Every year I get something different from the ACFW conference (or any conference I attend.) There were over five hundred people this year. So many people that I finally got to hug a few of my favorites as I was waiting for the shuttle to take me back to the airport! But this is all good. It means ACFW is growing.Robin Miller/aka Robin Carroll, ACFW's president, along with the rest of the board, planning committee and all the volunteers work so very hard to put on a great program and they truly did. It worked like a well-oiled machine. Kudos and a heartfelt thank you to these folks. What a ministry.
Also a special mention should go to Cara Putman and whomever else had a hand in arranging the Mall of America book signing. It was an absolute hit! The exposure Christian fiction received that evening was wonderful. This is the sort of thing Christian authors need to be doing more of. Christian bookstore signings are good and we need to be supporting those stores but also we need to be going out among the masses. Until Left Behind's success I didn't even know there was such a thing as Christian fiction. Many, many people still don't. We put a small dent in that number at our mass booksigning though and that's no small feat!
Okay, so back to what I was saying about what I got out of this year's conference, well more than anything else I got with God as I always do. Over the last two years, I've been dealing with the struggle of my life. My husband filed for divorce and without going into all the details, it was hard, the hardest thing I've ever gone through. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. (No, I didn't cheat on him abuse alcohol or drugs, our children, the dog, or anything else... He simply has some struggles he's dealing with.)
Needless to say I've been really hurting. God has always been Abba, Daddy to me but this year at the conference, He wooed me as the lover of my soul. He reminded me that when something goes wrong with the plumbing, He's there. When finances are scary tight, He's there and when I'm lonely, He's not just next to me but living inside of me. He told me I was beautiful in His eyes and worthy. That was the best part.
Much of this wooing came during song. (Thank you Rachel Hauck and the worship music team... it was awesome!)
Writing-wise I had lost much of my motivation to write. I got that back big time. I came home and wrote two chapters in one day when it's been taken me at the fastest a week to write one chapter.
Of course I got to pray with friends, give and get lots of hugs and laugh myself silly. But this year, like no other, there was such a peace about me, a quiet sense of being. Not feeling I needed to pitch this editor or catch that person or be noticed, but just a real sense that what is supposed to happen will ... and it did!
I'd love to hear from those of you who attended. What was your take away?
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI really like this post, especially that you spoke about your divorce. I know your heart and how much you’ve walked through this past year. I remember when I first started to ‘network’ in the CBA, I felt a pressure to have an appearance, as if one’s Christianity is going to be judged alongside one’s writing. Which is silly.
Nonetheless, during my first conferences it seemed that certain subjects were taboo: divorce, alcohol, how you vote, rated-R movies. I’ve had lots of women ask me with fear in their voice if I think their outfit is appropriate enough to meet with an editor, and have heard lots of storylines where the author frets whether their plot will be acceptable in the CBA.
Beats me whether there’s any truth behind the fear that if you acknowledge a divorce, or vote Democratic that it’ll affect your standing at becoming published.
I highly doubt it.
I think it’s grown from the angst of those seeking publication and worrying that prejudices within the church might stand in their way.
Really great post! As for me, sigh, I didn’t get to attend the conference but still was inspired by talking to those who did attend.
Thanks Jess. We don't have control of what others do which makes it difficult sometimes. We are often judged by our spouse's actions. Not much we can do about that or how others may react or judge us. I think we as Christians are called to be authentic. God is truth and Satan is the father of all lies, so that gives me the backbone to admit a whole lot I'd rather not. Writers in particular need to be truth tellers. The truth, after all has been promised to set us free.
ReplyDeleteHi Gina,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing from your heart. I admire your honesty and will keep you in my prayers.
It was a wonderful conference! Thanks for sharing all the fun photos. I love seeing everyone, worshiping together, and learning from so many authors I respect and admire.
I may not comment often, but I read novel journey most days and always enjoy the interviews and good info on the publishing world. Thanks for encouraging us!
Blessings,
Carrie
Gina, your honesty and transparency are touching and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI'm humbled God touched you during worship. I never, ever know what goes on in people's hearts, I just pray I don't get in the way.
Isn't He amazing?
Rachel
Wonderful post, Gina. Thank you for sharing your heart.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about many people still not knowing about Christian fiction. I was getting a diet Coke out of the machine in the conference hotel gift shop when I heard the man and woman who worked in there talking. She said, "They say they write Christian fiction. How can anything Christian be fiction?" He replied that he had no idea.
When I went to the cash register to pay, I told them that I had overheard their conversation. I spent a few minutes telling them about Christian fiction. When I finished, they thanked me and the woman said, "Well, we said these people are so nice."
It really surprised me that people who were helping give us such a wonderful time in the hotel had no idea what we were doing! There are still a lot of people out there like that.
Sandra Robbins
Hi Gina,
ReplyDeleteI was honored to meet you this year, and the Lord kept bringing you to mind since I came home. I had no idea what you were going through, but I've been praying for you.
I'm glad you were feeling relaxed. I was too. I was pitching, but did not feel the need to run and track people down. I think everything that needed to happen did. So I share that feeling.
Love the blog, and have been a long time (mostly) lurker.
Thanks for what you all do!
Cindy
Isn't it an awesome, FREEING feeling to know our hopes, dreams, and CAREERS are in God's hands? I enjoyed myself for the first time at an ACFW conference when I truly let go and "let God." I know it's cliche, but it's so true!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the awesome post, G.
Gina, the more and more I know you, the more and more I'm impressed and admire you.
ReplyDeletethis was a great post
my take away? I'm not sure, this was probably the hardest conference I've ever been too... and I'm still asking the Lord why He wanted me there.
I really liked this email especially about watching someone read your work. God Bless you very special today as I am sure he has already done at the Conference.
ReplyDelete