindness ushered in a season of sharing the Gospel in new and unexpected ways… and most recently, through her book series. The bundle can be found here.
—Jessica Brodie
By Heidi Gray McGill
I didn’t notice it all at once.
The world itself didn’t fade, but the edges slipped away. My peripheral vision slowly narrowed until it felt like I was looking through a tunnel. When it dropped to twenty degrees—legally blind—I had to give up my driver’s license. The slow thief had a name: retinitis pigmentosa.
RP continued stealing my sight bit by bit. I learned to adapt, relying on high-contrast settings, a white cane, friends, and—most of all—God’s daily grace. I also leaned into my calling as founder and director of an English as a Second Language program where I could share not only language but the love of Christ.
And then, in 2020, another thief came.
COVID-19 shut the doors of our classroom. In one long afternoon, the place where I had spent years pouring into students and watching God transform lives was gone. My platform for sharing the Gospel vanished.
I grieved. I questioned. I asked God what he could possibly be doing when I had no place to serve, no visible way forward, and vision that was slipping away.
The Beauty in God’s “No”
When we face closed doors, it’s easy to think God has forgotten us. But often, his “no” is simply a redirection toward something deeper, richer, and more lasting than we imagined.
Losing my ESL program didn’t end my ministry; it shifted it. In the quiet space that followed, God planted a new seed. Stories took shape in my heart. They weren’t just stories to entertain; they were vessels for truth, grace, and hope. Writing Christian historical fiction became the unexpected way I could still share Christ, even from my desk at home.
I began to see that God’s best isn’t about getting what we want when we want it. It’s about learning to trust the One who sees the whole picture.
How This Season Sparked a Series
Those lessons—messy, beautiful, and full of grace—became the heartbeat of my Discerning God’s Best series.
Each book follows characters who face detours and crossroads. They wrestle with uncertainty, carry deep wounds, and yet discover that God’s timing and provision are perfect.
Recently, I brought together the first four stories in my Discerning God’s Best series into one heartwarming collection:
Desire of My Heart—a marriage of convenience that becomes a story of God’s unexpected provision.
With All My Heart—forgiveness and second chances after rejection.
Stitched on My Heart—a Christmas novella about resilience and love in the face of loss.
Bonus short story: Where Hearts Belong—a snowbound encounter that changes everything.
These aren’t just stories to pass the time. They are reminders, woven into 1800s frontier life, that even in the hardest seasons, God is still writing something good.
Your Turn to Begin
If you’re in a season of waiting, uncertainty, or change, I’d love for you to journey through these stories with me. My prayer is that you’ll turn the last page reminded of this: God’s best may not look like your plan, but it will always be worth the wait.
You’re invited to settle in with the Discerning God’s Best – Collection One bundle and journey through all four stories at once. Each page is filled with hope, redemption, and God’s perfect timing. It’s the kind of read that pairs well with a quiet afternoon, a steaming cup of tea, and a heart ready to listen for his whisper.
Available on Kindle Unlimited.
A Word of Thanks
Before I close, I want to thank Jessica for opening her space and her audience to me today. It’s a gift to share my heart and my stories with you here on Shining the Light. My prayer is that, as you’ve read, something has stirred your faith and encouraged you to trust God’s perfect timing in your own journey.
Heidi Gray McGill is an award-winning Christian fiction author whose stories weave hope, redemption, and God’s perfect timing into the fabric of everyday life. Legally blind from retinitis pigmentosa, Heidi has learned firsthand that God’s purpose is never limited by our circumstances. Her Discerning God’s Best series blends rich historical detail with heartfelt spiritual truth, inviting readers to see both themselves and their Savior more clearly. When she’s not writing, Heidi enjoys time with her husband of more than thirty years, their grandsons, and a good board game. You can connect with her and download a free prequel at HeidiGrayMcGill.com.
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