Come Follow My Journey Through the Phases of Becoming a Published Author

 A phase is a distinct stage in a process; a single part of a larger plan, project, or process.

As a writer, I'm in the developmental stage of achieving my dream. I've written my manuscript, I've worked on it with a coach, and now I'm in the editing phase. 

At some point, I will be in the launch phase where I encourage others to help me bring my message into the world

I found these statistics about wanting to be a writer:

80% to 81% say they want to write a book.
15% actually start writing.
3% manage to finish a full manuscript.
1% or less get a book published. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Hey! I'm excited! I'm in the 3%.

Since so many are interested in writing, I thought it might be fun to invite you follow me through the phases of being a writer.

In August, I will be writing a series of blog posts about the process of publishing a book.

I hope you will be a part of the series, read and comment. I can't know what readers want if I don't ask.

Here's my first question:  do you want to be a writer?

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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This post was written in response to the prompt, "phase," provided by the Five Minute Friday writing challenge. We write for five minutes on a prompt. (Adding links, scriptures, graphics, etc. takes longer.)

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home. for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday

If You Want to Go That Route ...

I live on a state route. It runs approximately 167 miles from the tip of our state to the mid-state region. The route goes through parts of the Shawnee National Forest and has many beautiful stops. It also has many opportunities to get off the beaten path. A person could get lost; but if he found a state route marker on the road, he could easily determine the way back home.

I am also on a spiritual journey. It has many twists and turns along the way and it would be easy to follow a rabbit trail and end up far from where I started.

My pastor, Jack Oliver, once said this: "Whatever has my attention determines my direction."

Just like finding a mile marker helps get us back on the route we intended to travel, getting our eyes fixed on Jesus gets us back on our spiritual journey Home.

In our travels, we often run across many distractions ... things we think will make our journey easier or more productive. Things we don't see any harm in doing. Maybe we join forces with a group who seems like-minded but we soon realize they are leading us down the wrong path.

What do we do? We get our eyes back on Jesus. He is big enough to get us on the route Home.

The answer is always to seek Him first.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."  Matthew 6:33 NKJV

 

It's a simple strategy ... but it works! 

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Today's post is a response to the prompt, "route," provided by the writers at the Five Minute Friday community.

I'd also like to offer a little prayer I wrote about God's protection on our journey:

SHADE

The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5 New Living Translation

Abba,

 

I stand on Your Word; so, I believe You are watching over everything happening in my life. You are protecting me – even from bad decisions because you know my heart is to honor You.

 

When the heat of humiliation threatens to overwhelm me, Your shade will protect me.

 

You are watching over me and only allowing what is best for me to touch me.

 

Help me to remember this. Don’t let me get stuck when I wonder if I took the wrong steps. Help me keep moving forward, always keeping my eyes on You. If I have not seen what You want me to see, I pray you will open my eyes and heart to see them.

 

Help me to get Home to You with honor.

 

In Jesus’ mighty name, so be it, amen.

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday, InstaEncouragements Link-Up

The Short End of the Stick

The short end of the stick is an idiom for getting an unequal deal. 

It reminds me of when we were little, my mom would make us share a Pepsi. If I poured it into glasses, sometimes the level of my Pepsi was a little higher than my brother's. (Just being real here.)

Of course, my brother would yell, "Hey no fair. Jerr gets more Pepsi than me."

He got the short end of the stick.

My mother solved the problem by saying "Jerralea, you pour the soda into two glasses. Tim, you choose what glass you want."

I worked at pouring equal amounts after that.

If only injustice could be solved so easily in today's world!

If you're short-sighted it does look like people get away with doing terrible things. You might think, "What's the use of doing good. People do what they want and it seems nothing ever happens to them."

But in the long run, the law of sowing and reaping comes into play.

A man will sow a certain kind of seed. And he will reap a harvest from that seed.

Good seed brings forth a bountiful harvest.

Bad seed produces bad things.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (Galatians 6:7 NKJV)

In the end, it will matter what kind of seed we plant.

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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This post was written in response to the prompt, "short," provided by the Five Minute Friday crew of writers. We free write for 5 minutes on the prompt. (I always take longer to add scripture and a graphic.)

Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday and InstaEncouragements Link-Up, Let's Have Coffee

 

Happy 250!

250 years of Indpendence! Thank You, Lord, and our deepest gratitude to all the patriots that paved the way for our freedom. May we never forget their sacrifice. 

On independence Day, I like to share a post I wrote a few years ago about the time we spent July 4th at Clearwater Beach. Portrait of an American Family is about a little Latino family I observed having a wonderful time at a Independence Day concert. Click here. I hope you enjoy!

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Our Part Is Obedience

As a blessing hunter who shares encouragement for the journey Home, I love to share scriptures and prayers with my readers. I totally believe the Word of God and I trust the Lord is good and will work out all things for our good.

But, I must point out that we believers have a part to play in answered prayer as well.

Our part is obedience.

For example, He asks us to choose. 

Joshua 24:14-15 New Living Translation  ¹⁴ “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Are we going to hold back, or follow with our whole heart? 

He wants us to trust and believe:

Mark 5:35-36 New King James Version
³⁵ While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” ³⁶ As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

Jairus received his daughter back when he obeyed the command to believe.

He invites us to seek:

Matthew 6:33 New Living Translation Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

 

Once you decide to take the focus off yourself and place it on Him, things will fall into place.

And, He asks us to ask!

Matthew 7:7 New Living Translation “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

Don't give up! 

He wants to shepherd us: 

Psalm 23:1 New Living Translation The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 

 

A sheep must follow the Shepherd. Our part is obedience. 

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Today's post was written in response to the prompt "part," proviced by the Five Minute Friday Community. The post took 5 minutes to write. Adding scriptures and a graphic took longer.

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday and Sweet Tea & Friends

Meet Holly J. Compton

Let me introduce today's guest blogger, Holly J. Compton.

Holly is a wife, mother of three, author, teacher, and missionary at heart. You can find all things Holly at her website, Holly J. Compton

Holly and I have the same publisher, and we have met multiple times in Zoom meetings. I've been impressed with her heart for missions and her passion for sharing truths with new believers just starting out on their journey.

Holly has written a book, "Choosing True Life: 30 Foundational Choices for a Life Transformed," that will release next Tuesday, June 2, but is available for preorder now! Click on the link. 

What I love about this book is that it is not a self-help book, It is a Savior-help book. Holly does a great job of sharing what scripture says about the choices we make, and poses the intriguing question, do you want a "water-life," or a "wine-life"?

Recently, here on the Journey, we talked about God's timing. Holly is sharing an excerpt of her book, Choice #8, that speaks to that subject.


Listen in:

Excerpt from “Choice #8 – Listen AND Obey?”

A heart that loves the Lord and stands surrendered to His instructions is an important prerequisite to hearing His voice. Patience and persistence also open our spiritual ears. He may not answer our prayers immediately, but He has promised that we will find the answers in some way. Matthew 5:4 (TPT) says, “What delight comes to you when you wait upon the Lord! For you will find what you long for.” Throughout our lives, we discover that waiting on Him is the most demanding but most meaningful, even monumental task God asks of us, but He promises us that He’s big enough, sees enough, knows more than enough, to answer at the perfect time and in the perfect manner.

In seasons of waiting, when my faith feels thin, I cling to a poem by J.J. Lynch, called “Say Not, My Soul”:

Say not, my soul, ‘From whence

Can God relieve my care?’

Remember that Omnipotence

Hath servants everywhere.

His help is always sure,

His methods seldom guessed;

Delay will make our pleasure pure;

Surprise will give it zest.

His wisdom is sublime,

His heart profoundly kind;

God never is before His time,

and never is behind.

Hast thou assumed a load

Which none will bear with thee?

And art thou bearing it for God,

And shall He fail to see?[1]

That third stanza speaks volumes to the importance of trusting God’s wisdom and kindness in the midst of anxious impatience. As He grows our patience, He prepares us to receive His answers. He may speak through a Scripture, a circumstance, another person, a poem, a song, or countless other possibilities, as long as we have our hands and ears open to receive what He offers.

In Revelation 3:20 (TPT), Jesus says: “Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door within, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with me.” Jesus has a sweet and humble voice, and His loving demeanor is not a mystical or mythical thing—He is truly before us with open arms to receive us into His embrace. We may still struggle to do as He asks, when He asks, but the possibility alone of obedience is how we invite Jesus in to lead us. This is where we humble ourselves in surrender and trust that His will is best. This is when we choose Life.


[1] Lynch, Thomas T. “Say Not, My Soul.” The Disciplines of Life. World Wide Publications, 1948.

It's not too late - you could join Holly's launch team and spread the word about this wonderful resource. Click here for the details. (Launch team members get free resources!)

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Remember Me Monday, and InstaEncouragements Link-Up, Let's Have Coffee

Remember the Benefits

Hey, I need to tell you about a benefit package that is out of this world!

It contains better benefits than any company I know offers.

Yes, I'm talking not only material benefits but some that apply to your peace of mind and make living so much richer and fuller.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits. Psalm 103:2

 

Yes! You can discover all sorts of perks when you read Psalm 103 - reserved only for His children.

Things like:

• All sins forgiven (verse 3)
• Diseases healed (verse 3) Think of the co-pays and deductibles you won't need to pay. 
• Redeemed from destruction (verse 4) Not only will you save money from not having to rebuild your life, but think of the time saved!
• Crowned with love and tender mercy (verse 5) I'm envisioning love and mercy crowning our heads and dripping down to our toes.
• Fills your life with good things ...(verse 5) Take time to make a list of all the good in your life - I bet there are more blessings than you thought.

And those are only the things listed in the first five verses.

Read the whole thing to discover more, including my personal favorite in verse 8 - He is slow to get angry with you.

What a deal!

Five minutes cannot tell you all there is to tell included in this wonderful believer's benefits package. Do yourself a favor and read the whole psalm.

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This post was written in response to the prompt "benefits" given by the Five Minute Friday community to challenge writers to free write for five minutes.

My post was written in 5 minutes, but looking up scriptures and graphics took longer.

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Keep reading to see a prayer based on Psalm 103:1-5 that the Lord laid on my heart in March of 2025:

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

Psalm 103:1-5 New Living Translation

Father,


I love all this psalm of David! It is such a blessing. Today I’m focusing on all the good things You give your children. Forgiveness, healing, redemption, love and tender mercies … and then You throw in an abundant life filled with good things and top it off with renewed youth! Wow!


I claim these things right now in the name of Jesus.


Our part is to never forget these benefits You have given. With everything in us, we are to praise You.


Lord, I ask You to help us remember this on the days the enemy is pressing in with doubt and discouragement. When he whispers deceitful words to influence us that You don’t care about the desire of our hearts, or that You are too busy blessing others, and You have forgotten about us.


Help us to see that maybe Your tender mercy is that it would not be good for us to have desire right now … Help us trust You – because all these good things You’ve filled our lives with show us You care.


In Jesus’ name, so be it, amen.

Adapted from a previous post. All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday