Welcome to The Shaun Tabatt Show! Today I speak with Erin Weidemann about her faith journey, surviving cancer, and the road to becoming a children’s author.
Here’s what you’ll learn in today’s interview:
Erin’s backstory and faith journey (00:45 - 03:31) How a children’s birthday party helped the Bible Belles series first begin to take shape (03:32 - 05:57) Meet Rooney Cruz, one of the central characters in the Bible Belles series. (05:58 - 08:56) Meet Mari, Rooney’s special companion on her Bible Belles adventures (08:57 - 10:05) Why did you select Hannah, Esther, and Abigail for the first three books in the Bible Belles series and what do you hope to teach girls through each of them? (10:06 - 12:43) What is significant about the special gift that Mari gives Rooney at the end of each story? (12:44 - 15:00) A sneak peek at the “Heroes for Her” that we’ll be meeting in books four and five of the Bible Belles series (15:01 - 18:12) What would you like to see every girl take away from your stories? (18:13 - 19:53) How can parents, grandparents, and teachers put Bible Belles to use? (19:54 - 21:22) Where to go online to connect with Erin and lean more about the Bible Belles series. (21:23 - 21:55)About the Bible Belles series: After tossing around some ideas for what to get our niece Hannah for her birthday, we decided we didn’t want to buy her just another toy. It had to be something meaningful, something special. We simplified the story of Hannah from the Bible and made her a personalized book, so she could know about a great hero whose name she shares. I wrote the story, and Brent illustrated the cover. When we gave her the book, she smiled, shrugged, and said, “I didn’t even know there was a Hannah in the Bible.”
Then, a light went off. Wouldn’t it be great if girls today were just as excited about biblical women as they are about princesses: real examples of true beauty, women who can be real heroes for girls today? That would be something. That would be everything.
And, just like that, Bible Belles was born.
Putting The "Her" In Hero
An engaging, high-quality Christian book series for kids, “The Adventures of Rooney Cruz” is a series unlike any other. Rooted in truth and the firm foundation of God’s word, “The Adventures of Rooney Cruz” takes girls on a journey to discover true beauty, God’s love, and their unique purpose.
Virtues From The Bible
Prayer, Patience, Bravery, Loyalty and Leadership. From the moment you found out you were going to be a girl mom, you’ve thought about your daughter’s heart and that you’re charged with teaching her what she needs to know. We’re here to give you the tools you need to talk to your girl about what’s beautiful according to God. After all, His is the ultimate measure of beauty. These books focus on cultivating a beautiful heart and nurturing the qualities that make a truly beautiful woman, empowering girls to stop mimicking the world’s definition of beauty and instead, make a different kind of noise.
A Frame Character Children Connect With
Rooney Cruz is a modern day 9 year old girl who gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the Bible Belles and discover the hero inside herself. While most children’s bible stories are a summary of events, Rooney Cruz offers readers a way to really connect with the female Bible heroes. In each book, Rooney faces a real world problem and learns how to use her God-given superpowers to address it. Rooney teaches today’s girls how to wield the powers of Prayer, Patience, Bravery, Loyalty and Leadership in their own lives, too.
A Chance For Moms To Pour In
For the first time, you get the chance to discuss your faith with your kids in context, in a way that makes sense for them. These books were designed to spark an honest conversation between moms and daughters about how God measures beauty, as well as their purpose in this world. Since our frame character is unfamiliar with the biblical world, she’s prone to asking questions–a lot of questions–which gives you the perfect opportunity to teach your girl about what she’s reading and how your own experiences and lessons have shaped you.
Positive Role Models For Girls
Girls need role models. They need real heroes who reinforce the right values and virtues. These days, there’s no shortage of women who are successful in their chosen field (which we think is AWESOME, by the way), and a lot of the time the ones who are loudest are the ones who get noticed. But where are the real heroes: women who pray, women with a heart to serve, women who lead with their values? They’re out there, but their stories have been drowned out by the overwhelming narrative of the world. Well, not anymore. It’s time for the sound of the Belles to be HEARD.
Quality To Keep Her Attention
We understand that most Christian products these days are, well, lame. We get why it’s easy to opt out of most Christian books. We didn’t want to make another series that kids would want to pass up for something better. We wanted to give girls the kind of experience they would cherish, now and forever. We chose a larger size and thick glossy pages. We even hired a former Disney Animator for crying out loud! We are dedicated to helping girls connect with these stories, and high quality is one of the ways we accomplish that.
About the Author: Erin Weidemann is a teacher turned professional author. A former college athlete, Erin is also a five-time cancer survivor. She lives in Encinitas, California with her husband Brent and their daughter Rooney. In addition to being the co-founder and CEO of Bible Belles, Erin is the host of the Heroes For Her podcast.
Connect with Erin:
BibleBelles.com ErinWeidemann.com Facebook Twitter (@BibleBelles) Twitter (@ErinWeidemann) Instagram (@BibleBelles) Instagram (@Erin.Weidemann) Heroes For Her Podcast
For additional show notes, visit ShaunTabatt.com/117.
