What's Your Vision by Sally Shupe

Encouragement comes in many forms. A smile from a stranger. An encouraging word at just the right time. A phone call from a friend you haven’t heard from in a while. An unexpected letter in the mail. During this time of distancing, aloneness, hiding behind a mask, encouragement may be hard to find. You can’t see smiles behind masks. It’s hard to talk behind a mask, so you may keep your conversations short. But, now more than ever, we need to encourage and lift up each other.

One thing I’ve learned about remote working/flexible schedules/etc. is there’s no way to know what someone is going through or facing. If your conversations are over text or email, it’s hard to read tone and what’s not being said. Is your coworker having a hard time being stuck at home? Is your friend busy working and homeschooling?

How are they dealing with that? Now is the time to reach out and be an encouragement to others!

It’s been said writing is a lonely profession. Just you, your computer or pad and paper, and the words. Who says it has to be that way? Let’s band together and be an encourager. Let’s lift each other up. At work, it’s nice to hear someone from high up thank you for your work and dedication. It’s exhilarating to hear from a reader who really connected with your words. Let’s be intentional with our words of praise.

What’s your vision? Starting a book? Deep cleaning a room? Sticking with an exercise program? Share in the comments and let’s encourage each other! We are not alone. If you’re going through something, someone else is coming out of it. Who will you encourage?

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

It’s been said writing is a lonely profession. Just you, your computer or pad and paper, and the words. Who says it has to be that way?

Now is the time to reach out and be an encouragement to others!

Sally Shupe lives in southwest Virginia with her husband, has two grown kids-a daughter still at home and a son not-so nearby, and a whole bunch of pets: four dogs, three cats, a rabbit, and birds at the birdfeeder (and the mandatory snowman when the snow cooperates). She is an aspiring Christian author of small town contemporary inspirational romance, with two completed manuscripts and several more in progress.

When Sally’s not writing or working full-time, she is a freelance editor for several authors who write fiction and nonfiction; students working on dissertation papers; a copy editor/content editor for several e-book publishing companies; performs beta reading for various authors; publishes book reviews; is a member of ACFW; and loves genealogy, running, and crocheting.

Sally publishes weekly blog posts that can be found through her website: https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/, and she posts on the first Thursday of the month at https://seriouslywrite.blogspot.com

Time Management by Terri Weldon

Lately it seems like I can’t get anything done in a timely manner. I’m either the most disorganized person on earth or I have too much to do. I was leaning toward winning the most disorganized award when a new thought popped into my mind. Perhaps it was a combination of the two. A new hybrid. J

My organizational skills are lacking and I’ve started working on those. I have goals, I have actual deadlines, and I have commitments such as this blog. I make it a priority to work on those items. But then sometimes I look at all the things I’m involved in, both writing and non-writing, and wonder how I ever thought I could accomplish everything and work a demanding full-time day job.

So I’m being more deliberate on what I’ll commit to. About this time my sister, who happens to be my greatest encourager, is probably rolling on the floor laughing. Maybe a more accurate statement would be I’m attempting to be more deliberate on what I commit to.

As tempting as it is I can’t say yes to every writing project that comes along. I have to pick which projects mean the most to me, which ones will advance my career, and most importantly which ones God wants me to focus on.

I find it hard to say no. I love to do things with friends and family. I love to shop and garden. I love to read and watch movies. I love to spend time with my puppies. I love to travel and go to the theater. I love to write and have lunches with writing friends. The list is endless, but I’ll tell you what I’ve learned – I can’t do it all. I have to pick what is most important to me and then as hard as it can be, walk away from the rest.

My journey is just beginning and I know it may be a painful one, but I’m forging ahead one day at a time. What about you? What keeps you focused? How do you say no or know when to say no? I’d love to hear from you.
 

The Christmas Bride Wore Boots - Berryhill Brides Book One

Pastor Jacob Thompson is in need of a director for the living nativity program and veterinarian Molly Kincaid offers to take on the job. The task involves far more than Molly bargained for, nonetheless she’d do anything to help out the man she secretly loves – even sew costumes or cast eight-year-old Wesley Simpson as an angel.

Jacob’s daughter Emma longs to have a mommy of her own, but the widowed pastor has vowed to never remarry, and isn’t ready to open his heart to love again. Molly dreams of filling the void in both their lives, but fears she lacks the necessary qualities to be a pastor’s wife.

As Molly and Jacob work together on the living nativity, their feelings for one another grow. Will Molly realize she is just what Jacob and Emma need in their lives? Can Jacob be released from his grief stricken promise? Could this unlikely duo prove to be a match made in heaven?

Terri Weldon is a lead analyst by day and an author by night. She enjoys gardening, reading, and shopping for shoes. One of her favorite pastimes is volunteering as the librarian at her church. It allows her to shop for books and spend someone else’s money! Plus, she has the great joy of introducing people to Christian fiction. She lives with her family in Oklahoma. Terri has two adorable Westies – Crosby and Nolly Grace. She is a member of ACFW and OCFW, a local chapter of ACFW. Terri is the award winning author of The Christmas Bride Wore Boots.

Readers can connect with Terri: Website: www.TerriWeldon.com or

Blog: Seriously Write

God’s Still Working in Your Writing by Susan Tuttle

It’s Christmas time, which means the Christmas story is playing on televisions, homes, and churches all around the nation. I love the Christmas story, and each year I read it like I’m hearing it for the first time all over again. In the past Mary is the character to captivate me, but as I sat in church this past Sunday it was Elizabeth who caused me to stop.

See, Elizabeth had been waiting a long time for God to show up with her dream in His hand. In fact, in practically every way it looked as if her dream to become a mom had died. She was barren, empty, and by all accounts she and Zechariah were past their primes. The idea of her becoming pregnant ranked right up there with her ability to fly—it wouldn’t, couldn’t, happen.

Yet God.

Aren’t those two beautiful words?

Yet God had a different plan. Sometimes for His plan to gleam brightest everything around us must die. See, God will allow His glory to shine through us, but he will never—never—share it, and if the only way that can happen is to let our dream become a virtual impossibility, he will do just that. Not to discourage us. Not to make us lose faith. And not to harm us. Only so that everything points to Him when our dream becomes solid reality.

Isn’t this like our writing world? Maybe it’s the idea of finding time to finish your story. Perhaps you’re too dry to come up with new words. Possibly you’re waiting for a “yes” from a publishing industry that seems stuck on “no”. Whatever it is, could it be that God is allowing the parts of your dream to die that may point to you rather than Him when that dream finally materializes?

Dear friend, whatever you do, don’t lose grip on your faith. If God has made a promise to you about this writing ministry, cling to it. He is ever faithful—you only need to look at the many facets of the Christmas story to see that faithfulness repeated over and over again.

Merry Christmas friends!

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Susan Tuttle

Susan Tuttle is a homeschooling mom of three who is crazy about coffee, dark chocolate, and words—both reading and writing them. Combine that love of words with her passion for leading women to a life-changing encounter with Christ, and you’ll find her crafting Inspirational Contemporary Romance stories laced with humor, love, and healing transformations. When not cheering on her Ironman hubby, chasing the family dog, or tackling complex math problems to teach her kids (yes, even the third grader), you can catch Susan at her blog, Steps.

Waiting by Dawn Crandall

Hi, Terri here. I’m thrilled to welcome my friend, Dawn Crandall, to Seriously Write today. Dawn is a 2015 Carol Finalist for her debut novel The Hesitant Heiress. If you haven’t read Dawn’s books I encourage you to give one a try. They are fantastic.

Dawn Crandall

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People who don’t know me might not realize that I signed my three book contract with Whitaker House) when I was (finally) six months pregnant with my first child. What they also wouldn’t know is that I’d waited twice as long to have a baby than to get published, and that they both, unfortunately, happened to come about at the same time.

Yes, unfortunately.

Or at least, that’s what I thought most of the last year as I was busier than I’d ever been in my life, launching my three eBook series from Whitaker House—all within my son’s first year of life. But now, as the first year of my author career comes to a close and the three books of my Everstone Chronicles series release as paperbacks this Fall, I’ve come to realize that maybe I should have been more trusting with my God-scheduled life.

One proposal. One chance. That’s all I had because I’d written my three book series out completely.

Even as I did so, I knew it seemed unlikely that my one proposal would make it through the “barrier” every yet-to-be-published author wants to break through. Especially when publishing house after publishing house—some which were quite interested in my manuscript—either closed their fiction line or merged with another publishing company. I waited two long years from the day I signed the contract with my agent until she informed me of the book contract offer. I had come to the point of wanting nothing more than to see my name in print, to the point that I’d completely given up on having children because I thought I knew what God wanted to do with me. It certainly wasn’t that He wanted me to be a mom. So what else was there? But then it kept not happening. Month after month. Year after year. And yeah, there were times I wanted to give up and never write another word.

Are you in this place of waiting? Are you waiting for the call from an agent—for representation or news of a book contract from a dream publisher? Hoping that the next stage in your writing career will be IT?

Well, let me urge you to enjoy whatever time you have at each stage… because there is no IT this side of heaven. No matter where you are in your writing journey, there will always be something more your heart yearns for. And yeah, you might feel down and discouraged because you don’t have some higher-up’s stamp of approval for everyone to see, and you might even feel that God must not be paying attention or doesn’t want to see your manuscripts published, but that doesn’t change the fact that He’s doing exactly what He sees as best for your life right now.

I can see this now that it’s all been laid out behind me in His will for my life. Can you see the ways He’s worked in the waiting periods of your own life?

Trust Him. Continue to trust Him. Are you writing for Him or for fame, recognition and attention? I know it’s a struggle, but when it’s all said and done, whatever we do, it should be for the Lord. No matter what stage of the journey we’re waiting in.

This was originally posted August 27, 2015 on the www.acfw.com blog.

Amazon

Dawn Crandall is the author of the award winning series, The Everstone Chronicles: The Hesitant Heiress, The Bound Heart and The Captive Imposter which will all three release in paperback from Whitaker House this fall. She is a graduate of Taylor University with a degree in Christian Education, and is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers, secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter (Hoosier Ink), and associate member of the Great Lakes ACFW Chapter. can be found online at www.dawncrandall.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/dawncrandallwritesfirst.

Should Our Hands Be On or Off Our Obstacles, or Both? by Zoe M. McCarthy

Zoe M. McCarthy

My debut novel, Calculated Risk, had just released. I eagerly began performing my post-release activities.

I received an email from a family member. Her friend and she had visited a popular online bookstore to purchase Calculated Risk, but the bookstore claimed my print book was temporarily out of stock. Then an email from a friend arrived with the same complaint. These women preferred to wait to order Calculated Risk until that bookstore restocked rather than go to another online bookstore. But would they? Or would they give up checking the bookstore website, get busy, or find another book? Would others react the same way? A bowling ball dropped in my stomach.

What was worse was this bookstore had failed to upload my book cover photo. Also, my website steered people to this bookstore.

Hands On

After three days, the out-of-stock message remained. I sent an email to my publisher. The marketing rep said they’d taken care of everything from their end. I reported the problem to the online bookstore. The rep said they were out of stock due to an increase in demand of my title. A purchase order had been submitted to my publisher. She uploaded my book cover. Both businesses were doing their job.

Two weeks went by, then four, then six. Finally, eight weeks later the out-of-stock message disappeared from the online bookstore’s site…after Christmas sales opportunities had passed.

Another discouragement arose. For some reason, the announcement emails I sent to various groups in my Contacts were delivered to very few people. I didn’t know who received the email and who didn’t. Rather than make a pest of myself, I didn’t resend individual emails. I reached some in other ways. I slipped a bookmark in our Christmas card. I announced the release on social media networks.

Hands Off

When I couldn’t find on my website where to change my buy button to link to another online bookstore, I felt the book release was under the enemy’s attack. I sensed God had a different plan called: Wait. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7)

So, what am I doing during such disappointments?

1. I hold on to these truths:

• God knows these obstacles. John 16:30 and John 21:17
• God can do all things. (Matthew 19:26)
• Nothing is too hard for God. (Genesis 18:14)
• God is on my side. (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:31)
• God doesn’t mock me. (1 Corinthians 15:58; Zephaniah 2:10)
• God works for my good. (Romans 8:28)
• God has the problem covered. I did my part.

2. I do these activities:

• Wait.
• Trust God. When the enemy suggests: “You’re losing sales.” or “God doesn’t care about Calculated Risk”, I say: “I will not receive that!” The thoughts leave me.
• Turn Calculated Risk over to God. I’ve had to repeat this after turning away the enemy’s suggestions.
• Thank God for each improvement.
• Focus on book promotion and writing activities.
• Look for the lessons God is working from this experience.

I won’t know my sales until I receive my publisher’s report. But the numbers shouldn’t matter. After all, I’ve turned Calculated Risk over to God, and He and I are working on a new book.

How have you, or could you, handle such discouragements?

About the Author

Zoe M. McCarthy believes the little known fact that opposites distract. Thus, she spins Christian contemporary romances entangling extreme opposites. Her tagline is: Distraction to Attraction, Magnetic Romances Between Opposites. Now retired actuaries, Zoe and her husband evaluated the financial risks for insurance companies. Nick, in Zoe’s debut novel, Calculated Risk, is an actuary. Christian Fiction Online Magazine published two of her short stories. Zoe self-published two books of contemporary Christian short stories. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She enjoys leading workshops at JoyWriters on the craft of writing; speaking about her faith; planning fun events for her 5 grandchildren; and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she lives with her husband, John.
Learn more about Zoe M. McCarthy at her website: http://zoemmccarthy.com

Calculated Risk

Calculated Riskby Zoe M. McCarthy

What happens when an analytical numbers man meets a mercurial marketing Rep? Romance is a calculated risk…

Jilted by the latest of her father’s choices of “real men,” Cisney Baldwin rashly accepts an invitation to spend Thanksgiving weekend with a sympathetic colleague and his family. Nick LeCrone is a man too much her opposite to interest her and too mild-mannered to make her overbearing father’s “list.” Now, Cisney fears Nick wants to take advantage of her vulnerable state over the holiday. Boy, is she wrong.

Nick wants little to do with Cisney. She drives him crazy with all her sticky notes and quirks. He extended an invitation because he felt sorry for her. Now he’s stuck, and to make matters worse, his family thinks she’s his perfect match. He’ll do what he can to keep his distance, but there’s just one problem—he’s starting to believe Cisney’s magnetism is stronger than he can resist.

Purchase links for Calculated Risk: http://zoemmccarthy.com/books

Why Would God Shelve Me? Our Difficulties Make Us Better Writers, Part 2 by Kimberly Rae

Kimberly Rae

Angie's Aspirations is all about persevering in spite of adversity. Last week we learned about life detoured Kimberly Rae's life. Today we'll hear how those detours led her straight into God's plan.  ~ Angie

And I wrote about learning that worth does not come from what we do for the Lord, but from who we are in the Lord, and His value of us is based on the extent of His love, not the extent of our abilities or achievements.

All of this I know. And I know about Asia, about the street kids in my book, about the missionaries who have their own faults and inconsistencies, about the color and life and noise and all the things that make up a foreign culture.

I'm certain that my years in missions were not for the sole purpose of being able to write a good book, but I see that being able to write from memory, from real experiences and thoughts and feelings, creates a much more powerful essence than I could have created from research.

So all that to say, those nebulous "they" people were right. Writing about what you know is more powerful. God is going to use what I know as the way for me to remain involved in missions. Despite not being able to go out there myself anymore, I get to verbally take readers there, introduce them to missions, to another culture, and to the needs of the world they live in. Then I get to ask them to get involved in helping rescue women and children around the world.

Who knows? Maybe some young woman will read my book, and God will use it to call her to overseas work. Maybe my book will result in women being rescued that I myself could never have reached. It's just a glimpse, but that would be a good answer to the question of why God sent me there, then brought me back. I know it's not the whole answer, but it is enough of an answer to remind me to trust Him with the rest of the question.

And He alone knows what He plans for the future, so I might as well stop trying to figure it all out and just let Him be in charge. He does so much of a better job at it than I do, anyway.

So I shall continue to write what I know, and let God use it however He will.

What about you? Have you ever been able to use your hardships to minister to others? 

About the Author

Kimberly Rae has lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia. Her novels on international human trafficking (Stolen Woman, Stolen Child, Stolen Future) are all Amazon bestsellers! Rae has been published over 250 times and has work in 6 languages. Find out more at www.kimberlyrae.com or read Kimberly's real-life adventures on her blog,www.kimberlyraeauthor.blogspot.com!

Stolen Woman, Stolen Child and Stolen Future
by Kimberly Rae

Read excerpts of Rae's Stolen books at www.stolenwoman.org.

Why Would God Shelve Me? Our Difficulties Make Us Better Writers, Part 1 by Kimberly Rae

Kimberly Rae

Angie's Aspirations is all about persevering in spite of adversity. We all have problems, reasons to keep us from writing. Most of the time we consider them to be nuisances, but did you ever think of them as gifts? For the next two Tuesdays, Kimberly Rae tells us why God sometimes puts us back on the shelf. ~ Angie

Sometimes I have wondered why God sent me overseas for so many years, then brought me back. I spent so much time studying and adapting to different cultures, I learned a new language, I was ready to give my life to overseas missions.

Then my health problems brought my whole family back to America. As far as we can tell, back to stay. 

I would be lying to say I haven't wondered why. So many people are not willing to go. We were willing, so why keep us here?

God does work in mysterious ways, and some questions will never get answers until heaven (and by then likely they won't matter anymore anyway!). Then again, sometimes God lets us see glimpses of the answers here in this life.

I think my glimpse has come in the form of a book--my book on human trafficking titled Stolen Woman. The setting is Kolkata, a place I've visited twice, next to Bangladesh, where I lived for 2 years. Writing it was like going back for a visit. And the main character's experiences--being young, idealistic and desperately wanting to do something of significance--all of that was written more from memory than imagination.

They (whoever they are) say you should write about what you know. I did. I wrote about a girl who appears competent and confident but is really insecure, and wants to make a difference to show herself and God that she is worthwhile. I wrote about arriving into a world that has too much evil, too many orphans, too many trapped women, and the painful realization that she cannot save the world, no matter how much she cares.

For more about what Kimberly wrote, check back with us next Tuesday. How about you? Has life ever thrown you a curve ball?

About the Author

Kimberly Rae has lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia. Her novels on international human trafficking (Stolen Woman, Stolen Child, Stolen Future) are all Amazon bestsellers! Rae has been published over 250 times and has work in 6 languages. Find out more at www.kimberlyrae.com or read Kimberly's real-life adventures on her blog,www.kimberlyraeauthor.blogspot.com!

Stolen Woman, Stolen Child and Stolen Future
by Kimberly Rae

Read excerpts of Rae's Stolen books at www.stolenwoman.org.

God's Way

Thursdays - Dawn's Devotions for Writers

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

Sometimes it’s hard to let go of the reins, isn’t it?

We have dreams—goals—desires. We want to control the outcome of our labor. We want to choose who, what, when, and how.

We pray and ask God to bless “our” plans . . .

But Isaiah reminds us that God doesn’t work the way we work – and He doesn’t think the way we think. His work surpasses ours, and His thoughts are beyond the way we think.

He cares about you. He cares about your hopes and dreams, whether it be for a particular agent to show interest, a contract with a certain publishing house, or for your writing to make an impact.

But rather than pray for God to bless your plans, ask Him to show you His. They’re already blessed. He has a personal plan and a specific destination for you.

And it may be far greater than what you can imagine.

Dawn

A Plan!

Thursdays - Devotions for Writers

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord.
"Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11 NIV)

I’m a planner. I like to have things figured out ahead of time. If I’m going to host a holiday celebration, I plan the meal and decorations weeks in advance.

I’m the same way when it comes to writing. Some people are SOTP (seat of the pants) writers. Not me. I’m a plotter. I need to know how the story is going to end and how I’m going to get there.

For people who like to have the future planned out, the unknown can be a little daunting. Maybe that’s one of the reasons Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses.

It’s also a favorite because after living through difficult times—like so many people have—I’ve learned to lean on the fact that God is still in control. God still has a plan for my life. Knowing that has always brought me hope.

God has a plan for our writing careers, too.

At times it can feel like He’s forgotten that we’re relying on Him to help us in our calling by providing necessary opportunities. Especially when other people seem to be blessed in their writing careers. But even when we feel—despite our prayers and hard work—no headway is being made, He hasn’t forgotten.

God has a plan.

Sometimes that plan can take what feels like a detour. But, there may be good reasons. Maybe the road up ahead is full of pot holes – or possibly even a sink hole. Maybe the detour will lead you to opportunities that will strengthen what you have to offer and better prepare you to hop back on the road towards your destination.

I was recently handed an opportunity to lead a small team in reviving a newsletter for a department of 80 people in the corporation where I'm employed. The door swung wide open for me to take this on, even though it’s not the type of responsibility I normally hold in the department.

Part of me is excited. Part of me is a little scared. The people I need to please are business oriented. They’re people who are comfortable with concrete, black and white data. I’m a creative writer. I want to show them that information can still be relayed in an interesting and fun format.

God has a plan.

He doesn’t want us to shrink back from opportunities He presents. Opportunities that may bring us closer to where He wants us to be.

I’m facing this challenge with the newsletter believing that God is going to use the experience for my good.

Be willing to walking through unexpected open doors.

God has a plan for your writing career.

Trust that.

Dawn