ABOUT AUTHOR: DARCIE COBOS is a 24-year veteran police detective, specializing in family violence. Darcie's passion for reaching children with the message of Jesus led her to become founder and CEO of Egglo Entertainment, whose slogan is, See the Light of Jesus Clearly in the Dark. At Egglo she has developed an innovative, new children's ministry program for churches and families, featuring glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunts that focus on Jesus. Her mission with Egglo is to develop childhood experiences and learning that lead to a lasting relationship with Jesus Christ.
While working closely with her church's children's ministry, Darcie funded renovations of the children's play yard and provided the playground structure that launched mentoring moms and parenting groups. She also funded her children's school baseball ministry program. She hopes to continue God's Kingdom work with the profits of her company. A Southern California native, Darcie holds a bachelor's degree in psychology with an emphasis in child psychology from the University of California, Irvine.
How did you come up with the idea for The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure?
Writing a book was so unexpected and out of left field. It’s a very long story, full of God moments, but I’ll give the short version. It started when I had a glow in the dark Easter egg hunt with my kids, which somehow led to inventing glow-in-the-dark Egglo Eggs. Go figure. I learned through experience that when the Holy Spirit prompts me do something, I use the Nike motto of life: Just Do It.
Over-achiever that I am, it snowballed into creating a program for churches to have glow-in-the dark outreach events. The message I wanted to get across through an egg hunt, is Jesus is the light of the world. The best way to do that was through a story. I’m not a writer, though I write for a living. But I write facts. Believe me, I tried to find someone else to write it (a little embarrassing who I asked).
I had no idea what to write, so I asked all the Sunday school kids for their opinions. The kids gave me lots of good ideas, like treasure hunts and jungles. My son came up with the idea to have the eggs contain a Bible verse (made me a proud mama).
Finding an illustrator was rather miraculous. I contacted about 20 artists who all laughed at my two month deadline, and that the manuscript wasn’t written yet. I believe the Lord led me the illustrator, Golden Street Animation. The phenomenal illustrations speak for themselves! Even more amazing is that the artist created 22 images, in two months, while I was writing the book!
I had some help from a children’s writer, Virginia Bowen. I was very awed by the experience and completely dependent on the Lord to help me write. I would get down on my knees and face to pray for guidance. I am just so amazed at how the book turned out. I still can’t believe it.
Nora: I’m always amazed at how God provides a way when there seems to be no way. He accomplishes the impossible all the time if we let him! I really loved the illustrations in the book. Beautiful!
What do you hope readers take away from The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure?
The point of The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure is to convey that Jesus is the light of the world. We are led by the light of Jesus is the message I hope resonates with children. The book and the glow-in-the-dark egg hunt are powerful object lessons. As children grow up, they will inevitably encounter darkness. In dark times I want them to remember the light that will lead them back to Jesus.
Nora: Great message.
What was your favorite part in the picture book The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure? Which was the most fun to write? Which was the hardest? Why?
My favorite part of the book is the garden scene, especially the illustration. It’s supposed to be like the Garden of Eden. I wanted tons of adorable animals to appeal to kids. In this scene, the characters discover that Jesus is the treasure that they’ve been searching for. I love how the story comes together here.
The most fun was giving the artist my vision of a scene and then seeing how the picture turned out. It was like opening a present. I was always blown away and sometimes changed the story to match the illustration.
By far the hardest part was to explain God and Jesus to children as clearly and simply as possible. Little did I know that all the books I’ve read and years of listening to Christian podcasts would help in this endeavor. Just goes to show you that you never what things in life that God will use.
Nora: The illustrations did bring your story to life. Thanks for telling us about your presents. Fun!
What three things are you most thankful for?
First, I am thankful that the Lord was with me all those years before I was a believer. I can look back and very specifically see all the times I was spared of things that could have gone terribly wrong. I see now that the Lord was working all along in my life.
Second, my biggest fear in life is that my children grow up and walk away from the Lord. I had my kids after 35, after living for myself all my life. The fierce love I have for my children brings me to my knees every day to thank the Lord for them.
Third, I am grateful that I can witness the Lord’s hand at work on such a constant basis. I don’t mean that I’m special in any way. It’s just that I gradually learned to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. He will use you in tangible ways if you’re willing to leave your comfort zone. In my job of investigating domestic violence, child abuse, and elder abuse, I often meet people in their darkest days. They are more than receptive to the saving grace of Jesus. It’s a satisfying feeling to be part of someone’s faith journey.
Nora: Wow, you do have a hard job. It’s neat to see how God can use these situations for His Glory and our good. If we are willing to be used by Him like you are!
Can you share your testimony with us?
I have always had an independent, self-driven spirit. My parents never could tell me what to do. And they really didn’t try. I grew up in an era where kids left the house all day and came home when the street lights came on. My dad wasn’t in the picture too much, and my mom did her best to raise me, but I pretty much did whatever I wanted. My mom tried sending me to church with the neighbors. I ditched confirmation class with the neighbor girl to sit on the roof eating candy. My mom would take me to the Crystal Cathedral to listen to Dr. Robert Schuller. She’d park in the drive-in section and I’d entertain myself in the back of our wood-paneled Town-Country station wagon.
I always believed in God, but I never gave much thought to it. I lived my own way, doing my own thing, until I had my kids. Then I became mortal. Suddenly, God became important, particularly for the eternity of my children. My husband and I decided to go to church. I credit my pastor for bringing me to faith. He explained the Bible in a way that made sense. I started reading and listening to different pastor’s messages. My favorite is Andy Stanley. I didn’t have a shining light moment or date that I came to faith. Gradually, everything just fell into place and made perfect sense.
Nora: Thanks for sharing your heart with us Candace. It’s funny how life changes after you have a little one and they are dependent on your for their everything. You want the best for them. Andy Stanley tells it like it is in a straight forward, non-preachy way. He gets you thinking. I like him too!
Can you give us a sneak peek into what you are working on now? When will it be out? What do you hope with happen with your new adventure?
I am working on making glow in the dark pumpkins for Halloween, and glow in the dark hearts for Valentine’s Day. I want to give parents and church leaders Christian options for holidays and solve dilemmas, like Easter egg hunts. They’re pretty much a secular activity which a lot of Christians avoid. Paul preached to people using their own traditions as a spring-board to talk about Christ. In the same way, I am using the Easter egg hunt to deliver a message of Christ. The pumpkins and hearts have bold crosses on them and will be relevant to Jesus. I plan to write stories to go along with them. The books will be a continuation of the Egg-cellent Easter Adventure series. One will be a story for a Christian alternative at Halloween. It will also have a message of the light of Jesus. The Valentine’s book will be a biblical story about love.
Nora: Oh, wow. This sounds like fun. I’ve read your Egg-cellent story book and look forward to doing the egg-glo hunt soon. I could see these other venues to be just as powerful and fun as your Egg-cellent Easter Adventure!
Are you still in law enforcement? What does a typical day look like for you?
I can’t believe I’ve been a police officer for 26 years now, and law enforcement for 29. I work for a major metropolitan city (I’m not sure that I can name it). I’ve worked many different stations and assignments. I’ve been a detective investigating domestic violence, child abuse and elder abuse for about 12 years. It’s not a glamorous job and nothing like CSI. I can’t solve a case in an hour. But I like it and you can make a difference in someone’s life.
Most officers avoid domestic violence because the victims fight against you as much as the suspects. It’s tough working in enemy territory, the fighting, the destruction, and the seeming hopelessness of it all. More and more, the Lord helps me to see people as He does, to see through the actions and into the wounded hearts. This is a tremendous statement if you knew my starting point as an officer and non-believer.
I have a great job at my current station and I work with great people. The Lord put me in an ideal situation to be able to carry out my duties, run my company, and still be there for my family. At other stations, I've handled as much as 75 cases a month. You can’t really talk to people with that kind of pace. My caseload now gives me much greater flexibility. I always find it surprising how often I call people at just the right moment and fall into a conversation about faith.
It’s hard to consolidate all that a detective does in a day. It’s a long day of 9-10 + hours. Probably the hardest part to manage is how much multitasking there is. You’re hard at work on a case and then abruptly your attention is needed somewhere else, often by citizens yelling at you. You always have to be prepared for something to happen.
One time I was working night watch (which I have to do every few months) and I was driving, minding my own business. All of a sudden, some patrol officers are chasing suspects down the street in front of me. One of the suspects runs in a different direction. Lucky for me he runs down the sidewalk making it easy to chase him in my car. He’s so exhausted he just gives up and pronouns himself out. We usually wait for back up, but I figured that’d only give him time to catch his breath.
So I start to take him into custody, but it’s dark and I have no night vision. I trip on the badly placed step on the walkway. All my equipment goes flying and I make that awkward splat sound on the ground. I pop up as if I meant to do that, still maintaining my game face. Then I ordered him not to move with a bunch of explicates that rivaled Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction. I’m no Samuel Jackson; I can’t pull that off. I’m sure I sounded ridiculous and the kid didn't move for fear I’d inadvertently shoot him. I don’t know why I’m sharing this. I certainly didn't tell the other officers about the incident.
Nora: Thanks for sharing about your job and the incident. I’m thankful for people that are called to be on the police force and for those that want to be Dr.’s and nurses. These are tough jobs and I’m grateful for all you do. It’s also encouraging to see that God uses us right where we are at; no matter the career. I’m glad you stepped out in faith put feet to the vision He gave you.
You are shipwrecked on an uninhabited tropical island with a group of Christians – all friends and relatives of yours. You all have to work as a team to survive. Many roles have to be filled. Which role do you think you’d play?
Who hasn't thought of being shipwrecked and what they’d take with them? I can’t live without lip balm…and the Bible, lip balm and the Bible (not in that order). Being trapped on an island…with my relatives…and we have to work as a team…Well my sister could whip up a delicious meal from grass and bark, so that would be covered. I’m pretty good at telling everyone what to do, so I would put myself in charge. So we’d probably perish after about a week.
Nora: LOL!! You crack me up!! I’m not sure what I’d do. Probably be the helper! I’ll let you be in charge and knowing a good cook is helpful!
A friend of yours has a time machine and they will let you use if for a while. Where would you go and what would you do?
It sounds cliché, but I would love to have met Jesus. We have such a limited picture of what he was really like from the Bible. Can you image what it would be like to hang out with him?
Nora: It would be interesting to see Him and know all that we do! We’d see him with different eyes then the Apostles saw Him.
What two jobs have you had that would surprise people? Do tell!
I have delivered Santa Clause by helicopter, and been a hooker (undercover police work). I bet no one has ever said those two things in a sentence before.
While in college, I worked in community relations for a police department. At Christmas time we’d fly Santa in a helicopter to all the schools and hand out candy canes. I was an elf.
Then I was a street prostitute (as an undercover police officer, of course) when we had task forces to arrest “Johns” (men who solicit prostitutes).
Nora: No; how wild Santa Clause helper to pretend hooker. I hope that wasn’t all in one week! Grin! I could see how the being an elf and hanging out with Santa gig would be fun! Wonder if you ever went to your boys schools? Wonder what they felt about you helping Santa? LOL!
Out of all the sounds in the world, which is your favorite?
Since I work all day in an office full of lively conversations and my home is filled with boy noise, the sound I like most is silence. I like to drive in silence. This is my “prayer” time which is mostly: God, give me this, this, this, and that. But I have an attention span like the dogs of “Up.” I see a squirrel and then I’m off in another direction.
Nora: LOL!! I appreciate silence too. I worked many years at a place that piped in music (some of which I didn’t care for). I know I didn’t appreciate silence until it was taken away from me! Silence can be golden!
We all live busy lives and are in different seasons of life, that is a given. What part of your day requires the most patience from you to get through? Causes you to pray the most?
I get up at 4 in the morning and get home at 4 in the afternoon, after putting out fires all day. The weekday evenings are not fun. Making dinner and getting all the stuff done is trying day after day. I love my kids beyond words, but they are very difficult. To parent them with Christian purpose, rather than yell and scream, is my constant prayer. It’s not my work that is the hard part; it’s raising my kids. Being a mom, is the hardest job of all.
Nora: Amen! Amen! Some days it seems impossible. It’s hard working full time and finding time for the things that matter.
THANK YOU DARCIE for stopping by and helping us get to know you and your children’s book. I’m excited about what you will be having next. Please stop by again and show us how it all worked out.
Here is the link to my review www.http://psalm516.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-egg-cellent-easter-adventure-by.html
To learn more about Darcie and her Egg-Cellent Easter Adventure book and the egg that glow. You can go to her website
http://www.eggloentertainment.com