I started this post a year ago, but finished it today, February 15, 2024.

February 2023.

I have just recently finished writing my first novel and while it’s exciting, that was just the beginning of this particular journey.

I always have written. I love writing, but what I felt inside, was that I had a book to write, but I had no idea what to write about.

I remembered how many of my poems had been inspired by God. A quick idea, words that rhymed, a scene in a movie and the whole thing unfolded from there. So I began praying for an idea for writing a novel. I remember telling God that if He had a book for me to write, to please give me an idea because I didn’t have a clue what to write about.

I have no recollection of what inspired my idea apart from God, but one day I just knew what to write about. I finally had an idea, and so I began writing.

It began almost 4 years ago, (5 as I finish this post today) but as with everyone, life got in the way and I had to set it aside for a while. I had several chapters written and figured I’d continue as time allowed, but I never considered what a mental and emotional toll everything that came along would put on me.

As my mom was no longer able to live alone, I built an addition for her to come live with me I sorted through, repurposed, threw out, gave away and packed up her apartment by myself. It took about 2 months of time and left very little time and/or energy for creative writing. Add to all that, Covid-19 just reared it’s ugly head so the isolation and distancing added new weight to everything that was done.

The building process took a lot of planning. You may not understand the amount of planning, permits to apply for, adjust, re-submit, just driving from one office to another, wrong place, go back and try again! It’s the sort of stuff that drives a person a bit bonkers, especially if you’ve never done it before!

Finding a builder was a challenge. While there are many around, there are few who are honorable and capable of grasping my vision and the immediacy of the project. I did find one, quite by chance (or God) and the recommendation turned out to be a wonderful association between builder and crew and Mom and me. We almost felt sad to see them finish and leave. Finally, I packed the remaining of her belongings into a storage space for the day the room was built, put a bed in the livingroom and moved Mom in. It was a bit chaotic, but finally all the pieces fell together, the room was finished and we moved Mom into her new room.

Unfortunately, just 5 months after moving into the room, she passed away.

So, here I go again. Sort through, throw out, give some stuff away and clean out her room.

It is a very beautiful room and so I repainted it in my colour and moved my bedroom down. It’s large enough that I could add my desk and chair for writing and so I picked up my laptop “pen” and found the pages of my story and began again.

However, I hit a blank spot, writers block they call it. I didn’t know where to go from where I stopped. I couldn’t find the thread that connected the chapters to move on. I figured I’d put it away for a while and so I packed up all the printed pages, saved all my writing and let it be.

In the summer of 2022, while visiting my brother-in-law and his wife, I whined a bit about not knowing what to do the coming Fall and Winter, and Evelyn simply said, “keep writing”. That was all it took to get me going again.

Inspiration from God. What would I have done without knowing help was a prayer away? I finished the book, titled it Grace in a Town Divided, and contacted a publishing house. The process of editing and printing was almost finished.

February 15, 2024

I remember thinking of all the ways I would have to pursue to market the book. I bought copies for friends who requested one and knew that the book would be published elsewhere including Amazon. By the way, I was completely gobsmacked when I saw the book I wrote and published, with my name on the cover, listed on Amazon. It was a bit surreal! Who am I kidding…..it was awesome!

However, I hit one brick wall after another trying to market it locally. I remember during the writing process how I didn’t want pride to get in the way. I even prayed that if only one person read it and accepted Christ as Saviour, that would be reward enough. I wanted this to be a project to honour God in getting the gospel ‘out there’ in story form. But getting it ‘out there’ wasn’t happening and I was frustrated thinking I did all that hard work for nothing. While praying one time, I distinctly heard in my thoughts, ‘you wrote it, I will market it’. I believed in my heart that God was going to be in control of getting this book out to whomever He pleased, wherever they were. I mean, isn’t that what the Christian life is all about? Pleasing God and giving Him control over our lives?

So, I took my hands off the book. I let it go. I have no idea where it will sell or to whom, but I believe God will get it into the hands of those He chooses.

In truth, I confess there are times when I resent spending so much time and money on something I may never see the fruit of. But did I do this for the money, or for the praise of man, or did I do it for the praise and glory of God?

Even though I may never see the results during my earthly life, one day I will know just how far God took it. One day I will see those in heaven who are there as the result of reading the book God inspired and put in their hands. And I will celebrate that.

Definitely a Girl on a Journey of doing my part, and letting God do His.