“Miracles are all around us!”

Bestselling author, filmmaker and mom of six, Karen Kingsbury, 60, is always tr ying to help others see the beauty in the world. Even in times of heartache— like losing her father— she believes there is joy to be found and that God is always there with open arms. Here, she shares how faith and family fill her life with hope and joy

Karen Kingsbury is known as a brilliant storyteller whose bestselling books often become TV shows and movies—most recently, The Baxters, a 10-episode series streaming on Amazon Prime, and Someone Like You, in theaters April 2. But the feelgood story she’s most carefully curating is her own.

“Years from now, when they have my memorial ser vice, I don’t want my family and friends to stand around talking about the books or movies that I made,” she tells Woman’s World. “I want them to talk about the story that I wrote with the days of my life. It’s that story that should be a bestseller, and it’s true for you too.”

The popular Christian f iction writer began her career as a sportswriter. She knew nothing about sports, but with her dad’s help, she f lourished. She later began writing about true crime, and soon, a literar y agent contacted her about turning one of her articles into a book.

After four true crime books, though successful, Karen needed a change. “The material was so dark, and my life was not like that,” she recalls. “I was a new mom; life was joyful.” So she decided to follow her heart and began writing what she likes to call “life-changing f iction.”

Today, Karen and her husband of 36 years, Don Russell, have three biological children plus three adopted sons from Haiti, which prompted her to start the One Chance Foundation that helps connect children to forever families.

Here, Karen shares her tips for staying connected to God and family, while making your own life story incredible.