THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

The story of The Unannounced Christmas Visitor began with a single verse of Scripture.

One day, while reading the Book of Hebrews, I came to chapter 13, verse 2:

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

I had read that verse many times before, but something was different that day. As I read those words, a seed was planted in my mind. Suddenly, my imagination came alive with possibilities. I began thinking about characters, situations, plots, and storylines.

I wouldn't come up with the title The Unannounced Christmas Visitor for several months, but the story was already beginning to take shape in my mind.

It's amazing how God works.

Part of the inspiration for the story came from a Christian feeding ministry in Orlando, Florida, called Jesus Loves You, Love Him Back. The “without walls” homeless feeding ministry was started by my twin brother, Michael Higgins, and has provided food and compassion to people in need for many years. It also provided the perfect backdrop for elements of this story.

To this day, proceeds from the paperback edition of The Unannounced Christmas Visitor go toward supporting that ministry.

What began with a verse of Scripture eventually became an award-winning novel—and now, something I never could have imagined when that seed was first planted, the story is making its way from the pages of a book to the big screen.

THE UNANNOUNCED CHRISTMAS VISITOR - COMING TO THE BIG SCREEN — NOVEMBER 2027

What began with a Scripture verse has become a story about faith, compassion, grace, and the possibility that an unexpected encounter may be anything but accidental.

Lord willing...

Christmas was supposed to be a season of joy. Instead, one family finds itself watching a once-loving marriage slowly unravel beneath the weight of disappointment and unanswered questions.

Then a homeless stranger enters their lives.

What begins as a simple act of compassion slowly becomes something far greater. As unexpected events unfold, one family begins to wonder if this mysterious man arrived by chance... or by divine appointment.

The Unannounced Christmas Visitor is a heartfelt Christian novel about faith, grace, redemption, and the life-changing power of God's love.

Readers who enjoy emotionally powerful Christian fiction filled with hope, family, and spiritual depth will discover a story that lingers long after the final page.

AWARD-WINNING — AND LOVED BY READERS

🏆 2016 International Publisher Awards — Gold Medal Winner
🏆 2018 Readers’ Favorite — Gold Medal Winner

★★★★★ “I hope to see it on the Hallmark Channel at Christmas one day.” — NKBookReviewer

★★★★★ “This is a must-read for all of us – it will touch your heart in a way few books do.”
— Trudi LoPreto, Readers' Favorite

★★★★★ “The Unannounced Christmas Visitor is now the novel that has challenged me and blessed me the most out of all the Christmas fiction I have read over the last 2 years.” — Peter Younghusband