It's a Journey All Right!

Neta Jackson’s award-winning Yada Yada books have sold nearly 300,000 copies and are spawning prayer groups across the country. She and her husband, Dave, are also an award-winning husband/wife writing team, best known for the Trailblazer Books—a 40-volume series of historical fiction about great Christian heroes with 1.8 million in sales—and Hero Tales: A Family Treasury of True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes (Vols. 1-4). They live in the Chicago metropolitan area, where the Yada Yada stories are set. For more information, visit her online at to www.daveneta.com.

It's a Journey All Right!
By Neta Jackson


I love the title of this site: The Novel Journey. Because writing my first series of adult fiction has definitely been a journey. More like a roller coaster at times!

The first Yada Yada novel is a reflection of my own journey in discovering that “I’m just a sinner, saved by grace”—and how God’s forgiveness set me FREE. And because God has used a real-life prayer group of “sistahs” to turn my own life upside down (rightside up, actually!), I wanted to share that journey in a fictional way with other women.

What I didn’t realize was that it was impossible to put twelve feisty fictional women in a novel and expect them to stay there. There were so many storylines that could be followed! So one book turned into three and then six, when I was sure I was done—and then a seventh book popped out, a reunion of sorts a year and a half after the story in book 6 ended.

While I was writing these books, God had me on my own journey, going deeper in prayer, going higher in praise, being tested by spiritual warfare . . . and as He bandaged my wounds and set me on my feet again, the spiritual realities found their way into the novels. This was my first time writing adult fiction, and I was dumbfounded how the writing process was truly organic, as real life impacted what was going to happen next.

When readers hear that these books were inspired by a real prayer group, they often want to meet the “real” Jodi or Florida or Nony or Avis. But I have to keep reminding people that these ARE works of fiction. Sure, I draw on my own life experiences many times, but fictionalize them for my different characters. (For example, my mom struck and killed a little girl who ran out between two parked cars. I used the trauma of that experience in Yada Yada for my main character, Jodi, who struck and killed a teenage boy—but of course the circumstances were different, it had a specific purpose, etc.). People I know or have met also inspire some of the characters in my books—but “inspire” is the key word. If done right, the fictional character becomes his/her own person, and sometimes even I am surprised by how they develop, change, act, etc.

The closest to a “true story” in my books is the story of Bandana Woman, which begins in The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down (Book #2). I got the permission of the “real” Bandana Woman to use her story (up to a certain point, then my fictional character's story took a different turn). (But to tell you the truth, the real story is every bit as amazing as the fictional one!)

The other big surprise was that I began hearing from readers all over the States (and abroad, too), who were encouraged by the novels to form their own Yada Yada Prayer Groups! This has blessed my socks off! I can’t think of any legacy that would bring me more joy, than to know that the little motley crew that meets in my living room, with all our ups and downs, challenges and victories, has inspired (through these novels) sisters all over the country to come together and pray for one another. Wow. Oh wow. Oh, the power of praying together.

Which is part of the journey I’ve been on. Over the last ten years, God has had me in the “school of prayer.” (Sometimes still feels like I’m in prayer kindergarten, but God hasn’t given up on me yet!) If I were asked to sum up what God has been teaching me about prayer over these past few years it would be this:

(1) My true position in Christ is on my face. For me, the sins of pride, complacency, and self-righteousness—the sins of “good girls” like me—kept me from true forgiveness and God’s grace. But as I met sisters from all walks of life, I learned that the ground is level at foot of the cross, and I too am “just a sinner, saved by grace.” I had been afraid to admit my sins, afraid God and others would say, “See? You’re just a big sinner, too.” What I failed to understand is that God wants to set me free and set me dancing! The bonus was that as I accepted my own need to be forgiven, I was more patient with others who made mistakes. As a forgiven person, I could also forgive. Forgiveness is the true reconciler between God and mankind, and between us as humans, too.

(2) The importance of praying together. Get this: If WE show up, JESUS shows up! And if you don’t believe me, check out Matthew 18:18-20. There’s power in prayer that’s in unity with one another and with the Word of God.

(3) Praying Scripture. Matthew 18:18-20 says to “agree” in prayer—how do we do that? By studying the Word of God together (our unity is based on the Word of God)! And what does it mean to “pray in Jesus’ name”? (Not “over and out” which is how I used to use it automatically at the end of my prayers.) We use the name of Jesus because we pray with the authority Jesus has given us to tap into the power of heaven. And when I don’t know what to pray, I pray God’s promises right back to Him. “God, you said … !”

(4) There’s a difference between “believing in God” and “believing God.” I’ve believed IN God all my life. But only in the past dozen years or so have I started truly believing that God will do what He says He will do. That’s faith, because He’s faithful. And I’m learning trust. Because God’s answer is not always my answer. But I know this: God is good . . . ALL the time. And so I can trust Him, no matter what.

(5) Praise is a spiritual weapon! When things go wrong in my life, I so easily give in to anxiety and worry. But I’ve learned that Satan can’t do his dirty work in an atmosphere (and heart) filled with praise. Worship is not Satan’s working condition!! (The devil needs doubt, confusion, fear, discouragement …) Life is a struggle. It is worship, focusing on God and His character, that gives us strength to go on. Not just Sunday morning praise, either—but daily, individual praise!

(6) Finally, I NEED my sisters (& brothers) in all parts of the Body. As we shared our lives and prayed together, I learned how much I need my sisters in my prayer group. That’s when 1 Corinthians 12 came alive: Verses 4-11 talk about different kinds of gifts, service, and ministries—but we all have one Spirit. But that’s not all. Verse 13 talks about Jews/Greeks/slaves/free are all part of the Body, too (which represent the cultural, racial, and economic differences in the family of God). And then we come to verse 21. Whoa! Scripture says these different parts NEED each other (not just tolerate each other). But most of our churches don’t act like we need the other churches. We co-exist (but not too close.) But the truth is, white believers need black believers, Asian believers need Latino believers, believers in the U.S. need our brothers and sisters in Africa and Asia, and vice versa. Because we have so much to learn from each other—and to give. And that takes relationship.

But I haven’t arrived. It’s still a journey. And I invite you to walk with me!