Hope Springs Eternal

What is the one thing that you are hoping for? The cherished objective you are striving to achieve? How will you feel when you accomplish this goal?

These are the questions I am wrestling with now that my fourth book, Destiny's Designs, is nearing release. After years of writing, longing, hoping and dreaming, the reality has arrived: my books are out.

For sure, I am filled with boundless gratitude. To be honest, though, there's a little fear mixed in, too, having met a goal. How will I know what's next? Where will God guide me?

It reminds me of the time I was afraid to fly and I just got in the plane and went! No way was I missing a trip to Paris. God had my trust on that one. He has had it ever since, I remind myself.

So mixed in with my uncertainty is exhilaration, a joyful anticipation born of faith. Hope. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me next.

What are you hoping for? Have you ever felt anticipation like I described? What happened?

A Thanksgiving Memory - Blessings on this Day

Togetherness is the main theme of Thanksgiving. It is a celebration of our beloved family and friends and of all the blessings in our lives.

At Thanksgiving, have you ever felt a loss that made you question why you should be grateful, made you angry with God?

Our memories center around preparation for the feast and the feeling of anticipating those who will be returning home to share the day with us. Once everyone is home, the real festivities begin.

In our house, preparations began days ahead to create the perfect day: vegetables were chopped, silver was polished and furniture was rearranged to accommodate everyone. There was no end to the fun!

Until the year we lost my father suddenly on a sultry day in August. Then our family shattered like the windshield of a car in a horrific crash.

My devastated mother's movements were robotic and hesitant. My sister sobbed while trying to tie her apron. Where could we turn? What could we do? Our every move led us to him, to the memory of him. Going through the motions of a meal seemed futile and unnecessary.

The caring invitations of our loving relatives and friends, for some reason, just seemed to intensify our pain and sharpen our sense of loss. Who can explain grief? We didn't want to go anywhere or see anyone. The three of us just clung together, like we were floating in a vast ocean with one life preserver.

My thoughts raced, yet they kept returning to one constant theme: It seemed that this wasn't what Dad would want the day to be like for us. God was telling me that, but I was too distraught to hear Him clearly at the time. Something moved me: I chucked the meal plans and bundled us into the car. We went for a long ride and stood at the ocean together, listening to waves crashing against the shore. After witnessing a gorgeous New England sunset, we got back home.

It was time for something completely different: so we had a hot dog roast. Then we watched one of our favorite movies, The Sound of Music. Dad loved Eidelweiss.

At that point, we started talking a little and reminiscing together. It wasn't a lot, the floodgates didn't open, but we were able to speak together and relive some of the happy moments in a quiet and tender way.

We felt blessed to be together, to have that day and to have the memories that we treasured together.

We got through it, together...and in an unexpected way, we were graced with the realization that he was still very much there with us.

Gratitude and blessings to all of you, friends.

How Does God Speak to You?

Writing can be a lonely process. Thinking, plotting, revising, editing...all the technical steps involved in creating a well-written piece are steps that take you out of the moment and away from your family.

Yet if you are compelled to write, or pursue any endeavor that requires independent thought, this separation is a necessary part of the entire process.

I call that getting out of yourself. It's a wonderful and cathartic process. Meditating on God's word and opening my heart to Him in prayer is essential to my life and to my writing.

Then why do I feel, sometimes, so torn about writing? I am writing Inspirational Romance Novels, books that are centered around God's love for us. It's a happy topic! So why do I still have pangs of nostalgia about missing precious moments with my family?

Could it be because God speaks to me through them, too? Is He calling me to listen to Him, through them?

Do you ever wonder how God is trying to reach you? How does He speak to you? How do you listen to Him?

Thankful and Inspired: A Dream Comes True with a Little Help

On Tuesday I arrived home from work to find a big box on my front porch. It was filled with copies of my book, "The Perfect Proposal", mailed from my publisher. What an incredible moment for any author, but this one had special significance for me.

The reason for that is my parents. Some people are lucky enough to have the kind of childhood that others only dream about. I am one of those lucky ones, I would go as far to say very blessed. I had a wonderful relationship with my parents through childhood into adulthood. All along the way, they encouraged me to keep writing and pursue my dream of one day being published.

This continued through years of rejection slips, heartbreak and frustration...all "back in the days" when correspondence was conducted through the snail mail. Oh, the waiting for the mail! Each day without the big yellow envelope (a returned manuscript) was another day closer to acceptance.

Years passed and they both went to their Final Reward without seeing me publish any of my books. But they read them all!

What's so special about "The Perfect Proposal"? Here's what: my publisher offered me a contract for that book on October 20, which was the day of their 55th wedding anniversary! Even though they are both gone, I always feel them near to me. It made my heart so heavy to know they were not here, though. I'd like to thank them in person for all they did and all they sacrificed. This happiness I'm feeling now is all thanks to them, their goodness and God's graces.

Once I have a photo to post of them, I will do so happily. I know it's great to post photos so I'll get to that. For now I do have the book cover.

Thank you for listening. Isn't it incredible how it feels when someone believes in you?

Very First Post - A Total Leap of Faith

I have been keeping this blog all to myself, safe, secure and sheltered, for months now, fooling myself into thinking I would really do it when everything was "just right".
Truth is, I am -or have been -petrified of getting started because I have not wanted to sound anything but perfect. You see, as a writer I have complete control over everything that happens in my books. No unforeseen developments. No typos. No embarrassing loose ends. Just a neat and perfect world of my own creation. But with this, with a blog? It is completely spontaneous and (cringe) unpredictable. Yikes, there's no way I'm going to put my name on something I haven't edited to the point of tears.
Until today! Thank you Lynn Terry and Andy Jenkins for your great web discussion this afternoon, all about getting into the real work of our lives - which is adjusting our mindsets. Why not just put my first posting out there? What good does it do to keep it in, or safe, anyway?
And what irony: I write inspirational romance novels, mainly (although I just had a Historical come out this month) which address the role of faith in our lives. Guess it's time for me to practice what I preach, right?
So here's my big leap of faith! I can't wait to talk with you about what it's like to follow your dreams and do what you really love to do, and share my writing life with you. Hope you will enjoy and I really really look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for coming along. :-)
Bye for now, Regina www.reginaandrews.com