DawnCheré Wilkerson’s Heartening Book on the Reality of Infertility: “Slow Burn and the Unexpected Beauty in Waiting”

Waiting is a word I’ve come to know intimately. As someone walking my own path through infertility, I’ve felt the sting of unanswered prayers, the weight of hope deferred, and the silent ache of wondering if the life I long for will ever unfold the way I imagined. It’s a journey that can feel lonely, exhausting, and at times, unbearable. But in her upcoming book, Slow Burn (April 29, 2025), DawnCheré Wilkerson offers a lifeline—a fresh, hope-filled perspective on what it means to wait well.

For eight years, Wilkerson battled infertility, wrestling with the same questions that so many of us in this space ask: Why is this happening? When will things change? How do I keep my faith when my heart is breaking? Through her deeply personal reflections, she doesn’t shy away from the pain of waiting, but she also doesn’t let it define the story. Instead, she invites readers to see waiting as something far more powerful than a frustrating pause—it’s a refining fire, a sacred process of growth, and an opportunity to encounter God in the deepest way.

Reading Slow Burn felt like sitting across from a friend who truly understands. Wilkerson’s words are both raw and reassuring, challenging the notion that waiting is wasted time. She shares how her own experience of longing and delay ultimately strengthened her faith, deepened her relationships, and reshaped her understanding of purpose. It’s a perspective I’m still trying to embrace in my own journey, but one that brings comfort on the hardest days.

More than just a personal testimony, Slow Burn serves as a guide for anyone facing delays—whether in relationships, career, health, or faith. Wilkerson provides practical tools and mindset shifts to help readers navigate uncertainty with courage and expectation, rather than fear and frustration. She reminds us that waiting isn’t about inaction—it’s about becoming.

As Slow Burn prepares to launch, I had the privilege of speaking with Wilkerson about her journey, her faith, and the lessons she’s learned through waiting. For those of us still walking through the fire, her wisdom is a reminder that we are not alone—and that the slow burn of waiting is often where the most beautiful transformation happens.

Your book, Slow Burn, is deeply personal. What inspired you to share your journey with infertility so openly?

After walking through eight years of infertility, I realized that what I learned in the wait brought strength and depth to the rest of my journey in life. It is possible to find peace in the midst of uncertainty and vision in the midst of the unknown. God uses it all and redeems time with power and beauty. Infertility is very personal and God patiently walked with me through it for years before I shared it publicly. I find that giving God the time to work within our hearts first and foremost is crucial for healing and transformation.  

Many people struggling with infertility or other forms of waiting often feel forgotten. What words of encouragement would you offer to those who feel unseen in their pain?

Reading scripture, prayer and investment in community has brought immense comfort to me in the wait. I would encourage those struggling to open up to a few people who they trust so that they are not isolating. Don’t isolate in the wait. When you choose to continue to participate in community and contribue you find purpose along the way. You realize that you are not the only one waiting. Everyone is waiting on something. 

You talk about waiting as a process of transformation rather than just a delay. How did your perspective on waiting shift throughout your own journey?

In the wait I discovered who God is and who I am in Him. I realized that my true fulfillment was not having a child but trusting wholeheartedly in His faithfulness whatever may come. My eyes were shifted from focusing on myself to others and it gave me tremendous joy and purpose. Before I held our first child I held Gods peace. He proved more than enough. Waiting on him is the greatest adventure and invitation in life. He is writing His story throughout history using all of our broken lives united by his perfect love. 

Infertility can be incredibly isolating. What helped you stay connected—to your faith, your community, and even yourself—during those difficult years?

I had a decision to make early on, will I isolate or invite those I love into this heart journey. I waited a year to share my infertility struggle with my parents. I wanted to solve it before anyone knew there was an issue. But Gods kidness and patience brought me to a place of honesty with those I love and it brought me incredible strength! I would encourage you to not run or isolate from your community out of insecurity. Living in your head is a miserable existence. Stop thinking about what everyone is thinking about you and show up with your eyes fixed on others, releasing the love in your heart to those around you. I determined that I wanted to be the best aunt I could be in the wait. I chose to hold everyones babies, throw the showers and embrace the present. We dont have to store up love for the future. We can release all that we have now and know that we’ll continue to be filled with Gods love day by day. 

Faith plays a significant role in your story. Were there moments when you struggled to trust God’s timing? How did you move through those doubts?

There were many moments I struggled with Gods timing and seasons where I guessed Gods plan and was sorely wrong. I remember thinking one summer that this was the year and by the next year I would have a baby in my arms testifying of the goodness of God. But that year came and went and I didnt have a child. God kindly and tenderly impressed on my heart that year that I had a testimony regardless of having a child or not. The testimony of my life is Gods faithfulness. I was waiting to have a miracle but I was living one right then and there. God had healed my heart, met me in the wait, filled me with purpose and joy. Thats the greatest testimony, His faithfulness. 

One of the themes of Slow Burn is surrender. What does surrender look like in the midst of waiting, and how can readers learn to release control when they feel like time is slipping away?

Surrender may look different on the outside for everyone but deep in our soul it is the same. It is opening our heart to our creator daily and giving Him the reigns of our life. It’s relinquishing control of our destiny and trusting the one who made us to see His will done. It is choosing to fill our days welcoming Him in again and again and surrendering the broken pieces of our life on His altar. Surrender has looked many different ways in my life depending upon the season but it always comes down to trust. Do I trust God today? Do I believe He is here and that His love is enough? 

For those of us who are still in the waiting, what is one truth you would want us to hold onto?

You are so loved! Gods eyes are on you! He’s not far. He is close to the broken hearted and binds up our wounds. Let Him in. Right where you are today you can whisper his name, choose to trust and awaken to the power of His presence. He is a healer of hearts. He is a faithful father. And He is with you. 

For anyone who has ever felt the weight of waiting—whether for a child, a healing, a relationship, or a dream—Slow Burn is an invitation to see this season differently. Through Wilkerson’s honesty, faith, and hard-earned wisdom, she reminds us that waiting isn’t just a delay in our journey; it’s where the deepest work is being done. And maybe, just maybe, it’s where something beautiful is already taking shape.