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| Laura Jackson |
Tired of wondering when it will be your turn and the doors
will open to opportunities? When will an agent call? And why does it take so
long for a publisher to decide on a manuscript? Laura Jackson has been down
that road, and today she offers wisdom and encouragement for all who labor
toward success. ~ Dawn
Learning
to Wait
by
Laura Jackson
My first novel Worth
the Wait focuses on high school senior Ellie’s journey. She has a plan for
her life, and when it falls apart, she has to learn that God’s plan is more
amazing than anything she could design and is worth the wait.
Waiting sounds easy. Just sit there, hang out, and let it
happen, right? Wrong. Nervous energy. Restless wandering. Feelings of defeat
that our dreams will never come true. It’s emotionally and often physically
draining to wait, whether you’re waiting for an agent to respond to your query,
for a publishing house to show interest, or for word to spread about your book.
But Isaiah 40:31(ESV) says, “They who wait for the LORD
shall renew their strength.”
That verse confused me for years because I was so tired of
waiting. I had given up hope that God was even listening or cared about me.
But, I was waiting on the wrong thing.
I wasn’t waiting on Him. Instead, I was waiting on the cares
of this world. Even when they’re good things like a publishing contract, a
loved one’s salvation, or a physical healing, they aren’t Him.
We’re all waiting on things. Just today, I went to the eye
doctor. During the eye exam, she noticed a spot on my eye. She showed it to me
on the scans, and of course, I freaked out. She said it could be nothing and
that we’d do a scan in a few months.
But, I want answers now.
My first book is getting great reviews, but marketing is
moving slowly. It takes time to build a platform and readership. But I want it
to happen now.
I know you have areas in your life and your writing career
where you want to know something now.
Wait on Him. The Hebrew root for the word wait in Isaiah
40:31 means to bind together by twisting. (If you like using Strong’s Concordance for your study
time, it’s number 6960.)
When we become bound or wrapped in Him, we are renewed. Our
strength comes from Him.
Not from a contract, not the Amazon sales report, not the
reviews on Goodreads.
Him. His plan. His purpose. His timing.
And He is always worth the wait!
Tweetables:
“They who wait
for the LORD shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31 ESV). Click to tweet.
The Hebrew root
for the word wait means to bind together by twisting. When we become bound or
wrapped in Him, we are renewed. Click to tweet.
Our strength
comes from Him. Not from contracts, Amazon sales report, or reviews on
Goodreads. Click to tweet.
Ellie
Lansing has a picture-perfect life with a close-knit family and the perfect
boyfriend. But her world is suddenly knocked off center when her drool-worthy
boyfriend cheats, and her always-has-it-together mother is diagnosed with
cancer. Ellie doesn't get it. She always does the right thing—doesn't God owe
her a happy life? Through her heartache, Ellie learns that sometimes what seems
like the end is really just the beginning and that what God has for us is
always worth the wait.
Laura
Jackson loves books—reading and writing them. A life-long reader, Laura
studied English in college and taught 7th grade language arts before earning
her Master's degree and becoming a school librarian. Now, she spends her days
sharing great books with kids and her evenings writing books about teenage
girls discovering God and His plan for their lives.
To learn more and connect with Laura:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraJackson80
Email: laurajacksonwrites@gmail.com
Blog/Website: http://authorlaurajackson.blogspot.com/