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Happy Endings Do Exist!

February 1, 2012 in Dating & Relationships, On Writing with 4 Comments

I have been searching for the words to write this blog for over a week now.

The fact is, I have another book coming out. Today in fact. I am so beyond excited, but I am also scared.

Will anyone read it?

Will anyone be blessed?

Will I get to hear the stories of personal transformation?

I remember standing up on stage for my first book release party.

I said something like, this is as good as it gets because I’m probably never getting married so I better enjoy the spotlight now!

WRONG.

I was so fed up when I wrote Not Another Dating Book. I had prayed for more than eleven years for a future husband–who was no where in sight. Minutes after I submitted my manuscript to Harvest House, God brought Marc into my life and shocked us all. Seriously. What a shock.

Not Another Dating Book officially releases today, and I’m a married woman.

What most people don’t know is that I tried writing the ending to my book by saying there are no happy endings. Instead, I was humbled by Marc and thankfully my editor was even more gracious. She let me end the book like this instead.

“Proverbs 16:9 says, ‘We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.’ No matter what ideas I have about my future, the only thing I can count on is being surprised. The Lord promises a ripe future for those who trust in Him. We can’t always know what the future will take us, but we can rest in the assurance that it will be a thousand times better than anything we could plan for ourselves! Here’s one of my favorite promises: ‘And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finished finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns’ (Philippians 1:6)…We don’t need to fear, no matter how confusing and complex our relationship may appear. God knows when, who, and how. Praise God that He is the author of love, the giver of all perfect gifts, and the desire of our hearts. Return to God and rest in Him, waiting on the abundant surprise He has in store for you” [Harvest House, (c) 2012].

I’m SO sorry God, Happy endings DO exist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**And now for the shameless plug**

Amazon is selling Not Another Dating Book on the Kindle for only $ 2.99. Please buy yourself a copy…and find your own love story!

Here is a video of me sharing my love story publicly for the first time. I hope you are encouraged.

God’s Call

January 23, 2012 in Devotionals, On Writing with 3 Comments

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”. C.S. Lewis

I just love that quote. It reminds me in a very powerful way that God’s call on our lives is real. It’s tangible. Something we can taste, touch, feel, and see. And it’s not something so far out of our grasp that we’ll fail.

Failure.

Every time I tried to manage my schedule the past couple weeks–I’ve failed. I just wasn’t doing a good enough job. When my panic attacks came back, I felt like a big fat one–failure that is.

I just wanted to cuddle up in my blankets and hide in my bed until things got better.

When they didn’t I roused myself out of bed really early to deal with it. I decided that it’s now or never. I finished writing my third book on forgiveness.

The hardest part for me has been revisiting all the painful stories of the past. When I write books, God doesn’t just give me fluffy words, He reminds me. I get to relive each story in present day. “Oh joy!” I say sarcastically.

Then I read about Joseph in Genesis 39:2 & 21

“The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home [palace] of his Egyptian master…But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.”

The truth is, “we must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God…” says Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together.

It’s funny how God had to interrupt me in my misery. Last week I said in Something Borrowed that I have no idea what to pray for–now that I’m married.

Then I read this in “Seize The Day with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” In it Charles Ringma writes:

“In the final analysis, the key issue is not whether we are married or unmarried, a missionary or a mechanic. The more important issue is that we have made some sense of God’s call in our lives. For that call to be realizable, we need to understand ourselves sufficiently so that we know our gifts, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. When God’s call harmonizes with our giftedness, we become candidates for lasting achievement. And true achievement does not arise from a negative reaction to life, but from embracing God’s perspective on what is good” (Charles Ringma).

Lord, please show me your favor. Everywhere I go, don’t let me be afraid of suffering. It’s not up to me to determine my life, but only You. Help me to stay flexible even when change scares me BIG TIME. Show me how to be blessed like Joseph whether I’m in the palace or in prison. Amen.

p.s. I’m sorry Lord for doubting Your call on my life. Please forgive me?

Not Another Dating Book

January 7, 2012 in Dating & Relationships, On Writing with 3 Comments

FINALLY! Getting to see all my hard work. Here is a video of me seeing “Not Another Dating Book” for the very FIRST time.

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