Why The Cold Seasons Of Life Are Necessary

Fall is my absolute favorite season—with the leaves changing, pumpkin spice lattes, cool weather, sweaters, boots, fall-scented candles, etc. There’s something special about every season, but fall will always remain my favorite.

However, there are many people who dread this season. They think of autumn and winter as depressing since everything dies, it gets bitter cold, and you have to stay indoors. These people can’t wait for the cold days to be over with so spring can arrive and everything can be in blossom once again. But we can’t have the warm seasons without first going through these cold ones. Things must die before they can grow. And ultimately, we wouldn't appreciate the warm seasons as much if we never went through the cold ones.

It's hard to have patience while waiting for spring. Especially when you just want to fast forward a season and get to the good ones. Sometimes you may feel as if this waiting season has lasted forever. It’s even more frustrating when you don’t have a calendar for the spiritual realm--you’re not sure when God’s going to bring the warm seasons into your life.

But maybe God’s trying to teach you to trust Him, His timing, His plan for your life. And to have patience. No, it’s not easy. But it’s necessary that we go through the cold seasons so things can die before the new ones are born. To make way for the new to come.

And the longer you wait, the closer it gets to the season you’ve been yearning for. (Except, of course, if you’re like the Israelites and remain in this season only because of your complaining—when really spring could’ve been just around the corner.)

If things seem to have gotten harder the longer you've waited, remember that winter is always colder than fall. Sure, it may be harder to go through. But keep in mind that it's the last season before spring arrives.

While I was writing this post, the song “Before The Morning” by Josh Wilson came on my Pandora. (Click here for the song.)

You may not understand why you’re having to go through these bitter cold, never-ending seasons. But you don’t have to have it all figured out. Just trust God, grow closer to Him during this, have patience, and believe that spring is just around the corner. Remember this is just a season, and seasons don’t last forever.

And when you’re tempted to beg God for spring although you have yet to go through autumn yet, keep in mind that God’s timing is perfect. He knows that things have to die in order to get ready for spring—before things can fully blossom.

~~~

Have you ever doubted that God would ever bring the "warm seasons" in your life? How do you remain patient while going through the cold ones?

(PS: My first newsletter will be sent out October 10^th. Enter your email address under the section on my right sidebar titled “subscribe to my monthly newsletter” to subscribe.)

Writer's Inspiration

"A good Christian novel 
is not merely an entertaining story 
in which the characters stop every so often to whisper a prayer. 
The best and most effective Christian novels 
have a spiritual element woven so intricately into the story 
that if the element were removed,

there would be no story left."

~Virgina Smith

"Our expectation is that we will change your life 

by the words we write,
the stories we create,

the characters we mold 
out of blood, sweat, and tears."

~Rene Gutteridge

"I've written many scenes 

with tears streaming down my face 

because I'm moved by what's happening to my characters, 
and that's when I know 
God is doing something powerful in me, 
and hopefully, in my writing."
~Lisa Tawn Bergren

"I think we see God 

beginning to work in all of the arts--not just books, 

but also music, painting, artwork."

~Francine Rivers

"This is our calling, 

that we might hold out the word of life to the world,

and that we do this through our writing.

For me, Christ is the story.

He is not a patch to add into my plot, or a marketing ploy.

The world can write about the physical, intellectual,

and emotional aspects of people. So can we.

Ah, but we also can tell about the spiritual--

and the story is nothing without that piece."

~Karen Kingsbury

(PS: I'm holding a poll on my blog soon so you can help choose the cover for Purple Moon. Please don't miss that! Also,  my first newsletter will be sent out October 10^th. Enter your email address under the section on my right sidebar titled “subscribe to my monthly newsletter” to subscribe.)

Is There Harm In Dreaming Too Much?

I’ve always been a little ambitious, as mentioned in last week’s post. Recently I I found a notebook I kept from when I was eight that’s in the shape of a star, with the word “Star” on the cover. Inside, I wrote about my dreams of one day becoming an author, as well as an actress. I also described all of the reasons why these were my dreams.

Not only have those desires remained, but I’ve added some more dreams over the years. These include: work/own a coffee shop, write Christian screenplays for teens, possibly be a literary agent, and work at/own a Christian magazine for teens one day. 

I didn’t want to wait until after I was a teenager to pursue my dreams, which is why I decided to homeschool the first three years of high school. If I hadn't of done this, I wouldn’t have my first book coming out this fall. God has shown me that it’s never too early to start pursuing your dreams. It’s better too early than too late, right?

Of course, God’s timing may be different than your timing. There has to be a season of waiting and preparation. But no, there isn’t any harm in dreaming. And there’s certainly no harm in going ahead and chasing your dreams as a teenager, as long as you’re keeping God first (Ecclesiastes 11:9).

The only time that dreaming does become a problem is when you refuse to wake up. What I mean is: God places the desires on your heart for a reason. You shouldn’t see them only as dreams, but instead as the future that God has for you. If it is, in fact, the desires that he’s given you. Refuse to allow your dreams to remain only dreams.

I know many people who think it's almost impossible to become an author. Sure, it may be true that being published is unlikely--and it might also be true that being published as a teenager is unlikely. But if that had been my mind-set a few years ago when I started pursuing writing, I wouldn’t have been offered a contract at sixteen-years-old. Only God could have arranged the meeting with my publisher. (Read the story here.)

And only God could’ve arranged the most recent things to happen with two other dreams of mine.

Recently a Christian film producer has shown interest in wanting me to help out with some of their upcoming teen films. But not just that.

A couple weeks ago, I had contacted Temperance Magazine—a Christian teen print mag—asking if I could write an article for their upcoming issue. They responded, telling me that they had already come across my blog and was going to contact me for reprint permission. Not only are they happy to have one of my articles published in their fall issue, but they want me to be their new editor for their faith department starting next spring, as well as a regular columnist!

I was completely ecstatic. It may not be a big deal to some people, but it was a huge deal for me, considering I’ve dreamed of either writing or being an editor of a Christian teen magazine ever since I was twelve. (No joke. I ran my own Christian pre-teen e-zine for two years and fell in love with the process.)

I’ve never been one to judge the probability of my dreams. I’m sure the way I’ve been raised has a lot to do with this. My parents have always taught me and my sisters to go after our dreams, despite the fact that they may seem far-fetched.

So no, I don’t think there’s a problem with dreaming too much. In fact, I think there’s a problem with dreaming too little. We need to look at our ambitions—as well as our circumstances—through the eyes of faith. Remember that with God, absolutely nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37).

~~~

Do you have many ambitions as well? Has the probability of achieving your dreams ever held you back from trying to pursue them? In what ways has God given you the desires of your heart?

(PS: I'm holding a poll on my blog soon so you can help choose the cover for Purple Moon. Please don't miss that! Also,  my first newsletter will be sent out October 10^th. Enter your email address under the section on my right sidebar titled “subscribe to my monthly newsletter” to subscribe.)

Advantages of Starting a Writing Career at a Young Age: Guest Post by Author Alexa Schnee

I am thrilled to have Alexa Schnee, author of Shakespeare's Lady, on my blog today to discuss the advantages of starting a writing career at an early age. Alexa is the youngest-ever recipient of the Mountain Hermon Most Promising Writer Award, and a first place winner of the Authors of the Flathead 2010 High School Writing Contest. Her first novel, Shakespeare’s Lady, was published this past spring by Guideposts.

Alexa is actually the one who encouraged me to attend my first writing conference when I was sixteen, which is where I ended up meeting my publisher. I also interviewed her a couple years ago on my blog.

So everyone, please welcome Alexa Schnee!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Starting a writing career as a teenager is not an easy thing to do.

It may seem so overwhelming, and when you think about all that is involved in a writing career (writing, editing, publishing, reviews, etc.) it can easily feel like you’re facing a monster ready to devour you. However, I think that starting young in a career can sometimes be an amazing experience—and you’d be surprised at how much you can accomplish while you’re young!

Most publishers are supportive of young writers.

If the quality of your work is good and you’re willing to work hard, most publishers are excited about looking at a young author’s work. You represent something new and exciting. You’re a fresh, exciting voice in the industry and many publishing houses see that as an advantage rather than a disadvantage.

You have time to shape and improve your writing.

By starting early, we younger writers have more time to find our voice and find out where we fit within a literary circle. By taking workshops and writing classes at a young age, we have the opportunity (and the time) to develop who we want to be as a writer.

There are a lot of young writers just like you.

Join a writing club or a book club! It’s a great way to make new friends with other young writers and you can see how many of your peers love to write as much as you do. Plus, it’s a great way to get feedback on your work.

You’re doing what you love.

I feel this is really important. If you can’t imagine not being able to write, if it’s just who you are as a person, why delay? Write whenever you can, read whenever you can. Write a novel if you feel like it. If that’s too intimidating at first, write short stories or poetry. Do what you feel like doing and make it your own. Who knows? Eventually it could become the next bestseller!

~~~

Click here to visit Alexa's novel Shakespeare's Lady on Amazon. And if you'd like to visit her blog, click here. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions for Alexa, or if you have something you'd like to add on to the topic of young writers. Thanks for joining us, Alexa!

*Photo credit: http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/shakespeare_in_love/28230

What’s Your Purpose Behind Writing Christian Fiction?

Fiction is powerful—in good ways and bad. This is the main reason why I don’t read many secular YA novels. Lots of the recent contemporary YA novels are filled with lots of trash, and I'd rather not open myself up to that kind of influence. This is also why I love Christian fiction. Because these stories can help people see the consequences of their actions and reach people right where they are in life. Christian fiction can show people that God offers love, forgiveness, mercy, grace.

When Jesus was on earth, he was aware that stories were powerful. That’s why he told parables—because he knew there were those who needed the illustration. He knew that some people would need to be told the truth through a story in order to fully grasp the message he was trying to deliver.

Luke 8:10 (MSG) says~

“You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom—you know how it works. But there are others who need stories…”

Recently I’ve been going through the round of edits for my first YACF novel, Purple Moon. And I’ll be honest—there have been times recently when I've had doubts. Times when I start thinking “My writing is not strong enough. Why did I write this? No one's going to like it.” And sometimes, when I read bad reviews on other books, I imagine all the horrible things people might say about Purple Moon.

But every time this happens, God reminds that I’m not writing to glorify myself. I'm writing to bring glory to Him. I have to remember that this is the story God has laid on my heart. My purpose in writing Christian fiction isn’t so people can give me praise—if it was, I probably would’ve given up already. When doubts are flooding my mind, I try to remember: not everyone is going to love my book. But I’m not writing for those people. I’m writing it for the girls who will be able to connect with my main character. For the girls who might be going through similar situations as she is in the story and could really be ministered to by reading Purple Moon.

Yes, there are people out there who might be needing to read your book. As you write, God already knows what guy or girl is going to be touched by your writing, perhaps even feel as if they’re reading the story of their life. And yes, it is possible that a non-believer can become saved through Christian fiction. It’s happened many times before. One of my best friends is proof. She asked God into her heart a few years ago while reading the Christy Miller Series by Robin Jones Gunn.

It isn’t easy, the process to publication. And there will be times when you want to give up. But please, for the sake of your future readers, don’t quit. Especially if you really feel as if your story could minister to people. Keep going, because there are people out there who may need to read the book you’re tempted to throw away right now. Go back to the reason you first fell in love with your story. Robin Jones Gunn—the author of the Christy Miller Series I mentioned above—was rejected ten times before the first book in the series was published. She now receives letters from readers all over the world, thanking her for the book series and telling her what an impact they've made on their life.

Ever since I was a kid, I've always been very ambitious. But what's the number one dream I have that basically sums all of them up? To reach people. That through the gifts God has given me, He will shine through me and touch lives. That people might come to experience His love through the fiction I write, through a part I may play in a film, or through the words I may write in an article/devotion. And of course, through my every day life.

This should be every Christian fiction author's purpose behind writing too, as well as his/her motivation to keep going. No, not so they can bring glory to themselves. But to reach people. Even if it’s just one life that will be touched by your story, I'm sure it'll be worth it.

~~~Why do you write Christian fiction? Have you ever had doubts along your journey to publication or become tempted to give up also? What helps motivate you to keep writing?

What's God Doing In Your Life? ~ Jeremy's Story

Today my awesome cousin Jeremy is here to share a bit of what God has been teaching him about overcoming the mountains in his life through faith and hard-work. And just so you all know, this guy has a lot of faith. Seriously. And he is probably one of the most hard-working 19-year-olds that I know. God has blessed him for this, too. So when he tells us about what God has taught him on "heading up the mountains", he knows what he's talking about! (And yes, that is me in the picture with him.)

Heading High

You know that exhausted feeling you get while you're doing a strenuous task or workout, when you feel as if you can no longer continue? Yes, that one. The one that cuts the time of your task almost in half.

Okay, I know you know what I'm taking about because I believe we've all tried it at some point or another. We run, but when we reach a mountain we try to go around it. We become fearful when we see our enemy face to face. We get discouraged when we see how big and vast his armies are. Not only do we go around them, but the speed we once had - our confidence - is gone. How could we ever charge up that mountain, let alone run again? I'll tell you - when you reach a mountain in your life, instead of backing away, run up!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

~Joshua 1:9

Whenever temptation is placed in front of you, withstand it! You have to submit yourselves to God, as James 4:7 says, and resist the devil so that he can flee from you. If you start thinking that you can't do it, read Philippians 4:13~

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

With God on our side, we won't just be jogging up mountains. We'll be charging up them! Whenever you feel like you cannot face whatever task is set before you, clear your mind of the negative thoughts and equip yourself with your new confidence - God. Equip yourselves with His armor. Remember these verses so you'll be equipped the next time an obstacle is in the way. Don't run around it.

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."

~Ephesians 6:11

So the next time your enemies are mocking you and blocking your path, go the extra mile - show your confidence. Sure, your enemies may be strong, but God is much stronger. He's got your back! Don't listen to the voices, the thoughts, or whatever it may be that keeps telling you that you can't do it. Listen to your heart, and let God's confidence burst through you. Give your all for God! I mean come on, didn't he give His all for you? Don't make excuses or find quick shortcuts. Do as Colossians 3:32 says and work as if you're doing it for God, not for people.

Ever since I've taken this mentality I've gotten a lot more accomplished, have had no problem overcoming temptations, and have traveled up many mountains that I myself would never have been able to go up alone. Don't think twice about heading up a mountains' steepness. Just charge up. God won't just be leading you to the top, but He'll lead you to victory and high-soaring rewards. You can be sure of that!

~~~

Visit Jeremy's blog
"The Storms Within".

Thanks for sharing your story with us!

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Journaling To Turn Memories Into Scenes

(This post is part of a guest post series for Shaynie at Journaling Journeys. Visit her blog for more great journaling tips!)

Have you ever thought about what your life would read like if it were made into a book? One of the reasons why I love journaling so much is because it is the story of my life. I can look back at a journal and remember what it was like during a specific season of my life. All of the memories and emotions start flooding back as I read. It's almost like picking up an old book, returning to the places I had completely forgotten about.

If you're an aspiring author, it's very recommended that you keep a journal. Especially if you're wanting to capture moments the "write" way. However, the only thing that's not so great about journaling about your day is that it's almost like you're telling instead of showing (example: "Today I took my little brother and sister to the park. I had so much fun pushing them on the swings and watching as they went down the slides.") The reason why authors are told to "show" instead of "tell" in their books is because the reader cannot experience the moment if it's being told. They can't feel the excitement or completely grasp why the person was having fun, simply because they're only being told about it. The author isn't taking them to the setting and letting them live the moment with the character. So if you're looking back at your journal ten years from now, it'll be difficult and almost impossible to remember specific details or exactly how you felt during a certain moment in your life.

Journals can be a great source of inspiration for authors. Especially a YA author who is searching through the journals they kept during their teen years for story/scene ideas, or if they'd just like to be reminded of what it was liked to be a teenager. However, although you can write a journal entry about your first date, it won't exactly take you back to the moment. Unless, of course, you start a journal to turn your memories into scenes.

How should you do this? For me, the best way would be by creating a file under the My Documents folder. In this journal, instead of "telling" about a significant part of your day, show it. You'll basically be acting as if you're the main character in your own novel. And if you hope to become an author one day, keeping this journal could possibly help you in the future. It can also be a great way to completely capture a certain moment of your life so you could some day "re-live" it rather than be told about it.

Turning your memories into scenes can also sharpen your writing tremendously. If you write at least one scene every day, not only will you be developing your own writing voice, but you'll also start to become more conscientious of details when you're not writing - such as being aware of senses, how something that someone says to you makes you feel, yours and other people's body language, expressions, character traits, etc. all of which are very important to study if you want to be an author one day.

Wouldn't it be neat to one day be able to experience a certain moment of your life again through the words that you've written? It'll almost be like you're reading a book that God wrote (other than the Bible, of course). Because even though he didn't physically write it, he is ultimately the author of your life. Then one day you can look back and see specifically how He arranged all of the moments in your life for a certain purpose, to bring about an ending that only he has in mind.

That's why I think it'd be such a great idea to start this journal. Because if you do, you'll be recording parts of your story that the Author of Life himself is writing. Simply by turning your memories into scenes.

Why Does A Reader Close The Book Before Reaching The End?

The passion I have for books and coffee are almost the same. Well, not really. I'd much rather be without coffee than without books. But I can be very picky about both of them. I can't stand reading a book that isn't well-written, and it's the same with coffee - I don't even enjoy a pot of coffee that isn't fresh.

And I can usually tell if I'll like a cup of coffee by the first sip. Same with reading. Most of the time, I can tell whether or not I'm going to like a book just by reading the first chapter.

Sometimes when I read, I can tell if an author did a lot of studying on the craft of writing before seeking publication. Just because someone loves to write doesn't mean they're an automatic genius at it. A writer who seeks publication without learning the craft first is almost the same as someone auditioning for American Idol because it's their dream. Most people who have never taken voice lessons before auditioning (or just don't have the gift for it at all) end up walking away with no golden ticket in their hand.

If you want to see your name in print one day, having the passion for writing is just not enough. You must study. And if your book ends up getting published despite your bad writing (yes, many "bad books" are published nowadays), you most likely won't end up with good reviews. Some of your readers may even stop reading before getting to the last chapter.

So what are some things that make me put a book down within the first few chapters?

• The book starts with a descriptive sentence or paragraph that's filled with several adjectives/adverbs. Movies and television have caused people to become more impatient when reading. Most of your readers will want to get dropped right in the action of the story. Dialogue is often the best way to go about doing this.
• The dialogue is saturated with "he murmered" or "she demanded", etc. on almost every single dialogue tag. This is probably my number one pet peeve when I read. Not only do these distract me from the story, but they cause my focus to be shifted from the dialogue to the dialogue tags. It's lazy. Instead, why can't the author show how the character said it without telling? It also bothers me when the author uses a normal dialogue tag (he said, she said) on almost every line in the dialogue. Try your best to make the tags invisible to the reader.
• Bad dialogue. The dialogue should not be a normal, every-day conversation. Instead, your dialogue should have a purpose and be important for the plot and/or character development. If it has nothing to do with anything, then cut it out. Avoid making it too wordy also.
• A character's appearance is described all in one sentence, filled with adjectives and adverbs. This is a very cliche, lazy, and uncreative way to describe what someone looks like. I usually have to memorize the character's appearance when an author does this. Show what a character looks like in a creative way, and try not to do this all in one sentence.
• Perfect characters. It frustrates me when I read a book where the main character is popular, beautiful, a "good" Christian with the perfect Christian family, cheer captain, straight A student, and is perfect at everything she does. Some of you may argue that you really do know some "perfect" people (I think I just described my sister when she was in high school...). However, everyone has flaws. And realistically, not everyone is going to be amazing at everything. No one wants to read a book where the MC is perfect. Why? Because readers like to read about characters that they can connect with, not characters that the author made up because it's someone they wish they could be.
• Unrealistic scenes, scenarios, dialogue, and/or plot. I usually close a book when I'm reading a YA novel where I can tell that the author is no longer a teenager and has no idea what it's like to be one anymore.
• The writing lacks voice, and it's really just boring to read. Every sentence sounds the same as the one before. They all have the same length and structure. Might sound choppy. Or it might sound like a run on sentence that just keeps going and you have absolutely no idea what's happening anymore or why the sentence has yet to end and why you're even still reading this book because the writing is so terrible.
• It's repetitive. This is something that I struggle with. It's hard finding new ways to say things such as "she smiled, he laughed, she bit her lips", etc. But it bothers me when an author is repetitive. Either find fresh, creative ways of saying something or cut it out if it's used too much throughout your story.

I think that by figuring out the reasons why you stopped reading a book can help improve your book if you avoid those things in your own writing. The same can go the other way around. If you try pin-pointing the reasons why you kept turning the pages of a book, then you can weave those elements into your books as well.

~~~

What are some things that make you close a book? Why do you think so many "bad" books get published? Are you as picky as I am when it comes to books and coffee? =)