Lee alumnus publishes a two-part Christian novel
Author of "To Dance" Stephen McClellan, with his wife and fellow Lee graduate Megan McClellan.
Photo by Madelaine Setiawan, Staff Reporter
Lee alumnus Stephen McClellan recently published a two-part Christian novel titled “To Dance" that tells an emotionally gripping redemption story.
“To Dance” is told from a ten-year-old’s perspective, detailing experiences of pain and racial injustice, as well as a mother's battle with her own personal demons.
McClellan said that society’s battle with pain inspired him to write this story.
“I believe pain is a major reason why people either walk away from their faith or refuse to come to faith all together,” McClellan said. “The reality is that our pain is never wasted, there is significance in our suffering, and there is hope in new beginnings."
McClellan recalled his experiences during his years at Lee as another source of inspiration, specifically his cross-cultural trip to England and Scotland with the History department.
“The places we visited and moments we experienced honestly helped rejuvenate my passion for writing," McClellan said. "It was my years at Lee in general that really helped lay the foundation for who I would become as a person.”
According to McClellan, he envisions his novel as an opportunity to help children pursue their dreams.
To aide in that dream, all proceeds of McClellan's novel will be used to help fund Compassion First, an Indonesian-based ministry that aims to eradicate sex-trafficking across Southeast Asia.
Accounts Receivable Bookkeeper at Lee University Crystal Dake has known McClellan since his days at Lee. Dake praised McClellan for his accomplishments and described “To Dance” as a soul-searching book everyone should read.
“With all the divisiveness and intolerance, the rise in suicides; this book takes these things head on from a child’s perspective...there is something to be said about the faith of a child, it is pure,” Dake said. “Anyone who struggles on a daily basis, whether is depression or forgiveness, or even if you question your place in this world or in the lives around you, then this is the book for you.”
Megan McClellan, fellow Lee alumna and wife to Stephen McClellan, said that seeing God at work throughout the writing of “To Dance” has been an inspiration to her.
“It has been humbling to see what God has done through this project so far,” Megan McClellan said. “He has used so many people from our lives—past and present—to help spread this vision, from buying the book, to promoting the book to partnering with us in prayer.”
“To Dance” is available for purchase at Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Amazon.
For additional information about “To Dance,” contact author Stephen McClellan by e-mail at stephenmcclellanbooks@gmail.com.
