History

Every purchase supports children in need through our partner organization

History of My Tree and the Birth of My Tree Your Impact

How My Tree Began

I wrote My Tree 25 years ago for a college class. My classmate, Joe Foland, illustrated the book and we received an A. After that, the book went into storage and was mostly forgotten. Once in a while, I would see it in storage and think about getting it published. I would read it to my children and imagine other families reading it together, but I just never had the confidence to publish.

A few years ago, I took the book to school with me, where I teach. I read it to a few elementary classes and they loved it. I was told to get it published, but again, I let fear of not being good enough stop me.

Finding Courage to Publish

That fear was put to rest last year when I heard an interview with Dallas Jenkins, director of The Chosen. In his interview, he was asked about the success of the show and whether he thought it would be this big of a hit. He explained that he can only provide the two fish and five loaves, a biblical reference from the book of Matthew. I realized at that moment just how true that statement is: we can only do what we can do and leave the rest to God.

I knew I wanted to get My Tree published, but I also wanted to make a difference in the world. After a few months of prayer, My Tree Your Impact was imagined. I love being free, using my imagination (Photo to the left is from a Play-Doh play session with my son), and giving my children a safe place to be kids. It was decided that part of every sale of My Tree would support organizations that save children from trafficking and exploitation. Getting the book published is me providing five loaves and two fish — what God decides to do with it is up to Him. I pray and hope millions of copies are sold and we are able to donate millions of dollars to save children from the evils of this world.

Why My Tree Looks Different

You may notice that My Tree has a different look than many modern children’s books. Most books today are smaller, with polished covers and professional illustrations.

My Tree was created on an old computer, illustrated by Joe Foland with pen and crayons, and stored for 25 years. I chose to self-publish to preserve his original artwork. Only minor color touch-ups were made.

This gives the book a timeless, nostalgic feel — reminiscent of classic stories like Little Bear.

Beyond the visual style, My Tree is different because of its purpose. It is not just a story, but a movement. Our goal is ambitious: to sell one million copies, donating a significant portion of proceeds to support children in need, and to donate all proceeds above one million copies. Few first-time authors set goals like this, and even fewer tie a book to a mission this meaningful.

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