I have to admit, my personality has been strongly influenced by my upbringing. Take, for example, my love for traditions and history. Growing up, we lived on the “family farm,” next door to my grandparent’s traditional farmhouse. The home was built … Continue reading
So much has happened in the past month, I’m sorry I’ve been remiss in posting on my blog!
I’m excited to say my debut novel, The Lady and the Mountain Man, is off to a good start, selling over 700 copies in its first six weeks!
God has blessed it and I’m so very thankful!
It’s been a busy year for us, with lots of ups and downs. For me, it’s easy to follow the emotional roller coaster, but I’d like to share something God’s been teaching me lately. Sometimes I can be hard-headed, so when God wants me to learn one of His truths, He often has to use lots of in-direct and very-direct object lessons. Continue reading
God’s been teaching me a critical lesson about my writing.
For a few years now, I’ve been amazed at the love God’s instilled in me for writing novels. It’s become my passion , where I can invest my energy and brainpower and every ounce of the creativity I never thought I had. Something I can work at, and be constantly learning. A place where I can strive for perfection.
But, lately God has made it abundantly clear to me that the writing is His. The words – whether they flow onto the page in harmonious magic, or whether I have to build each one from a desert of nothing.
The words are His.
What He chooses to do with them, whether they only plant a seed for one person, or whether they touch hundreds of lives. The difference these words make is His difference.
This may seem like a basic concept in the Christian life, but it is completely changing the way I approach not just writing, by every area of my life. My entire existence is to be a tool for God’s work. That took me a few weeks to wrap my mind around, but I approach things with a new perspective.
Everything I do should point to Him.
We sing a song at church with the words, “I breathe in grace, I breathe out praise.” And that’s the concept. God fills me up with his grace, so that I can pour out His praise in everything I do.
And as He chooses to bless this writing in some areas, and close the doors in other areas, it’s not my choice. These are His stories, and He has a master plan to use them in ways I may never know.
So now, I’d love to hear from you! How has God used you as His tool? How have you seen Him work in ways you would never have imagined? Here’s your chance to breathe out His praise!
Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me.
These words (from the Hillsong song Oceans) have been my prayer – my mantra – for the past year. In all areas of my life, but especially my writing journey.
I’ve always loved books, and reading, and the power of the written word, but I never really imagined myself a writer. There was no way I had anything close to the talent of a real Author. Right?
But a couple of years ago, I was doing some soul searching. Making a list of things that were important to me and what I wanted to do before I exit this crazy life – a bucket list you might call it. “Write a book that is actually published” made it to the list, and thus my journey began.
I won’t go into all the details here of my rough initiation into the art and craft of storytelling, but I will say that I found my passion. I discovered my love for writing. Pouring words onto a page and seeing how they weave themselves into images and scenes and stories that could touch people.
And as my journey continued, I realized that this love and passion for writing was a gift that God had placed in me. He began to open doors for me in places I’d never imagined. Doors that I didn’t know existed.
And through this expedition into publishing, I have learned that amazing things do happen when God is leading. The major challenge for me, however, lies in reining in my controlling nature. I’ve finally diagnosed myself as a control-freak, and they say the first step to recovery is acknowledging the problem. So “trust without borders” has become my daily prayer. Lord, please help me to rely completely on You to make things happen. Not to constrain You by my limited hopes and dreams. I’m so excited to be sharing this trek with you. And now I’d love to hear about your own journey!
Where is God taking you that you never would have imagined?
Misty M. Beller 