During Sunday school recently, a friend made this comparison between me as an author and God. For my characters, I am like God acting in a fictional world. As the author, I am in control of their “lives.”
It was a good reminder for me that God knows me and has a purpose for my life. Before time began, He wrote my story. He has chosen a path for me and wants to make me a part of His story.
God “chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” (Ephesians 1:4, ESV).
Sometimes our characters do or say things that we didn’t originally intend. We can choose when we’re writing whether to force the character back into the box we planned or to let them take over the story.
In the same way, we humans don’t always follow the plan God has laid out for us. He never forces us to follow His design, His plot for our lives. But He knows in advance what we will choose.
More, even if the decisions we make are counter to His plan, He can redeem our choices if we ask Him to.
Joseph told his brothers in the Old Testament, “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20, ESV).
When I’m writing, my heart’s desire is to glorify God. Knowing how difficult my characters can be gives me renewed awe that God created me and loves me no matter what. He has already written my story, and it is good.
In what ways do you see God writing your story as an author? Can you use His plan as inspiration for your characters’ journeys?
Just as we create our characters and plan their journeys, God wrote my #story before time began. He has chosen a path for me and wants to make me a part of His story. @mwcoutu @MaryAFelkins #amwriting #SeriouslyWrite
Marie Wells Coutu finds beauty in surprising places, like old houses, gnarly trees, and forgotten treasures. When she’s not writing about finding restoration and healing through God-designed journeys, she enjoys taking broken things and making them useful.
The Secret Heart, her newest release, was named a finalist in both the 2018 National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Awards and the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Awards sponsored by Florida Writers Association. Her debut novel, For Such a Moment, won the Books of Hope Contest. Thirsting for More, the second book in the series was a finalist in the Selah Awards Contest and a semi-finalist in the Royal Palm Literary Awards. An unpublished historical novel set near Golden Pond has been a finalist in five contests.
She grew up in Kentucky, has lived in Kansas, Connecticut, Minnesota, Iowa and South Carolina. With her handyman husband of four decades, she now divides her time between Florida and the Midwest.
You can find more about Marie and her novels on her Facebook author page and her website, MarieWellsCoutu.com.
Follow her on Twitter @mwcoutu or on Amazon.
