By Susan L. Tuttle, @Susan_Tuttle5
January. The month all about reevaluating our accomplishments from the last year and setting goals for the new one. We purchase planners, create vision boards, pick our One Word, and write out massive to-do lists. Most of these things are dependent on evaluations of how well we did with our goals from the past year. What marks did we hit and which ones did we miss? Often, we focus a little too much on the ones we missed. We can lose heart a little. Especially in light of how tough the past two years have been on us all. So, when I was reading my Bible this week and I stumbled on a phrase in 2 Corinthians 4, it halted me in my tracks.
Do not lose heart.
2 Corinthians 4
Those words are actually mentioned twice in that chapter, both times in reference to the ministry that God has called Paul and the apostles to. Yet, I couldn’t help but hear the refrain in my own life. Fellow writers, whether the faith thread is strong or light in our books, we are still in the ministry of changing people’s lives through the tales we spin. God has called us each to our own story-telling devices, but the common thread in all of them is his presence. We write for his glory. Yet, in the face of our current publishing world, the difficulty of getting our books into readers’ hands, and the sometimes-struggle in finding an audience, we can grow discouraged. Especially, I find, this time of year. Everywhere we turn we’re asked to reevaluate our progress and set plans for our hopes and dreams in the upcoming year—when we may still be waiting on the realization of ones from the past several years.
So how do we as writers continue writing in the face of it all?
We remember that God has a plan. (Jeremiah 29:11)
The he is faithful. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
That we are called and purposed. (Ephesians 2:10)
That his favorite number is one, so we don’t need an audience of thousands to be where he’s created us to be. (Matthew 18:10-14)
That his ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8)
We pray. We put our hands on our keyboard. We write.
And we do not lose heart.
Never Too Late (Along Came Love #3)
Once, her art brought her fame. This time will it bring her love?
Widowed homemaker Rachael Stark isn’t quite sure what comes after her only child leaves for college. To fill her suddenly quiet hours and scrawny bank account, she needs a job. But painful memories prevent her from resurrecting her former art career, and “motherhood” isn’t much of a résumé. When her best friend needs help recovering from a gunshot wound that occurred in the line of duty, she is there. Finally, someone to take care of.
Evan Wayne won’t let his injury keep him from being a police officer. His dedication to protect the innocent stems from the guilt he carries over having failed his childhood friend. What he needs now is to recover and get back on the streets. Instead, he’s handed a myriad of light-duty tasks by his captain—one of which involves heading up the department’s entry into the town’s annual mural contest. He’s not an artist, but he definitely knows one. And he’ll take any excuse to spend more time with her.
When Rachael agrees to paint for Evan, she never expects to also be drawn into finding answers for the mother of a missing child. As the two friends work side by side on the mural and the case, their feelings move beyond friendship. But with Evan unwilling to leave his dangerous job, and Rachael unwilling to risk another loss of a loved one, their fears may paint over the promise of a beautiful future together.
ACFW Carol Award finalist, Susan L. Tuttle lives in the Mitten State where she’s a mom of three and happily married to her best friend. Between still homeschooling her youngest and leading the women’s ministry at church, she finds time to write stories filled with inspiration, hope, and encouragement. Connect with Susan at www.susanltuttle.com.