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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Christian author Katy Shelton at her home in Mountain Brook.
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Art courtesy of Katy Shelton.
Shelton recently penned her third book, titled “Forever Matters: How the Return of Jesus Completes You.”
Growing up in Crestline, Katy Shelton was not what one would call a “deep kid.” She did not like to read, let alone write.
“I was a tomboy. I loved to play outside,” Shelton said. “You often hear writers say, ‘I was the one sitting on the bench with my nose in a book.’ No, not me.”
But when she was in junior high, she had an experience that changed her forever.
“My mother took me to see a one-man play, ‘The Revelation of John,’ at Samford University,” she said, “The actor was Tom Key, and he memorized the entire Book of Revelation. It really struck me as a 12-year-old that he memorized the entire book and acted it out with only one intermission.”
Shelton said she came home, got out her Bible and started outlining the Book of Revelation.
“By the time I got to the third chapter, I threw my pen down and thought, ‘I have no idea what this means,’” she said. “That’s how it started and that’s how it ended.”
That was until more than 30 years later, when she did what she never thought she would do: embark on a writing career. Now, Shelton has just finished her third book, “Forever Matters: How the Return of Jesus Completes You,” set to release on July 23 from publisher Iron Stream Media.
The book is a devotional based on her study of the Book of Revelation.
Her first two books, “Christmas Matters” and “Easter Matters,” were co-authored with her friend Anna Nash, founder and director of the local Christian nonprofit Beacon People. Having never forgotten about the play at Samford and her subsequent interest in Revelation, Shelton began to wonder if she could write a devotional on the subject.
“I didn’t know if I could do it, but I knew it was there for a reason,” she said. “I’m not a pastor, Bible scholar or theologian. I’m just a person who loves Jesus and wanted to learn more.”
Shelton began doing research, studying and listening to podcasts from a variety of sources. She said the entire process took almost a year.
“I researched different people’s teachings from different denominations, I took all of those opinions and I narrowed them down,” she said.
Shelton said she wanted to be able to answer two questions.
“Can we find Jesus in Revelation? And, if so, what does it mean for our lives today?” she said.
Shelton said her main takeaway from her research was that Revelation is about love.
“It’s about God’s forgiveness and patience; he gives people chance after chance to come back to him,” she said.
Shelton said her book begins with a quote from Christian author and speaker Joni Eareckson Tada: “Sometimes God allows what he hates in order to accomplish what he loves.”
“He’s trying to bring the people He created back to Him,” Shelton said.
Shelton said each chapter ends with three Ps: process, prayer and promise.
“The process gives you three questions to think about, and the promise is a verse, usually taken from the Old Testament,” she said.
Shelton, who graduated from Auburn University with a degree in health services administration, said she did not start developing a love for reading until she was in her 30s, when she left her job to be a stay-at-home mom and needed “some kind of mental stimulation.” She also drew inspiration from her younger sister, Emily Carpenter, a former actor and producer who is now a successful novelist.
“The more I read, the more I wanted to read, and I thought, maybe I can write, too,” she said.
She is currently working on her next two books with Nash: “Giving Thanks Matters,” based on the Book of Mark, and “Reflection Matters,” based on the Book of Matthew. Nash has also collaborated with Shelton on a podcast titled “What Matters: Let’s Talk About It,” which discusses themes raised in Revelation.
“It's a very complicated book, but I would challenge the reader to give Revelation one month of your time,” she said. “I really believe it will make a difference in people’s lives.”
A book launch party will be held at the Little Professor Bookshop at Pepper Place, 2807 2nd Ave. S., on July 23 from 5-7 p.m. The book is available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other major book retailers. For more information, visit katyshelton.com.
