Hi friends,
I’m so happy to be back with you today. I’ve been thinking a lot about seasons lately. I heard an older song that I like the other day and in it there are a couple lines that really hit home with me:
Can I sail through the changin’ ocean tides?
STEVIE NICKS, FLEETWOOD MAC, 1975
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
As writers we know that our characters can’t stay stagnant. They need growth. They need to change and become a better person or version of themselves and who they are in Christ by the end of the book. They cannot stay in the same place or be the same person at the end of the story, or there isn’t a story to tell.
Stories are about navigating changing tides in our characters’ lives. For this growth to occur, our characters must face and overcome obstacles. The road cannot be smooth. It must be littered with trials. I often feel bad about everything I put my characters through, but at the heart and core of story is change. How the characters handle this change, and who they turn to in the midst of it.
We, too, must face change and navigate different seasons in our lives. My husband and I were looking at the Google photo slideshows they put together from the photos on our phones. We looked in awe the other day at how big our grandkids have grown; at the fact our daughters are adults—even if it doesn’t feel like it’s been twenty-eight years since our eldest was born.
Life, in many ways, zooms by. It’s why being in the moment and being present, is so important. But, even more important, is who we turn to as the tides shift. Do we let the waves drag us under, or do we turn to the One who walks on water?
Just like our characters, we’re always going to encounter change. It’s part of life, but who we turn to, and who we lean on, is what steadies the shifting tides. Anchoring our lives in our Savior gives us solid ground despite obstacles, trials and changing seasons. It doesn’t make them easy. God never promised our Christian walk would be easy, but He promised to lead the way.
I think that’s what I love so much about Christian fiction—seeing our lives mirrored in the book’s characters. Watching them struggling and, yet, overcoming through Christ.
Question for you: What do you love best about Christian fiction? What season of life are you in now?
Blessings,
Dani
Latest posts by Dani Pettrey (see all)
- Top Ten Gifts - November 13, 2024
- Outpouring of Love - October 23, 2024
- For the Love of Travel - September 25, 2024
I love that Christian fiction can make the darkest night a little less bleak because there’s always hope.
Amen! So true.
I love the spiritual encouragement and challenge found in many CF books and especially the theme of hope in impossible trials. Life is filled with hardships, many of which I would never have imagined going through, but reading the victories of others builds my faith and helps lighten the load a bit.
That’s so wonderful that CF helps build your faith and lightens your load. I feel the same way.
I love finding hope on my darkest days and also learning about history in a fun way. I’m in the season of caring for my mom and feeling exhausted. My only escape is reading at night as I cannot leave my house. Blessings
That’s so lovely that you’re caring for your mom. So glad that reading brings you a break and escape.
I echo what the others have said about finding hope in Christian fiction. That’s why I began writing. I longed for books that offered hope. Life is hard but God is good.
That’s why I started writing or a big part of it. Wanting to give hope, lighten the load and glorify God. Life is hard, but you’re right–God is good. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
There is always faith in CF. Even if tested, or redemption, there will be a satisfying ending with hope.
I’m at a season where my oldest is graduating with a Doctorate, my middle is graduating with undergrad and Master’s degrees, and the youngest is halfway through high school. Almost empty nesters.
And, I’m still trying to get my writing together amidst this pandemic.
Wow. You have a lot going on. My oldest is working on her Doctorate and my younger daughter will be graduating with her Bachelor’s in August.
Writing during a pandemic is definitely hard. Praying for you <3
Thank you!❤
I hope I’m in the last season of my life. LOL! I so look forward to our Lord’s return.
I’m a grandma now, but thoroughly enjoy the memories of our little ones. I also enjoy reading about what you are doing in your life right now.
Keep up the good work!