Saying Goodbye Can Be A Good Thing by Terri Weldon

This is my last post on Seriously Write. The last time I’ll ever pull up Blogger and load a post that will be published on This and That Thursday. It feels bittersweet.

My journey on Seriously Write has been progressive. I guest blogged, then became a regular contributor, and eventually moved to hostess when Dora Hiers felt led to pursue other writing related goals. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

The ladies on the blog: Annette Irby, Dawn Kinzer, Sandy Ardoin, Dora Hiers, Angie Arndt, and Mary Felkins have been a joy to work with. I’d also like to give a special shout out to the regular contributors I’ve been blessed to work with: Sally Shupe, Patti Jo Moore, Susan Tuttle, and Heidi Chiavaroli.

Sounds sad so far – right? So you may be wondering where the Saying Goodbye Can Be A Good Thing title comes in. Each stage of my Seriously Write journey has been filled with anticipation of what each step would bring. That’s even true of the end of the blog.

I know God isn’t through with me or my writing yet, so I’m left to ask, “What’s next, Lord?” Seeing what God has planned and anticipating what the future holds is exciting. Knowing I’ll have more time to write or time to serve a writing group in some extra capacity is encouraging. Is the end of Seriously Write scary? Not really. When we discussed ending the blog it seemed as if God was leading us to do so. We may not know always what His plans are for us, but we know they are far greater than anything we could plan for ourselves.

Seriously Write has been good to me. I’ve made friendships I hope to never lose. A quote often attributed to Dr. Seuss says it best, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

So I leave you today with a smile. I’m feeling joyful that I was invited to be a part of Seriously Write. Blessings my friends – both now and forever.

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all." —2 Thessalonians 3:16 NLT 

Saying Goodbye Can Be A Good Thing

A quote often attributed to Dr. Seuss says it best, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

Terri Weldon feels blessed to be a full time writer. She enjoys traveling, 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 the Heartland of the United States. Terri is a member of ACFW and RWA. Readers can connect with Terri on her Website: www.TerriWeldon.com

2020-The Year Anything is Possible by Sally Shupe

I’ve been thinking back over the year, and what’s happened, and have come to the conclusion, anything is possible this year! From the pandemic that shut everything down to murder hornets to a super storm named after me 😊 we’ve seen it all. It is so easy to get caught up in all the storms around us. But in the midst of the storms, the pandemic, the rough patches of our lives, God is still there. What we choose to do with our time, is our choice. What have you chosen to focus on this year?

At first, I was focused on figuring out how to work from home. I’ll admit, it took me a while to get adjusted. If you’ve got kids at home, home schooling was a big adjustment.

But the other day, I was in a Zoom meeting, and it changed my perspective. I had hope again, a change in focus. We had planned a trip to see our son and his wife. My colleague stated that except for COVID, we probably would not have planned as long a trip. She was so right! In normal times, I would have taken just enough time off to stay a few days and rush right back. I would not have slowed down or even thought about taking a little more time to enjoy my stay. That opened my eyes. What other things had changed or happened over the course of the year that I hadn’t really paid attention to?

Two events stick out in my mind. We had to put two of our pets to sleep over the summer-- Our 14-year-old Jack Russell, Pumpkin, and our 22-year-old cat, Sassy. But then I got to thinking. Since I was working from home, I was able to spend so much time with them. I still miss them so much, but I’m so thankful for the extra time I had with them. I’ve also been eating better. Since I’m at home, I’m able to prepare healthier lunches and snacks. I’ve been exercising more. Not having the commute back and forth gave me extra time. And let’s not forget having to learn Zoom and other computer programs! What are some things you’ve had to adjust to or struggled with?

How many of you attended virtual writing conferences? I got to attend three or four writing conferences, since they were being offered online. They were awesome and I learned so much. I submitted work to a couple of contests for the feedback. Thinking back over the year, I accomplished so much more than I thought I would or did.

What are some things that you’ve experienced over the past year that you’re thankful for? Did you make it through each day? Did you get that one room cleaned out? Did you start or finish a story? Did you submit a story or get published? Think on these things. Let’s not get mired down in the disappointments, the uncertainty. Let’s be thankful, rejoiceful, cheerful. Share a smile and a word of encouragement with the next person you meet. If you’ve struggled through this year and can’t believe it isn’t at least 2022 already, it’s okay. God hasn’t forsaken us. He gives us strength to face each day. If you’ve thrived during this time at home, that is great also. Let’s finish this year strong. What is one thing you’d like to accomplish before this year is over? Share below so we can encourage one another. Let’s make 2020 the year anything is possible. Reach for your dreams!

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

What's a Weary Writer to Do? by Emily Conrad

In myself and in many of my friends--both writers and not--I see widespread weariness like I've never seen before.

As Christian writers, many of us feel a certain sense of responsibility. When we see the weariness around us, we want to offer words to help.

Though our hope remains the same--Jesus!--expressing that hope in meaningful ways when we're weary ourselves becomes a challenge, doesn't it?

It certainly does for me. So, what's a weary writer to do?

God Works Upstream On Our Behalf by Sandy Kirby Quandt

Writers spend a lot of time waiting. We wait for manuscripts to come together just right after multiple critiques, edits, and more edits. We wait to hear back from agents, editors, and publishers. We wait on God’s perfect timing to open doors previously shut. Some of us may even need to wait following a manuscript’s rejection before tackling it again. I know I do.

The Israelites did a lot of waiting before they crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land. When they reached the river, they camped four days beside its banks. As Joshua went through the camp, he told the people to prepare. The Lord was about to do a great miracle. God would lead them across the river.

The people waited beside the water’s edge. What they saw was a river at flood stage, overflowing its banks, standing between them and the Promised Land. How would they cross it?

What they couldn’t see was God working upstream on their behalf. They didn’t know the moment the priests stepped into the water, the river would pile up as though blocked by a dam, and drain to the Dead Sea. The only thing the people knew was what they saw in front of them at that moment in time. They didn't know all they had to do was wait for the river to flow by. Once it did, they would walk across a dry riverbed to the Promised Land.

As writers, oftentimes we stand on the riverbank and wait while God works further upstream on our behalf. We wait for him to intervene, to hold back the river, and lead us safely across on dry land. When we can’t see God's hand working, we might wonder why he delays. We might doubt we heard him correctly. Is this the river he intends for us to cross? And if so, has he heard our cries for help? And if he heard our cries, is he going to step in and save us from the rising waters that block our way?

Although it may take longer than we would like, we can trust God is working on our behalf. What rivers are you waiting to cross while God works further upstream?

Sandy Kirby Quandt is a freelance writer and follower of Jesus with a passion for history and travel. Passions that often weave their way into her stories and articles. She writes numerous articles, devotions, and stories for adult and children publications both print and online including Christian Devotions and Inspire a Fire. Her devotions appear in two Worthy Publishing compilation books; So God Made a Dog and Let the Earth Rejoice. Sandy won several awards for writing including the 85th and 86th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition in the Young Adult category, First Place in the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Children’s Literature 2016 Foundation Awards, First Place in the 2017 Foundation Awards in the Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Flash Fiction categories. Looking for words of encouragement or gluten-free recipes? Then check out her blog, Woven and Spun.
twitter.com/SandyKQuandt

Turn! Turn! Turn! by Laura V. Hilton

Laura V. Hilton

That sounds like me trying to navigate my husband through a huge city we’ve never been before . . . someplace like, oh, say . . . Cincinnati? You’ll understand that reference as you continue reading!

Actually, according to Wikipedia, that is the actual title (exclamation points included) of the song written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s. The lyrics, except for the title which is repeated throughout the song, and the final verse of the song, are adapted word-for-word from Chapter 3 of the Book of Ecclesiastes, set to music and recorded in 1962. The song became an international hit in late 1965 when it was covered by the American folk rock band The Byrds, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on December 4, 1965.

Ecclesiastes chapter 3 tells us,
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

There is a joke that goes around the Baptist churches (and I’m sure other denominations too) that goes: 

Q. How many Baptists does it take to change a light bulb? 

A. Change?! Change?!

Some of us don’t handle change very well. And some changes are easier to handle than others. As you read the verses above, you’ll see. Some changes are good. Some are not.

Right now my family is beginning a time of changes.

1. My oldest son has left the nest. This is a good change because as you know from previous posts he is very good at disobedience, disrespect, dishonesty, and disrupting lives. 
2. My second son will be boarding the bus for the Memphis airport as you read this post. He might even be in the air somewhere between Memphis and Philadelphia depending on what time you get online. He is heading to boot camp for the United States Coast Guard. A good thing? Yes, probably. I’m in tears just thinking about it because he is my right arm. I rely on him so much for everything. And he’ll be gone. Yes, I know he needs to grow up, to experience what he wants to do, to take the next steps, but good or not, this change is hard. 
3. I have to go to Cincinnati. Okay, my husband will remind me that “I get to go to Cincinnati.” A big difference in attitude there. I get to go! Okay. There’s going to be a book signing and I am blessed enough to be invited to sign my most recent book. This is a change. I live in a very rural area. Cincinnati is not exactly rural. The idea of the traffic, the crowds of people, the unfamiliar geography scares me. This is a change that is probably good, but scary. 

Regardless of the circumstances you may find yourself in, it is very evident that you are not going to be able to continue in the same direction. You are going to have to TURN! And that brings new choices, new directions, and again you are going to have to TURN! TURN!

I don’t know about you, but all of that TURNING! can sometimes lead to motion sickness. Physically, emotionally . . . and spiritually. How does one maintain one’s equilibrium?

In Proverbs 3:5-6 it says 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

In times of change and uncertainty, it’s good to know God is directing my paths. My son’s paths. Maybe even both sons’. I’m trying to learn to embrace this new season I’m entering. A not-quite-empty nest, but an emptier nest.

How do you handle change? Do you react as I do, with a “Change?! Change?!” or do you embrace each new season in life?

Dear Father, please help me to submit my ways to You as you guide me through this unfamiliar territory. I need Your peace. Your comfort. Help me to trust that You will direct my paths. Amen.

About the Author

Award winning author, Laura Hilton, her husband, Steve, and three of their children make their home in Arkansas. She is a pastor’s wife, a stay-at-home mom and home-schools. Laura is also a breast cancer survivor. Laura also has two adult children.

Her publishing credits include three books in the Amish of Seymour series from Whitaker House: Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts (winner of the 2012 Clash of the Titles Award in two categories), and Promised to Another. The Amish of Webster County series, Healing Love (finalist for the 2013 Christian Retail Awards). Surrendered Love and Awakened Lovefollowed by her first Christmas novel, A White Christmas in Webster County, as well as a three book Amish series withWhitaker House, The Amish of Jamesport series, The Snow Globe, The Postcard, and The Bird House in September 2015. See below for information on Laura's latest, The Amish Firefighter. Other credits include Swept Away from Abingdon Press. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer.

Connect with Laura
http://www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q
visit her blogs: http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/ &http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Laura_V_Hilton or@Laura_V_Hilton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Laura-V-Hilton/161478847242512
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vernetlh/

Amish Firefighter
by Laura V. Hilton

The Amish Firefighter

A Beautiful Young Woman Banished from Home
Abigail Stutzman thought it was bad enough being dropped at the nearest bus station and sent to live several states away with some relatives she'd never heard about, much less met. But now, just a week after her arrival in Jamesport, Missouri, she finds herself at the scene of a barn fire. An intentional barn fire. And all fingers are pointed at her. She's desperate to prove her innocence and protect her reputation, but nobody's making that easy to do. And God certainly doesn't seem willing to help.

A Brave Firefighter with an Agenda of His Own
Sam Miller is in the process of turning over a new leaf. Determined to atone for the follies of his past, he is a volunteer firefighter, an EMT, and a doctor-in-training. When local barn fires escalate, everyone suspects arson. And since the Miller family are among the victims, no one is more determined to see the perpetrators brought to justice than Sam.

A Kindled Flame Neither One Could Have Anticipated
When their paths first cross, at the site of a barn burning, the emotional intensity rivals the warmth of the flames. Soon, they must decide whether this fire is one they should feed or extinguish. And they'll discover that the truth can prove more dangerous than a blazing inferno.

New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

We Are Troubled on Every Side by Laura V. Hilton

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in

Laura V. Hilton

despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9


I was asked to pick an affliction and write about it in a way to encourage others. The assignment threw me, because how could I pick one from the on-going slew of things life threw at us: a wayward son, cars that broke down (with no money to even begin to think of replacing them), medical issues that depleted an already-drained bank account, or the aspects of my much-loved job that I hated and put off until they are stacked neck high? All with looming deadlines . . .

I could go on and on.

Some days tumbling out of bed in the morning is overwhelming. I have a to-do list as long as Santa’s and the hits just keep coming. I don’t know where to start. A good cry sounds like an excellent beginning, perhaps even a necessity. Bring out the chocolate so I can start self-medicating!

Underlying all the tension, the fear, the where-do-I-even-begin is a measure of peace that passes understanding. This too will pass. God is in control. It’s going to be okay. Trust Me.

He is always right, of course. Because whatever we’re facing will pass. God is in control. I can trust Him. And it will eventually be okay.

Most recently, my husband’s car shuddered, shook, and died, right in the middle of a bridge fifty miles from home. Every light on the dash lit up. He called me at 5:45 A.M. My brain was in sleep mode at that hour. Not fully functioning. But we’re both thinking: we're making payments on the new-to-us van that we bought last June when the family vehicle died, deader-than-dead. The men at the garage shook their head and muttered there's nothing they could do. How could we pay for another new-to-us vehicle when meeting the monthly van payments was an act of faith?

The answer seemed obvious: we would be reduced to one vehicle. He used mine and I became a homebody. However, Son M graciously offered his very-used pickup truck when he wasn't working, and we accepted. So it worked out. It wasn't ideal, my husband didn’t like the idea that I didn't have a vehicle with five children still at home, but it would work. For now.

So, the broken-down car was towed off to a garage. Son M picked up my husband and we began to our "new normal." Son L (whose own car was broken down) had to catch rides with friends to-and-from work since we didn’t have an extra vehicle for him. 

Then Wednesday came. We'd planned to look at cheapie used cars (anything as long as it ran) but someone from the garage called. The problem wasn’t as dire as they thought. God heard our cries, concerns, and prayers and answered with a cheap fix.

All was well, but it was a wake-up call. We needed to put something away for a new-to-us car, even if it was only five dollars a week. Steve’s car had close to 300,000 miles on it! 

While all of this was still whirling in my head, my husband was “nudged” toward a passage in 2 Corinthians. (Just a coincidence, right? Right!) In it, the Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian believers of his particular issues. And just for the record, they were a tad more disconcerting than a broken-down vehicle: think life and death, persecution, and legalistic adversaries hounding his every step. Yet Paul finds the grace to write these words of comfort and encouragement:

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (KJV) 

Our situations don’t define us. The "stuff" that happens to us does not define us. It merely gives us more opportunities to show the amazing grace of our Lord and Savior.

The confidence of knowing God provides us with an entirely unique perspective. Everything else is colored by that view. What the world might consider a tragedy, Paul calls "a light affliction, which is but for a moment" but which works for us in "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." What beautiful words!

When we look at the tapestry of our life from the human perspective, it's a big ol' tangled mess of knots and snarls and tangles. But turn it over and look at it from God's perspective, you'll see the intricate patterns and beauty that He is painstakingly weaving into and throughout our lives.

The next time “life happens,” ask yourself . . . “How can I respond to this situation in such a way that it will bring glory to the name of my Heavenly Father?”

This stuff that is happening is temporal – it has a shelf life. 

“This too shall pass. It’s going to pass, or we are going to pass." -Mark Lowry

God is eternal. And what people say about Him matters; both now, and forever.

About the Author

Award winning author, Laura Hilton, her husband, Steve, and three of their children make their home in Arkansas. She is a pastor’s wife, a stay-at-home mom and home-schools. Laura is also a breast cancer survivor. Laura also has two adult children.

Her publishing credits include three books in the Amish of Seymour series from Whitaker House:Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts (winner of the 2012 Clash of the Titles Award in two categories), and Promised to Another. The Amish of Webster County series,Healing Love (finalist for the 2013 Christian Retail Awards).Surrendered Love and Awakened Love followed by her first Christmas novel, A White Christmas in Webster County, as well as a three book Amish series with Whitaker House, The Amish of Jamesport series, The Snow Globe, The Postcard, and The Bird House in September 2015. Other credits include Swept Awayfrom Abingdon Press. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer.

Connect with Laura
http://www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q
visit her blogs: http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/ &http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @Laura_V_Hilton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Laura-V-Hilton/161478847242512
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vernetlh/

The Bird House
Twenty–year–old Greta Miller's daed has been injured in a farming accident during the summer. The supportive Amish community tries to help out, but Greta and her sister must work outside the home to make ends meet, and so Greta rents a booth at the farmers' market. 

Because Greta is still in her rumspringa and free to explore the world, her family selects her to sell her homemade jams, jellies, and preserves to Englischers. Josh Yoder wants to court Greta, but years ago, he made the mistake of rejecting her during a seemingly innocent game; which resulted in him leaving the Amish. Three years later, he's back, but Greta wants nothing to do with him. 

Josh struggles to fit in and rebuild relationships he destroyed. Knowing Greta's family needs help, he steps in, hoping to win her back. When Greta admires one of his birdhouses, he gives it to her, hoping that it will open the door to more. But as their friendship begins to grow, a series of unfortunate events pull Greta away from the Amish, leaving her rejected by those she loves. 

Will Greta get beyond her family's distrust and return home? Will she prove her innocence? Or will she remain outside her Amish community?