When I was first brave enough to start calling myself a writer, it was while I was working on the manuscript that I’ve just finished. Prior to that, I’d been posting devotionals on a blog that a handful of faithful readers visited. My aim had been publication for a number of years, but it was always my fiction stories I’d planned to publish. Most of the people who knew me might have been surprised that I’d turned my writing skills to fiction and maybe even a bit disappointed that was the path I was taking.
About a year ago, readers who knew about my devotionals had been asking me about some good devotional books for their teen girls. I don’t have teen girls. I am the mother to three boys–two of them now teenagers and the third approaching teendom quickly. Many were specifically looking for devotionals that use the King James Version, which is the version I use for my daily reading. At that point, I did not feel any inclination to write a teen girl devotional. What did I know about teen girls? I raise boys. And I had no clue as to where to tell them to look for this material. But a few months later, I started to feel that Holy Spirit nudge. You write fiction for teen girls, don’t you? You were a teen girl once, weren’t you? You’ve been involved in the lives of teen girls in some form or another for years, haven’t you?
Yes, Lord, I’d answered with a sigh. Alright, I’ll see what I can come up with. (Wrong answer, by the way, what would He come up with?) I started to go through my years of devotionals from my blog, sorting through them to see if there would be any way I could rework them for teen girls. I mean, God didn’t expect me to start from scratch surely. It took a significant amount of time to write the ones that I’d posted. I used to spend early morning hours in His Word, not just reading, but really studying as I prepared. But the whole reason I stopped was because even sunrise wake up times spilled into the late hours of the morning and being neglectful of my family. God convicted me that though morning time with Him was necessary; writing about it every morning was not. And so I ceased. At least on a daily basis. Though there are still times I share from God’s Word, it doesn’t keep me from the rest of my day as it used to. And many times, the things He shows me are just for me.
As I started to sort, I found several that might be able to be rewritten with a slant toward young women. But I couldn’t find a cohesive theme. As editing on my fiction manuscript transitioned into full-day’s work mode (in order to prepare for a submission event) the devotion project was put on hold. I wasn’t able to focus on both projects at once. Since submitting my novel, I’ve been brainstorming for the second book in the series. Some ideas have come, but not so much that I feel ready to conquer it yet. My brain and time have been free to concentrate on other projects, including the devotional I’d neglected to follow through with. I shouldn’t say neglected–brain too scattered (not scatter-brained) to follow through with.
A few weeks ago, I started my daily devotions in the Gospel of Mark. God kept showing me things. Every day He showed me something new. Then it became clear. This is the devotional God wants me to write. Within a few days, God had given me a theme and a title. Mark is only sixteen chapters, and yet, God has given me 3 or 4 devotions from several passages in each chapter. I’ve just written #18, and I’m excited to see how God will get me to thirty. How will this be published? I have no idea. Will it be published before my fiction manuscript finds a home? Possibly. I don’t know what God’s plan is for it. I surely didn’t think I was the one to fulfill this need. But as the study in Mark has shown me, we surrender, and He does the rest. Surrender and service are the primary components in this devotional, and God has repeatedly convicted me of these areas in my life. As I finish that project, I ask for prayers for direction on what to do with it afterward. Will it be indie published? I have several friends who can help in that arena. If I do indie publish it, will that disqualify my fiction manuscript from being published traditionally? That makes my knees tremble a little bit. But surrendering means giving it all up to Him and what He has for this writing journey. It means giving up what I think I want and how I expect the path to go, and yielding to what He desires. It is His gift, He chooses how to use it. I could argue with Him and say, “But God, You led me to write that book and now You just want it to sit on my laptop or in a file cabinet?” It could be. Did that mean I was wrong to write it? Nope. God taught me a lot of valuable lessons. Maybe I was the only one (and a few lovely beta readers) to benefit from the story. I can’t know. I can only obey. Maybe the reason the ideas aren’t a full faucet flow for the second fiction book for this series is because He has plans for this non-fiction project first. So I’m working on a project that wasn’t even in my plans. And I will finish it more quickly than my behemoth of a book. Will there be other devotionals on the horizon? I don’t have a clue. But if the Spirit nudges me, I’ll listen and obey. And I’ll keep seeking Him as I travel this writing road.
Love this, Stephanie. I’m working on my fiction book and writing ideas for the next one while working on a devotional also. Like you, God has taught me many lessons through my characters.
Indie publishing doesn’t ruin chances for a traditional book contract. More and more are becoming hybrid authors. I believe God has a plan and purpose for our writing, and in His time, we will see it come to pass. Praying for you.
Thank you for that encouraging word. I appreciate the prayers and you are in mine as you finish your projects. God gives us something to do for Him even in the waiting and I praise Him for that.
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I’ve written about three books that will never see the light of day unless God tells me to make serious revisions, and it took years to write the. But I don’t think of it as wasted time. Each one taught me how to write the next one better.
Absolutely! God knows when we’re ready and has everything prepared on our path. Waiting is hard, but waiting on Him brings the best results. Thanks for stopping by.