FACE.me Day Challenge

Confession time.

I am a perfectionist.

Unfortunately the trait didn’t come with the skills to back up my idealism in most areas of my life. But one thing I can control is how I present myself to the world. Even if my life is far from perfect, I can put on my mask of perfection and create the illusion that I have it all together.  

I don’t leave the house without flawless make-up. You’ll never catch me at the store in my yoga pants. And if you ask me how I’m doing, I’ll probably smile and say everything’s fine. Even if my life’s about to come apart at the seams.

Somewhere along the way, I became so focused on keeping up appearance that I failed to recognize the deceit in the practice. I withhold myself from people who are trying to form a connection with me because I’m afraid they might see the truth. I’m a mess.

I don’t want to be a mess. I want to be perfect. I want to be the kind of person God can use. And why would he want the messy, frazzled, imperfection that I am without the mask?

But God’s been showing me something lately through His word. He didn’t use any perfect people. As a matter of fact, everyone He used was flawed by my standards.

God doesn’t use perfection. He uses transparency. He wants to show the beauty of the transformation process through the mess.

And what ever made me think I know how to better present perfection and beauty than the Lord of Lords and King of Kings? I am created in His image. He molded me exactly how he wanted me. And maybe he gave me a generous dose of creativity in place of my share of organizational skill because he has a purpose for that in my life.

So today, I’m joining FACE.me day and I’m taking off the mask. Psalm 139:14 says I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made, flaws and all!

My mask puts a barrier between me and the people I meet. How many friendships have I forfeited? How many opportunities have I missed? All in the name of my own skewed version of perfection. And worse, I have built a barrier between me and God because I’ve resisted who he created me to be. Playing pretend doesn’t work with God. He sees it all.

I’ll be honest. I’m not interested in forever abandoning make-up. I’m not convinced God has required that of me. But I am going to focus on being more transparent and breaking down the barrier I’ve created to perpetuate the lie of perfection.

I’m not perfect. I’m flawed. But I’m God’s work in progress. And that’s a whole different kind of beautiful.

You’ve see my bare face. Now it’s your turn. I challenge you to take off your mask today and post a make-up free photo of yourself on facebook. Because you are fearfully and wonderfully made, let’s praise Him together!

For more FACE.me inspiration check out the other blogs on this make-up free blog tour: 

Nick Kording: http://nickkording.com/thoughts/...
Lindsay Harrel: http://www.lindsayharrel.com
Joseph Courtemanche: http://www.commotioninthepews.com
Gabrielle Meyer: http://www.gabriellemeyer.com
Jaime Wright: http://coffeecupsandcamisoles.blogspot.com
Carrie Wisehart: http://www.carriewisehart.com
Emilie Anne Hendryx: http://eahendryx.blogspot.com
Sarah Baker: http://godbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/?m=1
Kristy Cambron: http://www.kristycambron.com
Rachel Britz: http://www.rachelbritz.com
Cara Putman: http://www.caraputman.com
Stacy Monson: http://www.Landof10000words.wordpress.com
Laurie Tomlinson: http://www.laurietomlinson.com

Walkin' on Water

Walking on Water, Isac Goulart, 2002

I just love Peter's character in the Bible. He's the charge-full-speed-ahead guy, the act-first-think-later guy, the I-know-what-I-believe-and-I'm-not-afraid-to-tell-you-even-if-it-means-I-put-my-foot-in-my-mouth guy.

In a boat full of guys who cried ghost when they saw Jesus walking on the water, he's the "hey,-I-want-to-do-that,-too" guy. So Peter says, "If you're really Jesus, you can make me walk on water, too." (Matt. 14:22-33, Forgive the loose paraphrase.)

Now if that had been me, I would have taken that thought on faith and stayed in the boat, but not Peter.

Jesus answers, "Okay Peter, if you want to walk on the stormy sea, go ahead and hop overboard." And (I love this part) Peter did! Eyes on Jesus, Peter starts to walk on water.

But then Peter takes his eyes off Jesus. (I like to think he's looking over his shoulder yelling "Hey guys, look what I can do!) And in that moment, he catches sight of the turbulent water, feels the whip of the wind. Suddenly a terrible thought occurs to Peter. He realizes that people can't walk on water. As a matter of fact, people have a tendency to sink and drown. Even before the thought had fully formed, waves began to swallow Peter.

Terrified, Peter screams out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus reaches out to catch Peter and says, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

This is the part that's really been rolling around in my mind lately. What did Peter doubt? Was he doubting himself? Of course not. There was no possibility that Peter could walk on water on his own. He was doubting God. He took his eyes off Jesus for one second, just long enough to see how impossible it was for him to take the journey he'd just begun and doubt attacked.

I'm a writer. Sometimes the publishing world seems like a stormy sea. And sending a precious manuscript that you've been working on for years feels a little like jumping overboard on faith that we are somehow going to walk on water.

Keeping our eyes on Jesus, we may even manage to take a few steps. We may even start to think, "Hey I'm pretty good at this writing thing." And that's when we catch sight of the churning sea and remember that people can't walk on water. We really weren't cut out for this writing life and it would have been a lot safer to just stay in the boat.

Whether you're a writer or not I'm sure you've had moments where you cried out to God for help. What did I get myself into? God, I'm in over my head and sinking fast! I've had a lot of what-made-me-think-I-could-do-this moments lately.

I can just see God, as he reaches out to rescue me ... again, shaking his head saying, "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" But what I too often fail to realize is I never could do this, or anything else of value, without Him. Self-doubt does not apply. When I doubt, I'm doubting God. There is no room for doubt in faith. They don't fit together. We've got to keep our eyes on Jesus!

I was teaching AWANA the other night and a little girl told me this quote: Don't let the storm tell you how big it is. Instead tell the storm how big God is. I'm not sure who to credit this quote to, but I love it. We've got to keep our eyes on Jesus and tell those waves our God is bigger than anything they can throw at us. 

And then we can walk on water! 

Saying Goodbye

Paul Evan Wood 4/16/1930-4/6/2013

This week we had to say goodbye to Grandpa Wood. It is such a bittersweet time because we know he's rejoicing in Glory, but he leaves a void in our lives that no one else could fill.

Last Christmas, while Grandpa read the Christmas story from the big family Bible with all the extended family gathered around I had the terrible feeling that it was the last year he would be with us for Christmas. At the time, I banished the morbid thought and went on enjoying the day, refusing to believe the warning in my spirit, but still taking extra care to cherish the time we all had together.

Memories take me a few decades to the days when I was young. I remember eating breakfast with Grandpa (unfrosted shredded wheat, but he always let me scoop a spoonful of sugar on mine) while watching the squirrels try to steal birdseed from the bird feeder out the kitchen window. He kept a bird watching book close by and when a bird landed on the feeder, he’d help me find it in his book.

Early on Sunday mornings we’d walk across the parking lot between the parsonage and the church to ring the church bell. The thick, rough bell rope would pull me right up off the ground if I held on tight enough.

Every time we visited he handed out crisp new $2 bills to all the grandkids. I saved mine for 20 years until they were absorbed by my tight newlywed budget. When the grandkids grew up, he handed out golden dollars to the great-grandkids. My three daughters still have a few of theirs in a jar on top of our refrigerator.  

 Visiting Grandpa and Grandma when we lived in South Dakota was so exciting. On the way there we counted stop signs the last half hour of the trip - there were 8 stop signs and we'd get more excited with each one until we finally pulled into the church parking lot. We'd run up the long front walk as fast as our little legs would carry us and Grandpa and Grandma (and Whinnie, the poodle, tail wagging) would meet us at the top with big hugs and kisses. What a way to end a long trip! On the way back home, he’d give me and my brothers each a dollar to spend on a treat at Emma Krumbees. I always chose stick candy, tubes of flavored honey and old fashioned taffy. Candy sticks always make me think of Grandpa.

One time my cousin Ginger and I found some old clothes and wigs in the storage room of the parsonage. We were probably 9 or 10. Grandma helped us dress up in them like little old ladies. We walked over to the church office and pretended to be visitors to the church. Grandpa was so nice. He showed us to the seats in his office and played along with us, inviting us to the Sunday service. He never let on that he knew it was really us. We were absolutely convinced we had fooled him. I wanted to dress up on Sunday too, but Mom wouldn’t let me. I was so worried that Grandpa would get his feelings hurt if the little old ladies didn’t come to the service.

All of this has gotten me thinking about the kind of legacy I want to leave behind, and the legacy that I’m apart of through the patriarch of my amazing family. I’m so thankful to be part of the legacy of a career pastor, an amazing husband, father, grandpa and more importantly a devoted man of God. I can hardly remember Grandpa without remembering his well-worn Bible. He left a legacy of salvation and faith.

Our family has a tradition of singing the doxology after the prayer before we eat together. The simple hymn comes alive with beautiful harmony when we all sing together. It makes me very sad that we will never all be together again here on earth to sing it.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise him all creatures here below,

Praise him above ye heavenly hosts

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen 

           Grandpa lived this song's message all through his life. Now he’s singing in glory in the presents of our Heavenly Father himself. I trust we will all sing together again when we join him in eternity.

Goodbye Grandpa. You are loved and you'll be remembered.

 

   

Make a Fashion Statement



Alright. I’ll admit it. I love to shop. I love fashion. I don’t have a budget that allows designer labels, but (on a good day) I can at least try to pull off the style. I know what looks good on me and I know what to avoid – things that shows off all my worst features. Sometimes, though, I get into that dressing room and realize that even an empire waist won’t cover those extra pounds of winter weight – compounded by a few too many winters. I wish I could just find something that covered all the undesirable parts and displayed a flawless me.
I have an irrational fear of being  caught underdressed. The very idea of walking into a new church, restaurant or office and realizing that I’m the only one in jeans and a t-shirt makes me want to disappear into the floorboards. Almost as terrifying is the idea of spilling something all over myself when I can’t change and looking sloppy for the rest of the day.    
The prophet Zechariah tells the story of a similar nightmare in one of his visions. He saw the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord in filthy rags. Satan stood beside him to accuse him of his symbolic fashion faux pas, pointing a finger at his disgrace.
Zech.3:4-5 reads: The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by.
Isaiah reinforces these themes, referring to our attempts at righteousness as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). Isa. 61:10 says I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.
When I go to meet my King that’s what I want to be wearing! But what exactly do garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness look like?
Rom. 13:14 puts it this way. “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” In Ephesians 4:24 Paul states, "Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” This theme recurs in Colossians 3:10, "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:"
So if I wear a robe of righteousness before the throne of the almighty King, I will look just like his Son! What a fashion statement!
Do you keep God locked away deep inside or are you willing to wear the robe of righteousness, the image of Jesus Christ for all to see?

12 Steps to a Life Free from Excuses

Over the past weeks, months even, I have accomplished less than I'd hoped. I haven't met my goals in writing or life in general. I get discouraged and distracted. And above all, I have lots of excuses for why things aren't getting done. I've been sick. I started a new job. My family has put extra demands on my time. I've committed to large projects with less help and support than expected. And the list goes on. Many of my excuses are valid challenges, but I've allowed them to keep my goals out of reach.

I've come to a conclusion that I'm posting here to keep me accountable. Here it is. I don't want excuses. I don't want anything to validate me being ineffectual for God. I want to be so surrendered and dependent on Him that it doesn't matter what's going on in my life.

I heard this quote attributed to David Brainerd recently and it's become my prayer. "God let me make a difference for you that is utterly disproportionate to who I am."

I'm weak. I can't do this on my own. Thankfully, God doesn't ask us to do it on our own. As a matter of fact, 2 Corinthians 12:9 says: But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

 

Amen! I'm ready for a power surge!

 

According to Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

 

Isaiah 40: 29-31 promises: He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary,and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

 

With these truths in mind, I'm making the following resolutions.

 

12 Steps to a Life Free from Excuses:

1) Begin every day in the word of God with a focused quite time. (And no, a prayer in the shower doesn't count.) But don't stop there! Pray your way though your day.

2) Honor your family. (Make time to help kids with homework, keep drawers stocked with laundered clothes and cupboards full of clean dishes, spend an hour with hubby, even if it means sitting beside him while he watches yet another episode of Man vs. Wild)

3) Write everyday no matter what. (Even if a few hundred words is all I can stay awake for.)

4) Eliminate time wasters. (Remove the game apps on your phone. Turn the TV off. Seriously limit facebook time.)

5) Use lists, schedules, reminders, alarms, times and notes to manage time and responsibilities.

6) Learn to say "no". Don't take on any new commitments. Eliminate unnecessary activities.

7) Prioritize. Put first things first.

8) Work in a way that will earn a "well done, good and faithful servant". No lazy, half-hearted effort. No distracted wandering mind. Put your all into it and get it done.

9) Make reasonable Goals and don't allow distractions or interruptions to excuse you from being effective and accomplishing those goals.

10) Don't procrastinate. Thinking ahead is not one of my strengths. I say, "I'll do it later" way too often.

11) Get enough sleep. Sleep is the first thing to go when I get too busy, but I invariably get sick when I'm sleep deprived. Getting an extra few hours of work done today is not worth the foggy head I'll have next week while I'm fighting off another cold or flu.

12) Forgive yourself. Tomorrow is a new day. 

You don’t have to be a Pro to Write a Winning Entry Part 2

Yesterday I shared the story of how I went from inept amateur to Frasier winner in less than one year. Today, I’d like to share how the Frasier win affected my life and how you can transform your entry into a scene you can be proud of.   

The My Book Therapy website advertises the Frasier contest as the perfect way to:

1. Get feedback from professionals on your manuscript, and

2. Start a buzz for your work among the gatekeepers.

1. Get feedback from professionals: When I entered, I believed the feedback would be well worth the entry fee. I was not disappointed. The judges took time to really examine my work. Their comments were thorough, encouraging and helpful. Not only did they point out areas I could improve, they also gave ideas on how to fix the problems. They took the time to show me where I excel. They provided specific example for both positive and negative comments so I could apply the feedback to improve my work. They also gave advice about how my work fits into the industry and offered suggestions to improve my chances of making a sale.  

2. Start a buzz for your work among the gatekeepers: At my first ever ACFW conference, people knew my name. Both of the agents I met with had heard of me or even read my work before I arrived at my meetings. I received requests for materials from both of them as well as one editor. Since my win I’ve been featured on blogs and websites. I even have people outside of the writing community taking notice of me because they ran across my name on the web. People from my church, the nurse at my doctor’s office and old acquaintances I haven’t seen in many years have tracked me down to find out what all the buzz is about. I have opportunities to network and establish my brand as an author almost everyday.

Another benefit of winning is the scholarship to an MBT retreat. Because of that scholarship, I have the opportunity to return to Deep Thinkers this year. With so very much to learn and so much valuable information presented, repetition is good! I couldn’t have possibly absorbed all there was to learn the first time.     

Receiving the Frasier award has had an amazing effect on my life, but the benefits of entering began long before the winner was announced. As a matter of fact, they began before I’d even sent my entry!

In the days leading up to the entry deadline, My Book Therapy blogs, chats and forums were packed with Frasier contest specific information, tips and tricks. The Frasier is unlike any other contest because they not only tell you exactly what the judges are looking for, but then take it a step farther and actually train you to deliver exactly what they are looking for! Polishing my Frasier entry last year was one of the most valuable exercises in writing I’ve ever participated in. I learned how to weave all the elements into the story, not just for the entry, but for all of my subsequent writing and editing projects.    

My biggest piece of advice to anyone who is considering entering the Frasier is to be teachable. MBT will give you the tools you need to write a powerful scene that will exceed your own expectations. 

A few things to remember when crafting a Frasier contest entry:

∙           Your entry should only include ONE scene with ONE point of view (POV). This scene should be the first scene in your story.

∙           Weed out words that end in “ly” and the word “was” as much as possible. These are symptoms of passive writing, or telling instead of showing.

∙           Replace dialogue tags (he said, she said) with action beats (use body language, emotional reaction, internal dialogue, and expression).

∙           Limit back story. Your reader doesn’t need a full explanation of your character’s back story in the first scene. A well written hint or emotional reaction can be more powerful than paragraphs of explanation. Leave the reader wanting to know more, not overwhelmed with information dump.

∙           Stay under 1500 words. It would sure be a bummer if your winning entry was disqualified because you couldn’t manage to shave off those extra 64 words. You can do it! If you have the opposite problem and your entry is only 700 words, then you probably haven’t included all of the elements. Keep reading! We’ll talk about what you might need to add.

One of best tools available for polishing your Frasier entry is the first chapter checklist.

First Chapter Checklist (from the Book Buddy by Susan May Warren):

1.        Have you created sympathy for your character so we love them?

2.     Have you shown us your character's home life, so we know where their journey begins?

3.     Have you shown us your character's competence, and their identity?

4.     Have you given us a glimpse of your characters greatest dream?

5.     Have you given us a hint of your character's greatest fear?

6.     Have you given us a hint at your character's spiritual lie?

7.     Have you set the mood of the book (suspense/mystery/fantasy, women's fiction, rom-com, romance, etc).  

8.     Have you delivered the story question that will drive us through the book? 

9.     Do you have crisp, interesting dialogue?

10.   Have you honed your hook to include the Who, What, Why, When and Where's of the story? 

11.   Do you have sufficient storyworld?

12.   Have you used the five senses? 

13.   Have you shown us the story in active voice?  

14.   Have you used specific nouns and vivid verbs to add emotion to the story? 

15.   Finally, have you ended the scene with a disaster, something that makes the reader want to turn the page?

It seems impossible at first. How can you fit all of that into one scene without breaking any of the rules? (If you don’t understand any of the elements, search the MBT blog and forum for explanations, or post a comment here and I'll do my best to explain.)

First, look at what you have written and highlight any elements that are already clearly defined. Next, find places to naturally interject missing elements. When you believe you have accomplished this, have someone else read your scene (preferably a writer who understands the concepts. If you don’t have a craft partner or crit group, post an offer to exchange entries with someone else on the “Critique Partners?” Forum in the MBT Bleachers. Here’s the link http://mybooktherapy.ning.com/forum/topics/critique-partners?commentId=1949939%3AComment%3A57413)

Ask your critique partner to read your entry carefully then answer the 15 checklist questions without looking back. Ask for more than just Yes or No. See if they can give an example or short explanation for each question.

If your reader can’t answer all of these questions (with the answers you intended) then go back and strengthen the weak areas.

You don’t have to be a pro to write a winning entry. Trust me! I have a long way to go. But whether you win or not, you won’t regret entering the Frasier. The skills you learn just by polishing an entry will be worth it and the judges’ feedback takes those skills a step farther. You'll improve your writing, learn about the industry and get your work in front of professionals. And who know, you might be the next Frasier winner! 

To read the story of my journey to the Frasier win, check out yesterday’s post, You don’t have to be a Pro to Write a Winning Entry Part 1. Thanks for stopping by!

You don’t have to be a Pro to Write a Winning Scene Part 1

In September 2011 I was honored with the 2011 Frasier Award. (The Frasier is a writing contest for unpublished novelists through My Book Therapy.) This is the story of how I went from inept amateur to award-winning novelist in less than one year. This victory is not mine. This story is a testimony of the power and faithfulness of God Almighty.

My Frasier story:

In the fall of 2010 I had the privilege of meeting Susan May Warren at a women’s retreat. Somehow over the course of the weekend, I managed to disclose to her my deepest secret. I’m sure my face turned five shades of red telling THE Susan May Warren that I liked to write novels in my carefully hidden free time.  Once, about eight years before, I had checked out and read the only two books my local library had on writing and publishing. Beyond that (and my college composition courses) I had no training in creative writing. My method of writing a book was to come up with interesting characters, throw a situation at them and keep writing until I found out what happened next. (No wonder my first few finished books were over 140,000 words. J) In 2002 I had send out a few queries. When I got rejections to my first three attempts, I decided that writing novels might just have to be my hobby. I changed gears, changed my major in college and became a journalist. After college, I worked as a newspaper reporter for a few years. I kept writing stories, but I did it in secret. Until the day I met Suzie and she convinced me it was time to come out of the closet.

A few weeks after the women’s retreat, I attended the My Book Therapy Storycrafters retreat. And I learned how much I had to learn. The group had more than a dozen real writers with real potential who all seemed to know what they were talking about. The shop talk might as well have been a foreign language for me. I’d never heard terms like deep POV, WIP, active vs. passive writing. What was with all the acronyms anyway? And even more overwhelming than the terminology was the foundational concept of outlining a story before writing it. I shed a few tears of discouragement. But as I took inventory of the work that I had previously done, I discovered something that pulled me off the ledge. Even though I’d never outlined a story, every book I’d written did contain all the elements of the LINDYHOP (Suzie’s acronym for the story spine or outline). Alright, so maybe I wasn’t totally hopeless. Even if my books were full of passive head hopping that had been told rather than shown. (Gibberish, right?)

At Storycrafters, I heard about Deep Thinkers. For this North Dakota girl, it was a pipe dream to go to Florida to write for six whole days.  But Deep Thinkers or no Deep Thinkers, I committed to learning how to write well.  I attended MBT chats on Monday nights. I read the archives and the blog and the e-zine. It never ceased to amaze me how many resources were there for the taking. All those years of solitary writing I never knew I was a few clicks away from a supportive community packed with information I could have been learning and growing from. I wasn’t going to waste any more time.

Through God’s provision I was able to attend Deep Thinkers 2011. I couldn’t have been more nervous or out of place. I ended up in a carpool from the airport with the 2010 Frasier winner, Melissa Tagg. Intimidated doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt with her. Not to mention two of the 2010 Frasier finalists and all the other amazing writers who attended 2011 DT. But when I discovered that all those talented writers were also amazing people who didn’t even look down at me for my unlimited supply of stupid questions, I was so glad I’d gone. I learned so much that week! Until I attended Deep Thinkers, I had never heard of ACFW or writing contests. I left Florida with the challenge to enter contests and join ACFW.

I entered the Frasier because I had heard such wonderful things about the judges’ feedback, and because I trusted MBT.  I knew my writing had improved in the six months since joining MBT, but I had no illusions of actually winning. I wanted feedback to help me pinpoint problem areas and continue to grow as a writer.

Sometimes I still can’t believe it was my name announced as the 2011 Frasier winner at the MBT Pizza Party during the ACFW Conference in St. Louis in September. It could not have been on my own merit that I won. It was only though God’s grace and power to work mightily in my life. I can look back at one incredible year and see His hand on every moment of it.

My award is also a testament to the value of the teaching offered by My Book Therapy. Everything you could possibly want to learn is presented on the pages of the resources offered there. And if it’s not, start a discussion on the forum or put in a request for the topic on the blog or e-zine and I’m sure it would quickly be addressed. Check out My Book Therapy at http://www.mybooktherapy.com/.

Thanks for stopping by! Check back tomorrow to read about how the Frasier win has affected my life and get practical advice on how to polish your entry!

The Trash, The Photo Album, or The Mirror

Opportunities to learn and grow in God's word are endless. Certainly, Bible study and prayer are useful and deliberate methods, but God presents us with many more candid glimpses of His truth throughout the course of our everyday lives. A sermon at church, a song on the radio, a clever bumper sticker quote, a conversation with a friend, even God's whispers through His creation or the world around us can provide nuggets of truth with applicable potential.

When God serves us a helping of truth, a lesson to learn from, what is our response? I find that the options I usually filter through can be represented by a trash can, a photo album, or a mirror. 

Option A: The Trash
When truth is hard to hear and requires an uncomfortable change or sacrifice, it is easiest to ignore or discard it. The problem with throwing out truth is that it keeps comming back, often in more and more direct and difficult ways. When something in your life causes a roadblock between you and God, He will deal with it. Not because He tries to spoil your fun or punish you, but because those roadblocks prevent his blessing on your life and cause seperation between you and him. The sooner you deal with it and remove the roadblack, the sooner God can hold your hand, heal your hurts, and show you His love.

Option B: The Photo Album
This tends to be my most automatic response. When truth is presented, it is easy to see how other people need to learn this lesson. How much easier would your life be if your _______________ [boss, sister, husband, fill in the blank] learned this lesson? Suddenly you begin concocting ways you can be the voice of truth into the lives of others. Often these intensions seem noble in our minds. We genuinely want to help others. But let me assure you, God doesn't need your help to teach someone else a lesson. His methods are much more effective than your and if He teaches truth to other people in your life, it repairs rather than damages your relationship with them. If you try to be the one to change others, it will almost invariablely cause damage.  

Option C: The Mirror
The third and most difficult option when faced with a lesson of truth is to look in the mirror, examine yourself and allow God to show you areas in your own life where change is needed or where truth can be applied. When God's truth jumps out at you, it's not an accident or a cooincidence. It's because God wants you to apply it in YOUR life. He doesn't teach us to shame us. His truth will always enrich our lives and bring us closer to Him. If we are willing to allow God to teach us, grow us and change us, we will always walk away from this mirror more beautiful.

Lets be women who choose to look in the mirror when we are faced with truth. Let's allow God to bring out the true beauty He created in each of us through the application of His truth.

Voices in your head

There are two voices. One screams loudly for your attention. It's hard to ignore. The other is a still small voice, maybe only a whisper. Sometimes you must be still, free from the distractions of television and telephone, to hear it.

"You are far from perfect," the loud voice taunts. "You're always making mistakes. Everyone else is better than you." The enemy voice strips away your worth. "Don't be yourself."

"I am perfect. I never make mistakes." The whisper of the soft voice holds the authority of a loving Father. "You are valuable. I created you for a purpose that no one else can accomplish." Peace wraps around you like a blanket on a on a cold day. "Be who I say you are."

One voice speaks a lie. He is the enemy, a vandal trying to cover the beauty of your soul with graffiti in hopes of disabling your potential.

The other is the voice of Truth, the one true God. He washes the graffiti and uses your mistakes to build the beautiful architecture of your character.

There are two voices. Who are you going to believe?

Sarai's Story

Psalm 28:1-2

To you, LORD, I call;
   you are my Rock,
   do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
   I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Hear my cry for mercy
   as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
   toward your Most Holy Place.

 Can you relate to David as he cries out to the LORD for help? Do you feel like God hears you? Does He give you the help or answers you seek? I'm guessing many of you will answer no. The answers or help we seek are rarely the answers or help He gives according to his perfect plan. Who can presume to say they know a better way than God's way?

Rest assured though, Sisters, He does hear and He is working His perfect plan through your situation.

Genesis 12 begins the tale of a woman named Sarai. Sarai was far from perfect. She was moody, impatient and sometimes foolish. But her life was far from easy. In a day when a woman's worth was based on her ability to produce offspring, Sarai was barren. Her husband decided to pack her up and move her across the country (probably without consulting her first) far away from everyone she knew and loved, then he pawned her off as the sex slave of a foreign ruler, left her to run off to war, got Sarai's servant girl pregnant then wouldn't stand up for her when the servant made her life miserable. God even seemed to make a promise he didn't keep - He promised her a son, but her child bearing years dwindled then ceased all together. At the age of 90 this post-menopausal woman had been written off as a loss, a total waste of time, a laughing stock, a failure. Her husband believed her to be the barrier between himself and God's promises. She felt worthless and no one would have argued with her. Her very name had become associated with failure.

Have you ever felt utterly defeated? I know I have. Perhaps this defeat led to a cry to God like David's words from Psalms 28:1-2.

But God had not forgotten about Sarai. In Genesis 17:15-16, God appeared to her husband, Abraham, and told him “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”  

Why did God say this to Abraham instead of just appearing directly to Sarai? God begins this promise with a command. "You are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah." Sarah means princess. God told her husband to quit calling her names. He was commanding Abraham to quit viewing Sarai as a disappointment. In fact, God took it one step further. Not only was Abraham to drop the stigma, he was to call her princess. When Abraham went to Egypt with Sarai, he didn't claim her. Abraham allowed her to be taken into Pharaoh's harem because he would not claim her as his wife. By renaming Sarai "Sarah", God, the King of kings, claimed her as his princess. He elevated her to a position of the highest honor. God stood up for her. Abraham was no longer allowed to even utter her name without giving her honor.

How incredible is that? I serve a God that stands up for the broken and defeated. He stood up for me and He stood up for Sarah. And even more amazing - that's not all God did! God kept his promises! God gave Sarah a son. And through that child God raised nations, great kings (including David who wrote Psalm 28), and even God's own son - Jesus Christ. Sarah may have questioned his timing and methods, but He knew what He was doing all along. The birth of Isaac, Sarah's son, was clearly miraculous. If he had come within the natural course, God's intervention may have been ignored, overlooked or explained away. Both Sarah's inability to have children and the extreme delay in the coming of the promised son were intentionally plotted in God's perfect plan. God was not punishing her or ignoring her. Through all of that pain and heartache, He was making it obvious that she was His chosen princess.     

Are you hurting? Do you feel forgotten, under-appreciated, worthless? Take heart, Sister. God has not forgotten you! He will claim you as His princess. He will stand up for you! He will fight for you. He will be your strength and your shield. Never give up hope. David ends Psalm 28 with this:

Psalm 28:6-7

Praise be to the LORD,
   for he has heard my cry for mercy.
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
   my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
   and with my song I praise him.

God did not give up on David. He did not give up on Sarah. He did not give up on me. He will not give up on you. Cry out to Him. He will hear you.

Feel free to post prayer requests in the comments or email me. I will gladly pray with you. andrea.michelle.wood@gmail.com.

Another step on the journey

The ACFW national conference begins one week from today and I find that the nearer it gets, the more I eat, dream and breathe ACFW. Thoughts, anxiety, hopes, pitch, fears, excitement, one sheet, questions, ideas, prepare, do's and dont's, pack, memorize, research, polish ... I'm sure some of my fellow newbie's can relate! And I know that the friends I talk to regularly are sick and tired of hearing about it!  Even my bed has been completely taken over by my suitcases!

I've become hyper focused on what to wear (and what to eat so they will fit), what to bring, what to pitch, and the list goes on. It just feels like this is the single most important weekend of my entire life. And if I mess it up it will be the death of a lifelong dream. (I'm not damatic at all - wink, wink)

No wonder I've been stressed! That's a lot of pressure to put on myself. And the beautiful, freeing truth is  this is not my make-it-or-break-it moment. It's only another step on the divinely charted journey God is leading me through - a journey that is far from over, no matter what happens next week.

It never ceases to amaze me how God can summon scripture from the recesses of my memories, brush the dust off of them and present them to me as if they were brand new truths, perfectly applicable to my situation. How sweet those precious words are when they are whispered to my anxious soul just when I need to hear them! How wonderfully patient my Savior is as He reminds me of the promises He delivers though His word!  

Here are some of the gentle reminders that have been popping into my head in the last few days.

Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Joshuah 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Psalm 27: 13-14 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Scripture is the balm for my soul - and it's unscented, so I can take it with me to ACFW. ;)

Generational Wisdom

This evening I was discussing ACFW and the delicate balance of hopes and fears with my mom. After pouring out all my anxiety and excitement over my first writer's conference, my mom, (Janelle Wood) shared some wonderful truths with me. These truths transfer so very well to the plight of the unpublished writer that I asked her permission to post her thoughts here. I hope it is as meaningful to all my fellow writers as it is to me, especially in light of the stress of preparing for ACFW.
 

A little background about Janelle Wood: Almost three years ago, after working at the same place for 15 years, Janelle was unexpectedly laid off. She spent almost two years searching for a job in the difficult job market. After hundreds of applications and dozens of interviews, she wrote this article to remind her of the lessons God had been teaching her thought her season of unemployment.

Lessons from the Unemployment Line…and Exodus

                Last Sunday our pastor spoke on the familiar passage from Exodus 14. After watching God’s awesome power demonstrated in the ten plagues, the Israelites were finally released from Egypt. But Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his armies in pursuit. When the Israelites came to the Red Sea, they could not go forward, and were surrounded by the enemy. The Israelites complained to Moses, saying “what have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? . . . It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" (vs 11-12)

                Over the past months, there were many times when I could identify with how the Israelites must have felt—a sea of hopelessness at my back, and the enemy of self-doubt surrounding me.  I must confess that at times I have demonstrated the same lack of faith as the Israelites, even though I have seen God’s faithful provision many, many times. I have wondered if God knew what he was doing.  I’ve wondered if God brought me to the desert to die. I’ve wondered if God really did have a plan.  But even through my doubt, God’s answer has often been the same as His response to the Israelites: “The Lord with fight for you; you need only to be still.” (vs 14)

                 During this unwelcome journey through unemployment, I am learning many things—most of them things I really should have learned long ago. But, if you are among the one in ten people on the journey with me, be encouraged by these reminders. If not, thank God for your work, and rejoice in these truths. 

Lesson 1: God is my provider.  It is not my job that provides my needs, it is God. Sometimes he has provided through my job, but right now He simply wants me to trust Him alone.

Lesson 2: God is my sufficiency. I don’t need the approval or affirmation of anyone except God.  As long as my heart is right with Him, and I am walking in obedience-it is sufficient.

Lesson 3: God is my identity. I am not defined by my job or my income. I am not incomplete because I don’t have a title or a business card. I am a child of the King and complete in Him.

Lesson 4: God is my creator.  I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for me to do. (Eph 2:10) He created me to be perfectly suited to do the things that he wants me to do. He didn’t miss a skill or aptitude, or forget about an attribute when He created me. I am exactly as He intended.  

Lesson 5: God is Faithful. I do not need to be afraid, He will never leave me nor forsake me.

Lesson 6: God is my destiny.  My professional future is not in my hands, or the hands of my interviewers or evaluators. It is in God’s hands and His alone. This does not excuse me from doing my due diligence, but it frees me from the bondage of perceived failure.

The Red Sea has not parted for me yet, but it is no longer the sea of hopelessness.  It is becoming the sea of opportunity—opportunity for God to show himself strong and faithful—to work a miracle in my life.  The enemy of self-doubt is still poised, but the angel of God and the pillar of cloud (vs 19-20), in the form of some lessons re-learned, have come between me and this destructive enemy just as they did for the Israelites.

Shortly after writing out these thoughts, a door was opened and Janelle has now been happily employed for almost a year.
Thanks Mom for sharing these thoughts!

Tag Line

As the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) national conference nears I'm frantically trying to finish up all the little projects that I thought I had all the time in the world to do. Today's panic project is ordering business cards. I've designed several but haven't decided yet which one I should send to print, and time is quickly running out! (Thank goodness for three day shipping!) I've asked around and read blog posts and emails from people who are much more experienced about what to include. Recurrently, these advisers have suggested that I include my tag line. Problem is, I don't have one ... yet. So I need your help.

A tag line is like a writers motto. It should explain the writers style and genera or intended audience. Examples: Camy Tang (romantic suspense) Romance with a kick of wasabi, Kaye Dacus (Romantic comedy) Humor, Hope and Happily Ever Afters, Trish Perry (Romantic Comedy) True Love. Real Laughs. Pure Fiction., Lauralee Bliss (Historical Romance) Love the way it should be. These are just a few examples. Look up your favorite authors web site. Authors usually list their tag line right under their name on their site heading.

I've come up with a few ideas, but nothing I love.
Cord of Three Strands Romance,  Redeeming Romance, Lost and Found Love Stories, Chosen One Romance, Faith, Hope and Love Stories ...
I think I like Redeeming Romance best so far. Is it too overused? Please feel free to vote for your favorite or give a suggestion in the comments. Thanks!

The Floppy Disk Box and the New York Times

Each summer each of my daughters spend a week of quality one-on-one Grandma time with my Mother-In-Law. She always plans great activities and day trips. My kids LOVE their Grandma week.
This year my middle daughter, Faith, spent part of her week with Grandma searching for treasures at a Flee Market. Faith brought home several trinkets and presents for her sisters, Daddy and me. One of the treasure she purchased for me was this:

This small wooden box was designed to organize floppy disks. It even has a little floppy disk emblem attached to the front of the box. (My 8-year-old had never heard of a floppy disk) After this box had floated around my house for a few weeks without finding a good home, I was ready to sneak it into a bag of goodwill donations. After all, what was I going to do with a floppy disk box?
I decided I had better not throw it out without at least asking her what she thought I needed it for. I didn't want to hurt her easily bruised feelings. Her answer melted my heart.
"Mommy, I got you the box because after your books get published, you're going to need somewhere to keep all your fan letters."
Needless to say, I'm keeping the floppy disk box. Even if Faith's notes are the only fan letter it ever holds, it will forever remind me of my daughter's faith in me.

Faith, Trinity and Me

Last winter, my oldest daughter, Trinity, made my day when she asked if I would get her a subscription to the New York Times for her birthday. I thought it an odd request. I told her I thought there were other things she would probably enjoy more. "But Mom, I want to be the first one to know when you're books make the best sellers list."
If ever I feel discouraged, my little home-grown fan club is quick to boost my spirits and give me a reason to persevere. Thanks Girls. You never cease to make me smile!

Contesting

This year, as I have been working toward getting my writing ready for submission, I decided to enter writing contests. The benefit of entering contests is, of course, the chance of winning the title of "award-winning novelist", but perhaps more practical and necessary is the volume of feedback for the minimal entry fee. Feedback from people in the publishing world is crucial for an industry newbie like me. If I were to pay individually for critiques, it would cost me hundreds, but for the $25-$35 entry fee for a contest, I receive comments, suggestions, criticism, and detailed scores from at least three judges, more if I advance into semi-final or final rounds.

The three contests I found to enter were:

• The Genesis Contest through ACFW
• The Touched by Love Contest through the Faith, Hope and Love chapter of RWA
• The Fraiser Contest through My Book Therapy

For a longtime hobby writer with little prior exposure to the publishing world, the idea of exposing my hard won words to potentially brutal criticism was more than a little scary. But learning to have thick skin is another lesson I know I need to learn in order to survive in this industry.

Discovering that I was a semi-finalist in the Genesis and scored in the top 20% was a huge boost. I was so excited! Unfortunately, when the finalists were announced, my name was not among them. I didn't really go into these contests expecting to win, so, although I was disappointed, it wasn't surprising.

A few days later I found out that I had not finaled in the Touched by Love contest either. Unlike the Genesis, there is no semi-final round in the TBL, and I didn't make the top three. I must have had higher hopes for the Touched by Love than I thought I did, because I was really discouraged that I didn't final.

After not advancing in both the TBL and the Genesis, I really had no expectation for the Fraiser, so I was absolutely shocked when Susan May Warren called me personally to let me know that I am a finalist. I started shaking and I cried a little (happy tears)!

The only down side to finaling is having to wait until after the winner is announced to get my feedback. The comments and score sheets from the TBL and the Genesis were somewhat helpful, but also confusing and frustrating. Each round and contest I got at least one very high score and one that was disappointingly low. Everyone's personal opinions are so different, so many of my comments contradicted each other. It's hard to apply criticism when one judge loved the characters and another judge thought they were weak, one thinks I use too much description and another praises how my description paints such a vivid picture in their mind.

Even if I'm not sure how to use the contradictory critiques, it's still so helpful to hear how a reader perceives the story. Many comments were helpful and I was able to fix problem areas and apply the concepts to my other writing. And the feedback was not all bad. My judges were all kind and complementary.

I don't think I'm allowed to quote the judges, or I'd just post the comment, but one pro level judge gave me the highest complement I've ever received. Basically she said that I'm ready for publication and this was the best manuscript she had read in a long time. I keep going back and re-reading it, just to make sure I didn't dream it up. Encouragement like that is very motivating. It sooths the sting of the less complementary comments. 

My scores for the Genesis were (out of 100 possible points): First Round: 95, 93, 87; Semi-final round: 95, 90, 77 and the Touched By Love (out of 150 possible points): 152, 137, 115.

If I haven't gotten a publishing contract by next year, I'll enter again. In the mean time, I'll be working on applying my critiques as I am rewriting and polishing Saving Savannah.

The Fraiser winner will be announced at the ACFW conference in St. Louis in September and I'll be pitching my book to agents and editors for the first time (scary!). Wish me luck in the Fraiser finals and pray for God's guidance and direction as I seek an agent to represent my work and a publisher to print and market it!

Little Known Facts

25 facts about me in no particular order

1.       Faith in God is my foundation, the solid rock I stand on. Without God I am nothing. He is my all in all and when it comes down to it, nothing else matters. If you know me and you don’t know this about me then I have failed Him. It wouldn’t be the first time or the only way that I have failed Him, but I strive to avoid it.

2.       I walked through the catacombs under Paris, stood at the top if the Eifel Tower, toured Notre Dame, saw Leonardo Divinci’s Mona Lisa, and explored Marie Antonette’s bedchamber in Versailles. I wish I could travel more. I love going interesting places.

3.       My first kiss was on stage in the play “Into the Woods”. I played the Baker’s Wife. I was 18 years old.

4.       My husband is the only boyfriend I ever had. We will celebrate our 12^th anniversary in August. I was 19 when we got married.

5.       I went swimming with wild stingrays in the Cayman Islands.

6.       I’m a writer. I have worked as a staff reporter for two news papers.  The large majority of my published writing can be found on the pages of the Winthrop News, but my true passion is creative writing. I’ve written several novels and someday I hope to get them published. I finished my first novel when I was 15 years old.

7.       The Bible is my favorite book. It has something for everyone.

8.       I took belly dancing classes. I loved every minute of it!

9.       I’m creative. I love creating beautiful things. My many hobbies reflect this: Writing, sewing, cooking/baking, gardening, acting/directing, cake decorating, interior design, graphic design, arts/crafts …

10.   I have absolutely no natural ability in the area of organization. If I seem organized at any given moment it is either a well practiced front or the result of painstakingly concerted effort.

11.   I’m very bad at math. I can barely add. My mind shuts off at the first mention of numbers.

12.   I’m a terrible housekeeper. It drives my husband crazy. I try, but I always seem to run around in circles without getting anything finished.

13.   I met my husband on a blind date. My roommate in college set us up. He’s her cousin so now we are related.

14.   I have three wonderful, beautiful daughters. I adore them. I fear the coming years because I know I will not be able to protect them from everything. If they turn out to be just like my sister, I will be a very blessed mama.

15.   My oldest daughter and my sister are closer in age than my sister and me.

16.   I have many idiosyncrasies. I hate having anything touch between my toes. It grosses me out to be touched by pruny fingers or toes or to touch anything when my hands are pruny. When I get in the shower I have to wash my hair right away, because if I wait until my fingers get pruny I can’t stand to touch it.

17.   When I was a child the feathers from my feather pillow somehow pierced my ear. To this day, I still occasionally have fragments of the feathers work their way out of the scar on the back of my left ear.  

18.   I have moved more than 24 times in my 31 years.

19.   I acted in 16 plays and played a leading role in five of them. I also directed 5 plays and participated in drama troupes. One of my drama troupes performed puppet shows and skits in the public schools of Paris. We were the first Christian group ever allowed in the public schools in France.

20.   I have worked as a model. I hated it.

21.   I love to sing but I don’t like listening to music.

22.   Coffee. Enough said. Also, Cheesecake, chocolate and peanut butter together, chicken marsala, and spinach dip with Hawaiian sweet bread. Yum. 

23.   I hate city traffic. It freaks me out, especially when my truck driver husband is driving.

24.   I once few a small plane.

25.   I started college when I was 17 years old. I went full time Post-Secondary as a senior in High School to Crown College. Ten years, one marriage, three kids, one change of my major, and seven moves later, I graduated with my degree – a double major in Communications and Christian Studies.

Wow! This list makes my life sound more interesting that I feel like it is. :) I'll go to bed counting my blessings tonight!

I’d like to challenge my readers to come up with a few little know facts about yourselves and post them in the comments. I’d love to get to know you all a little better!