Career or Ministry? by Hope Toler Dougherty

I recently reconnected with a college friend decades after we lost touch. We had such a sweet time of remembering and catching up, and then she said, “Now tell me about your writing career.”

That word career grabbed my attention.

When I think of career, I think of my twenty-something self poised with a Master’s degree in one hand and lots of enthusiasm for teaching college students in the other. Since then, I’ve celebrated several milestone birthdays. You know the ones I mean, right? They end in five or zero. I’m closer to retirement now than I am to that earlier version of myself.

I suppose I do have a career in writing, though. I have business cards and ink pens with my name on them. I have a website, a Facebook author’s page, and a Twitter account, which I’m still trying to figure out.

But, honestly, my writing seems more like a ministry to me. I began seriously pursuing my writing journey as my children began graduating from high school. Teaching no longer appealed to me, so I looked to writing to keep busy and sane while my day job as a mother-of-children-at-home diminished.

This journey has kept my mind on interesting characters, has introduced me to new language—platform, tweets, one sheets, pitching—has taught me about myself and about God, and has kept me from wallowing in my tomb-like empty nest.

The ministry isn’t only for me, however. The main character in Irish Encounter is a widow who learns to embrace the second part of her life after her husband dies. I’ve heard from several readers who either because of divorce or the death of a spouse have faced a life different from the one they’d planned. The story speaks to them about hope and anticipation and new ideas. They’ve talked to me about considering new plans because of Ellen’s journey in Irish Encounter.

Fiction is pretty cool if it helps people see that God always has possibilities for us. Jeremiah 29:11 promises that He has plans for us, plans to prosper not to harm us.

Possibilities.

What about you? Is God offering you possibilities you didn’t see coming? Is He preparing you for a second, or third, or fourth act? Are you willing to take a step out onto a new path?

I’m so glad I took His hand when He invited me on my writing path. On what new journey is He inviting you?

~~~~~~

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include three novels, Rescued Hearts, Irish Encounter, and Mars…With Venus Rising, as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons. Visit her at hopetolerdougherty.com.

Writing Journey Lesson by Hope Toler Dougherty

Hope Toler Dougherty

In 2012, envy whispered into a deep, private section of my heart. Not the full-on, cat-fighting, not-you-but-me kind of jealousy. Mine was the more subdued I’m-happy-for you-I-just-want-it-too variety.

The third person in my four-person critique group signed with an agent, leaving me sitting on the sidelines. Thoughts of “Why them and not me?” and “What’s wrong with my writing?” plagued me, but I prayed through those feelings, persevering with rewriting, and reading craft books, and attending conferences.

In the spring of 2013, my twin boys were high school seniors, waiting to see what their future held.

One son already had his world rocked when West Point declined his application citing a childhood asthma diagnosis. Almost ten years of dreaming about attending a service academy were dashed in one letter.

Meanwhile, his twin still hoped to join the Long Gray Line. In early May, our congressperson called, offering him a place in the Class of 2017.

Great news, right?

Sort of.

Crazy awkwardness filled our house that night. We wanted to celebrate with Quinn who was about to step onto the path of his dreams, but we had to temper our excitement and consider the feelings of Lane who had to consider Plan B.

My sons love each other and are each other’s best friend. Lane was happy for Quinn, but he wanted the West Point experience, too.

Tough night, indeed.

Before bedtime, I went to his room and said, “Lane, I know how you feel.”

He didn’t respond verbally, but his look conveyed his thoughts. “You seriously think you know how I feel?”

I explained about being the last one to become agented, about feeling left out, not good enough. I explained I didn’t want my friends not to have agents, but I wanted one also. I knew he didn’t want to take away Quinn’s opportunity, but he wanted to go, too.

Realization that I did understand dawned on his face, and in that moment, I understood my writing journey.

God gifted me with disappointment and used it to help my son.

My writing journey was God’s journey, based on His timing. I was grateful to share my feelings with Lane, to minister to him when he needed it, to see the reason I didn’t have an agent yet.

If I never published a word, my writing journey would have been worth it because through it I helped my son through a difficult time.

That lesson took away the when-is-it-going-to-be-my-turn angst.

I attended ACFW in 2013 without the usual panic, anxiety, or dread. I anticipated more lessons instead of stressing about pitching.

And then it happened.

I signed with an agent and then signed two book contracts in 2014.

Seeing my name in print is wonderful, but one of the true treasures of this journey will always be God’s timing for acquiring my agent.

What lesson has God taught you or what unusual gift has God given you through your writing journey?

About the Author

Irish Encounter
by Hope Toler Dougherty

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master's degree in English and taught at East Carolina University as well as York Technical College. A member of ACFW, RWA and SinC, she writes for Almost an Author. Before writing novels, she published non-fiction articles on topics ranging from gardening with children to writing apprehension. She cheers for the Pittsburgh Steelers, ACC basketball, and Army West Point Football. Hope and her husband, Kevin, live in North Carolina and chat with their two daughters and twin sons through ooVoo. Her second novel, Mars...With Venus Rising, releases with Pelican Book Group August 28th.


Visit Hope's website:
http://hopetolerdougherty.com/

Connect with Hope:
Facebook www.facebook.com/hope.t.dougherty
Twitter Hope Toler Dougherty (@HopeTDougherty) | Twitter
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/hopetdougherty/
Goodreads www.goodreads.com/author/show/13941031.Hope_Dougherty

IRISH ENCOUNTER
After almost three years of living under a fog of grief, Ellen Shepherd is ready for the next chapter in her ife, perhaps an adventure during a visit to Galway. Her idea of excitement consists of exploring Ireland for yarn to feature in her shop back home, but the adventure awaiting her includes an edgy stranger who disrupts her tea time, challenges her belief system, and stirs up feelings she thought she'd buried with her husband.