The Hideout: A Child's Conversations with Jesus

By Diane Vaughan Austin

In writing this book, Diane hopes to encourage children to explore a more intimate way of talking to Jesus. Children are generally taught how to pray, but this book will open the reader's eyes to a different way of praying, which is more like a friendship with Jesus. Join Diane as she blends in true experiences from her past with the heartwarming, innocence of a child's image of Jesus.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 24, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477244630

Diane Vaughan Austin

Diane Vaughan Austin always wanted to be a writer growing up. Her dad once told her she would be a children's book author someday. Now with her first book The Hideout, she has made this dream come true. This book has been a passion of hers and a joy to write. Diane lives in Merriam, KS with her husband, Steve and their dog Becky.

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© 2012 by Diane Vaughan Austin. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/15/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4464-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4463-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012915359

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

To Momma and Daddy, who always said I would write.

Contents

Notes To The Reader

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 Growing Up in the Fifties

Chapter 2 The Hideout

Chapter 3 The Apple Story

Chapter 4 Free Will

Chapter 5 New Neighborhood Friends

Chapter 6 Flying Lesson

Chapter 7 It Wasn’t the Devil

Chapter 8 Lack of Planning

Chapter 9 Always in My Heart

Chapter 10 More Free Will

Chapter 11 Missing

Chapter 12 The Sanctuary

Chapter 13 Apology

Chapter 14 Unusual Award

Chapter 15 An ‘A’ in Praying

Chapter 16 Flunked

Chapter 17 The Crow

Chapter 18 Field Trip

Chapter 19 Sharing My Friend

Chapter 20 My Shepherd

Chapter 21 First Day at the Beach

Chapter 22 Unconditional Love

Chapter 23 Friendship

Chapter 24 Confession

Chapter 25 Changes

Chapter 26 Pass It On

Notes To The Reader

Most of the family stories in this book are true. The dialogue between Jesus and Little Diane reflects my personal beliefs after sixty-five years of living and talking to Jesus. Writing this book has been inspirational for me; it all seemed so real again.

The message is simple. Jesus wants us to talk to Him about everything, just like we do with our best friend.

Remember when you first met that first love or special best friend? You couldn’t stop wanting to be with them, talk to them, do things for them. You couldn’t get enough of learning more about them. Your heart burst with joy and love at the thought of being with them.

Teach your child, or yourself, to fall in love with Jesus. It’s so much fun! Your life will be joyful and fuller because of it. My prayer is that by reading this book together with your child, you will experience a new Presence and joy in your home and life.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to my friend and editor, Joyce Lohrmeyer, and Carol Ramirez for all the hours of line editing. To my family—Steve, Shey, and Cristy—who believed in me and the purpose of this book. To my Monday afternoon critique group, led by Sally Jedlow, who encouraged and helped me immensely. To my pastor, David Livingston, who took the time to read and evaluate this book.

A special thanks to my niece, Michele Landrum; and my Friend and therapist, Chris Urie, without whom I never would have thought of sharing my story or had the courage to have it published, and to Mitchell Cheatham for being my fifth grade trial reader.

Special thanks to my long time school friend Pat Ross, who put in many hours doing the final editing of this endeavor. Thanks to all of you.

Chapter 1

Growing Up in the Fifties

My 12-year-old granddaughter, Sheila, had just arrived from her home in Portland, Oregon to spend the week with me. We knew each other mostly by phone or letters. After she had settled in, we visited in the kitchen and had some cold lemonade. She excitedly started asking questions about my childhood. Nana, there wasn’t any colored TV back then, was there? No, Sheila, I didn’t even miss it. Kansas City winters were snowy. The summers were hot, but we had water sports to keep us cool most of the day. With an imagination, a child could find fun in any season… and, yes, I got myself into trouble sometimes. I was a free spirit kid for sure!

So what did you do all summer, Nana, since Aunt Nicole was five years older, and Uncle Denny was four years younger than you? Who did you play with?

"Aunt Nicole was born right after your great grandpa left for World War II. The United States was in the war for five years. When he returned, they decided to have me. He attended a mechanic school in California. He moved his family of four there to go to school for two years. When he finished school, they returned to Kansas City to stay.

Dad opened his own mechanic shop. After that, it seemed Momma was always pregnant. Our family grew to eight children over the years.

But what did YOU do, she probed, read all the time?

I looked into her huge brown eyes. No, I wasn’t much of a reader. My dad read to me at bedtime. The Best Nest was my favorite book. It was a birthday present from him. Boy, that sure brings back memories.

Tell me about living across from the amusement park. I want to know all about you, Nana.

"Well, that could take