IN A WORLD OF WHAT IFS? By Sharee Stover

A favorite book plotting tool I use is the “What If?” game. I ask myself the question throughout the course of a story’s development. Of course, in the beginning when I’m researching, I ask “what if?” in a general sense, for instance when I’m pondering a possible plot.

When I’m in a scene and want to up the ante, I ask, “What if?”

And when I’m doing edits I ask, “What if?”

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The whole point of asking, “what if?” is to make our characters’ lives a little more miserable. I know that sounds incredibly cruel but, the bigger their challenges, the bigger their victories. Or failures. It’s okay to have both.

The risks and adventures in their journey give our characters life. The way they handle situations brings out their inner fears, beauty, and values.

And in the end, our characters grow and mature. At least we hope so, because an unchanged character is boring.

I can’t help but wonder if God allows the “what if?” periods of our lives for similar reasons. When we have life all figured out, we’re busy being busy. In those times when I feel most in control, I’m checking off things in my dayplanner, scheduling appointments, meetings, and events. I’m crossing off items on my To Do list and feeling like I have got this thing handled. And it’s those moments where I fall into the false sense of security that I’m in control of my life.

But throw in a “what if?”, mix it up, take away my planner, add in a pandemic … and “what if?” becomes an in-my-face reality.

In those uncertain times, the “what ifs” free us to ask questions, explore new ideas, and admit we don’t have a clue how to handle a situation. It’s where we throw up our hands in full surrender and admit we aren’t in control.

Like that’s news to God.

But friend, sometimes, it’s news to us because those “what if?” moments ground us in reality, setting us back where we should be. On our knees admitting to God that we are not in control and honestly, it’s all a little unnerving.

And it’s there in the quiet, in the place where I’ve cast my care that I find He is fully in control.

What if God loves me enough to take care of today?

What if God loves me enough to take care of tomorrow?

Does that mean I’ll live sheltered in a bubble fully protected from every bad thing? Of course not. In fact, this year has been one of the toughest I’ve faced and it’s not even summertime.

But it does mean I am not alone. And neither are you. No matter what is on the other side of “what if?”, God’s in control. And because I belong to Him, because you belong to Him, He’s got us. And if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

Someone’s after a deadly weapon…

and only she can stop them.

It’s undercover ATF agent Randee Jareau’s job to make sure the government’s 3-D printed “ghost gun” doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. So when someone goes after scientist Ace Steele, she must protect him…before she loses the undetectable weapon and its creator. But with a mole inside Ace’s company and everyone a suspect, this assignment could become Randee’s last.

Colorado native Sharee Stover lives in Nebraska with her real-life-hero husband, three too-good-to-be-true children, and a ridiculously spoiled dog. A self-proclaimed word nerd, she loves the power of the written word to ignite, transform, and restore. She writes Christian romantic suspense combining heart-racing, nail-biting suspense and the delight of falling in love all in one. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Sisters in Crime, and Nebraska Writer’s Guild. Sharee is a triple Daphne du Maurier finalist, winner of the 2017 Wisconsin Fabulous Five Silver Quill Award, and her debut, Secret Past, won Best First Book in the 2019 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards. When she isn’t writing, Sharee enjoys reading, crocheting and long walks with her obnoxiously lovable German Shepherd. Visit her at www.shareestover.com.

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The Song of the Stream By Phyllis Keels

Today's post originally appeared on Phyllis Keels' blog. I enjoyed it and wanted to share it with the readers of the Seriously Write blog. (By the way, the photo of the stream was taken by my pastor's wife. Kim Lance is an awesome photographer. Check her out! -- Sandy

“If it weren’t for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no song.” Carl Perkins

Phyllis: I grew up playing in places like this. Both my mom and dad were raised in the mountains of North Carolina and we visited there a lot. I was raised in the Piedmont. Throughout my childhood, rocky streams were plentiful.

Even now, when I look at a photo like the one below, tears come to my eyes because my memories of these streams are so sweet. Solitude, the sounds of the water, the birds, the wind in the trees… Oh, what lovely times of daydreaming!

When I had a friend with me, we practiced our “catch and release” program for crawdads. Yep, crawdads.

We’d never heard of crayfish!

We trekked across giant fallen logs over the stream – the stream that transformed into a cavernous ravine as we tried not to fall off.

Photo by Kim Lance, used by permission

We marveled at the tiny “handprints” in the mud – handprints we were convinced were made by the Little People (the Leprechauns, certainly not raccoons).

We dreamed up great adventures, true love, and the ability to fly like Peter Pan. Fairies and elves, unicorns and tree houses. You name it. We could imagine it.

Looking back, I can see where my love of writing began. It began with the song of the stream. Even today, the sound of that water flowing over the rocks calls to me.

And yes, the quote above is true: without the rocks the stream would have no song. Without the obstacles, our lives would have no depth, no beauty.

It is only through the broken heart that our gifts are made perfect. Paul said it best, I can have all these abilities, resources, talents, but if I do not have love, I am nothing.

Paul had learned that to allow the love of God to flow through you is the greatest gift you can have and give. And it’s done by allowing it to happen. It’s done by changing our focus from the hurt to the source of all love: our Heavenly Father.

If you’ve had a hard life, if you’ve had adversity, and heartbreak, then my friend you are most blessed. You are in a position to possess the most beautiful song. A song that will comfort someone else as you comfort your own heart.

Let your heart sing the song of the highly favored, and deeply loved: the brokenhearted. After all, we can sing because He is always near to the brokenhearted.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear (worship) the Lord and put their trust in him. (Psalm 40:3, NIV)

(For more photos by Kim Lance, please visit her Facebook page called “Aperture of the Soul”.)

~~~~~

Author Phyllis Keels (a two-time award winner for her Christian fiction) is a woman who is always wondering why she has too many irons in the fire.

In addition to being a writer, Phyllis is a speaker, the illustrator of an Amazon Bestseller written by Kimberly Rae, a Bible study teacher, and a woman after God’s own heart. Through her books, classes, and blog, she brings the tender words of our Heavenly Father to those who are crushed in spirit.

Phyllis shares honestly about her own experiences with loss, specifically the loss of her adult daughter Julie in 2011, and how compassionately the Lord has comforted her. She gives the call to women who long for a deeper level of honesty in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as they learn to cling to Him in life’s valleys.

Her passion is that others may also know that the Lord is faithful, and that Jesus is intimately aware of our suffering. She helps others allow the Holy Spirit to carry them by the peace that comes from receiving Jesus’ love for us.

A full-time author, speaker, and business owner of The Gifted Writer, LLC, Phyllis lives in Salisbury, North Carolina with her faithful yellow Lab named Emma.


You can read more about Phyllis, find out about her books, and follow her at:

· Website: www.PhyllisKeels.com

· Twitter: @PhyllisKeels

· Facebook Author Page: www.Facebook.com/AuthorPhyllisKeels

· Goodreads: Phyllis Keels

· Pinterest: www.Pinterest.com/PhyllisKeels

· Blog: www.TheGiftedWriterLLC.com