Two years ago, God called on Shannel Burrows to write a book. She admits she was “scared” — she knew nothing about publishing companies or writing styles. But, she put her faith in Him.

“The process was tough at first because I didn’t really understand what direction I was going with it,” Mrs Burrows said. “However, the more I read about the principle in Luke 7:37, about laying at Jesus’s feet, the more I realised just how many people in the Bible that did it and the miracles that followed.

“More than anything I had to step out on complete faith to do it. I kept asking God, ‘Lord, you want me to write a book?’ I told God that I was scared because I’ve never done this before, and still I couldn’t escape His voice.

“The moment that I was completely obedient, a publishing company opened up to me. At that moment, I knew I had made God proud.”

At His Feet is based on the Bible story of the sinful woman who washed Jesus’s feet with her hair and tears, and perfume from an alabaster box.

While the religious people of the day were appalled that Jesus would keep her company, He offered her forgiveness based on the great love and faith she had shown Him.

The story had always inspired her, said Mrs Burrows, wife of Eldridge Burrows, the pastor of West Pembroke Pentecostal Assembly. Because of it, she tries her best to “touch the heart of Jesus in everything I do”.

“The Bible says in Matthew 15 that people will honour the Lord with their lips, but their heart is far from him,” she said. “In other words, it will never be our words that will move the heart of God, but rather our heart — meaning our intentions — that touches His heart every time.”

Now that the book is done, she feels a huge sense of accomplishment.

When she thinks of the struggles she’s had throughout her life, she marvels at how far God has brought her.

“I never would have imagined that I would be an author,” she said. “To be honest, now that I know how to write a book I can’t wait to write my next one. I’m already making plans on when I want to start writing again.

“The biggest reward is being able to look on Amazon and see your name come up; to know that you were obedient to something God called you to do and to know that people want to buy it is humbling.”

The book’s underlying message is the importance of aligning our hearts with God’s priorities.

God doesn’t care how we sound when we sing in church, as long as our heart is true. Mrs Burrows believes that when our hearts become more like the Lord’s — when we love what He loves and hate what He hates — then we will see true worship flow from our lives.

“One thing that makes God happy is seeing his people live out what they were designed to do,” she said. “We were designed to worship.

“It’s a part of our DNA. My assignment is to help people become aware of that.

“What the woman with the alabaster box, the woman at the well and the woman with the issue of blood all had in common is they all had gone their whole life searching for answers that would satisfy their souls only to realise that those didn’t work.

However, when they met Jesus, every answer they needed came within one moment in His presence.

“I wasn’t always at the place I am today. I had moments where I tried to do other things to satisfy that longing in my heart, but it wasn’t until later I discovered that His presence truly was the answer.”

Mrs Burrows’s book tour started July 13 at Radnor Road Christian Fellowship.

She plans to eventually take it to the US, with book signings at churches as she spreads God’s message of hope.

“God has taught me throughout this season that every vision has an appointed time,” she said. “It took me two years to birth out this message simply because it had to be active in my life first; I cannot take people somewhere I have never been or am not willing to go.

“I’ve learnt how to respect a season of being silent. During that precious time God is prepping you for something great.

“My pastor always says that what is happening in you is greater than what is happening to you. Whatever you do, never despise your quiet seasons.”

• Shannel Burrows will sign copies of At His Feet on Friday, August 10 from noon to 2pm at Brown and Co. For more details, visit shannelburrows.com