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| Melinda Viergever Inman |
God
Plans in Advance
Sometimes God’s leading is difficult to discern. Other times
it’s clear as day. When it’s written in His Word as a command to all believers
in Christ, we know without a doubt what God wants us to do. But it’s more
difficult when we’re determining God’s specific leading. Do we take on this
responsibility or that? Do we go here, or do we go there?
The Lord made two things clear to us. He wanted us to
homeschool our large family. When He began to open those doors, I didn’t even
believe in homeschooling! It was His idea, not mine. The Lord also gifted me to
write for Him. I attempted these simultaneously, but quickly discovered that
fiction writing, teaching, and childrearing don’t coexist productively for me.
Babies turn my brain blissfully into mush.
So I wrote copious journals in the days before Christian
mommy bloggers. And I educated our children, checking in with the Lord
periodically to see how long He wanted us to continue. In that season, I gave
all I could to my kids and their academics, field trips, co-ops, debate teams,
sports teams, ballet, piano, and violin lessons.
And then, it was over.
Five novels came pouring out of me. Bam! There they were, five manuscripts to polish and much to learn
about the publishing world. This was a new season. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says:
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the
heavens.”
Thrilled to see God’s plan for the seasons of my life
unfolding before my very eyes, first raising my children and now writing my
stories, I hoped to release a new story every year or two for the rest of my
life. What fun that would be!
I attended writers’ conferences, contacted agents, met with
publishers, and my first novel was contracted. But my own story had taken a
turn, first a bad fall and torn hamstring, then two car accidents and some
strains in our family. Next my mother-in-law died a slow death by cancer, our
college-age daughter at home battled a mystery illness, and I caught
Epstein-Barr. I have never recovered.
Several autoimmune diseases now cause body-wide destruction.
I have worked from a horizontal position for the past three years. My work is
completed slowly. Some days my brain is too tired to work. This part isn’t
going as I planned.
But God had a plan from before He began creation, the first
chapters of Ephesians tell us. We are His handiwork, His poiema, a poetic masterpiece written into His story. He saved us by
His grace, and as believers in Christ, He created us to do good works that He
prepared in advance for us (Ephesians 2:4-10).
God has
a plan, and, in a mysterious way that we can barely attempt to understand, He
writes our stories in perfect synchronization with His plan.
When our stories work neatly together as we had hoped, it’s
easy to rejoice in what He’s doing. But, when we see the plotline turn to
difficulties and trials, as all plotlines must, do we still praise Him?
Do we
believe He’ll truly work it together for our good and His glory?
During these years of suffering, He refines me, making me
into the kind of woman I have always hoped and prayed to be. He has set my eyes
on eternity, and my hope entirely on Him. I wouldn’t exchange this for
anything.
Now I see that novel pile differently. I had one plan, but
God had another. He already knows my story, even all my days before there was
even one (Psalm 139:16). Perhaps these five stories are all I will produce. I’m
now editing number three. At this point, only God knows. I will trust Him.
How do
you see Him unfolding your story?
Love
takes action: The Creator God establishes the cosmos and shapes a man. Adam
rises from the dust. Envious, the powerful angel Lucifer despises him.
Oblivious to the threat, Adam is captivated by his strong, intuitive wife Eve.
In the Garden of Eden, they enjoy abundant food, gorgeous vistas, and
intriguing challenges, including their budding love and passion. They have it
all!
But
Lucifer’s deceptive brilliance tricks them into disobeying God. They eat the
one forbidden fruit. Their innocence is shattered. Their unity with one another
and with God is destroyed. Death will follow. Lucifer’s jealousy threatens
mankind’s tenuous beginning. But God is merciful. What astonishing promise does
He make? How will Adam and Eve survive—broken, shattered, and separated from God?
Melinda Viergever Inman was
raised in a storytelling family. There her roots were sunk. During years of
relocation, tragedy struck. Wounded and heartbroken, Melinda forsook her roots
and ran from herself and from God. A journey of trial and heartache brought her
home again. A prodigal now returned, she writes with passion, illustrating
God's love for wounded people as He makes beauty from ashes. Fallen is her second novel; Refuge, the sequel, is her first.
Melinda shepherds women in prison ministry and writes inspirational material at
http://melindainman.com/blog/. With her family she is involved with Mission
India/RIMI, rescuing orphans and providing theological and job training for
impoverished students.
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