W. James Smallwood Jr

I'm W. James Smallwood, Jr. a lead pastor at a church in Anchorage, Alaska, and proud to introduce my first children’s book, That Blessing was You: A Story About Family Changes and Adoption. As an adoptive parent myself, I know how complex the conversation around adoption can be, which inspired me to create a story that helps parents talk about this in a way kids aged 5 and up can understand. Beyond my new role as an author, I’ve had a varied career—from running an insurance agency to leading ministries, including my current work in health insurance and church leadership. My experiences, especially in adoption, have shaped my heart for storytelling and community, always with a bit of humor to make life’s lessons easier to bear.