I Don't Have Time to Write, Part 2 by Angela Arndt

Last week’s post was about time-stealers: the things people will do instead of writing. And I love that yesterday’s post was Nine Tips for Finding Balance from Kimberly Rose Johnson, who somehow published nine books in 2017. Can you imagine having that much time? 

Handwriting is a hard way to write a book.

I hope today's list of tools, apps and/or programs will help with that and finally put an end to the excuse, “I don’t have time to write.” 

Dictation

Wouldn’t it be great to have a personal secretary to dictate your novel just like all those authors in the movies? There are a few programs that can do that. However, in order to save time, you're going to have to invest it first. 

Did you know your computer may already be set up to take dictation? Most computers have accessibility settings to handle speech-to-text. I don't need to post it here, because someone's already written anything you want to know about speech-to-text here. 

Sometimes There Are Distractions

Distraction-Free Writing

Do you ever wish for a simple program for writing? TextEdit is always available, but it's hard to write with all the dings, rings and pings. Then there's Solitaire, Friends with Words, and Candy Crush calling to you when you're stuck.

Is there a program out there to help you focus? Yes, there are several. 

A minimalist writing program has a simple screen with little distractions. Some reward you with typewriters clicks for each letter, another lets you write to the sounds of a coffee shop. If this sounds like it would be helpful, check the links below or Coffitivity for writing in a coffee shop.

• 9 Apps for Distraction-Free Writing, or 
• 5 Best Distraction Free Writing Apps

Keep Your Notes in One Place

Have you ever had a notebook overstuffed with pieces of paper, envelopes, and sticky notes? Is your computer filled with chapters, scenes, research, and images related to your latest book? How can you keep them organized?

Too Much Information

Note-taking apps are great because you can take a photo of that article you see in the doctor's office and email it to an app. Take notes in a new document in the app or take a screenshot and import it. This post lists the app, price, and platform in an easy-t0-read chart.

The key to saving time is knowing what you need. You may not need to download a distraction-free app if you work from home in a quiet office. This afternoon, take a look at everything you accomplished today, identify your obstacles and figure out what you need to let you create more easily.

I hope these posts have helped. If you've used any of these programs and liked them, leave a comment and tell us how it helped. I'd love to hear from you.

Angela Arndt is a team member for Seriously Write. For more posts by Angie, click here.

About the Author

Angela Arndt

 Angela Arndt is Jesus-follower and God-lover. She loves to write women’s fiction with a thread of romance and tell stories of strong, independent women in difficult situations. Her biggest hope is that she will encourage others to overcome their own “back roads” to find their joy in the Lord.


She and her husband, Charles, live on a bee farm in the middle of a big wood with their three furbabies: Beau, Harley, and Buddy the Wonder Dog.


She's also team-member of Seriously Write. Click here for more posts by Angie. By the way, she'd love for you to join her on herwebsite, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. 

Finding a Writer Friend by Angela Arndt

Click to Tweet

Writing is a solitary profession. Have you ever seen a writer on deadline who could go for days with minimal contact? It's funny how we spend most of the time in front of a computer, trying to create a fictional world while we shut out the real one.

What is a "Writer Friend" and Why Do We Need One?

My husband is a beekeeper. Every day he works with his honeybees, learning how to raise queens, split hives, treat for mites, etc. Now y'all, I do love my husband, but when he starts talking about any of the above, honestly, my eyes glaze over. And his eyes do the same when I talk about character creation and building story worlds. He and I have a great relationship but our interests differ.

Writers need writer friends. It takes another writer to understand why I'd pour a year of my life into a several hundred pages of story that will be consumed by my readers in a short period of time.

How to Find a Writer Friend

So where do we find an understanding writer friend? Here's an easy way to do it:

1. Find a group of writers. 
I know Facebook is falling out of favor with the younger crowd, but it’s a great place to start and it's FREE. 

In the Facebook search box, type “Christian Writers,” “Christian writers group,” “Christian Fiction Writers,” or whatever interests you. Hit enter, then click "Groups" near the top of the page.
   
   If you want to find a local group, use a search engine like Google or Safari to search for a writer's group in the town near you.
2. Join and participate. That's it. The online method is a little easier for introverts because all communication's done from the comfort of your home. Extroverts may enjoy a local group meeting even if it does take a little extra time, effort, and courage.  

It's all about the Relationship

Writers are observers and recorders: listening in on conversations for dialogue ideas, staring up into the sky to remember the name of the perfect color of a sweater, or reliving a painful event in our minds so that we can put characters through the same trauma. We do all this to connect with our readers.


Work just as hard to make new writer friends. Remember the old adage, "To find a friend, be a friend." Comment in groups, on blogs, and go to physical meetings. Offer to read a chapter or two. And keep writing. You'll soon find a friend.

The Ultimate Friend

Have you ever seen a rose missing a few petals? It’s lopsided. Sad-looking. And it reminds me of a writer trying to do it all alone. 

No one can do that. Not even a spouse or close friend can complete us. But God promised to strengthen us, help us and hold us. Whether you find a writer friend or not, God is always there for us, helping us when we’re missing a few petals. He's our ultimate friend.

Click to Tweet

How to find a #Writer Friend by Angela Arndt @aearndt on #SeriouslyWrite https://bit.ly/2sdrTJS #writinglife 


"I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10b @aearndt on #SeriouslyWrite #writinglife https://bit.ly/2sdrTJS 

About the Author




Angela Arndt

Angela Arndt is Jesus-follower and God-lover. She loves to write women’s fiction with a thread of romance and tell stories of strong, independent women in difficult situations. Her biggest hope is that she will encourage others to overcome their own “back roads” to find their joy in the Lord.


She and her husband, Charles, live on a bee farm in the middle of a big wood with their three furbabies: Beau, Harley, and Buddy the Wonder Dog.


She'd love for you to join her on her website, blog, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

Assembling Your Cast by Angela Arndt

Who were you in high school? Were you the class clown? The popular gal or guy? Surely you weren’t the bully! 

Throughout my teaching career, whether tutoring a group of seven-year-olds or teaching ethics to an auditorium of corporate executives, I've always found certain roles within groups. In fact, some roles are so vital to the group dynamics that if one person leaves, someone else will take his or her place. 

In fact, one year I had a bully in my class who was so hurtful to others that the principal expelled her mid-term. You can imagine my surprise when her favorite target soon took her place as the aggressor in the classroom.

Using Roles to Create Flawed Characters

If we want to imitate life with our stories, we need to use these roles to create complex characters, not one-dimensional stereotypes. Casting misfits who become heroic even with their flaws are a great way to create and maintain interest in your story.

Character Roles

Character roles within most groups, especially those who are together for a long time, are usually set. The roles include:

• The Intellectual One: the smartest one in the group.
• The Popular One: the one everyone loves.
• The Athlete: the most athletic and competitive.
• The Loner: the shyest, with the least number of friends.
• The Clown: may not be the funniest, but still tries to make people laugh. The Clown usually has a secret or is hiding something.
• The Rebel: Resists authority, usually because someone in authority has abused his or her power.
• The Cheerleader: people-pleaser, feels an intense pressure to be the best at everything, make everyone happy.

But don't stop there. Combine these roles and add another characteristic that can be turned on its head by the end of the book. For example:

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. 

Mary Lennox, Socially Awkward Loner to Authoritative Cheerleader. Begins the story as a spoiled, unhappy little orphan until she finds someone who is worse: her sickly cousin. From the first stamp of her foot at his crying tantrum, she begins to change.

Colin Craven, Poor Little Rich Kid to Enthusiastic Outdoorsman. Mary’s cousin, Colin, is a depressed invalid, convinced he’ll grow a hump and/or die before he grows up. With Mary’s help, Colin changes to a child who can't wait to get outdoors and see life.

You can use roles to create supporting characters, too.
Dickon, Mischievous Guide. Dickon doesn’t change but remains the children’s encouraging guide throughout the story.

Mrs. Medlock and Ben Weatherstaff, Grumpy Caretakers. Both fill the same role, one inside, the other outside.

Archibald Craven, Depressed Loner. Colin’s father shares his son’s depression over the loss of his wife. Although he’s an absentee father, when he finally returns to find his son walking, he also changes to find hope for the future.

The Princess Bride (movie)

• Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts – Poor Loner to Swashbuckling Hero
• Buttercup – The Picky Princess to Loving Wife
• Inigo Montoya – Revenge-Seeker to Swashbuckler Hero
• Fezzik – Gentle Giant
• Vizzini – Arrogant Intellectual

Next time you want to create a satisfying cast of characters, consider the roles your characters play, then add a surprising characteristic to create dimension to your story.

Want to try it yourself? Choose a classic such as The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe or your own story and identify the roles used to create the main characters.

About the Author

Angela Arndt writes women’s fiction with a thread of romance, telling stories of strong, independent women in difficult situations set in small Southern towns. Her biggest hope is that she will encourage others to overcome their “back roads” and find their own joy in the Lord.

Angela has a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of South Carolina. She and her husband, Charles, live on a bee farm in the middle of a big wood with their furbabies: Beau, Harley and Buddy the Wonder Dog.

More Ways to Write Through Grief by Angela Arndt

Last week we discussed the 7 Ways to Writing Through Grief. Here’s a link to it, if you’d like to take a look at it. Today we’re going to look at the seven stages of writing through grief.

If you’ve lost a loved one, a job, a pet or even a material item, you’ve probably grieved. There are all kinds of medical literature arguing the number of stages of grief and how long each stage should last. Just remember: no matter who or what you've lost, they are precious to you.

Shock, Denial, and Bargaining. Last week I talked about losing my friend after an illness. She’d been sick for a while, but hadn’t let anyone know how serious it was. Actually, I'm not sure she knew herself. For two Sundays following her death, I sat up in the choir loft and cried. The entire service. I couldn’t help it, I didn’t get to say goodbye to her.

If you've gotten stuck because a loved one has died or a job or marriage has ended, then try writing a letter. Nothing can truly help except God and time, but this is a way to say goodbye and to acknowledge that your life has changed. It can be a formal letter, a simple a list of what made her/him special or anything that helps you process that hole in your life. In addition to being a writer, I'm also an artist. 

In the past, I've also drawn or painted portraits of the one who died, but you can do anything that helps you commemorate their life and the impact they had. This helps so much and may let you skip the next step.

Guilt, Anger, and Depression. In the case of my friend, I kept wishing that I’d insisted she go to the doctor. Then I got angry at her doctors, thinking they should’ve known what was wrong with her. When I cried those two Sundays, I'd gotten stuck on my loss. I kept asking, "why?"

We don't know God's will. We never can, but we can write these thoughts out, too. This can also be a letter, a list of adjectives describing your feelings, or better yet, add full descriptions of the guilt, anger and sadness you feel to your emotion journal. As I said last week, refer to this journal later on for true-to-life reactions and feelings as you write later.

If you're stuck in this stage, then examine your relationship with the deceased. How did you treat them? Was something left unfinished? What can help you resolve the issues you had? You can still talk to him or her, write a letter or even write and sing a song to them. Instead of asking "why did they die," ask "why am I stuck?"

Hope/Acceptance is the final stage. That’s where our mind and heart has finally reached a point of healing. As Christians, we have the hope that we’ll see our loved one again and the acceptance that we can go on without them.

Add these thoughts to your letter or as another entry in your emotion journal, not only for your books but to complete your healing.

Writers and other creatives sometimes experience emotions more intensely. By expressing out our feelings, it not only helps our brains process these feelings, but it also helps us create rich characters that can also help others heal later on.

Have you found anything that has helped you heal after a devastating loss?

Angela Arndt was a corporate trainer before health issues sidelined her. These days she’s active in her local church, ACFW and a regular contributor to MBT's Weekly Spark. In addition to being a team member of Seriously Write and she'd love you to join her on her personal website.

Angie is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. She’s currently working on a series of novels set in small Southern towns. She and her husband live in the middle of a big wood outside a small town in South Carolina.

7 Ways to Write Through Grief, Part 1 by Angela Arndt

She’d been a part of our worship for 14 years. She played like a concert pianist and somehow directed our tiny choir full of huge personalities. She put her whole being into her music and we never knew how sick she was.

She was my friend.

Although she valiantly survived the 11-hour surgery, she never regained consciousness. There’s a big gaping hole at church and another one in my heart.

I miss her. So much.

How can you possibly write when you’re mourning? Whether you’ve lost a friend, a job, a dog or Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, you can still journal your feelings. You never know who will be comforted by your progression through the stages of grief.

First, give yourself time to grieve privately. Even if you know the illness is terminal or the company is closing, you’ll still need time in your closet to process what has happened.

Take time to rest. Try to nap. Find someone who will “run interference” so that you can be quiet.

Jot down notes about how you feel. Try to remember the ache in your heart or the way your head actually does pound after crying all night. Keep an emotion journal, not only for your impossibly sad times but for happy ones, too.

Journal your feelings. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but you. For now, you’re processing what you feel.

Write down your prayers. You don’t have to share. It’s just to help you move through the stages of grief and to help you write

Write about what could have been. Writing down the happily-ever-after in that situation gives you a respite from your grief. It could also become your next book.

Immerse yourself in something else. Watch an inspiring movie. Read a book. Go somewhere that doesn’t remind you of loss.

Each person grieves differently. Even if your loss is a French bulldog, there's still a death in the family. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Next week we’ll talk more about writing through loss by journaling the seven stages of grief.

What has helped you remember your loss and function at the same time?

About the Author

Angela Arndt

Angela Arndt was a corporate trainer before health issues sidelined her. These days she’s active in her local church, ACFW and a regular contributor to MBT's Weekly Spark. In addition to being a team member of Seriously Write and she'd love you to join her on her personal website.

Angie is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. She’s currently working on a series of novels set in small Southern towns. She and her husband live in the middle of a big wood outside a small town in South Carolina.

Not Normal by Angela Arndt

Would you do this to research a book?
Then you're Not Normal.

I’m Not Normal. Neither are you. 

Don't believe me?

One year, Brandilyn Collins emceed a writers conference and joked about how all the "normals" walking around the hotel didn't understand us. She said that if you walk around talking to your characters and engage them in conversation, then you are not normal.

Are you Not Normal?

Here’s the test:

• Normals don’t keep a pen and paper by the bed to write down great scenes that comes to them just as they’re falling asleep or at 3 a.m.
• Normals don’t eavesdrop at restaurants to get dialects or phrases to use in projects.
• Normals had rather watch TV/shop/read/go to the game/breathe than write. 
• In fact, Normals hate to write.

If none of these apply, then you’re Not Normal. This is good news! Many great writers were Not Normal either.

• Charles Dickens’ bed always had to face north and he sometimes slept in the streets. He also combed his hair hundreds of times a day.
• Edgar Allen Poe had a habit of writing on scrolls, long strips of paper glued together with wax, rather than individual sheets of paper.
• Agatha Christie didn’t have an office or a desk. She wrote where the mood struck and didn’t necessarily write scenes in order either.
• Stephen King writes 2000 words a day, every day -- no adverbs allowed.
• James Joyce wrote in bed, on his stomach while Virginia Woolf wrote at a standing desk.

Here's one more test for you: if you hear bad news and wonder how you can work it into your novel. you're probably Not Normal. (Keep in mind, some of these could also be considered not normal to those of us who are Not Normal.)

So the next time your friend’s eyes glaze over when you’re telling her about your book remember that she’s a Normal. She’s not like us.

Angela Arndt
Not Normal

My thanks to my fellow Overcomer and craft partner, Stacey Zink, who reminds me weekly that I shouldn't expect normals to understand.

About the Author

Angie is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency and is currently working on a series of novels set in small Southern towns. In addition to being Not Normal, she's very blessed. She and her husband live in the middle of a big wood outside a small town in South Carolina. She would love for you to visit her website, at http://www.angelaarndt.com.

Writing In-Between by Angie Arndt

Image CC0, Public Doman

I know, I know! This is Monday. It’s not my day. Well, within the last week I have gotten some pretty cool advice from some of my friends. It’s so cool, I’m taking two days to share it with you!

It’s long been a part of my writing excuses to say, “I don’t have time to write.” Even now that I’m not working a full-time job, “life” just gets in the way. (I know you know what I mean.) Last week, my writing mentor and friend, Beth Vogt, challenged me to “write in-between.” By that she meant any in-between part of life that gets in the way of writing.

For example:

If you’re caring for an elderly parent or a young child who's sick, schedule their appointments on a certain day of the week, or if you are a morning writer, schedule them in the afternoon, then write in the waiting room.

If you’re a commuter, write while you’re driving. Use that uninterrupted time to develop your characters and bring along a micro-recorder or use the dictation app on your phone to record your thoughts or dictate scenes.

You can always gather up your interruptions as much as you can so you’ll have bigger chunks of time to write. Don’t think you have any free time? Write instead of:

• Shopping for yet another handbag. (Guilty!)
• Write while the football game is on (or replace the words “football game” with any sport or show that you consider dull-as-dishwater but your significant other can’t live without).
• Write during commercials.
• Watch your favorite show, but write during the next one.
• Write before your family gets up. This has become my favorite time to write. Everything is still and quiet.

I’m sure you have your favorite writing in-between moments. Take one of those and leave a comment for us here.

About the Author

Angela Arndt

Angie is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency and is currently working on a series of novels set in small Southern towns. She and her husband live in the middle of a big wood outside a small town in South Carolina. She would love for you to visit her website, at http://www.angelaarndt.com.

Three Ways to Handle A Ticking Clock

Angela E. Arndt

Since this is a week for being thankful, I thought I'd share one reason that I'm thankful this year. I'm talking about handling ticking clock moments.

Have you ever seen MacGyver? In one episode, there was a literal ticking clock counting down to the launch time of a missile aimed at MacGyver and a beautiful woman. As two unlikely heroes struggled to rescue two brilliant scientists, they also had to stem the flood of acid from reaching the water supply of Los Angeles. Of course they did it all with chocolate bars, cigarettes (he coughed as he lit them) and a cold capsule. It was a true MacGyver moment.

Life can have its own ticking clock moments. Last April, I took one of my dogs in to the veterinarian for a simple issue, never dreaming it would lead to heart surgery for me. But she took one look at me and told me to go to the doctor. I’d been having chest pain for about a year. Since chronic pain and I were old friends, I just thought it was another muscle issue. Two weeks later a team of three men repaired one of my coronary arteries with a wire, a balloon and a spring (stent). It was a scary time and I was so blessed to have a team of people all over the country praying for me.

How do you handle your stress-filled moments? How do you start when you have to meet a deadline for a contest, conference, appointment or some other writing “time bomb” that you can’t defuse? Here are some tips to help.

Do Your Research

Since I’d been having chest pain, I had a cardiologist in mind when I went to general practitioner, just in case. Gather all your materials before you start to write. Take advantage of Seriously Write. Just type your subject into the Search box in the sidebar widget, halfway down the page. You’ll find all kinds of posts to help you with your project.

Use a Professional

I’m glad a cardiologist operated on me, not a mechanic. When you’re ready to submit, have your work professionally edited, if possible. If you decide to self publish your book, have the cover designed by a professional designer. Your first book haunts you throughout your career: make it the best you can by using professionals to help.

Gather Your Support Team

When I found out that I had an 80% blockage in my heart, I called on my friends and family to pray for me. Covered in prayer, I was calm (and awake) throughout the procedure. You'll need to gather your own prayer and support team to help you after you click Send to spread the word after you're published. A successful novel is a team effort, it’s never a one-man show.

Those are my tips to de-stress a serious situation. I'd love to know: what’s your best tip to handle a ticking clock?

About the Author

Angela Arndt was a corporate trainer before health issues sidelined her. These days she’s active in her local church, ACFW and My Book Therapy. She’s a team member of Seriously Write, a regular contributor to My Book Therapy's Weekly Spark and she'd love to have you join her on her website, www.angelaarndt.com.

Angie is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. She’s currently working on a series of novels set in small Southern towns. She and her husband, a beekeeper, live in the middle of a big wood outside a small town in South Carolina.

Waiting by Laura V. Hilton

Laura V. Hilton

I’m talking about publishing in this, but you can apply it to anything.

Back in the day when I first dreamed of getting an agent and getting published, it seemed an insurmountable effort. I had to wait—wait for an agent to believe in me enough to sign me. Wait for a publisher to like my story—and then wait while they took it to committee to decide if it will be a good fit for their publishing company. So many times, my hopes rose—just to crash face first in the dirt.

Now, it isn’t such a big deal. A publisher doesn’t want your book? Self-publish. You have control of everything. Or maybe a publisher does want your book, but you love absolute control. Or maybe… the genre you write isn’t what publishers are buying. They loved your previous books, your fans are clamoring for more, but the publisher doesn’t want to take the risk.

For those of us who want our books traditionally published, it is difficult to wait on the Lord. To wait on the publisher. Yet so often we must do this for our stories. Sometimes we must be patient while we seek the Lord’s guidance about whether to continue seeking traditional publishing or to self-publish.

I’ve looked for some insights about patiently waiting on the Lord. Maybe they’ll encourage you…

“Patience means living out the belief that God orders everything for the spiritual good of His children.” – J. I. Packer

“Grin and bear it is old-fashioned advice, but sing and bear it is a great deal better.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

“Patience does not just grin and bear things, stoic-like, but accepts them cheerfully as therapeutic workouts planned by a heavenly trainer who is resolved to get you up to full fitness.” – J. I. Packer

“Are we prepared to take the awful patient ways of God? We must not be infected by the world’s valuation of either speed or success.” – John B. Phillips

“The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, But God isn’t.” – Phillips Brooks, Boston Pastor

“I’m extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.” – Margaret Thatcher

“Patience and passage of time do more than strength and fury.” – Jean De La Fontaine, Poet

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” – Leo Tolstroy, Novelist

“Our patience will achieve more than our force.” – Edmund Burke

“With time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.” – Chinese proverb

“Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” – Psalm 27:14

Are you waiting on something? Are you tired of waiting?

While you wait, apply meaningful waiting . . . spend time in prayer, talk with mentors about the situation, meditate on scripture, start a NEW project while you wait on answers to the current one . . .

About the Author

Award winning author, Laura Hilton, her husband, Steve, and three of their children make their home in Arkansas. She is a pastor’s wife, a stay-at-home mom and home-schools. Laura is also a breast cancer survivor. Laura also has two adult children.

Her publishing credits include three books in the Amish of Seymour series from Whitaker House: Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts (winner of the 2012 Clash of the Titles Award in two categories), and Promised to Another. The Amish of Webster County series, Healing Love (finalist for the 2013 Christian Retail Awards). Surrendered Love and Awakened Love followed by her first Christmas novel, A White Christmas in Webster County, as well as a three book Amish series with Whitaker House, The Amish of Jamesport series, The Snow Globe, The Postcard in April 2015, and The Bird House in September 2015. Other credits include Swept Away from Abingdon Press. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer.

Connect with Laura
http://www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q
visit her blogs: http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/ & http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @Laura_V_Hilton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Laura-V-Hilton/161478847242512
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vernetlh/

The Postcard
by Laura V. Hilton

The Postcard (from Promised to Another)
David Lapp survived a “code blue” when he was in a buggy/semi truck accident in Seymour, Missouri. Now after extensive therapy he has lingering mobility problems and is still struggling to find his place in the world. Lured away from Webster County by thoughts of closed buggies and a postcard friendship he’s developed with an Amish girl in Jamesport, he moves north, hoping for a fresh start. He finds work in the area tying flies and basket weaving, selling his products in the Amish markets in the Jamesport area.

Rachel Miller dreams of travel, but feels tied to her Amish life. She is being courted by Obadiah Graber, but wonders if there’s more to life. When she sees David’s name mentioned in The Budget, she strikes up a pen pal friendship with David while he’s in the hospital and in therapy, consoling him when he and his girlfriend part ways. She never dreams that David will come north and move into her community. David is still fearful in the buggy, especially in high traffic areas. Feeling he’s called by God to preach, David spends hours in the Bible, but the Amish discourage him, believing their ministers should be drawn by lot. Will David follow his call, even if it takes him out of the Amish church? Will Rachel realize her dream to travel?