Do you journal when you pray? Through the years I’ve done so on and off, but before Michal came out, I decided to pray more regularly in my journal. That continued for months, but sometime last November I suddenly stopped and I’m not sure why. Maybe it happened because I got sick and had no energy to scrawl words in a notebook. Maybe the holidays just made things too hectic, but I stopped journaling until this past week.

Some of you who read this blog may recall the journal prayers I’d written and rediscovered after The Wives of King David sold to Revell. I had poured my heart out to the Lord regarding my future as a writer, uncertain I could continue to pursue a dream – especially if that dream wasn’t His. After the series sold to Revell, I found that desperate prayer and realized how amazingly God had answered. If I had never written those prayers, I would not have recognized how gracious was His response.

Sometimes understanding and peace come best when we pour out the emotions on paper rather than leaving them bottled inside our hearts. There is something about taking the thoughts, forming them into words, and expressing them in a prayer to the only One who truly understands me that helps fix what’s broken and brings peace and joy where they were sorely lacking.

Journal praying also leaves a record of our spiritual journey. Sometimes, those records which are meant to stay personal between us and God may end up shredded at the end of a day, but sometimes they can leave a lasting legacy – maybe our children or grandchildren will be encouraged by what we endured, much as readers for thousands of years have been encouraged by the Psalms. Not saying our prayers are on par with Scripture, only that our honesty can encourage and strengthen those who come behind us.

It’s an exercise I recommend to anyone who hasn’t tried it or if you used to journal pray and have stopped, I’d encourage you to pick it up again. In a sense, we end up fulfilling Philippians 4:6-7, which I memorized years ago in the Living Bible Paraphrase:

“Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers, and you will experience God’s peace, which is far greater than the human mind can understand.”

What do I tell Him when I journal pray? Everything! Because He said to.

Selah~

It’s been snowing today and we’re supposed to get more through the night, though so far it hasn’t hit us as hard as they suspected. That’s usually the case where we live – kind of in one of those protected pockets of the city. We don’t usually get hit with the harshest weather – and I’m not complaining!

As I worked around the house today, had the fire going, made some beef barley soup and apple pie and sat in the recliner with Tiger helping me read my email, I ran across a Google alert for my name. Being the curious type, I typically check to see why the alert is there. Sometimes it advises me of a posted interview or a place where one of the books is for sale. Sometimes, I find one of my books reviewed by a reader. I’m always a little cautious when I see those pop up.

It’s not that I don’t like to see people review my work. It’s part of the publishing world, part of any artistic endeavor. And I will admit I read product reviews on various business websites to help me decide whether to make a purchase. I weigh the good against the bad trying to make an informed decision. I hope people who buy my books do the same, not just taking one opinion over another.

Of course, that’s what a review is – an opinion. And like everyone else, I appreciate it most when those opinions give favorable marks for my work. And I cringe a little when I read reviews that say things that aren’t quite so flattering. We all want to be liked after all, right? And sometimes authors link themselves too closely with their work. It’s never a good idea to believe your own press.

Some of that press will be highly praise-worthy, gushy even. I’ve had that happen and I am very certain I am not worthy of such acclaim. But on the other hand, I’ve had reviewers use phrasing that hurts, leaving me feeling almost worthless as an author. I am fairly certain I do not need to accept that opinion either.

Perhaps no press at all would be the best thing for my ego, to keep me from thinking too highly of myself or too low – maybe I should stop getting Google alerts at all! :) But no press has its own drawbacks. I can’t live in seclusion – and I do want to share the stories of my heart with those who care to read them. And I like to know what people are saying about them.

So I accept with gratitude every kind word said in every review, and I try to learn from the reviews that don’t say the nicest things. I recall one reviewer who said some of the quoted dialogue in Michal (quoted from the New King James Version) was stilted, so I switched to New International Version for Abigail. A couple of others have complained about the time jumps in Michal because her life and relationship to David spanned so many years. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do to change that now, but I hope by the time the whole series comes together my readers will have a fuller view of David’s life, will see him as heroic yet flawed, and can overlook some of gaps in time that the story as I see it called for.

So thank you to all who read and review my work. I’m honored and humbled to know you cared to read the books at all!

Shalom Aleikhem “Peace be upon you.”

The booksigning in Brighton was nice. It was especially fun to see some dear friends and to meet some new ones. Here are a few photos from the event. The first one is me sitting in the quiet store hoping for a few visitors! I am grateful for everyone who made the effort to come out! The store wasn’t very busy the first hour, but picked up a little during the second one. I’ve discovered that children have eagle eyes for candy dishes. At every signing they come asking (or just taking) either the mints – or more often – the Dove dark chocolate. :)

In the last week I’ve signed about 80 books, which is pretty amazing! (Not all from the book signings – some others in between.) I have to admit, it’s taken some time to figure out what to say and at times how to personalize notes of this kind. I prayed about what verses to put under my name and have one for Michal - Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

For Abigail God showed me the blessing that Aaron was to say over the people of Israel found in Numbers 6:24-26. ”The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

I also found a Hebrew phrase I like to use, but it took a cheat sheet to help me spell it correctly. Even then, I messed up the meaning just a bit. (Don’t tell anyone!) The phrase is Shalom Aleikhem which means “Peace be upon you.” I can now spell it without looking but for several books I wrote the meaning as “Peace be unto you.” So for those of you with the wrong meaning, my apologies! I really shouldn’t try to talk and write at the same time. I misspelled my own name at the Woodside signing! Fortunately, that only happened once!

I spent the weekend brainstorming with my crit partner for a new series, and studying Abram and Sarai’s life for my current work-in-progress. I’m starting to get a better handle on Sarai, starting to get inside her head and heart, so to speak. I takes me a while, but once the story gets going, I gain more confidence. I have to go back to the beginning and fix a lot, but will keep going until I finish the first draft now that I’m starting to see the story.

I’ve been also thinking a bit about Christian witnessing and the examples our lives leave. I didn’t grow up in a legalistic church, but Christians still tended to define themselves by what they didn’t do rather than by what Jesus Christ had done for them. And I wonder how effective such a witness like that is.

For instance, if you know me as someone who does not drink or smoke or swear or dance or attend certain movies or read certain books and so on…and I tell you I don’t do those things because I am a Christian, doesn’t that make you think Christianity is about rules? And doesn’t it also lend itself to making people who are not Christians think that to become a Christian I would have to adhere to the same things?

But that’s not how Jesus approached those he came to save. He condemned the rule-keeping Pharisees. That’s not to say Jesus was a law breaker. Far from it. He was the perfect law giver and law keeper. And he came to fulfill the law. But he also came to build relationships, to show people who he was and what he came to do for them, how he could forgive all the wrong things they’d done before they ever tried to change or fix themselves.

And I was thinking that I would rather not be known by what I don’t do. I would rather be known by what Jesus did for me. How he took a lost little girl and made her his own, how he loved her and called her by name, and carried her burdens, forgave all the wrong things she’d done, and gave her more blessings than she could begin to count. Ask me, and let me tell you about the hope that is in me because of what Jesus did for me. Whether I drink or smoke or swear or dance or go to the movies, etc., etc., isn’t the point at all. It’s that He came. And He came for you and me.

Selah~

Tomorrow, Saturday, February 6, 2010, from 12-2 p.m.

I will be signing copies of Abigail and/or Michal at
His Bible and Book House
106 W Main St
Brighton, MI 48116
(810) 227-2925

If you live in the area, please come and introduce yourself! I’d love to meet you!

I had lunch with a friend today – it’s always great to catch up with people you’ve known for years. The rest of this week I’ve been busily working on a new book proposal, and tonight went back to the drawing board after some very observant comments from my critique partner. One thing I know for certain – no matter how many books I may write, I do not write them well alone. I need lots of prayer and good insight from good craftsmen. You know you have a great critque partner when they tell you the truth and you love them for it! :)

I’m already excited to get started at that drawing board again. And I’ve been mulling over my characters for Sarai’s story too. Praying about depth of motivation. Amazing how much difference it makes when I seek God first!

Watched Miss Potter tonight, the story of Beatrix Potter. I love stories about authors. So easy to relate to people whose characters dance in their heads. Who else can talk to imaginary people and make up new words and worlds and not be locked in a special room for it? :) Writers of fiction, of course! Loved the movie!

Shalom~