Have you
ever been stuck on a ladder? Let’s just say
that I know what it’s like to be frozen in fear. After staring at white
knuckles for what seemed like an hour, it took a group of people to guide me
down, rung by rung, until I reached solid ground.
This traumatic event sprang to mind
recently during my quiet time as I heard God ask me to let go of a writing
goal. I was reading the story of Abraham (Genesis 22:9-13), when God asked him to
sacrifice his only son Isaac on the alter. I confess, I’ve always struggled
with this story. Eventually, God provided a ram for the sacrifice, so it does
have a happy ending.
Nonetheless, I wondered why God
would ask such a thing? It seems over the top, unfair, and even cruel. Then it
struck me that it’s possible Abraham might have put Isaac before God. As I pondered
this, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to let go of a goal that I knew in my
heart had become an idol.
It all began last year when I was
determined to sell to a popular women’s magazine. I’d been asked to critique with
a group of incredibly talented writers and jumped at the opportunity. Between
the five of us, we’d written, critiqued, and submitted more than 50 short
stories, but only one of us sold.
I found myself getting frustrated
and decided to “make it happen” at all costs. I put it in front of my health,
family, and obligations, until tragedy struck our critique group. One of our members
passed away after a long battle with cancer. Suddenly, my goal rang hollow in the
wake of losing a friend.
After the shock, and much
contemplation, I decided I’d had an unhealthy obsession to get published with
this magazine. I had to open my clenched fist and allow God to guide me back to
solid ground. Does this mean I’ll never pen another short story and submit
it? No. It just means that it won’t be the focus of my thoughts like it did
before.
As a critique group, we’d decided to
move on to other endeavors. But it didn’t seem right to throw in the towel, as Karen
wouldn't have wanted it that way. She was our biggest cheerleader and believed
in our talents. So, in response to our grief, the four of us decided to
self-publish a collection of short romance stories and dedicate it to Karen.
Since that time, I’ve relaxed the
grip I had around my writing goal and let God pour His blessing into my open
hand. The new project helped me grieve, stay connected to our group, and make
new, healthier writing goals. I don’t know where I’d be without God’s patience
and the prayers and support of several critique groups in my life.
Is God asking you to open your clenched
fist today? I’m guessing that at some point we’ve all had to let go of an idol
and climb down the ladder of unhealthy obsession. I hope you’ll discover that the
sweetest blessings come through obedience.
Today, I’m honored to share Short & Sweet: 10-Minute Romances to Warm
Your Heart. A collection of short stories written by Kadee McDonald, Bonny Dahlsrud, Beth Boyden, and myself,
which is due for release on June 15th, and available for preorder today
by following this link. I hope you enjoy our anthology as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing
my journey with you.
AVAILABLE NOW FOR PREORDER!
Click here!
Short & Sweet: 10-Minute Romances to Warm Your Heart, out
June 15, 2018.
Do you love reading sweet romance,
but can never find the time for a nice long novel or even a shorter novella? This
volume of 20 love stories from four talented authors is the answer! Read one
(or more!) at lunch, on a coffee break, while riding the bus to work, or even
while waiting for an appointment at the doctor's office. a matchmaking grandma
hopes to knit two hearts into one. A guy meets his dream girl on a commuter
train, but a misunderstanding causes a sticky situation. Mistaken identity at a
library leads to a new romance. And a meeting of The Red Hat Society brings two
sweethearts back together after time and distance have kept them apart. Settle
back and savor these short, sweet romances guaranteed to warm your heart.
Enjoy! ♥
Yvonne Weers is a California
transplant living in rural Nebraska with her husband of 33 years. Together they
have two adult children, a daughter-in-law, and three crazy doodle dogs. She
spent childhood summers lounging on beaches, riding horses, and has lived in
South Africa and Taiwan. Yvonne writes wholesome romance for the cowgirl at
heart. Connect with her at: www.yvonneweers.com.
