Kris Camealy, who is a wife, homeschool mama and friend, is a also a blogger and now an author. She has taken the leap fearless toward her dream and has published her first book, Holey, Wholly, Holy: A Lenten Journey of Refinement. You might remember I told you a little about Kris, here.  Once again, my heart was stirred, challenged and ministered to as I read Kris’ grace-filled answers to the questions I gave her, and pray yours is, too. 

Q&A: An Interview with Author, Kris Camealy

How did the message of Holey, Wholly, Holy begin in your heart?

Kris: The message of the book began during the Lenten experience I had last year, but even as I reflect back on the journey, I see now the various ways that God had set the process in motion two years ago, I just didn’t know it. I think it’s ultimate beginning, was when I prayed for God to make me humble, to give me His eyes to see and His heart. It was a prayer I prayed in earnest during a 21 days fast, just before I started blogging at my Always Alleluia site. I think that’s the very truest beginning. The journey to eventually writing the book was happening before I even knew that this is where I would end up.

Would you tell us about the name, Holey, Wholly, Holy?

Kris: The name of the book, “Holey, Wholly, Holy,” came about as I reflected on how the sin in my life felt like holes, broken spaces that needed mending. I realized as Christ went to work on me, that in Him, I can be whole (Colossians 2:10), even though I still struggle with certain weaknesses, in Christ I am a new creation (2nd Corinthians 5:17). The “Holy” is the call for all Christians (1Peter 1:16) I want to obey Christ in all things and “Holey, Wholly” Holy” felt like the perfect description of the Christian journey. This isn’t just my story—all Christians who pursue the Lord make the same journey from Holey to Holy.

What made you decide to write your book for a Lenten Journey?

Kris: I don’t fully know what helped me make the decision to write this book as a “Lenten journey” except that my Lenten season last year was so intense and so spiritually moving that it just felt right. Lent is commonly a time of quiet reflection, as we observe and remember Jesus’ journey to the cross. The church strips away many of her decorations, the “alleluia’s” are withheld until Easter and so it seemed fitting that the story was well suited for this particular Church season.

What has God done in your heart through the message of Holey, Wholly, Holy?

Kris: Through this book God has shown me both the shocking measure of His love and grace as well as humbled me in a way that was needed in order for me to better reflect Him. My heart is more tender to His whispers, I feel His presence keenly, and I think He has blessed me with a greater understanding of His purposes for me specifically.

How do you relate to your book as a mama, even a homeschool one?

Kris: I think as homeschooling Mama’s we spend so much time investing in our children’s education and we spend so much time with them, that it can be easy to neglect our own hearts cry for more of the Lord. Sometimes it’s a real struggle for me to make the time to pursue my own personal relationship with God. But I think that despite the business of our schedules, we need to make time to reflect, to come before God and seek His heart for us, allow Him to change our hearts. God uses my children to further refine me, and homeschooling allows for this because so often I find that as I am teaching my children about pursuing Holiness, God is also teaching me.

Will you share your desire for this Lenten season?

Kris: My desire for this Lenten season is simply to hear the Lord in my heart. I want to hold fast to Him and learn how to abide. I’m always in motion, always on the go, and I am seeking stillness this season—it’s a challenge, but I know He will meet me here.

How do we use Holey, Wholly, Holy on our Lenten journey?

Kris: The book is not divided up into scheduled readings because I wanted it to flow from one portion to the next. It felt clumsy for me to try to break each reading up into a specific day, and doing so would change the feel of the book. So the book is meant to be read slowly, with a Bible and a journal nearby. My hope is that as you read the book you will stop when you need to, ask God to examine your heart, and reveal His truth to you.

My hope is that readers will search the scriptures, and take the time to reflect on the gravity of grace that is afforded to us in Christ. I’ve had many people tell me that the book is not easy to read, because the subject matter is somewhat intense, and to this, I agree. The book was not easy to write either, so if readers find themselves moving slower through the text I take that as a sign that God is speaking to their hearts. The refining process is often hard, and painful, it’s not something we can skip through quickly, and the book isn’t either.

How can we get Holey, Wholly, Holy?

Kris: Holey Wholly Holy: A Lenten Journey of Refinement, is available on Amazon — click here — in both print and Kindle editions. For the duration of Lent, I am giving away a FREE PDF version to my Newsletter subscribers: Click here to sign up for my Newsletter.

I’m so glad you’ve joined us. Do you have any questions for Kris?  Or would like to share your heart for this Lenten Season? Or, if you have read “Holey, Wholly, Holy” would you share your a take-away? 

Will you tell us in comments?

Read more from Kris Camealy on her blog, Always Alleuia.

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