Sometimes the answer is… Not Yet.

A month ago I received a call that I was Genesis semi-finalist. It was a time of great celebration since a Genesis award is considered one of the highest awards for unpublished authors in Christian fiction. Joy threw me into hyperdrive as I jumped into new edits on my work-in-progress. Over the next month, I worked hard and stayed focused, but I mostly prayed. I kept a near constant conversation flowing between myself and God. Lord, show me the way to go. Help me to write according to your will. Bless the judges, allow them to see my writing through your eyes. By the end of the month, I was emotionally and spiritually spent. I was ready to hear the results. Would I be a finalist?

I waited for the call. We ate dinner and I waited. My husband encouraged me to believe, but in my heart I sensed the call wasn’t coming. I silently called out to God. Didn’t they like my book? What did I do wrong?  My heart ached knowing I didn’t make the cut. 

Over the last year, I’ve seen writers around me advance in their writing careers. Yet, there are days when I feel like the turtle instead of the hare. I’m ready to take off and finish this race. I’m ready to hold my published book, but God’s message is very clear. Not yet. When I see my friends succeeding, God quietly whispers. Soon, be patient. Your path is not the same. Your time will come, trust Me.

I do trust Him. When I attended ACFW last September I met with an agent who told me that changing my writing style into deep point of view would take my writing to the next level. Little did she know that before I left for the conference my husband asked me, “what’s the one thing you want to take away from this conference?”

I remember telling him. “I feel like my writing is on this level way down here. I need to get it up here,” I gesture down by my waist, then up by my eye. “I don’t know how. I keep doing the same thing over and over and it isn’t working. I hope I can learn what I need to change.” I left for conference unsure of what would happen. God knew exactly what would happen. He ordained that meeting and used that agent’s wise words to propel me forward in my writing. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been very rewarding on a personal level.

God has continually opened one door after another for me since the day I heeded His call to write. He doesn’t need to convince me that He has a plan, He has proven it to me by blessing me over and over. No, I didn’t final in Genesis, but that’s okay I know God has a plan and I’m trusting Him to work it all out. Whatever His plan is I know it’s going to be awesome.

I will be at the ACFW Conference in Dallas in a few months and I’ll be cheering on my friends who are finalists. I’m already praying for the finalists because this isn’t about winning and losing. This is about glorifying God and honoring my friends who have worked so hard.

I’m thankful for every experience He gives me in this wonderful crazy world called writing. I couldn’t have a better job.