Are You an Orphan like Johnny on the Hot Seat? by Zoe M. McCarthy

Zoe M. McCarthy

I’ve listened to CDs from Allen Arnold’s four-day class, God's Disruptive Invitation into Creative Intimacy. Writing the following story helped me understand concepts from Allen’s first session.

Johnny on the Hot Seat

Elder: Hello, Johnny. What brings you here?

Johnny: Nothing’s going right in my writing.

Elder: Sit and tell me about it.

Johnny: I prayed God would help me, but the middle of my story sags. I’m way behind in word count. I’ve had no time to connect on my social media networks. And now my editor wants me to rewrite the first chapter.

Elder: Wow. Overwhelming.

Johnny: If God called me to write for Him, why is all this happening?

Elder: Did God call you to write for Him or to be in relationship with Him?

Johnny: I thought, both. But I guess God is more interested in a relationship with me.

Elder: True. But the Creator has given you a gift and desire to create.

Johnny: But when nothing goes right, I wonder why.

Elder: Do you think you’re an orphan?

Johnny: Orphan? What do you mean?

Elder: You agree that God desires a relationship with you and that He’s given you the gift and passion to create.

Johnny: Right.

Elder: Then why do you throw up a prayer and then proceed to create on your own? Why do you act like making everything happen is up to you? The creating, the writing, the marketing? Why do you choose to be an orphan?

Johnny: Because God calls us to bear fruit.

Elder: So, the Lord is into production more than relationship?

Johnny: Now I’m confused.

Elder: May I suggest you create with God, instead of trying to create for God. Wouldn’t you rather create with the God who made oceans, mountains, and peacocks? Or do you prefer to do it all on your own like an orphan?

Johnny: I never thought of it that way.

Elder: Yes, it’s a rare activity. And it’s disruptive. There’s no 5 steps. God’s more interested in who you are first, and what you do second. Being intimate with the Creator, your Dad in heaven, can make your work fun.

Johnny: I’d like having fun with God as I work.

Elder: Then follow Him. When He turns left, you turn left with Him. When He says let’s go for a walk, you don’t freak about word count. Your creativity will be an adventure with God.

Johnny: So, I don’t need to learn the writing craft or marketing?

Elder: Oh, they have their necessary places, but the number one thing is creating with God. “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” (Ps. 34:10) The apostle Paul, said, “I would like you to be free from concern.” (1 Cor. 7:32)

Johnny: I want to be free from concern. Thank you, Elder. I’m off to create with my Creator.

Elder: And I, off to counsel a doctor to heal with the Healer.

<<>>

Try creating WITH the Creator of hippos, instead of trying to create FOR Him. Click to Tweet.

What do you think about working intimately with God?

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 Risk
by 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

What To Do When the Storm Inside You Is Worse Than the Adversity by Zoe M. McCarthy

Zoe M. McCarthy

Someone discredits something I believe. One roadblock after another stops my progress. A circumstance beyond my control undermines my effectiveness.

Boy, aren’t these stimuli for sleepless nights and anxious days? Days consumed with defensive mental scenarios and infinite replays of unfairness?

Allowing such difficulties to consume hours of our peace turns us into blurry-eyed, seething creatures. We might as well be zombies for our inability to listen to or help others.

This imprisoned state becomes the real adversity.

Shields

Here are the shields I use against attacks on my inner solace. Try one or all of them the next time your reactions to circumstances attempt to abduct you.

Shield 1. I firmly say: “I will not receive that.” Then I move on to something else.

Shield 2. I remind myself: Be anxious in nothing, prayerful in everything, thankful in anything, and then the peace. (From (Philippians 4:6)

I pray, “Lord, You know all these hurtful things, and You command me not to be afraid or anxious. I want to be in your will. So here, I give my hurt and frustration to You. And I ask for Your peace. Thank you, Lord, for freeing me from the storm.”

Then I move on to something else.

Shield 3. I take this test based on Philippians 4:8. If the answer is no to one, I need to change my thoughts.

• Are my thoughts true? Maybe
• Noble? No. They turn me against someone else.
• Right? No. Jesus is against evil thoughts. Matthew 9:4; Mark 7:21
• Pure? Well, pure trouble, but not godly. Acts 8:22-23
• Lovely? They’re turning me into a prune.
• Admirable? I’m not obeying my Lord.

So I fill my mind with such thoughts as: Jesus is faithful. What a wonderful husband I have. I’m thankful the pipes didn’t freeze, the sun came up, and I have food on my table. God is wise and can do all things. Then I move on to something else.

Shield 4. I recall this scripture: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13 NKJV) Wow. This says I can remove anxious, worrisome, and unhelpful thoughts from my mind through Christ. I ask myself: Do I believe this scripture?

I confirm I do believe the promise. And I move on to something else.

Sometimes it takes moving from one shield to another and raising my shields several times. But God has always been faithful. I’m able to move on to something else.

What are your weapons or shields that free you from the adversity of inner storms?

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 Risk
by 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

You Can Count on It: There’s No New Adversity Under the Sun by Zoe M. McCarthy

Zoe M. McCarthy

Solomon concludes: What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV

We writers are told no new plots exist—only new twists on old plots. Readers need both the element of the familiar and the freshness of the twist. For example, we write in our proposal, “This is an Invader story.” We go on to sketch out a new twist on aliens invading Earth or on pre-Columbian natives invading a nearby island.

Is it the same for the adversities that come our way? I think it is. That gives me comfort. No new adversity uncommon to man is going to rise up and strike me. Every kind of adversity has been experienced before.

When an adversity comes my way, my experience may exhibit a different twist than other peoples’ encounters with the same age-old adversity. But I can count on a wealth of people to help me ride its waves.

For example, I’m reading Gayle Roper’s A Widow’s Journey for research on my young widow in my manuscript. I’m thinking, “Women should read this before they become widows.” According to actuarial tables, widowhood is a likely adversity for women. Reading Gayle’s journal account of her journey, inspires me to:

• Appreciate John now
• Know where he files important papers and understand our financial matters
• Build my dependence on the Lord
• Make choices now to avoid regrets if I should become a widow (go happily to Wake Forest sports events)
• Tuck away in my mind the tasks and decisions Gayle addresses

I know doing the above won’t lessen the grief I’d face, but it may make it a little easier. Maybe I won’t try to go it alone, unduly prolonging it.

Knowing what to expect helps me. Knowing that widows offer blogs, books, time, and groups comforts me.

And the best part for us fiction writers is we have a venue to help others go through our types of adversities. We know about twists on common plots, so we know others’ experiences and journeys aren’t exactly like our own. We know characters have minds of their own. We can help our characters on their journeys but we must let them be themselves. The same is true for anyone we might encourage. This inspires me as well.

Why knowing your difficulty is age-old is good for you—and others. Click to tweet.

In what ways have you used your adversities to help others?

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 Risk
by 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

Your Current Adversity: Is It Facing Giants or Something Closer to Home? by Zoe M. McCarthy

Zoe M. McCarthy

ad·ver·si·ty

noun 

difficulties; misfortune

ORGIN:  Middle English: from Old French adversite, from Latin adversitas, from advetere, ‘turn toward.’

Well, huh. Who’d have thought adversity originally meant, “turn toward.” Most of us writers want to turn away from losing 2000 manuscript words. To flee from submitting a manuscript with the word just occurring ten times in the first scene.

We’ve heard our tribulations grow us. A great truth. Maybe creators of Latin thought “turn toward” meant “to face your giants and grow.” So what was my recent Saturday all about?

Adversity at the University

Saturday morning, I settled into my writing space. The Internet was as slow as an editor getting back to my agent about my manuscript. I’d accomplish little. And, I forgot I’d promised to go with my husband to the Wake Forest basketball game, to depart in two hours.

As soon as my iPhone Personal Hotspot located service, I hoped I could work in the car during breaks from reading a biography to John. During our two-hour trip, I clung to a sole comfort. The vendors at the game sell the best Butter Pecan ice cream around.

The salad I consumed at lunch, made my stomach queasy. I spent much of the game in a women’s restroom stall, beginning to believe the graffiti. Wishing I had an out-of-order sign to hang on my end stall to keep it available, I ventured out to the half-time crowd.

My husband walked toward me. He thought I’d gotten lost. I confessed I’d gone up the wrong ramp just before he found me. With a sympathetic look on his face, he offered to stand in line and buy me ice cream. I imagined what one bite of anything would do to my stomach, and I turned down BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM!

True story. With a bit of writers’ license concerning the graffiti. Had I experienced a day of adversities? Difficulties? Misfortunes?

Facing Giants Instead of Demon Deacons

Sometimes adversities call us to stand up to giants, as Joshua and Caleb did in Numbers 13, even though the Israelites refused to. But sometimes we create giants that cause our suffering. Saturday, I generated giants.

• I work full days five days a week. I’d vowed weekends would be reserved for time with John. A slow Internet should’ve been a small deal on a Saturday.
• I enter everything into my weekly schedule. Everything. Why’d I fail to record the basketball game? Did I hope it’d go away? I created a giant that had nothing to do with adversity and much to do with my attitude and poor planning.
• Knowing I’d eat sugar-heavy ice cream at the game, ordering salad and water was a good idea. Queasiness was my only true adversity.
• I faced that queasy giant by turning down my favorite ice cream. On the way home, I felt good physically and learned a lesson about priorities and scheduling.

PS. John made calls and took care of the slow Internet. Go John! Go Wake Forest!

What have you called adversity that was a giant you created?

 

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 Risk
by 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