Overcoming Writer's Block

A Twitter friend asked me how to overcome writer's block. So I thought I'd blog about reasons a writer might get blocked and ways to overcome this malady.

1. A lot of time I find writers get blocked because they haven't done the character and plot work required to know where the story is going. I find I stall or slow in writing when I'm not really sure where the story is going or if the characters are not acting consistent. If I don't know what the character wants in the story, if I don't know the story question, or enough of the details of the journey, if I don't know the lie the protagonist believes, or the dark moment of his past that shadows his present, then I'm not going to really know what drives the character through the mucky middle.

Resolution: If you're stuck, go back and do some character work. What does the character(s) want? What's the lie he believes about life, himself, God. What does he want? What's the story about? What will the protagonist be able to do at the end they can't do at the beginning? What's the epiphany? Dig around deeper in your character's heart. Once you do this, figure out where you are in the story, where the character is in the story, and figure out your next scene.

When I'm unsure where to go next, Susie Warren might ask, "Where are you with the lie? Have you confirmed the lie?" Or she might prompt me to make sure I've had enough reaction to a plot point. For example, if my protagonist just learned her husband had an affair, I need to make sure I've emotionally and physically played out the news well.

2. Inciting incident. Make sure you have the right inciting incident. Meaning, what's the right event that launches your story? In Dining with Joy, the event that launched the story was Joy learning her producer sold the show to another production company. And he didn't tell the new producer Joy couldn't cook. The inciting incident must launch the character on the story journey.

Resolution: If you're stuck, evaluate how you're starting the story. You might have "too much ramp." Meaning, you started the story too far back.

3. Too much backstory.

Resolution: You might be bogging down and block because you've written too much back story. Go back, review your work and delete back story. The pages will read quicker and you might see something new in the story.

4. Change the point of view. You might be telling the story from the wrong point of view.

Resolution: If you have more than one character telling the story, change from the heroine to the hero in the "stuck scene" and see how the story changes.

5. You're holding back the big reveal moment. In Dining with Joy, I always thought Joy's black moment would be when she was outed on national television. So, the middle of my book was bogging down because I was holding back. I wasn't at the right word count! So, I had to go back to my character work: the lie, the dark moment from the past, the thing Joy could do at the end she couldn't do at the beginning. The middle of the book was being outed on television. The black moment was losing everyone she loved.

Resolution: Go ahead, write your big reveal moment. Don't hold back. You can figure out what happens next after you do.

6. You too close to the story.

Resolution: Take a break. Think. Read. Relax. Pray!

7. You might not have enough emotional depth.

Resolution: Dive deep! Surface fast. Every novel is about characters. Even mysteries and thrillers. Make sure you're writing about a person. Not an issue or your own soap box, or your own story. Create characters! Tell a story!

Hope these help! Writer's don't need to be blocked. When all else fails, stick with it. Just start writing and see what words come! A lot of time writers over think and try to write the scene perfect from the start. Haha. Fergetaboutit. Write. Then rewrite.

What about you? Have any tips for writer's block?

Jesus Said, "Sell your possessions."

Jesus, the greatest man, prophet and teacher of all time, and also God in the flesh, said this in Luke 14:33 "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions."

The word possessions caught me. While I believe Christ followers are to be generous, givers, humble with their means, I don't believe "give up all his own possessions" means living in poverty. There is often such a poverty spirit among Believers.

Whether we are rich or poor, we're not to have a spirit or mentality of poverty. Christ has give us all things to live righteous and Godly!

In the book of Acts, we see the Church selling possessions to give to the poor. The Bible says they had all things in common.

But I wanted to know a bit more about what Jesus was saying in this verse so I looked up the word possessions in the Greek, thanks to my handy-dandy BlueLetter Bible on my iPad. Then I checked with the King James version to make sure I was getting a clear picture.

Possessions means what you think -- stuff. What you have, own, started out with...

But it means more. Here's what I found in the Biblical Usage:
1) to be the first to do (anything), to begin
2) to be chief, leader, ruler
3) to begin, make a beginning

Jesus is telling us we have to give up the possession of ourselves to Him. See the second definition. "to be chief, leader, ruler."

To merely sell what we "have" like land or houses or cattle is not enough. Even the heathen and unredeemed have compassion and give their money to the poor.

Jesus is saying, "To be My disciple, you have to give up possession of yourself, to give Me rulership and leadership of your heart, mind, soul and strength. You're not in charge of yourself anymore if you follow Me."

I tell you, it's a bit daunting, no? But oh, He's such a kind, generous leader. Jesus said, "My burden is easy and My Yoke is light." He said He would give us life abundantly. He promises is joy and peace. He promised us a way to the Father. He promised us the Holy Spirit who comforts and teaches us!

There's a great Divine exchange. We give Him our sin, our weaknesses, and yes, the right to rule over our lives and do what we want when we want. But He gives us... Himself!

We die to ourselves and come alive in Christ. An infinitely better deal.

When I first moved to my city after college, I was restless. There was a lot in life I wanted to do but was quite sure I didn't know how or when or where or IF they were meant for me.

I said, "Lord, I won't be happy going my own way, so I choose you. I know that no matter what, if I follow you, I'll be satisfied with my life."

As a teen and twenty-something, my main goal in life was not to reach 40 and look back on my life with regret. I didn't want a litany of woulda-shoulda-coulda. I knew I'd mess up. Make mistakes. But I really wanted to avoid the big ones. Wrong career. Wrong husband. Wrong city or state.

So, in many ways, I sold my possession -- Me -- to Jesus.

I'm 50 now and when I look back over my life I can say with joy and confidence, I have no regrets. There are no woulda-shoulda-coulda's. I'm satisfied. Content.

Now, to dig deeper and find those areas of my life I've not sold out to my Lord and get logged on to Jesus-bay, sell off more stuff to Him and His Kingdom.

What about you? Is there an area of your life (heart or mind) you can surrender to Jesus?

Writing A New Blog From Blogsy

I saw this really cool app today and decided tom try it for writing blogs from my iPad. Believe it or not, this kind of tool would've saved me a few times!

It was easy to drag and drop the picture from Flickr. Now to get more pictures into Flickr! Oy.

Daddy in the Making by Lyn Cote

Please welcome author Lyn Cote. She's going to tell us about her new Love Inspired novel, Daddy in the Making, the installment in the New Friends Street series where love and dreams find a home.

Brought together by a Matchmaking Dog-- (Love this!)

Dr. Jake McClure’s basset hound has fallen in love with a single mom, her adorable twins and the orphaned kittens they rescued.

Man’s best friend suddenly won’t budge from Jeannie Broussard—and Jake can understand why. Jeannie is full of love, laughter and everything Jake has been missing in his life lately.

As Jake spends time with Jeannie and her girls helping to build her Habitat for Humanity house and rescuing stray animals, a bond forges between them, and soon Jake is wondering if he’s the perfect fit in this fatherless family....

To read more and buy the book, click here.

About Lyn:

When Lyn Cote became a mother, she gave up teaching to raise her son and daughter. While being a stay at home mom, she began working on her first novel.

Rejection followed. Finally, Lyn got "the call." Her first book, Never Alone, was chosen for the new Love Inspired romance line.

Since then, Lyn has had over thirty novels published. In 2006 Lyn's book, Chloe, was a finalist for the RITA, one of the highest awards in the romance genre.

And her Her Patchwork Family was a Carol finalist in the short historical category in 2010.

Lyn’s brand of “Strong Women, Brave Stories,” always includes three elements: a strong heroine who is a passionate participant in her times, authentic historical detail and a multicultural cast of characters.

Lyn also features stories of strong women both from real life and true to life fiction on her website homepage.

Lyn also can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. Now living her dream of writing books at her lake cottage in northern Wisconsin, Lyn hopes her books show the power of divine as well as human love.

Sharing a recipe:

One of the secondary characters in Daddy in the Making, Millie, is famous for her Baked Macaroni and Cheese. Here's my recipe. (YUM!)

Lyn Cote's Baked Macaroni

I adapted this recipe from my 1940 Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. I've cut the fat content from the original and changed to whole wheat or SMART TASTE macaroni to up the fiber. So you can indulge with this recipe, knowing that it's healthy!

1 lb. whole wheat macaroni or Ronzoni Brand Smart Taste pasta (fortified with Calcium, Vitamin d and Fiber)

****

White sauce:

6 Tb butter or margarine

¾ c. flour

5 c. skim milk

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

*****

1 lb grated medium cheddar cheese (Or if you want to give this a Mexican flavor, substitute pepper jack cheese.)

1 c. bread crumbs (or crushed tortilla chips)

Cook macaroni, drain and put into greased, deep casserole dish or bowl. Make the white sauce and take pan off heat (to keep the cheese from becoming stringy). Add 2/3^rd's of the grated cheese. Stir till melted. Pour over macaroni. Sprinkle remaining cheese and bread crumbs over top. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. May serve as side dish or main course.

Lyn has a free read on her blog, La Belle Christiane, an original manuscript never published, a new scene every Monday, Wedsnesday and Friday.

Extravagance!

Three weeks ago, good friends of ours announced they were moving back to California. The husband was returning to his old job at Pixar.

I've always loved their house, especially the super-duper office and living space they'd added. I call it the turret tower. I'll post pictures later.

Yet we love our house and frankly we couldn't afford their house. Our friends had other options and plans anyway, but it didn't stop me from joking about buying to for a ridiculous sum of money.

Two weeks ago, I prayed, "Lord, if there's anyway we could get their house, I'd love to, but we are very happy here."

Four days later our friends called. "We think you all should have the house. Let's get together and talk."

Hubby and I were blown away by their offer and plan. It was extravagant. As a result, the Lord answered another prayer I'd been praying to pay off a small debt we had plus to forgive a debt owed to us.

I never imaged the Lord answering my prayer to get out of debt, to forgive a debt in such an amazing way.

Extravagance led to extravagance.

As a society, we live so close to the wire, pay check to pay check there's no room to be extravagant. We're concerned about our 401ks or amassing saving that we can only "tip" others.

Our friends lived debt free. They were blessed to buy their house with cash. And at the peek of the market!

But instead of wanting all their money back or even most of it, they decided to be givers, they decided to yield to God's tug on their heart.

Listen, the office alone is worth their selling price to us. And it's not befitting of my lowly author status. Hubby said, "Well, now you have room to grow!"

We sold our house in six days. We have to go through the final motions and I guess we can't completely exhale until the closing, but when we see God moving in the midst of something, there's just no room for doubt.

I'm convicted more than ever to choose a lifestyle that allows me to be extravagant! Because our God is extravagant and there's no way we can out give Him.

How about you? Are you willing to trust your finances, your career, your future to an Almighty who cares for you? Extravagance!

The Story Jar by Robin Lee Hatcher and Deborah Bedford

What a great honor to have these two prestigious authors on my blog today to tell us about a great Mother's Day gift!

THE STORY JAR

A lovely novel of three women, their stories threaded together through the concept of

The Story Jar…

The jar itself is most unusual -- not utilized in the ordinary way for canning or storing food, but as a collection point for memories. Some mementos in the jar -- hair ribbons, a ring, a medallion--are sorrowful, others tender, some bittersweet. But all those memories eventually bring their owners to a place of hope and redemption in spite of circumstances that seemingly have no solution.

Fresh, insightful, yet courageous in the face of difficult life issues, this collaboration by two talented writers first profiles a pastor’s wife with two young daughters who faces cancer just as her own mother did before her; and then a remarried mother working through a difficult relationship with a rebelliousrunaway daughter.

The third woman, alone with two teenaged boys who no longer pay much attention to her and seem headed for trouble, discovers the long-lost “story jar” and its significance. She comes to realize she can bring her own sorrows and frustrations to the feet of the Good Shepherd, the Great Physician, the Healer of the brokenhearted. She too will have memories for her own story jar.

“…It captures with surprising sensitivity…communion with God, and some excruciatingly exquisite moments of parental love…” Publishers Weekly

Included in the book are heart-warming tributes on motherhood fro novelists such as Jerry Jenkins, Francine, Rivers, Karen Ball, and Debbie Macomber.

************************

ABOUT THE Robin and Deborah:

Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. She makes her home in Idaho where she enjoys spending time with her family, her high-maintenance Papillon, Poppet, and Princess Pinky,

the kitten who currently terrorizes the household.

When Deborah Bedford isn't writing, she spends her time fly-fishing, cheering at American Legion baseball games, shopping with her daughter, singing praise songs while she walks along the banks of Flat Creek, and taking her dachshund Annie for hikes in the Tetons where they live.

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY JAR

by Robin Lee Hatcher

In September 1998, I received a story jar as a thank you gift after speaking at a writers’ conference in Nebraska.

The small mason jar, the lid covered with a pretty handkerchief, was filled with many odds and ends – a Gerber baby spoon, an empty thread spindle, a colorful pen, several buttons, a tiny American flag, an earring, and more.

The idea behind this gift was a simple one. When a writer can’t think of anything to write, she stares at one of the objects in the jar and lets her imagination play. Who did that belong to? How hold was he? What sort of person was he? What does the object represent in his life?

Writers love to play the “what if” game. It’s how most stories come into being. Something piques their interest, they start asking questions, and a book is born.

A week after receiving my story jar, I attended a retreat with several writer friends of mine, Deborah Bedford included. On the flight home, I told Deborah about the jar.

The next thing you know (after all, what better thing is there for writers to do on a plane than play “what if”?), we began brainstorming what would ultimately become The Story Jar. We decided very quickly that we wanted this to be a book that celebrates motherhood, that encourages mothers, that recognizes how much they should be loved and honored.

The Story Jar was first published by Multnomah in 2000, but eventually went out of print. Thus Deborah and I are delighted that Hendrickson wanted to bring it out in a new, revised version because we believe these stories can inspire others, just as it did this reader back in 2001:

"I am an avid book reader and have read thousands of books––maybe more––since the age of 5. I can honestly say that [The Story Jar] has touched me more than any other I have read. I cried, I laughed, and I relearned things that I had forgotten long ago as well as realizing things I never knew. Thank you for sharing your stories with your readers. They are truly inspiring. I plan on giving it to all the ‘mothers’ in my life for Mother's Day."

You don’t have to be a writer to want a story jar. It can be a family’s way of preserving memories. Consider having a family get-together where everybody brings an item to go into the jar, and as it drops in, they tell what it means to them, what it symbolizes. We can learn something new about our loved ones when we hear their memories in their own words.

Or do what my church did a number of years ago to create a memory for a retiring pastor. Inspired by The Story Jar, members of the congregation brought items to the retirement dinner to put into a story jar or they simply wrote their memories on a piece of paper to go into the jar. It was our way of saying thanks to a man and wife for all of the years they’d given in God’s service.

A story jar can be a tool for remembering all the wonderful things God has done in our own lives. As Mrs. Halley said, not all of God’s miracles are in the Bible. He is still performing them today in countless ways today, changing lives, healing hearts.

In the grip of His grace,

Robin Lee Hatcher

The Narrow Road of Salvation

Last Friday night I sat in a small, elegant prayer room, Open Door House of Prayer, in Ft. Pierce listening, tapping notes on my iPad, as a man shared about Jesus, about the things the Lord was speaking to and showing him.

I was filled with awe, stirred to know and love Him more. As the man spoke, scripture opened up in my own heart. (Note: Always a good sign the man speaking is not about himself but the God-Man, Jesus.)

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14, New International Version, ©2011)

We quote this verse in the church as a salvation passage. Those who are saved are on the narrow path, and those who are not are on the road to destruction.

And that is true. Right. Jesus is the only way to salvation.

But yet, Jesus also said many are called but few are chosen. As I sat in the prayer room Friday night the reverent fear of the Lord began to stir my heart. The world is trying to make salvation wider, easier. The church is going along with eager enthusiasm. "Like us, like us! Sure, we'll agree Jesus isn't the only way."

Danger! It's the exact opposite. We need not be finding a way to widen the road to heaven, but opening our eyes to realize how very narrow it is!

We must go THROUGH Jesus. Not around Him. Not in front or behind him. But through Him which means we are completely lost in Him.

Rachel Hauck, You (insert name here) must be lost in Him. Not found any other way than IN Him. Meaning, who is Rachel Hauck? Only who He says I am and I don't care about finding myself or being defined any other way.

Jesus loves humility. The Father loves Jesus and He is the only one in whom the Father is well pleased! Does Love Win?

Yes. In fact, Love already won. At the Cross. End of sentence. Some things in God are defined, exact and we can know! This idea that God is so awesome, wise and infinite we can't understand Him is of the world.

We can know Him. How do I know? He sent His Son, THEN gave us the Holy Spirit. If you're not knowing Him, maybe you need to ask the Holy Spirit to invade your world.

Jesus is the one whom the Father wants to glorify and magnify. And nothing, nothing will get in the way of His will -- to glorify His son.

Not our fame, or well being, or will, or desires, or right to pursue happiness will distract the Father from making His Son's name known in all the earth. Nothing! The Father WILL glorify His Son to the Nations!

Only God can reveal God.

We are called to be like Jesus. You know what He did? "Made Himself of no reputation."

And what do I see in people, in me? Wanting to be of a reputation. Seeking to expand, broaden, redeem, polish, hone, care for and coddle MY reputation.

But Jesus is longing for HIS nature to be formed in me. In you.

See? The road is narrow!

Jesus is to be the center of everything. God is not going to allow His Son's name to go on much longer as a powerless name.

Christianity has to be about a person, the Man Christ Jesus, not about performance, or oy! doctrine or theology.

We focus more on our doctrine than scripture. We give more credence to theology than Jesus.

We are so busy trying to "get out of here," and we're missing that He, Jesus, is trying to get into us and create perfect vessels!

John the Baptist said this, "He must increase so I can decrease!"

We have to let Him increase in us so we can decrease, so He can be formed in us.

Every day we live and breathe is precious to the Lord! Oh, how that makes my heart sing. We are here for a purpose. He is incredibly intentional!

In Christ is hidden all the wisdom and revelation. The New Testament is a revelation of the purpose of Jesus the Christ.

We must know the Word. We can't rely on the doctrine's and traditions of men. Not John Calvin. Not Rob Bell.

The road is narrow. To pass through we must let Christ be formed in us. We must ask Jesus to increase.

How can you tell if you're choosing yourself or Him? What's the focus of your want, belief, goal, or desire? If it's not Jesus, pure and simple, it's about you.

Same with me. Daily I have to lay down my wants. Yet, oh, how extravagant His love, His will, His desires for me. For all of those who love Him.

Love HIM! He'll do the rest. And His best is beyond our wildest imaginations.

Happy 19th Anniversary to my Hubby!

Hubby and I married 19 years ago today after four years of friendship-oddship.

When we met, we were 27. Ready to settle down, tired of the Christian AND non Christian dating scene.

I travelled around the country and world training newspaper editors and reporters, and classified advertising reps how to use my company's computers for daily production.

He was the youth and singles pastor, full time staff at the church I'd recently started to attend.

He'd been a Christian for about 4 years. I'd been following Jesus for 20! With a brief time out for college shenanigans.

When I moved to Melbourne, FL, I wanted nothing but to pay off school loans and get 100% in love with Jesus. I prayed a prayer that changed my life, set me on a difficult but glorious journey. I know that I know He is Lord.

Hubby was working out his young salvation with fear, trembling and wisdom. When we met, we actually intimidated each other a bit. He was a pastor who heard God. I was the daughter of a pastor, long time saved, and could also hear God.

Our initial attraction was interesting. He was more interested in me. I was dubious. He had a beard. Yet, I was interested. Then God flipped the tables on us. Literally.

He spoke to me one Sunday afternoon. "He's your husband." ARG! There's no way I wanted to "hear" the cute single singles pastor was my husband. Just line me up with the looney ladies.

But the Lord spoke to me over and over. Confirmed it in many ways.

Meanwhile... He told Husband. "Be her friend." Or "You're just going to be friends." Either way, a budding romance went kapoot, fast.

He thought we were only to be friends. I kept feeling, hearing, wondering if we weren't going to be married!

We confessed our thoughts. But we respected each other enough to wonder who was really hearing. Or what kind of creative answer God was going to give us.

Hubby would say, "We think it has to be A or B, but I bet God has a C answer somewhere."

Really? Like what? I never doubt God's ability to go outside our human boxes, but I couldn't see an alternative to "You're going to marry him." I mean, either we were going to get married or not!

What? In fifty years after his first wife dies? I mean, what other answers were there?

Interesting, hubby's initial attraction to me "romantically" vanished when the Lord told him we were to be friends.

So, that's all we were for three years.Friends. Best friends.

Then through a series of events, very colorful and interesting events, hubby began to ask the Lord if I was the one he was going to marry. All the while, he still had no feelings for me other than friendship.

More interesting and fun events transpired and one day, on a day God spoke to Hubby four months in advance, he saw me walking across a parking lot and all the feelings he needed to fall in love exploded in his heart.

Whoa! For me, I had to ask, "Who is this man?" Wow!

Friend to lover in 0 - 60 seconds.

We were married six months later. Today. March 21, 1992.

I am so very blessed and honored to be his wife, to know, respect and love this man, to serve him and the Lord's people with him. He's my friend, my confidant, my cheerleader and supporter.

When I graduated from college, I prayed, "Lord, I don't know what to do with my life. I know I'll only be satisfied and content if I'm doing what you want. I know I'll pick the wrong man to marry. I don't know who to pick. Only You know. Choose for me."

God is so good! God does good things for those who love Him. Not always are they simple or easy things. My journey through fear and anxiety was horrendous, but oh, the love of the Lord carried me through. I know Him in a way I'd never have known without those scary times.

Yay God! Thank you for my husband! Thank you for 19 great years. So peaceful and easy.

JOY!

Are you ready? He's coming!

The Friday of the Japan earthquake and tsunami I had an overwhelming sense while driving to meet friends for lunch, "He's coming! He. Is. Coming!"

Excitement met with expectation met with, "Wow!" My spirit rejoiced while my mind search for all the reasons I should be afraid. I mean, have you read Revelation? Yeah, it gets ugly.

I'm not a pretrib rapture believer. There's no Bible to support it. There are 150 chapters in the Old and New Testament dealing with the second coming of Jesus. They point to the Church partnering with Him, praying for His kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.

Yet I know as evil increases, so will the glory and light of the Lord. The book of Revelation is the book of Acts supersized.

Isaiah prophesies this:

"For behold, darkness will cover the earth

And deep darkness the peoples;
But the LORD will rise upon you
And His glory will appear upon you.

-- Isaiah 60:2

We have a job to do. It will be completed when Jesus returns. We are His partners on the earth, boots on the ground and our prayers and intercession will wage war against the evil rising on the earth

The Spirit and the Bride say come! Revelation 22:17. (We can't say come if we're not here.)

The buzz this week is Rob Bell's new book, Love Wins. I've not read it yet, but will when it releases. But I've read quotes and discussed the book with others. There's an idea that a loving God won't send anyone to hell.

We send ourselves to hell but not believing in Jesus. So says Bell.

While God the Father is loving eternally, Bell forgets about the Father-God who is also eternally just. Is Bell thinking deep about the Father's heart. Bell asks, "Would He send anyone He claims to love to hell?"

To which I gaze at the Cross. The Father loved and continues to love Jesus and look what He asked Him to do.

That's the point. Jesus and the Father loved each other and US so much, Jesus submitted to the Father's plan of redemption.

If you don't receive it, you receive the result. Wrath. Which includes a fiery hell.

Here's what Jesus says, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

Here's what why I'm writing this blog. Do your own prayer and study on the second coming and on hell. Expand your resources and above all, read the Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. Hang around like minded men and women who are interested in the truth, not affirming theology. There's a lot of bad theology out there.

John 14: 26: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

1 John 2:27: "As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

Hard times are coming. Our faith, our hope will be tested. Unless we are rooted and ground in Him, we just may falter.

Know Him. Know Him.

Yet Another Thing Women Have to Do

On my way to check my Yahoo mail account this morning, I saw a news feed: The Workout Women Avoid, But Shouldn't.

I tell you, my heart went, "Pllfffbbttt," and stuck out it's tongue. Well, if it had one it would've.

I don't know about y'all, but I'm sick, sick, sick of articles and "experts" telling women how they should look, what they should weigh, what they should do and how they need to think, feel and believe.

Personally, I love lifting weights. I do believe in the results. But don't put that pressure on a woman who doesn't lift weights, or wants to lift weights.

There are so many things women are required to do I want to shout, "I've had enough and I'm not going to take it any more."

Women, we are less liberated than ever! We have to earn the bacon and fry it up in the pan. We have to look like we're 30 all the time no matter how many birthdays we've had.

We have to eat right. Exercise right. Be available for our children and husbands, family and oy vey do not forget those ole girlfriends. Snap. Snap.

It's ridiculous. Be yourself. Be who God created you to be. Stop listening to people who are clueless as to God's magnificent call and design for women.

We have a valued roll in His plan for the world and the coming return of Jesus. And it's doesn't have anything to do with lifting weights and forgoing caffeine.

Okay, hear me. Those things are fine if you have the time and grace, and if you're not looking at them to affirm, approve and define you; if you're not finding your worth and righteousness in what you do and how you look, or heaven forbid, what you do or do not eat.

God is after pure, loyal, heart. Volunteers in the day of His power. Psalm 110:3. That's what I want. A heart of God's. To be loyal and devoted to Him. To lift my heart toward His.

And yeah, maybe a couple of 12 pound dumb bells and round of push ups! I do like my clothes to fit well. ;)

Life Comes at You Fast, Sometimes Furious

Friday afternoon I sat in a sun spot falling through the Florida room windows, talking to my agent, going over my next book ideas, my thoughts coming together after a brain dead week.

I'd been on deadline, traveled to St. Louis for a board meeting, spent 7 days with 18 writers and Susan May Warren, then flew to my sisters for a surprise 40th birthday party.

I arrived home on a Sunday night at 10:30 only to be up and at the court house for jury duty Monday morning. I was selected for a jury pool. A criminal case. I mean, man, isn't that every writer's dream!

But not me. I just wanted to go home and sleep. I thought I was going to nod off as the lawyers pep talked us. I wasn't selected and by six o'clock I was home and in my jammies.

By Friday afternoon, I'd recovered. I'd slept in, gone to lunch with friends, and began thinking of a new story idea.

And there I sat, chatting with my agent, ending the conversation, when a text message binged up on my iPhone screen.

"Jim Maher was just killed in a motorcycle accident."

What? I squinted at the screen. Surely I was reading wrong. I didn't have my reading glasses and... What? Impossible.

Finding my glasses, I read it again.

"Jim Maher was just killed in a motorcycle accident."

My heart broke. Hanging up with my agent, I called my pastor, my husband and the friend who texted me the news.

I called Jim's son, Reuben.

It was true. My former pastor, friend, worship leader and worship mentor was dead at 63.

As the news spread and people began to call, email and Facebook, I found an emotional plane on which to land. While gone from this life, Jim stood before Jesus. He'd finished the race, and he'd finished well.

Oh, that we all might here, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into your rest."

Jim is in a place where there is no more pain or sorrow. No more struggle with sin and sickness. He is with the king of glory.

Jim had an amazing heart to love and serve. The man could take off in worship with the strum of the first chord.

When he moved from our city to Kansas City in 2000 to join the International House of Prayer staff, I was given an incredible opportunity. To lead worship.

He'd trained me by example. By having me on his team. By opening up his heart and loving the Lord above his own glory or fame.

Jim was a '60s hippie and Nam vet who should've never lived to 63. In '68, he was a helicopter gunner and during a fight, his chopper was hit. Jim was thrown clean from the open door and landed in the brush.

When they were rescued, the team asked, "Where's the man who sat here?" They pointed to the gunner's seat.

Jim said, "I'm the gunner."

They said, "No, the man who sat here is dead." The bullet hole in the seat was proof. By all evidence, Jim should've been killed before he was thrown from the helicopter.

But the Lord spared him.

After searching through drugs and all the eastern, meditation religions, Jim started reading his Bible and the Lord awakened his dead, cold, wounded heart.

But Friday, while riding his motorcycle on the first pretty day of March, on his way to a park with his daughter and her son, a truck turned right at a light, didn't see him, and the accident was unavoidable.

Jim's death is tragic and a loss. We can't understand how God saved a drug addicted twenty year old but took a husband, father, grandfather and full time worshipper-intercessor.

But His ways are not our ways.

I like that Jim is in glory with Jesus. That his race on this earth is done. And he finished well.

What remains with me is his laugh. I can still hear his laugh. Jim's imprint is on my heart probably more than I'll ever know or realize. His wife and children blessed me. His son is like a brother to Hubby and me.

Hubby said this to me the day Jim died. "Jim survived Nam, but died on a spring day in Kansas City, riding his motorcycle. It's true. It's appointed once for man to die."

A friend of mine recalled this as one of Jim's prayer verses: Eph 4:1 "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called..."

Oh, let that be all of our prayer. To walk in a manner worthy of the calling.

Jim Maher, well done. See you soon.

Once upon a time there was a blog here... and I wrote it... and once upon a time I'll blog again. I promise! Next week! I promise.

Between travel and the My Book Therapy Deep Thinker's Retreat I was BRAIN DEAD!

Hey, maybe those would've been good blogs!

See you next week.

Catching Up

Hey, I'm such a bad blogger at times. I was finishing up The Wedding Dress so I could pass it off to a reader/proofer before flying to St. Louis for a board meeting.

Came home and have been prepping for this week over in Clearwater and the My Book Therapy Deep Thinkers Retreat.

I'll try to post pictures and notes over the next six days. BUT, I do have a plan for this little ole blog. I do. Hang tight. I'll get 'er done.

Thanks friends!

In the meantime, check out the Southern Belle blog! We're having fun over there. This week is the continuation of our island romance, Whirlaway Island.

Goals: Being prepared for eternity

Because we're trapped in time, it's really easy to have our focus on the here and now. Rightly so because if we don't take care of ourselves, our families, our responsibilities we'll find ourselves in need or impoverished without cause.

But this life is merely an internship for the next life. There will be an end to this age and we'll be launched into a time where Jesus reigns on earth as a just King and making right all the wrongs.

We could spend hours, days, even years debating end time theology. But I don't have the heart or the time for it -- and frankly, some of the debating and hairsplitting isn't holy or benefitting. We can read the Bible and know! God's Word is not for the ivory towered intellectuals. It's for all of us.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us God has written eternity on our hearts. We're supposed to want to "live forever" and "be immortal." But we must pass from this life to the next either by 1. Death or 2. Jesus return while we're alive.

Either way, we have to be ready to stand before Him and give an account of our lives. There is a reward system. I don't completely understand it, but I know God will reward even those who've given a little one a cup of cold water. Matthew 10:42.

He loves to reward. Don't feel like you have to "earn" it or something, He's looking for and recording as many things as He can to reward us. It's not like my old boss who insisted I write reviews on my team with a criticizing focus. She was never concerned about listing their success, only their failures.

Not so with Jesus. In fact, He's looking to turn our failures into successes. So here's the deal. Let's not be afraid to live life, to take a chance, to go for God's will while we have the time.

Let's not be bogged down by the passing pleasures of this world. Turn off the TV. Put away foolish things. Cut out friends or things that hinder your run in race. Set your heart and mind on Jesus. Trust me, He'll put you to good use.

He's not going to sign you us for the team because He needs another person or two on the bench. Nope, Jesus needs a team of quarterbacks, tail backs, tackles, lineman, offensive guards, defensive tackles. Punters, kickers, special teams.

You know, some guys want to play football so bad they go out for the team with a "sign me up, Coach" attitude. Remember Rudy from the movie... Rudy? He wanted to play Notre Dame football so bad he was willing to be a scrub, beat-the-crap-out-of-me practice player. He was on the team only to make the real players better. He didn't even get to suit up on game day.

But he hung in there, he endured an extreme time of testing so that... what? He might win the prize! And win the prize he did.

Do you know any other Notre Dame football player's names from those Rudy years? I don't. But I know about the too small, too inadequate player who finally had his moment of glory on the field.

We must live this life with eternity in mind. With our own moment of "glory on the field" to come. We must be prepared for whatever play Coach calls. By the time Rudy was called up, he was one tough son of a gun.

Be ready. Live your life with purpose. You do not know when God's going to say,

"Rachel, you're up, get in the game."

"What? Lord, I'm 50 years old. You don't want to use me, do you? I've waited all this time. I've gotten fat and lazy. I haven't read the Word or prayed consistently in years and... and... I've been living out my destiny by watching American Idol and Oprah."

"I need you in the game. This is your moment."

"Coach, I don't know the plays. I'm 50, remember. Most players are called up in their 20s and 30s."

With a kind sadness, He gazes into her eyes. "But I've been waiting for this moment for you. I've had this slotted since the foundations of the earth... for you. Didn't you know? Don't you remember all the touches on your heart where I reminded you? You actually thought I forgot you?"

"No Lord, but it seems I forgot about the destiny you wrote on my heart."

Don't give up! Live with eternity on your heart. If for some reason you're not called into the game in this life, you most certainly will in the next. Be ready. Hold fast. Stay in "training."

JOY!

Writing: Denise Hunter talks about life as a writer

My good friends Lena Dooley and Denise Hunter are talking writing over on Lena's blog today. Denise has some new releases coming (yay!) but on the featured book on this post is a re-release of Surrender Bay.

I love both of these women, their heart for the Lord, for worship, for others and for writing great books

Be sure to check it out!