A Broken Heart Can Lead You to Rise by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

Once upon a time, the seeds of a series planted themselves in my heart. I saw a farm. A family. Midwest strong and vibrant. Within this harvest I saw three brothers. A picturesque piece of rolling land in Indiana. There were low-lying, rippling fields of soybeans. There was turmoil, faith, and overwhelming love.

For the bulk of their lives, my brother and sister-in-law, John and Mary Hilger, oversaw the operations of a 400-plus acre farm much like the one I imagined. They bore and raised six daughters, and life was good. Much like the family I imagined. You couldn’t leave their home without a heap of fresh fruits and vegetables. John’s laughter, his Christ-centered heart, resonated through all who knew him. Mary’s spiritual artwork ( www.spiritualhands.org ) was acclaimed and on-the-grow. Much like the faith I imagined.

John and Mary not only helped me research and develop my series, The Fishermen of Antioch, their example was something to which I longed to pay homage. Within their large, boisterous, loving unit, they demonstrated Christ’s love at its best. Plus, they were mentors to me and key to my spiritual discovery and growth.

So, I began to write a trio of books that honored farm families, stories that celebrated deep roots. I wanted to shine the light of respect upon those who work the earth and harvest without thinking of anything else but community provision. How much like our Father God? In John and Mary’s world, if strawberries rested on the vine after the main harvest, those without means were bussed to their farm to pick the fields clean. For free. Waste of God’s gifts was never an option.

John and Mary saw their family to fruition. As life’s golden-age came upon them, sons-in-law joined the picture. A multitude of grandchildren blessed their lives and there was retirement on the near horizon. They had plans. An art and Scripture-based ministry they’d carry out from church to church was already taking off. John’s engaging recitation of Scripture coupled with Mary’s ordained artwork brought souls to the Kingdom. They couldn’t wait to embrace an exciting new season of life. A few Christmases ago, their family gifted them with a river cruise through Europe that would take them to Germany—a long-held bucket list destination.

Before departing, John and Mary stopped by our house on their way to Detroit Metro Airport. We shared dinner, and, in typical fashion, Deacon John prayed over me as they prepared to depart for Europe. Selfless love. I prayed with and for him as well, but nothing was as special as a blessing from John…

Less than a day after they left, we received a panicked text notification from Mary that read, simply: “PRAY.” We did, of course…but that’s where the story takes a twist. Soon we discovered what prompted her outcry. Following dinner on the first night of their cruise, John suffered a massive heart attack. Thanks to Jesus alone he was in Amsterdam and was immediately transported to a world-class hospital where he was placed in a medically induced coma.

We prayed, we believed, we stormed the gates of heaven. Meanwhile, all six daughters made their way to Amsterdam, battling horrific weather patterns, botched deliveries of passports, and a nightmare of bureaucracy…but by the grace of God alone, they all made it there.

Just hours before John passed away.

My sister-in-law has written a book about her journey through grief. It’s called ‘Finding Beauty in Ashes.’ The story is amazing. Meanwhile, the final book of the Fishermen of Antioch series releases in March. The result, I hope, will honor my original God-given goal, and the rich legacy of a family’s love.

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Within each story we create, there's so much more than meets the eye.

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Benjamin Fisher melds with quiet perfection into the tapestry of the Fisher family. The youngest of the three Fisher men, Ben is gifted with skills that keep machines running, crops efficiently harvested, farm structures sound and secure.

But there’s one person in the small village of Antioch, Indiana who has noticed and adored the man since her youth. Hailey Beth Thomas. Hailey Beth’s sister is marrying Ben’s brother in a spring wedding that promises to be the event of the season. Thrown together as the heady romance of an upcoming marriage takes place, love and revelation come to life.

Unknown to anyone else, Ben wants to answer a call to the mission fields of North America that will lead him far from the life he has always known. Ben longs to serve, but he wants a life with Hailey Beth as well. Hailey Beth can’t leave Antioch, but can’t bear the idea of losing Ben.

Are they meant to be together, or will God’s call pull them apart just as they’ve found a way to one another?

*****

Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of faith-affirming fiction who has won acclaim from critics and readers. RT Book Reviews named her book Forgiveness a 4.5-Star Top Pick and readers laude her books as ‘riveting’ and ‘true to heart.’ She’s a life-long resident of Michigan who calls suburban Detroit home.

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.

Focus on Joy by Angela Arndt

Carolina Jasmine Against a Stormy Sky

An uplifting Wednesday night Bible study collides with one brutal gunman consumed with hate. Nine lives lost. Countless forever changed. A world grieves.

I live in South Carolina, only two hours away from the Holy City — Charleston, South Carolina. I’ve passed that church so many times. I heard that pastor speak in our Senate last month. Tonight, network and cable news reveal every hateful detail of the villain’s murderous plot. Nine men and women who loved the Lord and died as martyrs.

Sometimes we have to look past the pain and grief to find our joy again. Look for that tiny bit of yellow against a vast expanse of gray. Romans 12:21 says, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." The good is there, we just have to change our focus.

Writers are sensitive souls. We grieve deeply when tragedy knocks, whether it is at our door or someone else's. Our souls connect with others across the country, across the world. How can we build fictional worlds when real ones have been forever destroyed? But John 1:5 reminds us, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

You may be facing writer's block today because of the Charleston tragedy, inhaling the information, taking it to heart. Pray for those afflicted by tragedy, but stop watching the news reports. Check out of social networks for a day or two if you need to.

Try pouring your grief into another kind of work. Steven Curtis Chapman was inspired to write Charleston, a beautiful song that reminds us: love overcomes evil with good.

Here's a few other ideas to help you focus on joy:

• Allow God’s love to heal your heart. Wait until you hear your story again. 
• Each one of the Charleston families refused to inherit the hate from that killer. Instead, they offered forgiveness to the man who killed their mother, father, sister or brother. That’s God’s power at work. If hate is filling your heart, pray that you’ll be able to forgive.
• Focus on today, not tomorrow and what-ifs. Focus on the present, not the past or what-could-have-been.
• Seek God’s joy with all your heart. You can find several good online devotions through YouVersion.com (where you can download a mobile app) or BibleGateway.com. 
• If you can’t work through your grief, ask for help. Don’t stop until you find someone who will provide it. Don't let it fester within you.
• Recognize you may need to spend some time alone. It’s hard to do if you have a family, I know. Go to your bedroom. Go to your bathroom! (I remember what it’s like to have a six-year-old following you around.) Ask a friend or a family member to watch your child(ren) for an hour or so. Breathe.
• Take care of yourself. Remember that you’re more than a writer. Don't beat yourself up if you can't write, right now. Just do what you are able.

There comes a time, after the weeping, when we allow God’s power to heal our hearts. A time when we can focus on joy.

About the Author

Angela Arndt

Angela Arndt enjoys writing mysteries set in small Southern towns. Coincidentally, she, her husband, and their three very large dogs (a lab mix, Staffordshire terrier, and a 12 pound poodle) live in the middle of a big wood outside a small Southern town. She would love for you to visit her website, http://www.angelaarndt.com, or her team blog, http://seriouslywrite.blogspot.com.

His Grace is Sufficient by Robin Lee Hatcher

Robin Lee Hatcher

I have been writing novels for the past 34 years, and I have been writing as my full-time job for the past 25 years. During those years, both my personal and professional lives have experienced highs and lows, and I have continued to write through them all.

But in 2005, I began a journey through grief and loss unlike anything I’d experienced before. I was in a period of deep mourning for over a year. The Bible tells us that God collects our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). The bottle with my name on it must be very large because I shed buckets of tears in those many months.

This was a wretched time for me as a writer as well. Trying to be creative was difficult and sometimes impossible. But even with an understanding publisher, deadlines still had to be met because the mortgage still had to be paid. So I wrote whether I felt like it or not, and I trusted God to take care of the words I put on paper.

While I couldn’t seem to focus on reading fiction during that time (a difficult confession for a novelist), God placed in my hands three stories of women who walked through dark times in their own lives and came out on the other side: When I Lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent; Broken on the Back Row by Sandi Patty; and In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart by Ruth Graham. These books touched my heart and were definitely part of the healing process.

In the fall of 2006, I attended a Women of Faith event. Two of the authors mentioned above—Carol Kent and Sandi Patty—were featured speakers. I cannot point to anything in particular that was said or that happened while I was there, but when I came home, the cloud had lifted. The deep mourning was over, and I began to mend, to find my way in the “new normal” of my life. I had personally experienced the truth of 2nd Corinthians 12:9 which says:

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

(NASB)

Not only is His grace sufficient, but nothing a child of God experiences is wasted in His economy. A number of years later, God took those darkest days of my life and called me to write a novel that would take all of the emotions I’d experienced and use them to encourage others. A Promise Kept became my work of praise and thanksgiving to a God who answers prayers in unexpected times and ways.

None of us can know what dark waters we may be called to pass through in our lives, but we can hold onto the promise that His grace is and will always be sufficient. Amen.

About the Author

Robin Lee Hatcher is the best-selling author of over seventy-five books. Her well-drawn characters and heartwarming stories of faith, courage, and love have earned her both critical acclaim and the devotion of readers. She has been honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from both Romance Writers of American (2001) and American Christian Fiction Writers (2014).

Robin is a 2015 RITA® Award finalist for her novella, Love Letter to the Editor. This is her tenth RITA finalist nomination and two of her books have been RITA Award winners. In April 2015, A Promise Kept received the Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Inspirational Novel from RT Book Reviews. Her numerous other awards include the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards for Americana Romance and for Inspirational Fiction, the Carol Award, and the 2011 Idahope Writer of the Year Award.

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She and her husband make their home on the outskirts of Boise.

To learn more, visit her website at http://www.robinleehatcher.com

Whenever You Come Around

Whenever You Come Around
by Robin Lee Hatcher

 Charity Anderson turned her back on Kings Meadow years ago, with good reason, and has avoided visits to her hometown whenever possible. But with her house in Boise damaged by floodwaters and a book deadline bearing down, staying in her parents’ empty home seems her only option. However, being in Kings Meadow dredges up a painful secret, and old fears threaten to overwhelm her. Charity’s former high school classmate Buck Malone never left town, instead sacrificing his dreams to take care of his family. Now he enjoys an uncomplicated life as a wilderness guide and confirmed bachelor. The last thing on his mind is settling down. When Charity’s dog causes an accident that leaves Buck with a broken ankle and wrist at the start of prime tourist season, Charity has little choice but to render aid while he recuperates.  Soon Buck becomes the inspiration for Charity’s hero, both on the page and off. Can he also help her face and overcome her fears so they might find their own happily ever after?

"Hatcher hits the reader’s Achilles’ heel right in the gut with her plot twists, showing us God’s ability to offer grace and forgiveness ... You will be sharing this book with your friends." RT Book Reviews TOP PICK

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