It's a gradual thing ...

Something I have noticed that happens in the life of a novelist is a gradual losing of your focus.

You start out all gung-ho, but since a novel can't be written in a day - or edited, or marketed, either - it seems like you have plenty of time.

Your goal might be 500 words a day; but if you're in a time crunch, it's easy to do 200 and assume you will just do 800 tomorrow to make up for today. After all, you're so very busy!

And then the next day is just as overwhelming, so you just 100 and say you will make up for it this weekend.

And then the weekend is worse than ever.

I get it, I really do. 

For example, the month of October has been a pressure-cooker for me. I'm struggling to barely keep my head above water. 

Waves of responsibilities, added tasks, and unmet expectations keep continuously rolling in.

And gradually, you realize you've done nothing for quite some time.

Here's the deal: if you have a message, a story that God has given you, then the enemy's attention is flagged. Like a fireman, noticing a flame to be extinguished, he wants to prevent any words of hope going out.

The enemy wants messages of despair and doom to be the order of the day.

God wants His word shared.

Which message will go out?

The one that has your attention.

(My 5 minutes are up to write on the word "gradual," but as always, I have more to say.)

I'm reminded of what the writer of Hebrews says in this passage:

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3 NASB 1995)

I notice a few things:

• It's up to us to lay aside sin and distractions. Both those things are sent by the enemy to rob you from reaching your goal. You have to say no!
• You have to fix your own eyes on Jesus. No one does it for you. You have a message from God? You have to keep your eyes on Him in order to share it effectively.
• Keep Him in mind when you are getting tired and losing heart. If He can endure the hostility He had to face, He can surely help you to endure the race you are running.

Ok, I've taken a breather. Now, I'm ready to jump back in and press on.

How about you?

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This post was inspired by the prompt "gradual" shared at the Five Minute Friday community.

I'm including this post as part of my series, My Writing Life, which will have 1-2 posts a week exploring my life as a writer of a novel. 

~~

I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday and Sweet Tea & Friends

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

What's Your Approach?

As believers, we are encouraged to share the gospel wherever we go But how do we do it? How do you tell someone the good news - that they can have a fresh start - a do-over. Their slate of offenses against God can be wiped clean.

In my novel, one of my main characters, Bobby, finds God late in life. He has had a dramatic conversion. He has been transformed  from a life of selfishness and rage and temper . His living situation? The state prison. Why? Because he let his temper get the better of him and he committed a crime of passion.

Thirty years later, he fo surrendered his life to Christ. The joy of being forgiven was overwhelming. He wanted to share.

"it was Bobby’s day to work in the laundry. The mood was subdued as the prisoners attended to their tasks.

Bobby glanced at each one, wondering how to approach telling someone about Jesus. Then he remembered the prison chaplain's advice about building relationships. The person he was working next to that day was Joe Stopka."

Bobby approach began with asking Joe questions about himself. Joe responses were anything but warm and friendly,  but he began to thaw when Bobby became vulnerable and shared about himself.

His words were a bridge to understanding. Eventually Joe confided his story.. 

Before Bobby could convince Joe to give his life to Christ, Joe needed to believe God was concerned about him, so Bobby issued a challnege. 

"Go on! I dare you! He doesn’t joke around, but if you seriously ask to hear from Him, you will in some way.”

“Man, you crazy.” Joe shook his head, just as the guards yelled it was time to go back to their cells.

Bobby called after him, “Man, I’ll be praying for you.”

It was days later that Bobby learned Joe decided to accept the challenge and asked God for something that really surprised Bobby.

I don't want to give away the whole story (*grin); but I will say, God had the answer on its way before Joe even asked the question!

God is amazing like that.

~~

This post was inspired by the prompt "approach" shared at the Five Minute Friday community.

I'm including this post as part of my series, My Writing Life, which will have 1-2 posts a week exploring my life as a writer of a novel. 

~~

I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday and Let's Have Coffee

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

Never Abandoned

It's often true that family relationships are complicated.

In my novel, most of my characters are from the same family. They didn't always get along. In the beginning there was an event that caused a rift - a chasm so wide it felt impossible to ever cross.

It took a lot of prayer, a change of perspective, and a heavenly visitor to get things moving in the right direction.

Now, if you have tension in your family, I can't promise God will send an angel to help - although He might! - but I do believe in the power of prayer to get the ball rolling.

The first relationship that must be restored is the one between you and Your heavenly Father.

Although it's not easy, it is pretty simple to get in right relationship with God:

• Admit you have messed up. 1 John 1:9
• Believe He is who He says He is - and say it! Hebrews 11:6 and Romans 10:9-10
• Change direction. Acts 3:19  (After all, the way you have been going hasn't been working for you, right?) 

Once you sincerely do those things, God looks upon you as His child. And He never gives up on His child.

For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” ~ Hebrews 13:5b - NLT

Then, you can concentrate on your other relationships.

And listen, God is all about reconciliation. He will work with you on making things right.

Talk to Him about it.

~~

Thanks for dropping by. Next time, we will discuss forgiveness which is key in working out relationships.

~~

This post was inspired by the prompt "abandon" shared at the Five Minute Friday community.

I'm including this post as part of my series, My Writing Life, which will have 1-2 posts a week exploring my life as a writer of a novel. 

~~

I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday

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

From Mess to Masterpiece, Part 2

Yesterday, I wrote about God's plan to create each believer into a masterpiece.

I based my thoughts on Ephesians, chapter 2, in particular verses 8-10:

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10

You can read part 1 here.

Today, I have more to say.

The transformation from a mess to a masterpiece is not to show your beauty, or to give you credit, but to show the goodness of God.

You thought you were worthless; but God sees something in you.

You thought you had made your life ugly, but God intends to create beauty out of it.

In my novel, my character, Sharon encountered the Lord and began to change. Once consumed with bitterness, she was always ready to jump down someone's throat if they dared to cross her.

But once she turned her life over to God, she began to change.

One day, at a diner, Sharon ran into a bitter woman. A woman who hated Sharon's family and lashed out at her for something she didn't even do. 

This was the first time Sharon had been tested on whether she could keep her temper. She prayed under her breath and she was able to keep a rein on her tongue.

Now there is always somebody watching you, and the waitress at the diner later said this about the situation: "I expected her to go off on the lady any minute because the Sharon I went to school with would have cussed her out in a New York minute."

See, Sharon was already on her way to being transformed. God is working with her and someday her beautiful spirit will be a work of art.

If you are a believer, God is working on you, too. He uses every trial and struggle to make you stronger. Every blessing to draw you closer. He reveals so much through His word letting you know He loves you. All these come together and make you more like Jesus.

The more you're like Jesus, the more you'll shine.

And we will all marvel ...

~~

I'm including this post as part of my series, My Writing Life, which will have 1-2 posts a week exploring my life as a writer of a novel. 

~~

I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

Sharing at Let's Have Coffee

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

From Mess to Masterpiece

 

Not too long ago, I was talking with someone whose life was not going the way they had imagined it. Can you relate?

When the enemy is trying to pummel us into the ground, we can begin to feel helpless and hopeless. But we need to be reminded God is at work shaping us into something beautiful.

The Apostle Paul wrote about becoming a masterpiece long ago when he wrote to the Ephesians.

Once, we were a mess:

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Ephesians 2:1-2 NLT

Paul goes on to tell us in verse 3 we all were a mess.

But God,

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, Ephesians 2:4 NLT

Because of that love and mercy, He couldn't leave us in our mess. What did He do?

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT

God saves us not just to save us from the wrath we so deserve, but also to make something beautiful of us.

We are His  workmanship (the ancient Greek word poiema), His beautiful poem. Some translations say "work of art," or "masterpiece" for poiema.

He is creating something beautiful out of each believer's life.

Why? So we can be about the Father's business doing good works. Those works were planned for you from the very beginning, and it is something only you can do. Your unique life and personality, placed in your unique setting, can make a difference in the people around you.

YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE, GOD HAS SOMETHING FOR YOU TO DO. 

My point to my friend who felt she was not going to receive the dreamed-for life she wanted was God was making something beautiful out of her life. Sometimes it hurts to be molded and shaped into the masterpiece He is creating, but in the end, you wouldn’t have it any other way. You will be beautiful and complete and will enrich the kingdom of God. No one else can take your place, you were uniquely designed and created for such a time as this.

What about you?

Will you embrace the molding and shaping that must take place to turn you into a masterpiece?

Will you embrace a life of good works to influence others for the kingdom?

Remember, those works don't save you - you were saved when you accepted the gift of what Jesus did for you. 

Your good works are to bring glory to Him, our good, good Father.

~~

I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

Sharing at Sweet Tea & Friends, Let's Have Coffee

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

Not by Sight

Sometimes, our goals and dreams don't look like they are going to happen. But I'm here to tell you if God gave you a dream, it's going to happen.

I stand on 2 Corinthians 5:7 which says:

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

It might look unlikely but don't count your dream dead. If it is truly from God, He is working in the background, bringing things together and at just the right time, it will all come together, and you will be amazed.

For instance, I've poured a lot of effort into my novel. I've wrestled with the thing until it now numbers 98,000 hope-filled words. 

My vision is a book that will encourage people to believe no matter what they have done, there is still a chance for redemption. It's possible to become a new person. 

No, I don't have the book in hand yet, but it is closer to being completed than ever before.

I will not give up on my dream because the Lord gave it to me.

Do you have a dream that you are holding onto? Remember, if you could see it, you wouldn't need faith.

~~

This post was written in response to the prompt, "sight," provided by the community of writers at Five Minute Friday.

I'm including this post as part of my series, My Writing Life, which will have 1-2 posts a week exploring my life as a writer of a novel. 

~~

I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday, InstaEncouragements Link-Up

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

Looking for Direction

 

Have you ever been unsure what direction to take?

Today, I’m sharing a story from the archives that tells of a time we were physically lost – back in the days before GPS.

We had decided to visit a church where a beloved pastor friend of ours was holding a revival. I had arranged to take off early because this church? It was deep in the bowels of Missouri - out where we like to say "so far back in the woods, the hoot owls don't even hoot."

We got lost. In fact, we were lost so badly that now we were 20 minutes late for service. Friends, I am not a happy camper when I'm lost.

We started over at the beginning of the road. This time, we saw the church sign that said one mile pointing left. We said, "Okay, we are going to time one mile on the odometer and turn left the first opportunity we get, even if it looks like a driveway."

It was so dark out there!

We went one mile and sure enough, we saw a path leading through the woods on the left. We'd seen that opening earlier but didn't take it because of the sign at the opening, "MASS GRAVE."

What in the world? Deciding to take a chance, we took the path and eventually came to a little clearing and there was the church.

Who'd ever think a church would be on a road marked, "MASS GRAVE?"

But it gets better. When we went inside, they were still singing. One lady got up and sang a special, "Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down!"

You can't make this stuff up!

~~

In my book, my character, Cherie Stopka, was also looking for direction. Feeling betrayed, she wanted to go somewhere new and start over. But where should she go? 

Feeling strongly impressed to take a bus to Atlanta, GA, she met a group of travelers on the way home to Hawkinsville, GA. Led by Holy Spirit, the group reached out to Cherie, one by one, on the long trip home. Cherie soon realized these were her people and got off the bus with them to check out Hawkinsville. She ended up finding a job, a place to live, a church, a best friend, and eventually her Savior.

Sometimes, you have to take that first step towards your destiny!

~~

This post is part of my series, My Writing Life, which will have 1-2 posts a week exploring my life as a writer of a novel. 

~~

I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

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

Part of this post was adapted from a 2016 post, Laughter: The Best Medicine