Friday, May 7, 2010

We made it!

I've officially dubbed myself the caboose of the Writer's Alley. I bring up the rear of the week, ha! (I guess that could be a good fitting girdle too, but we'll not go there!)

Although, let's not forget the icing on the train... er cake... Each Saturday features a different guest blogger post... and tomorrow to kick off our Guest Blogger Saturday (we really need a fancy name for that...) we have a fave author of mine, Janice Thompson, talking about a subject very near and dear to my heart, writing comedy!

Okay, so, I'm supposed to introduce myself to y'all... I guess I should start by telling you that I say y'all a lot even though I'm not Southern. Now, I do live in the South, but I'm a transplant... AKA a darn Yankee... and that is me making the language nicer because I don't cuss:-) I was told by teasing coworkers once that a Yankee is someone who comes to the South to visit but returns where they belong. A *ahem* darn Yankee is one who comes and won't leave. So, I guess that's me!

Seriously, I'm a transplant from the Northern Indiana (mostly) area and now live just south of Nashville. (Prayers for those affected by our floods last weekend are appreciated!)

I am married to the most wonderful man of my dreams, Scott. He still makes me all tingly when he kisses me (sorry for the mushy picture... I'm a romanceaholic, what can I say!) and takes my breathe away at his love for me, our kids, and most importantly, his love for Jesus. I thank Jesus for him EVERY day... even those days were I'd love to ring his neck, ha!

Scott and I have three beautiful daughters... with #4 on the way, another girl, due the first of August! My children each hold a huge piece of my heart, and I pray for them everyday that they'll grow up to be strong, healthy women of God who serve Him and love Him will all their hearts. I probably fail everyday at the challenge of motherhood, but I'm so glad that God is bigger than my failures!

I write contemporary romance with my tongue firmly inserted in my cheek the whole time (aka romantic comedy!) I've been writing seriously since 2007, dabbling for years prior to that. I'm not published yet, but given some people's stories of "20 years of writing/submitting" before being published, I know I shouldn't be impatient yet! I have 2 finished books and 3 partials. Only God knows what will come of them:-)

I also blog about being a wife/mom/christian/writer on the journey at http://reflectionsbykrista.blogspot.com/ .

If I had to leave you with just one tip for this Friday, it would be this:

God knows.

Everything.

Seriously, He does. We will probably never understand what he does, how he works, or his timing. It will all probably seem crazy to us. But He knows what He is doing.

Not published yet? God knows. He sees. He has a plan.

Rejected? It didn't catch Him by surprise, I promise!

Jobless? Homeless? Penniless? Hopeless? God knows. And I'd argue that you are NEVER hopeless... you just might FEEL that way. And you're never truly homeless even if you live in a box... don't make me start singing, "I've got a home in glory land that outshines the sun..." (a song that I now can't get out of my head! Do Lord.. oh Do Lord, O do you remember me... okay, sorry, I'll stop!)

My hope is for today is that 1.) You won't skip Fridays at The Writer's Alley because of that crazy, lunatic writer who posts and 2.) You'll leave realizing that God knows the perfect plan for your writing life, and even though He may not share it right away, Him knowing it and having it in his hands is better than us knowing it and screwing it all up:-)

Anyone in a "waiting" pattern with God and your writing right now? If so, how are you coping?

10 comments:

Mia said...

I enjoyed learning more about you, Krista :) I love reading romantic comedy, though that's one genre I haven't personally tried to write in yet. But someday I'm going to see if I'm any good at it ;)

Thanks for the encouragement. Every time things aren't going the way I planned, and I'm worried or stressed, I remind myself that God does know about my problems, and there's always a reason... even if I don't know what it is at the time.

Katie Ganshert said...

Waiting, yes, I'm waiting. Books awaiting pub board. I've settled into the routine rather nicely. It's comfortable right now, which is saying much about God's grace, seeing as I'm very impatient normally.

Sherrinda Ketchersid said...

Krista, I just love learning more about you! I haven't seen your daughters all together and they are absolutely adorable!!! (Love the mushy pic too!)

God has definitely been teaching me about waiting on Him. (house on the market for a year...contract sitting on the bank's desk...arrgghhh)

As for writing, I'm waiting on inspiration and some discipline. lolol
I have a feeling He's not going to jerk me up by the hair of my head and give me some. I'm thinking He wants me to get my bum in gear and just do it. I don't know what I'm afraid of....
Or maybe I'm just lazy.
Yeah, that must be it.
So I get a puppy to make myself be busy. Buwahahahaha!!!!!!!!

Krista Phillips said...

Mia, thanks for stopping by! God DOES know the plans... It doesn't take all the fretting away, but it does give a peace, hm?

Katie, a book waiting pub board! I believe I already knew this but you're doing SO fabulous on just moving ahead... way to go!

Sherrinda, stop babying that poor puppy and get writing! :-) LOL! Yes, the only pic of them all together that I have, gabby is quite a bit younger, so I went with the Easter one. After baby comes and is able to get pics done, we'll do some new "good" pics of them all:-)

Cheryl said...

Great post, Krista. How nice to learn more about you and your family. Congratulations on being blessed with another child. That will make five women in your house. How will your husband survive? :)

Prayers being said that your writing will find a home soon.

Cheryl

Casey said...

What a great post, Krista! And I looove your photos. :) So sweet. And don't worry about ANYONE skipping your day, they will be too busy avoiding me. LOL!

What am I waiting on? I am waiting for that moment when God makes it really clear that I should be writing. Until then, I am writing by faith, I know I shouldn't go anywhere else (at least I don't think so), but there are times I wonder if this is it. But God has a plan, just like you said!

Thanks for sharing about yourself I can't wait to read more of your stuff. :)

Pepper said...

Oh Krista,
What a great post. Your girls are beautiful!! And I LOVE mushy. You go, girl!

Your post was truly inspirational!

Coping with waiting?
Whoa!! God's worked out my 'waiting' well. I hardly have time to think about it. I know your schedule MUST be just as crazy. I see it as a positive right now - because it distracts me from the waiting.
And I pray
And I remind myself that God's timing is THE best.
I need the reminders. :-)

Keli Gwyn said...

The caboose? That's such a cool car. And you're such a cool person, so it makes sense you're The Writer's Alley Friday gal. Since you write romantic comedy, I think it's fitting that we get to visit with our fun-loving friend on Fridays.

Thanks for sharing the picture of your adorable daughters. And the mushy shot of you and your sweetie is great.

Jan Marie said...

I enjoyed reading about you and enjoyed your sense of humor immensely!

I am a Hoosier too. (I left but returned when I married the man that God had created just for me).

If your books contain the same element of humor that your blog has, I can't wait to read them!

Thanks for the reminder that God does know and yes, He does have a plan for us!

Karen Lange said...

Good post, Krista. Don't think of it as the caboose, think of it as the big finish! :) Your family is lovely, too, thanks for sharing the pics.

I agree, God knows everything. He is still on the throne and nothing takes Him by surprise.

Hugs, blessings, and Happy Mother's Day,
Karen