Divine Appointments in This Writing Biz

What happens when you sense a call on your life from God, you pursue it with all your heart, then for months on end see no fruit for your labors? You pray for diligence. You ask God did I hear you right? Do you want me doing this? Then God answers in amazing ways.

Last spring some of the ACFW members who live in my area got together at a local Panera Bread to talk about our writing and just jabber a bit over coffee. It was there I finally met face to face a new writing friend, Julie Dearyon. Julie is pursuing her first fiction contract, but she is also editor of a magazine called Victory in Grace, published by Quentin Road Bible Baptist Church. That day I mentioned to her I had written an article about the things I'd learned during my best friend's cancer illness and subsequent death. After I gave her a short synopsis of the article, she said to send it to her. Was that a Divine appointment or what?

Long story short, my article, "How I Overcame Grief," is included in the September edition of Victory in Grace!

Last week I received five author copies of the magazine. As soon as I opened to my article I couldn't hold back the tears. Not so much for seeing my work in print (although there's nothing like it), but because my friend, Mary Ann, meant so much to me. If she were here I know without a doubt she'd be praising God full tilt for being used by Him to give me a story to write for Him. Maybe she does know, and amongst the praises she's singing in the presence of the King are praises for how He used even her death to bring glory to Him through my writing. (Whew, was that a long sentence!)

Mary Ann (on right) and me back in the day when my hair was longer and straighter!

I don't know who my article might help when they read it, but I'm praying God gets it into the hands of whomever needs an encouraging word as they deal with similar circumstances.

If you're interested in reading the article, it should be up at the magazine's website within the next few days. I'll post here when it's up and give you the link. Now it's back to work on Murder For Breakfast. Who knows what God has in store for it!