The Story in the Detour

**Naptime hasn't gone well for the past few days--and I'm more than a little delirious at this point--but this old post hit me just right! Please forgive the re-post.**

Has life ever thrown you a curve ball? Ever felt like you were thrust off course?

The detours God puts in our path don’t usually take us on a road that is wide and paved and easy. Most often those detours not only intrude on our plans, very often they derail us down to the core and challenge who we really are. What we believe. Where our strength really comes from.

Often times when I am writing a story there comes a point (okay, sometimes more than once) when I feel like the characters or the plot starts to veer in a dangerous direction. Someplace uncertain. Scary. Not what I had planned at all. How will I find my way out of that mess? How will the characters navigate the challenges without completely falling apart.

Whether in real life or in fiction, this is where we test our mettle and see what we’re made of. THIS is where the story really lies. 

I’ve shared recently about an unexpected twist in our family plan. Life plan. Survival plan. Now, it’s hard to see a baby as anything but a blessing. Especially when the circumstances are so miraculous (God is quite the storyteller, is He not?) But what could be seen as a life-threatening detour, is really an incredible adventure. An amazing story of God’s work in my life. A challenge that is testing me in so many ways and proving that my story isn’t yet over. That God’s plans, however different from my own, are ALWAYS for my good, even when the road is rocky and uncertain.

I'd love your perspective: What adventures in your own life have been birthed from an unexpected detour? Or when you write, whether you're a plotter or a pantster, do you venture into those unknown fissures of uncertainty, or do you stick to the roadmap you’ve meticulously planned? And in which instance did you find the beating heart of your story?

***************************************************************************

Amy Leigh Simpson is the completely exhausted stay-at-home mama to the two wild-child, tow-headed toddler boys, one pretty little princess baby, and the incredibly blessed wife of her hunky hubby.

She writes Romantic Suspense chalked full of grace that is equally inspiring, nail-biting, and hilarious. And a little saucy! Okay fine, a lot saucy. :) She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and now uses her Sports Medicine degree to patch up daily boo-boos. Her greatest ambitions are to create stories that inspire hope, raise up her children to be mighty warriors for Christ, invent an all-dessert diet that works, and make up for years of sleep deprivation. 

She is represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary, Inc.

 

You're Part of a Really Big Plan

Let me begin today with a question. Do you believe you're part of a plan that's much bigger than yourself?

This last week, I had the opportunity to tag along on my husband's business trip to Boston. And let me tell you, I LOVED that city. I came away so inspired by all the political, artistic, and literary history. So today, I hope you'll come along with me for a brief trip to Boston, and that you'll come away inspired too!

The Boston Public Library was established in 1848 and was the first large free municipal library in the United States. 

This was one of those oh-my-goodness moments for me from the trip. When I saw this Renoir, I literally gasped. It was incredible. You know how, ever so often, you see a piece of artwork or read a book that really resonates with you? Well, this one did for me.

In this spot, a rowdy group of kids and soldiers surrounded a couple Redcoats. Shots were fired, children were killed, and the Boston Massacre shaped the course of American history.

This church--established in 1759-- sheltered Connecticut troops during the Revolutionary War. George and Martha Washington worshipped here. Theodore Roosevelt taught Sunday school here. And Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke here in April, 1967.

This piece of stained glass is considered one of the most important in America, because of the technique it uses The glow and layering of the colors looks like a painting. It is striking.

This is the house where Louisa May Alcott grew up.

This duck statue in Boston Public Garden commemorates the popular children's classic Make Way for Ducklings. And really, who doesn't love Make Way for Ducklings?

And finally, this last one is my favorite. This home was owned by George Washington, and later, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. My mind was boggled as I looked up at it, realizing I was sharing the same visual space as one of my favorite writers.

What do all of these spaces have in common? They all pay homage to, or are a result of, people living extravagant-plan lives. Some of these people were wealthy. Others were not. Some knew of their success and enjoyed wealth because of it. Others did not. But all of them lived as part of a really big plan.

As I went from site to site, I felt both inspired and overwhelmed. How could I ever contribute to this world in the same way people like George Washington did? I'm not a patriot. I'm not an Impressionist artist (unfortunately). I'm not an architect, or a soldier, or a suffragette.

But I am a person with big dreams. I am God's. And in this time and place, I'm part of a really big plan.

And so are you.

You may look around the seemingly- redundant details of your day and think what you're doing doesn't matter all that much, especially when you see the names of your favorite authors in print and the faces of your favorite actresses gracing fashion magazines. Maybe, actually, the plan you're part of seems pretty small. Doing the dishes. The laundry. The vacuuming. Maybe your word count keeps growing, but so do the rejection letters. It's all you can do to get your kid to sleep until 7 am. Maybe you're stuck in an office job you hate, just trying to make ends meet.

I have some really great news for you.

You are still part of a really big plan. And God hasn't forgotten about it.

Sure, you may not be able to see it right away. It may take years for your dreams to come to fruition, and they may take on a shape you never expected. But the same God who governed George Washington and inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is the God who has called you to live at such a time as this. And that is something worth getting excited about.

I want to encourage you to get out of the same-old-same-old perspective that we all allow to govern our mindsets. Ask God to grow your dreams so they blossom. Ask Him what His dreams are for your life. We're not all called to be famous, or rich, or NYT bestsellers. But you know what? We are all called to live abundant lives. To make a difference in this world. And I believe that when we live with an awakened perspective, realizing the value of each of our lives, we will leave an indelible impression on this world.

So be of good courage. You are part of a really big plan.

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Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

Preparing Your Plot For His Rain

on freedigitalphotos.net by federico stevanin

I may not always be a plotter in my writing life, but I've often been a plotter in conversation. Come on, we all do it, I am sure. We think about what we are going to say next time we meet that hard-to-love person...decide what "zinger" we might spout off to defend ourselves, or what Scripture we might quote to pridefully convict someone...um...please say I am not the only one?

For the past three months, I have been in the Scripture on a daily basis more than ever before. I have developed a deeper prayer life, and have grown closer in my walk. It's funny, well...not-so-fun funny, how this season of rain in my spiritual walk has me dredging through the desert in my earthy one. In many areas of life. I choose not to expound, but some of you who know me, know what I am talking about.

on freedigitalphotos.net by chayathonwong2000

God is certainly working behind the scenes in this desert of mine, and when I face a whipping sandy wind or one of those "needs plotting out" conversations that I think I'm not prepared for, my reservoir from my spiritual rainy season, bubbles up and pours truth into my earthly desert--without my own plotting. A supernatural spring of words flows into my conversation that I never even knew was there.

And it comes from roots fully nourished in the prepared gardening (or Scripturally-sown) soil of my heart.

I think, sometimes, as writers, we over-plot--not necessarily our stories, but the truths we hope to show. They get scattered into our writing like seeds on rocky soil, little nuggets we may have read or know in our head.  But is it what God has sown deeply in our hearts to blossom in our words for purposeful truths according to HIS PLAN?

on freedigitalphotos.net by adamr

Do you know what I mean?

Do you sit and write a story fully trusting God to pour out the truth HE WANTS TO SHOW in your words, or have you pre-conceived truth that will play out in your story?

In my recent encounters in the desert of life, God has presented conversations that have pulled truth from my heart through my lips that I didn't even realize was significant when I read it earlier in His Scripture...

BUT IT WAS FOR A TIME SO PERFECTLY PLOTTED BY MY GOD!

I crave the next time He allows for this harvest to occur in my life. But, I also hope that He meets me on the pages of my story.

How do we even hope for this in our writing?

First, just as we do for real life circumstance, we must prepare the soil of our heart, saturate it with Scripture on a daily basis.

Second, we must listen. We must listen to the growing murmurs of our heart (um...the Holy Spirit??) during every sentence we write. We must not be stuck in our own plotting scheme, but wait upon the more effective plotting of our Lord.

on freedigitalphotos.net by winnond

Have you ever read a book that presents a nice glossy sheen of God's truth on the surface of a well-plotted story? How about a book that tills deeply, and magnificently sprouts a thriving vine of fruit without any gloss, but with the glistening dew of God's truth reborn?

Let's not just write to be read, but write prepared for His rain on a plot uniquely planted to become a rich garden of His truth.

What truths do you hope to weave into your stories? 

Has God ever changed the words you planned to write, to reveal a truth deeper than you plotted?

*********************************************************************************

Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous, mothering days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

The Story in the Detour

Has life ever thrown you a curve ball? Ever felt like you were thrust off course?

The detours God puts in our path don’t usually take us on a road that is wide and paved and easy. Most often those detours not only intrude on our plans, very often they derail us down to the core and challenge who we really are. What we believe. Where our strength really comes from.

Often times when I am writing a story there comes a point (okay, sometimes more than once) when I feel like the characters or the plot starts to veer in a dangerous direction. Someplace uncertain. Scary. Not what I had planned at all. How will I find my way out of that mess? How will the characters navigate the challenges without completely falling apart.

Whether in real life or in fiction, this is where we test our metal and see what we’re made of. THIS is where the story really lies.

I’ve shared recently about an unexpected twist in our family plan. Life plan. Survival plan. Now, it’s hard to see a baby as anything but a blessing. Especially when the circumstances are so miraculous (God is quite the storyteller, is He not?) But what could be seen as a life-threatening detour, is really an incredible adventure. An amazing story of God’s work in my life. A challenge that is testing me in so many ways and proving that my story isn’t yet over. That God’s plans, however different from my own, are ALWAYS for my good, even when the road is rocky and uncertain.

I'd love your perspective: What adventures in your own life have been birthed from an unexpected detour? Or when you write, whether you're a plotter or a pantster, do you venture into those unknown fissures of uncertainty, or do you stick to the roadmap you’ve meticulously planned? And in which instance did you find the beating heart of your story?

*************************************************************************************************

Amy Leigh Simpson writes Romantic Suspense that is heavy on the romance, unapologetically honest, laced with sass and humor, and full of the unfathomable Grace of God. She is the completely sleep deprived mama to two little tow-headed mischief makers and wife to her very own swoon-worthy hero. Represented by the oh-so-wise and dashing Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.

The Plank, Pimple-picking, and Preachin’ to the Choir

Now, I know you are wondering how on earth I can make these title topics cohesive. You’ll have to read on and see….

The Plank

Arrgh! I spend my day with little boys so inevitably my mind goes to something like this. My apologies.

So a plank is something people walk before they jump, or are pushed off of into the shark infested waters below, right? Pirates, and whatnot. When we—as writers, professionals, doctors, singers, musicians, pretty much anything—put ourselves “out there,” our dreams essentially become damsels clinging to a flimsy board over open seas.

Sometimes someone says something, rejects you, fires you, and it is enough of a poke to send you over the edge in to the crushing waves below. Swimming in rejection is not at all fun. And sometimes, we are tossed, wave after wave, struggling to keep our head above water. Clinging to a life-raft like hope, maybe stubbornness, or perhaps even delusions of grandeur, in wait of a slice of land, or a passing yacht that might bring about some shift of fortune.

Whether you are on the plank or in the water, you are in a vulnerable place, my friend.

But I got to thinking about that wooden board. What if instead of a plank, it’s a diving board? -And why are all the metaphors about water always about drowning and struggling to find the surface? I like swimming. I find it refreshing.

What if we view those failures as some super sweet exercise? And we think about that dark sea writhing beneath you like a clear blue lap lane…

So often, we can learn, tone, and refocus when we hit that water and tool around long enough to get pruney. It’s great cardio, by the way!

Now, hold on to those thoughts about your plank for a few moments while we move on to the next glamorous point.

Pimple-picking

 

I never had that crazy combination skin, thank you Jesus! But there were, and still are, those occasions when my inner Venus manifests as a sort of pubescent boy. Zits! Ick!

I banished that mega-magnifying makeup mirror years ago because I honestly don’t like to scare myself with that much microscopic truth.

I don’t know about you but when I’m feeling great, or I’ve had a good day, I wash my face, brush my teeth and crawl into bed without a second glance.

BUT… when I’m feeling particularly worn-out, stressed, vulnerable, or maybe rejected, I pick. Yes, I’m a picker. I lean in, scan my clean pasty complexion until I can find someway to squeeze out my frustration. Anyone else do this?

I create problems for myself this way. There might be a tiny clogged pore that that no one would ever see, and yet, when I’m at my worst, I pick at it, I inflame the situation. I take one tiny speck and turn it into the giant red blob.

Now I’m gonna bring these points home by Preachin’ to the Choir…

How many times have you felt this way when someone tells you that “God’s got a plan.” “All in God’s time.” Or even “Well, God’s in control.”

Yeah, yeah. We know that. I’m pretty sure that was ingrained in Sunday school rhyme-time or song-circle.

But the point of all this is for you to see how YOUR perspective changes everything!

Sometimes when those rejection letters come back, it’s difficult to see God’s perspective—His plan for your time in the pit.

Yes, we can rationalize that His timing is perfect. His plans are to prosper and never harm. But sometimes God’s plans feel painful. They push us out on that scary ledge. They expose some microscopic insecurity and turn it into a mountain that you walk around with on your face for all to see.

Now, I don’t want to preach at y’all but the Word is a pretty good defense against our perceptions…

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

And…

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

You see, our minds and emotions can be frail when allowed to swim in the deep end all alone. It’s like flailing around like tasty shark-bait for the enemy.

 

But YOU have the power to change your perspective.

To see that plank as your spring board.

To view those waters of rejection as a way to firm up those muscles for the long road ahead.

To refuse to let those little snags in your reflection rise up and define who you are and what you can become.

In the wake of some bad news God showed me that I could spin my perception of that rejection into something empowering and truly encouraging.

Give it a try. The view from the other side is great and the water is quite nice. 

Talk to me: When was the last time you turned lemons into lemonade? How do you defend against those planks and pimples in life that tend to skew our perspective? Or what scripture encourages you the most when things look bleak?

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Amy Leigh Simpson writes Romantic Suspense that is heavy on the romance, unapologetically honest, laced with sass and humor, and full of the unfathomable Grace of God. She is the completely sleep deprived mama to two little mischief makers and would challenge anyone to a cutest family contest. Represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.

A Leap of Faith

**Disclaimer** Blogger is having some technical difficulties formatting this post properly. Sorry for all the little quirks and snafus.

In order to counteract the wild cravings for carbs and cheese that I instilled with my pizza post I thought I'd broach a topic that couldn't be more unappetizing.

I'm thinking something extreme like, dare I say it . . . dirty diapers.

Okay, so now that we are all safely back on track with our New Year's resolutions let me explain why I have been thinking about diapers.

I have two little boys and we are currently on the very messy journey called potty training. Each morning when I am about to commence the rather undesirable ritual of the day's first diaper change my youngest son, Rafe, issues me a warning.

"Mommy," he says with a gleam of mischief in his cobalt blue eyes, points at fresh load he just emptied beneath his jammies. "Tinky, poo poo. Issa big one!"

**Sighs** Is there any other kind?

Though I can appreciate the heads up, it is obvious what my next step will be, and that it will be unquestionably unsavory. Sometimes we can anticipate exactly what’s ahead. Whether from previous experience, or from some general street smarts, the stepping stones are marked, expectations and consequences are clear.

 Though life can dish out its fair share of, um . . . poop, it's often the unknown that causes the most stink.

We've all heard the ago old adage "Look before you leap." Problem is, even when you look, sometimes you can't see anything. The next step might very well be firm and sturdy, but how can we know that? And without visual confirmation, how can we even be sure it's there? 

What if we misstep? What if we garner our courage, crest the edge of comfort, and fall?  So much in life is uncertain. Our dreams, our future, our calling. Though the Bible gives a great blueprint to build a life, we simply cannot know what plans He has drafted.

For me, writing was one of those unexpected additions to the building plan. I'd never taken a creative writing class. In fact, I'm fairly certain I hadn't even read a book cover to cover until college. I didn't grow up with fanciful visions of holding my own story in my hands--didn't know I had one to tell.

And when that light flicked on and exposed the frame work for a new addition--a new dream God was practically etching on my heart so I couldn't resist--I was scared. What if I step out, take a run at this thing and land flat on my keester? What if my heart gets wrapped up in the hopes and dreams that the next step could lead to, but I'm not good enough, my steps falter, my foot slips through and I fall headlong into disappointment and failure?

Sometimes God calls us to leap, trust, fling ourselves out into the dark scary void without knowledge of what's to come. 

For us writers, sometimes that means putting pen to paper, not knowing exactly where the story will go but forging ahead to form, shape, sculpt, dream what it could become.
 
Sometimes that means exposing the stories of your heart to criticism like contests or critiques. These are an 
unknown step, a shot in the dark--an opportunity to learn or even get the encouragement needed to boost you on toward your goal.


For me, that step is now called submission. Funny that it is called that. Appropriate, because with all the clamoring energy stripping your nerves bare, the weight of the unknown tossing your dreams on tumultuous doubts and what-ifs. I feel I am called to submit. Submit my fears, my hopes, the fragile thing that God is building within me. 
 

It may not be poured of impenetrable concrete or triple enforced with rebar. And your knees might wobble when you stand on the edge, but sometimes, God's not willing to give your dream wings until you prove you are brave enough to take that leap and risk the possibility of the fall before you can soar to new heights.

 

How do you know when you are ready to leap? What 
helps you step out into the unknown? And what things are holding you back?
 
Just remember, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don't see. 
Be strong and courageous. 
Don't let the enemy rob you of the beautiful hope of the 
unseen.