Please give a very warm welcome to debut author, Deena Adams! She’s sharing about an astonishing event that happened in her own life and how that impacted her novel. Plus, she’s generously giving away a paperback to one of you. Glad you’re here, Deena! -Becky
DNA testing expanded exponentially over the past decade, and experts project the trend will continue. Some want to delve into their heritage and explore their family tree, while others are searching for their biological parents.
Many individuals are interested in information about potential medical conditions. Still others seek answers about parentage because of family secrets, which is the category I fall into.
Almost forty years ago, at twenty-three, I learned that the man who raised me might not be my biological father. I couldn’t rest without knowing the truth, so I requested a DNA test.
Sadly, our results revealed with 99.9 percent certainty that my dad was not my blood relative. Talk about a bombshell!
I’m so thankful God never wastes a hurt. He’s given me opportunities to share hope and healing with others when they faced impossible circumstances. Also, I incorporated an array of emotions from that hard season into my debut novel, Stronger than the Storm.
Due to my experience, I love reading novels that include a DNA component. A few I’ve enjoyed or added to my TBR list are Let It Be Me by Becky Wade, Who Stirs Up the Sea by Deborah Raney, and The Roads We Follow by Nicole Deese.
In novels, we love it when characters receive their happily ever after, and in the real world, we must remember that tough circumstances are only a chapter, not the end of our story. Because of Jesus’s blood, the Author of life has written a beautiful epilogue for all who know Him as Daddy … no DNA test required!
Giveaway!!
Simply leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win a paperback copy of Stronger than the Storm. One random winner will be chosen and notified via email on Tuesday, May 12th. Due to very high international shipping costs, this giveaway is open to USA residents. Good luck, everyone!
As a Jesus girl for over thirty years, and a pastor’s wife for most of those, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life. This belief fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true-life stories.
She is a Certified Mental Health Coach, a multi-award-winning author, an active ACFW member, founder of the Marathon online writers group, and a six-year ACFW Virginia board member.
Deena lives with her husband near the coast in beautiful Virginia. When she’s not writing, reading, or serving in her church, you’ll find her hanging out with family and friends, playing board games, and doting on her seven grandchildren.
Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Have you ever taken a DNA test? What did you learn? Which Christian fiction books have you read with DNA elements?
Becky Wade
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I haven’t taken a DNA test personally but two of my sisters did one just to see what our ancestry was. While it was mostly what we were told it was we did discover that we had some Russian DNA that no one in our family ever talked about.
I haven’t read any CF that talks about DNA testing. I would love to and I’d love this book.
That’s so interesting, Lorraine. Do you think family members knew about the Russian DNA?
I’m glad you’re interested in reading my book. I hope you get a chance to!
Thanks so much for allowing me to share on the Inspired by Life…and Fiction blog, Becky! I’m honored to be here.
Welcome!
Thank you!
Welcome to the blog, Deena. When I had my DNA tested, it came back exactly as expected. I was hoping for some never imagined ethnicity (even just a smidgeon), but it seems I was told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about who I am and where I came from. My imagination was disappointed, to say the least. LOL!
What fascinates me is that the DNA of my daughters isn’t exactly the same even though their parents are. I didn’t know that one child could get more from one parent than the other. But I am not the science person in the family. Give me history and English. My daughters, both science majors, have tried to explain DNA to me for ages, and I still struggle to understand fully.
Hi, Robin. I understand your desire to have a fun surprise with your DNA test, but be grateful it was what you expected! I’m not science minded either, and most of the DNA stuff is Greek to me!
I enjoy TV shows about DNA and genealogy, history and mysteries, Like Finding Your Roots and Long List Family. But I can imagine being on the end of a mystery like that could be pretty shocking.
Congrats on your new release!
Enjoy books with a DNA element. Also recently had a real life experience where the extended family found out there was an additional grandchild that had been kept secret for years. It has been amazing to watch how God has healed wounds and grown the extended family!
Wow, Yvonne! I bet that surprised everyone. I have some half siblings out there somewhere I’ve never met. Maybe I will someday. I love how God can heal any hurt!
Yes, shocking for sure, Patty. Thanks for the congratulations!
I’ve known people taking a DNA test, but have never done it myself. I love genealogy though, and love books where characters are searching for their roots. I have a friend who his father discovered he had a daughter before marrying when he was sixty. They made DNA tests and he was in fact, his father. I was happy to know that now both families have a loving relationship. That doesn’t always happens… This book sounds so interesting!
Hi, Paty. It’s encouraging to hear that your friend’s father and their family worked through the shock and now having loving relationships. That’s wonderful!I hope you get a chance to read Stronger than the Storm.
I’ve never done a DNA test. It scares me a little, having that information floating around. But I can understand people wanting to do it to get answers.
Hi, Terri. I guess there’s always a chance for something crazy to happen with getting a DNA test, but I think there are lots of guardrails in place to protect the information. Thanks for reading the post and commenting!
I have never taken a DNA test Thank you for this amazing giveaway, God Bless You
Hi, Sarah. You’re very welcome! Thanks for your comment.
Congratulations Deena on publishing your marvelous book. I already ordered my copy! What a joy to use your background to reveal God’s plan. My DNA revealed Jewish DNA that might confirm our suspicions about a “Catholic” grandma who fled Poland.
Hi, Susan! Great to “see” you here. Thanks for ordering my book! I hope you enjoy the story.
What a rich history your family has with a grandma who fled Poland.
Your book sounds good. I will definitely check it out! I’ve never taken a DNA test. I’ve read all 3 of the books listed above that include DNA tests in the story.
Thank you, Teresa! I hope you enjoy Stronger than the Storm if you get to read it.
I have never taken DNA test and I can’t think of any CF books about it.
Hi, Rebecca. Now you know about four CF books with DNA elements! 😀. Maybe you’ll get a chance to read them if you haven’t.
I’ve never had a DNA test done, but I’d definitely be interested if I ever decided to dig into my genealogy.
Elizabeth Goddard has a book about a forensic genealogist called Never Let Go. And Nearly Beloved by Kendra Broekhuis has a DNA. The FMC’s dad dies and the DNA test results in her inbox say he’s not her biological father, the life she’s so carefully built starts to unravel. I bought this book just for that reason and hope to read it soon.
Hi, Karen. Kendra’s book has been on my WTR list since it came out but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. I really want to!
I’ll have to check out Elizabeth’s book. That sounds really good
Yes. Just recently I discovered that in addition to the English, German, French, Scotts-Irish, and Welch, I already knew about–I had less Irish and more Dutch, Danish, and Scotts-Welsh! I also discovered my German heritage was probably originating from Russia, I have also small amounts of Northern Italian and Southern Italian and Breaton–all greater than my “Irish!” What?? Well, My daughter was promised a trip for her birthday next year AND she wants to go to Italy!🤣
Wow, Lauraine! You learned a wealth of information from your DNA test. That’s amazing! Enjoy Italy next year. My husband went when he was in the Navy. It was one of their port calls. He really enjoyed it.
I’ve actually had 2 DNA tests done by different companies (although they may all use the same database) and got somewhat different results, which surprised me. I can’t recall reading a book that had DNA elements included.
It’s really interesting that you received different results on your two DNA tests, Heidi. Were the differences major?
I did take a DNA test, and it conclusively proved many things we were told growing up. One of the reasons I did it, was that my grandmother was adopted. We discovered that she was German, Spanish and French. I got a bit more of the Spanish than my sister did. Which made sense! My poor grandmother though, was not as fond of that story as believing she was French and German.
Hi, Martha. Yes, getting different results than we expect can be unsettling sometimes. I hope your grandma came around to accepting her heritage and embraced it.
I haven’t taken a DNA test, but I love learning, reading, and writing about family heritage!
Hi, Ashley! Long time no “see.” I hope you’re well. DNA and family history/heritage is definitely an interesting topic to research and learn about. Most of the technical details are over my head, but I still enjoy delving into it.
Yes, I’ve taken a DNA test with Ancestry. At first, I received information on what percentage of my DNA came from which parts of the world. That was interesting. Later the report showed people I’m related to. I didn’t have any surprises.
However, we adopted a foster child, and she’s 49 now and still doesn’t know who her birth father is. She did discover a half sister that she didn’t previously know about.
I do love to read about characters looking for their birth relatives. In fact, I just finished reading Arie’s April Adoption by Rachel J. Good.
Hi, Suzanne. Thanks for your comments! I’ve considered doing DNA testing through a place like Ancestry to see if my half siblings, whom I don’t know at all, would show up as relatives. I can’t decide if I want to do that at this stage of my life. I don’t want to cause them any pain, because the circumstances of my conception throw a really negative light on their father.
I haven’t read Rachel Good’s book, so I’ll have to look it up!
hi, Suzanne. I’ve thought about doing a DNA test with a company like Ancestry to see if any of my half siblings showed up as relatives, but can’t decide if I want to. I don’t want to cause them any hurt, because my conception casts a very negative light on their father, and it was shocking for his family to learn the truth. They probably don’t care to know me. I’m not sure it would benefit me to know them at this point either.
I looked up Rachel’s book you mentioned and added it to my WTR shelf on Goodreads. Thanks!
My sister did the DNA test and there were no surprises, but her husband’s results were much more diverse than he had imagined. I have not read much Christian fiction but think that this book has an interesting premise.
Hi, Jennifer. I’m glad Stronger than the Storm sounds interesting to you. I hope you get a chance to read it!
I have not done a DNA test but I have explored the geneology of my family and found surprises and I like reading about other people’s experiences with DNA and geneology. Congratulations on the book, I look forward to reading it.
Hi, Kim. It’s definitely interesting to delve into genealogy and to hear about people’s experiences. Thanks for your congratulations! I hope you get a chance to read Stronger than the Storm soon and that you enjoy it.
My brother had his DNA done, so I never did. But…maybe I should!! Hmmm… I was curious about my boys’ paternal heritage, but one is leary about sharing his DNA, and the other has such a sensitive gag reflex, he couldn’t spit enough! Haha! I guess any secrets on that side will remain buried!