We all struggle through difficult times. It is up to us to decide how we react, and the actions we make as a result. Dawn Herbert, an English teacher and published author at Farmington High School, wrote three books that outlined her commitment to faith and motherhood.

Dawn attended high school at West County, and then attended Mineral Area College where she pursued a teaching degree, and for 2 and a half years, worked in the theater department. After Herbert got her Associate of Arts degree, she believed she did not want to become a teacher. For her Bachelor’s Degree, Dawn studied English and got a degree in technical writing.

“I did not realize that technical writing was boring writing,” said Herbert. “It was not creative to any degree. I [I went back and] got an English degree with an emphasis in Professional Writing, which made me excellent in editing. I wouldn’t say I have this big background in writing, I just pour myself out on a page and go through the editing process.”

As a teenager, Dawn became a single mother. She remained a single mother for the next 20 years. She knew she had to be a role model for her children, so she decided to focus on her faith and writing.

“As I put myself into my Word, I just found scriptures that I thought would resonate with them,” said Herbert. “I began to form my two books, Warrior and Princess. They were originally written for my kids.”

Dawn felt compelled to become an author because she felt that her path led her to writing. Her career as an educator and youth minister has influenced her writing greatly. Herbert commits to helping others and guiding the youth.

“One thing I am reminded of every year at our back-to-school meetings is that every teacher in this building is here because they want to make a difference in the lives of kids,” Dawn said. “That’s what teachers do. We teach content, but that is secondary to what every teacher feels is their mission field. As a byproduct of having troubled teenage years, my heart goes out to troubled teens.”

In 2009, Herbert felt the need to dedicate the next chapter of her life to writing books. She then quit her job at the time, and she began to put her everything into the Lord. She read her Bible, and she spent 3 years praying for financial security.

“I knew that my number one job was to write,” Dawn stated. “I journaled everything, took a bunch of copious notes, and I wrote down scriptures. I had huge stacks of index cards everywhere with scriptures on them. So, I would say I’ve been seriously writing since 2009.

The themes and messages in Herbert’s books speak to faith, strength, serenity, forgiveness, and healing. ‘Princess,’ published in June 2019, speaks to rediscovering one’s inner royalty and peace. The book may come off as self-centered, but readers soon discover that the book is trying to paint a different picture.

“I don’t want people out there feeling full of themselves,” Dawn stated. “The idea is that you have a heavenly father and there is a man who died for you. There are things you need rescuing from. We are often held captive by trauma, events, lies that people have told us, and lies we tell ourselves. Our prince, Jesus, died to liberate us from the lies holding us captive.”

In Princess, Herbert expresses that we do have a happily ever after, especially in scripture. Dawn believes that our happily ever after is our time in eternity with the Lord.

“This world is just an opportunity for us to get to know the Lord, and for him to get to know us,” Herbert explained. “Eventually, we will be with him.”

In Warrior, also published in June 2019, Dawn shares the concept of being a ‘warrior’ within and releasing your capabilities. Warrior was originally written for Herbert’s son who she felt needed a reminder of the messages in the book.

“My son has also been a troubled teenager,” explained Herbert. “He is now 20 years old. Warrior was written to him to say ‘I understand that the why is such a big part of life. Why is this happening?’ The truth is, you are a warrior.”

In basic military training, one is expected to meet their commanding officer. The officer will train you to become a ‘warrior’ to fight ‘battles.’ Through combat, one will not only learn about the battlefield and the war but a common enemy. These messages can be relayed in scripture.

“In Warrior, we learn more about the enemy and how to defeat him,” said Dawn. “I really pulled them together to show the roadmap to recognizing that you are born for this, it is not something that is just happening to you.”

Herbert’s first book, Redemption’s Road, was written as a result of a challenge that Dawn participated in with her aunt.

“It was a challenge between my aunt and I called NaNoWriMo, where you try to complete a book in the month of November,” Dawn said. “I did not succeed, but I did succeed in starting the book that I did finish the following February. The book is essentially the backstory of Mary Magdalene and Jesus.”

Redemption’s Road was published on April 23, 2023, and dives into themes of healing and forgiveness while also exploring the relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ. In scripture, Mary Magdalene is reported to be a courtesan and potentially the same woman who was possessed by around 7 demons.

“You can see over the course of the 4 gospels that the Lord and Mary became very close,” explained Herbert. “Obviously, she was a shamed woman in her community. When she anointed the feet of Christ, there were a lot of people in the room wondering what she was doing there. Just being able to tell her story as a woman who had to set her eyes firmly on Christ and allow what he said about her to be what she heard all the time, was profound to me as a teenage mother and single mom. People have all kinds of ideas about who you are, and I am not all about explaining myself to everyone every day. I let people have those ideas.”

In Redemption’s Road, if it does not come directly from scripture, a lot of what Jesus says to Mary Magdalene comes directly from Dawn’s journal. There is a scene in the book where Mary is carrying heavy bags and she has lots of money that she has made off of her work before she was saved. Jesus offers his help, but Mary declines. Jesus then explains to her that he was born to carry those bags.

“There were a lot of things that I was taught by the Lord that I was determined to put in the book,” Herbert explained. “Then, of course, I did not like it after I was finished so I took it off the market for a little bit of time. The book just sat in the corner, looking at me, waiting for me to finish it.”

Dawn Herbert is also the sponsor of several clubs and activities at Farmington High School such as World Cafe. Herbert also has a podcast called Bible Time at The Barn. Visit The Barn on Facebook to be notified about Dawn’s upcoming events and podcasts. Herbert’s books can be purchased on Amazon.