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| Diana T. Benson |
Last summer we enjoyed reading “Diana
T. Benson’s Journey to Publication.” I’m thrilled to have her return to
Seriously Write to share more of what she’s discovered about herself and the life
choices she’s made. Give some thought to what she’s learned and how it may
pertain to your own life. ~ Dawn
God
is in Control,
but I’m Responsible
for My Own Decisions
I recently wondered if I’m on the right career path and I
questioned my professional purpose and direction. This led me to recognize I
didn’t take responsibility for my own decisions. Instead, I put them on God
(not in a negative way, like blame Him for anything), whereas I need to hold
myself accountable. Absolutely He is in control, but God gave us all free will.
Even though God gave me the skills and zeal to write
fiction, I made the choice to embark on a career in the publishing industry
(and He blessed me with a contract). Even though God gave me the romantic
feelings of love for my husband, I decided to marry him (and He’s blessed us as
a couple for twenty-five years). Even though God gave me the longing to be a
mother, I chose to become a parent (and He blessed me with three children).
Even though God gave me the desire to work in EMS, I chose to become an EMT
(and He protects me on every EMS call). All four of these choices are what we
humans refer to as major. All headed
me down certain paths, leading me to where and who I am today.
Since I’m responsible for my own life choices, then I better
think long and hard before I make decisions. In choosing a direction, I’ve
learned to ask myself: On what path will I be able to treat others the way I
want to be treated and apply myself with a positive attitude in an effort to
match my best? Sometimes my best is awful, sometimes it’s awesome, most of the
time it’s somewhere in between, but as long as I’m trying to be a kind person
and do the right thing every day, I’m on the right path, God’s lighted path,
and honestly, that’s the only thing that matters; everything else is just a
detail. I’ve realized all the things that
seem so important are nothing more than the human details of life. The only
thing God is concerned with is how we treat others, how we treat ourselves, and
how we treat Him. It’s not about achievements.
Everyone is different; what works for one person, doesn’t
work for another. How do you balance the fact God is in control?
Book
Two
Cayman
Islands Trilogy
***
SPOILER ALERT ***
Reading Persephone’s
Fugitive (including the book blurb) before The Hidden Son (Book One in the Cayman Islands Trilogy) will ruin
the ending of The Hidden Son.
However, both books are standalones.
When a
routine 911 call turns deadly, Paramedic Sara Dyer finds herself held at
gunpoint by Jason Keegan, an injured psych-ward patient charged with murder.
The situation spirals out of Sara’s control when the confrontation becomes a
tense standoff between Keegan and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.
As
Keegan’s hostage, Sara fights to save them both before he blows them up. She
realizes his warning to the Cayman police is no empty threat since he’d rather
die than spend the rest of his life in a prison cell. Sara soon discovers
Keegan is just as determined to survive as she is - provided he can escape
Grand Cayman and disappear forever. As she struggles to trust in God’s protection,
help from an atheist turns her struggle into a lure away from her faith.
Dianna T. Benson
is the award-winning and international bestselling author of The Hidden Son and
Final Trimester. Persephone’s Fugitive is her third release. An EMT and a HazMat
and FEMA Operative since 2005, Dianna authentically implements her medical and
rescue experience and knowledge into all her suspense novels. She lives in
North Carolina with her husband and their three children. You can learn more
and connect with Dianna at www.diannatbenson.com
