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Isn’t it amazing how we can look back at certain events or circumstances in our lives and see the hand of God at work? What a faith-builder! I believe this is what God wants his children to do–remember the way he has blessed us in the past so that we will trust him with our future.
Noah was given a rainbow to remember how God spared him and his family from the flood. The Israelites were given the Passover to remember their deliverance from Egypt. Joshua had the 12 tribes each carry a stone from the Jordan and build a memorial to help the people recall that the Lord had held back the mighty Jordan River and allowed them to pass into the Promised Land on dry ground. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, so his followers would remember the sacrifice of his body on the cross and his blood shed for their sins.
These memories are important in sustaining us in our faith journeys. They give us hope and remind us of God’s goodness. One of the “God moments” that I turn to for encouragement in my own life, stems from a series of events that led to my first book contract.
In 2007, I took my first completed novel to the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference in Dallas. I arrived a day early and worked at the volunteer station stuffing envelopes. There was a woman working beside me. I didn’t know her, but her name was Karen. My name is Karen. So that was kind of fun. However, as time ticked on, I picked up clues to her identity from others in the room. This was Karen Schurrer, an editor from Bethany House, my dream publisher. I hadn’t even signed up for any appointments with Bethany House because I didn’t think a newbie like me had a chance with such a large publisher. But the Lord put me in this editor’s path.
Later in the week, I sat at this editor’s table at lunch. I pitched my project along with everyone else, but I was too shy to ask for anything further. Then one brave writer at the table asked if we could send her our proposals. She said yes. Again, the Lord provided. I was too shy to open the door myself, so he placed someone in my path to do it for me.
After the conference, I sent in my proposal and soon had a request for a full manuscript. By this point, I could see God’s hand at work and was sure a contract was right around the corner. Well, not the first corner. A rejection waited for me there. Yet, even rejections can be God’s plan, for the publishing door was still ajar. The folks at Bethany House liked my writing, but didn’t think that particular project was a good launching point for me. However, there was one component to the story that they really liked—the dress shop. Could I come up with a new idea surrounding a dress shop?
Now you have to understand, in the original manuscript, the dress shop burned to the ground in the prologue. It didn’t even make it into chapter one. But when she asked me to make a new story around this dress shop, I took the offer as the gift from God that it was, and said yes. I started brainstorming, and even met with both Karen Schurrer and the acquisitions editor, Charlene Patterson, in person at the 2008 ACFW conference where they gave me feedback and encouraged me to resubmit. By January 2009, Bethany House offered me a three book deal launching with A Tailor-Made Bride.
It was a God thing.
I attend the ACFW conference every year, and in honor of what God brought about for me through this conference, I do some sort of volunteering at every conference. Now that I’m more established, I’ve also taught sessions and provided paid critiques. I do my best to encourage and support other newbie writers who are waiting for God’s perfect timing in their publishing journey. Next week, I’ll be at the ACFW conference again with eyes wide open to see where God’s hand might be leading me this time. Last year, I just happened to take a seat by a writer sitting alone at a lunch table, and that “chance” meeting turned into a wonderful mentoring correspondence. I’m sure that was “a God thing” as well.
- What are some “God things” that you have experienced in your life?
- What is a key memory you turn to time after time to encourage you in your walk of faith?
Today only – my debut novel, A Tailor-Made Bride is available for download for only $1.99. This price should be valid for both Kindle and Nook. You can purchase the Kindle version here.
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Hi Karen!
God certainly works in mysterious ways! You were in the right place at the right time and that seat next to Karen Schurrer was definitely saved for you!:)
I think it’s great that you maintained Faith and belief to achieve such a positive outcome. Now some years down the track, you are able to help,encourage and inspire, the “newbies,” to achieve their dream! You are their mentor now and I’m sure they’ll be hanging onto every word you say!
Have a wonderful time at the ACFW Conference next week ..maybe you could share some pics in your next post:).
@ speaking of Faith , I am asking if you can please spare a thought for Australia.
You may have heard the news that we(Aus) have been placed on high alert, something which Australia has never experienced before!. Destruction is senseless and devastating! Some of our brave troops left for Iraq last night.
Please Pray for World Peace.
Thank you for your kind words, Rosie. And I am praying right now for your country and for an end to this war. So many needless deaths. May God bless us all with peace.
Karen,
Such encouraging words. I was teaching on this last night. I remember getting on a plane all by myself, heading to Denver to a writing conference (my first), knowing no one and being scared out of my mind. But I knew God was with me and as I sat down and pitched to my dream agent, I just knew I was tanking it. But then she asked for my full ms and a few months later, I got THE CALL. The way I was led to that conference was nothing short of God setting up that very meeting. He’s so amazing and wonderful. I’m always astonished at the lengths He goes to on our behalf!
What a fabulous testimony, Jessica! Thank you so much for sharing. It encourages my heart to hear other people’s stories as well. Our God is so good. Even in those times where we have to wait or deal with rejection, he’s still there. Providing blessings.
Hi, Karen!
I am a strong believer in God things. I love it when God answers a need or prayer request in such a specific, amazing way that only he can take the credit for it. There are so many examples in my life of these moments and I am thankful for every one of them. When I am feeling discouraged or experiencing a lack of faith, I take myself back to those God moments, that fan the flames of faith.
By the way, I loved A Tailor Made Bride. It’s my favorite KW book : )
Thanks, Rebecca! 🙂
We need those reminders, don’t we. How quickly we forget and start complaining just like the Israelites did in the desert. For some of the big moments in my life, I have taken the time to write them out so that I can remember them even better. I have a journal from a mission trip I took to Africa when I was 16 after my dad passed away. A folder in my office describing a moment when I encountered God in a gym locker room of all places. And blog like this where I can see and remember that yes, God has shaped my life, my path, and I would be lost without him.
My God thing? How I came to Australia, and what happened next.
I was born in New Zealand. Lived in a city that had the second highest unemployment rate in the country.
When I was 16, I moved out of my parents’ house. They were both abusive alcoholics. I moved in with the family of some girls that I went to school with.
I was interested in spiritual things, but by no means was I a Christian. In fact, I was at that time involved in the occult. At one point, I questioned my beliefs in the occult, and a friend told me that it was created by God. I know now that that was a lie from the pit of hell, but at the time, I had no idea.
The parents marriage broke up, and the mother decided that she needed to be near family in Perth, Western Australia. She asked me if I’d like to go along with them too. Without even stopping to think about it, I just said yes. That was a good thing. Anybody who knows me well, knows that I take a lot of time to make decisions, especially important ones such as this.
Before leaving New Zealand for Australia, I went to a tarot card reader. I shudder now thinking about it! She said many things, 99% untrue, but she did say one thing that made me take notice. She told me that when I got to Australia, I would start going to church and that I would love it. A strange thing for somebody like her to say, but it was true. Eight days after arriving in Australia, it was Christmas Eve, so I went along to the service. From then on, church became my constant and I did love being there. If I didn’t come to Australia and start going to church, I never would have given my life to Jesus. All from me saying a very quick, “Yes”.
I was totally unaware that the mother’s family were Christians. As soon as they found out that we were involved in the occult, they immediately started to pray, not knowing how they were going to minister to us so that we’d stop our pagan practices. We didn’t know then that God was also working on our hearts, preparing us, softening us so that we could be used by His hands, and helping me to write back to friends to tell them to get away from the occult. The evil one didn’t like it, but God gave me a real tenacity about seeing my friends get set free.
Glorious story, Trish. I got chill bumps reading it! Prayer is such a powerful weapon in our spiritual arsenal. I’m so thankful you had prayer warriors speaking to the Father on your behalf and that you did that, too, to help save your friends.
What a fabulous story, Karen! Like you, I always volunteer in some capacity at the ACFW conference and I pray each day that God will show me how I can encourage others (because I *know* I’ll receive more than my share of encouragement!).
That is so true, Becky! I haven’t missed an ACFW conference since I started attending in 2005 and I’ve been blessed by someone or something each time I went. Can’t wait to go again next week!
Loved reading about your journey, Karen (and I’ll be in the class that you and Jody are teaching next week!!). 🙂
I love when God things happen in our lives. At my very first ACFW conference, I went—not knowing anyone, felt sick on the flight, and then lost an earring shortly after arriving at the hotel (I’d only brought one pair with me—NOT smart, LOL). Before the conference, I’d hoped and prayed that I would be able to meet 2 authors I absolutely adored. But now as I entered the huge room for our first meal, I looked around at all the unfamiliar faces, and timidly slid in to a vacant chair at a table. I was silently asking myself WHY I’d come to this conference—because I was feeling very unsure of myself. I looked across the table, and there sat the VERY authors I’d prayed about meeting!!! Tamera Alexander and Deborah Raney were absolute angels to me!! 🙂 After they kindly stepped around the table so we could meet in person, I stood there and cried, pouring out my heart about feeling sick on the plane and my lost earring. 😉 Rather than looking at me like I’d lost not only an earring, but my mind as well, they instead were the KINDEST ladies to me—which made me love them even more (Not to mention they write AMAZING books!). ~ Oh, and the earring? It amazingly appeared the last night of conference, after the Awards banquet!! Another God thing for certain! 🙂