There are times when you just know God is speaking.I heard Him clearly yesterday. I had the wonderful priviledge of attending my first writer's conference, American Christian Writers in Dayton, Ohio. I have been debating for quite a while whether to go to a conference. I had a few fears that were holding me back. Through the encouragement of her own experience, my friend Tanya was the one who convinced me to take the plunge.
I have known for quite awhile that God wanted me to learn to write well. That He wanted me to pursue the possibility of being a professional writer. But I don't think it registered in my mind until yesterday how far down that path I've actually come. When you get so busy doing something and you enjoy the journey so much, sometimes you look up, dumbfounded at the distance from the beginning.
At the conference I was able to meet with author Bob Hostetler, who has written quite a few books with Josh McDowell and quite a few of his own. It was so helpful to me to have his advice on my writing. He gave me some great ideas for presenting my work.
I guess more than anything, it was just great to be with other people who have the same passion that I do. Writers are not a common breed. It can sometimes feel that I am alone in a crowd. But for eight hours or so, I was in a room filled with people just like me. We prayed together. We shared our dreams and passions. We encouraged one another. And strangers became instant friends.
I haven't explained what God was saying as He spoke to me through the events of my experience with ACW. He seems to be directing me to take my writing to the next level. To act like an author. To get busy and send query letters with abandon. To relinquish some of the other things I have been doing and focus on this. To invest in the job I've been given to do.
Hello, my name is Miranda K Shisler. I'm a published author.
And God is very, very good.
4 comments:
I am glad you had this experience and how true it is: just start saying what you want to be! My husband started telling everyone I was an international author while I was still writing my first book! First I thought he was overdoing it, then I understood it encouraged me and he truly believed it was going to happen!
God is good indeed!
Thank you so much for your encouraging words, Marja! I read your profile, I am glad to hear of the things God is doing through your ministry. It's amazing how much He can get done when we get out of the way.
How cool!! Isn't it amazing how being in a room filled with people possessing the same passion and calling can solidify what we knew was true but were afraid to voice? You've been a writer for a long time. But now you've the confidence to voice it --- thanks to God and His affirmation! He is very good to us. :)
You know, Tanya, you are so right. There was something about being in a room full of people who share the same wonderful faith in Christ and the same passion for writing. When you realize you aren't the only one in the world, you gain confidence you didn't think you could ever have!
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