Worry and the Journey to Publication

By Lindsay Harrel

Last week I was cleaning out my home office—which had slowly become the junk room in our house. I’ve been putting it off for awhile now, but with the upcoming arrival of a new baby, it had to be done. When sorting through items I’d long forgotten about, I came upon a journal from five years ago.

As I read, I discovered entries from the very beginning of my writing journey. There were some entries where I was excited to finally be pursuing this dream, one I’d held in my heart since childhood. Other entries expounded upon all the knowledge I’d been gaining through craft books, conferences, and other sources.

But then there were the entries filled with something I’ve struggled with most of my life: worry. Pages and pages full of questions and doubts. Would I ever be able to make this a reality? Would I give up after a year of trying? Would I find out I really didn’t have what it takes to be a published author?

There was one journal entry dated about six months into my journey that really stood out to me. In it, I went back and forth on whether to submit my first novel to an editor who had requested it. I agonized over that decision, fearing that if it wasn’t ready (which it wasn’t!!), I’d ruin any future chances I had in the industry—but also worrying that if I didn’t take that chance, I’d always regret it.

You guys—if I’ve learned anything, it’s that one single action can’t destroy someone’s chances at publication forever (of course, I’m not talking about something that burns bridges or is egregious, rude, or ill-mannered). Either you believe God is in this or you don’t. He has the perfect timing, the perfect path for YOU.

I saw a meme going around the Internet this month that said, “If it doesn’t open, it’s not your door.” Over the last five years, I’ve stood at many doors and knocked incessantly, begging them to open—to no avail. Then I worried about why they didn’t open. Was I not worthy? Had God forgotten about me? Did I unknowingly upset someone important?

Now I look back and I shake my head. The worry did me absolutely no good. The doubt didn’t help me blossom into a better writer. It only weighed me down and choked the life and energy out of me. It wasn’t until I was able to “let go and let God” have control that I was at peace in my writing journey. I put my head down and kept writing. One book. Another. Another. And another.

And then, seemingly out of the blue (though it wasn’t out of the blue for God), I received my first contract in March of this year. My debut novel, One More Song to Sing, is set to release later this week, on December 1.

I was talking about this with a friend of mine recently. She grinned and said, “Remember all that worrying you did? Guess it wasn’t necessary after all.” She was totally right. Let me tell you, I didn’t add a single moment to my life by worrying (Matthew 6:27).

Learn from my mistakes. Don’t let worry take over your journey. Fight back. Replace those ugly lies Satan is feeding you with healthy doses of the Truth.

God has the right door for you. It may not look the way you thought it would. It may take a lot longer to reach it than you wanted. But every step along this journey is one that leads you closer to your goal.

Keep fighting—and keep writing.

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Worry and the Journey to Publication by Lindsay Harrel (Click to Tweet)

The doubt didn’t help, It only choked the life and energy out of me ~ Lindsay Harrel (Click to Tweet)

 Keep fighting—and keep writing. ~Lindsay Harrel (Click to Tweet)

Bio:

Lindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd who lives in Arizona with her young family, and two golden retrievers in serious need of training. Besides writing, singing, and hanging out with family and friends, Lindsay enjoys making a fool of herself at Zumba, curling up with anything by Jane Austen, and savoring sour candy one piece at a time. Her debut novel, One More Song to Sing, releases December 2016. Connect with her at www.LindsayHarrel.com.

Book Blurb:

More than two decades ago, Olivia Lovett left her old life behind in the red dirt of Oklahoma and forged a career in Nashville as a country music star. Now her voice is failing, forcing her to find a new dream just as the secrets of her past come knocking at the door. Long-time friend Andrew Grant agrees to partner in a new business venture—but would he stick around if he knew her whole story?

After the tragic loss of her father, twenty-one-year-old Ellie Evans headed to Nashville seeking more than just fame. For two years, she’s waitressed, strummed, and sung her way to what may finally be her big break when Olivia offers to sign her to the budding record label. More than anything, Ellie just wants to be seen: by her future fans, by Nick Perry—a fellow musician with a killer smile and kind eyes—and above all else, by the mother who abandoned her. If the spotlight never shines on her, will Ellie ever feel whole?

One More Song to Sing is a romantic drama about the power of forgiveness, second chances, and a God who never fails to see us.

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HOLY DISCONTENT

by Yvonne Lehman

Ever feel like you’re just “not in the game”?

Of course, although it’s not always easy to take it, the Bible gives us the right advice, such as we’re told in Philippians 4:6-7: “Don’t worry about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for a all he has done. If you do this you will experience God’ peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Yes, I know it sounds wonderful. But if you’re like me and had the flu or some nasty bug for a week, being positive is not exactly easy. But let’s try anyway.

What to do when it sort of seems in vain:

FOCUS – Learn more about the craft. Forget failure. Strain toward a goal (work at it!)

DON’T WORRY – Pray. Define your needs. Be grateful for the positive (we learn most by the negative, generally!). Guard the heart and mind (never lose faith or hope)

BE POSITIVE – Praise God for blessings. Practice what you’ve learned and       keep practicing – the result is peace

LIVE HAPPILY – on almost nothing – or everything! Little or plenty

Verse 18 in Philippians 4, Paul says, “At the moment I have all I need—more than I need! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me…”

Anyone ever given you a gift?

Give a gift to someone – bless them – God will take care of us.

Pray that others who taught you will have their reward. Your time will come!

And if things aren’t working well right now. You don’t feel like writing. Read a good book.

Here’s one! It’s free right now on kindle.

Blessings! Yvonne

Yvonne Lehman is an award-winning, best-selling author

of more than 3,000,000 books in print, who founded and directed the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference for 25 years, is now director of the Blue Ridge “Autumn in the Mountains” Novelist Retreat. She mentors for the Christian Writers Guild. She earned a Master’s Degree in English from Western Carolina University and has taught English and Creative Writing on the college level. Her latest releases include eight ebooks for Barbour’s Truly Yours line and a Harlequin/Heartsong series set in Savannah GA: The Caretaker’s Son, Lessons in Love, Seeking Mr. Perfect, (released in March, August, & November 2013). Her 50th novel is Hearts that Survive – A Novel of the TITANIC

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Chicken Little

Today's guest devotion is by Debby Mayne, from: Be Still…and Let Your Nail Polish Dry © 2008 Summerside Press

Chicken Little

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Matthew 6:23

“The sky is falling.”

            

“If anything can go wrong, it will.”

            

“All good things must come to an end.”

            

How has so much negativity crept into our lives? You’d think that with all the commercials about “Having it your way” and “You deserve the very best,” we’d all be glowing with radiant joy.

            

My mother was a child of the Great Depression, so she constantly talked about having enough food to eat. Some of that rubbed off on me, and I still worry – even though I have a full refrigerator, enough clothes in my closet to not wear the same thing twice in a month, and possessions that can keep me occupied 24/7.

            

While grocery shopping, my mother was a woman on a mission – determined to provide for her family with the resolve that each meal might be our last if we didn’t stock up and prepare for some unknown disaster.

            

“Why are you buying so much soup?” I once asked my mom as she transferred two of each kind of Campbell’s soup from the store shelf to the basket.

            

“You never know when you’ll run out,” she replied as she turned the basket toward the household items to stock up on toilet paper.

            

With the innocence of a child, I tilted my head and studied the soup before turning back to her. “Can’t we just buy some more?”

            

She tossed a multi-roll pack of toilet paper into the cart , quirked one corner of her mouth, frowned, shook her head, and pushed the basket toward the Spam, making me feel like my question didn’t deserve an answer. I now understand that she didn’t have an answer, and one thing she wasn’t willing to say was that she didn’t know something about the future – which brings me to my point: Does anyone know what the future brings?

            

I certainly don’t. No matter how much I plan, anything can happen. The future is out of my control, which sometimes irks me because I seem to have turned into my mother. And yes, sometimes I feel like the sky is falling.

            

Now my firstborn has a child, and I see that the world is still intact. My daughter is doing some of the same things I did as a young mother – trying her best to create a perfect world to keep the sky from falling.

            

We need to stop worrying about the future and trust God with everything.

Today’s Prayer: You’ve provided my family with so many blessings, Lord. I know I don’t have a reason to worry – and I thank You. Each day brings new challenges, but You always provide for us. Please give me the ability to be calm and accept all of Your blessings with the right spirit. Amen.

Debby Mayne grew up in a military family that moved often throughout her childhood. She was born in Alaska and has lived in Mississippi, Tennessee, Oregon, Florida, Hawaii, and Japan. Debby has published approximately 400 short stories and print articles, hundreds of online articles, and a slew of devotions for busy women in addition to more than 25 books and novellas, including Love Finds You on Christmas Morning. Visit her Website at www.DebbyMayne.com

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