Finding Jewels in Unexpected Places

Tracy Astle
Jul 22
2 min read

You never know when or where you’ll stumble upon something that shifts your perspective—or stirs your soul.

A few weeks ago, I experienced something like that in a place I least expected: a dragon fantasy novel.

I read across a wide range of genres, but dragons aren't typically my go-to. So when Kindle recommended a fantasy book with a dragon on the cover, I almost scrolled past. Almost. But something about the cover and the blurb caught my eye. I figured, Why not?

Here’s what I later wrote to the author when she asked how I found her books:

It’s kind of interesting how I discovered your books and what got me to try them. Book one was suggested to me by Kindle, but I’m not sure why. I read some fantasy, but not a lot—and most of those aren’t dragon fantasies. Why their algorithm thought I might like your book is a mystery.

What surprised me even more was the sense of reverence I felt while reading. The story was gripping, but beyond that, something deeper stirred in me. There were moments where the prose echoed truths that reached far beyond the realm of fiction—truths about faith, identity, sacrifice, hope, and calling.

It felt like a small, quiet blessing had been tucked inside those pages, waiting to be found.

And here’s the thing: I might have missed it.

If I had been too busy.

If I had assumed I already knew what I needed.

If I hadn’t been just open enough to try something a little outside the norm.

Sometimes the most meaningful gifts don’t arrive with fanfare.

They slip into our lives quietly—an unexpected book recommendation, a conversation with a stranger, a delayed flight that leads to a new insight, a detour that ends up becoming the main road.

We don’t always get to choose how good things show up. But we can choose to notice them.

This week, I’m thinking about the quiet gifts.

The jewels we find when we’re not even looking.

The grace tucked into algorithms, detours, interruptions, and unexpected dragon stories.

Let’s keep our eyes open.

💬 Have you ever stumbled on something unexpectedly beautiful or meaningful? A book, a moment, a comment, a connection? I’d love to hear about it—share in the comments or email me directly.

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