Ever feel like everything is in pieces? Like you have no idea if the loose ends will ever be tied up or if they will just keep on unraveling? I’ve been fortunate to spectate my son rehearsing for the local musical production of Annie, and similarly to our disheveled lives, a show seemingly starts with chaos. Once the show is announced and the cast has been selected there is the first rehearsal—packed with potential, but heavy with an uneasy feeling that this couldn’t possibly come together. Scripts are passed out, a tape played, and soon the partial cast—the group for Act 1—sings hesitantly from their seats straining to find the melody. Have you ever struggled to find your tune? Even when we can’t find the notes, even when we can’t see it, God is at work, bringing the pieces together. Step by step a little more of the full picture is revealed, like a jigsaw puzzle being assembled piece by piece to reveal a beautiful landscape. But even as the bits convene, each one creates it’s own obstacles and seems to add a level of uncertainty. In the production, students move from their seats to the stark stage. More actors appear seemingly out of thin air, interspersing, transforming sheets of paper printed with lines into a story. But just like our lives, there are bumps and hiccups as the actors adjust to the transitions. Dance steps add to the pizazz, but complicate where people stand on stage. Singing needs to be coordinated with the orchestra that has replaced the tape recording. Wooden beams create the skeleton of a staircase where the stage was bare before. The smell of sawdust lingers heavy in the air, and it’s exciting to imagine the finished set, but also a bit questionable if there will be time to complete it—if it will all fit, if it will stand strong. A live dog coaxed with Milk Bones replaces the imaginary Sandy. Will the dog sit? Stay? Or scramble off the stage like it did tonight? It’s not that different from our own discernment. One step forward. Two steps back. A turn around and a slide sideways. God keeps adding pieces for us, steps to our staircases, notes to our songs, but we’re not sure how it’s all going to come together, or if it ever will. When we’re in the middle of it all, sometimes life looks like a wreck, feels off kilter. Some days we’re waiting for the email, the proposal, the acceptance letter, the check to clear, the next step to be visible and in the waiting we feel frantic, antsy, eager to just be doing the next thing. Life around us looks undone, like chaos, like it’s moving, but not necessarily forward and maybe even backwards. But God is always at work. Always. He is planning and shuffling and building things behind the scenes. He’s making introductions, connecting old friends, new friends and loose wires, so that when it’s time, that thing He’s planning will be spectacular. Each musical rehearsal contains a new marvel, as if something has miraculously happened in the dark, empty theatre overnight. There are beds and phones and buckets and plates. Each prop needs to be in its place, used at the right time by the correct actor. Students in sweatshirts and Converse scramble to find their costumes, and then almost magically, are transformed into New Yorkers in the 1920’s. But Annie’s curly red wig is askew. Someone else is missing a scarf. The boy with a solo has a sore throat. The seam on a dress rips. How will this fly? But then comes the night of the performance. And all of the bits and pieces and loose ends collaborate for one spectacular show. The girl who was hard to hear is crystal clear with her mic. The cumbersome scenery slides on and off stage flawlessly. Everyone remembers the lines they’ve been struggling to recall. And the vase that keeps falling down stands straight and tall.
The waiting can be unnerving if we focus on the unknown. But if we focus on the known it can be exhilarating. Some knowns: God loves us. Eph 2:3-4 He will never forsake us. Heb 13:5-6 He has perfect plans for us. Jer 29:11 When we focus on these truths we can notice each new prop and how it rounds out our stories. We can appreciate every character God brings into our lives and what we can learn from them. We can appreciate this change of tempo and that breather we get when the scenes switch and the fresh outlook a costume change offers. Then, after a long season of rehearsing and retaking scenes, it’s time for the show, and we can savor what God had done, what He has put together for us. Just like a school doesn’t put on one play then close the curtains for good, our life is never about one performance. Our days are packed with new seasons, new scripts, new costumes, and new stage directions—new jobs, new relationships, new schools, new homes, new stages of life. And although there will always be a bit of hesitancy when we see the bare theatre and the unfamiliar songs, there can always be excitement and expectancy that God is the ultimate stage manager, director, and producer working all things together for glorious outcomes.
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Every great story has a character searching for something. So much so, that Disney has made a franchise out of the “Finding…” title. Dory, separated from her parents, fervently searches the California waters for them. Marlin gets out of his shell, or sea anemone, to find his son, Nemo. In our favorite books and movies characters seek meaning, purpose, identity, true love, answers, friendship, redemption, the sorcerer’s stone, or heaps of treasure guarded by the ferocious dragon Smaug. What are you searching for? How hard are you looking for it? I’m challenging myself during Lent (a season of introspection taking various forms in different denominations of the Christian church dating back to 325 AD) to seek Jesus like it’s a quest, like it’s the answer to everything, like my life depends on it. Because Jesus is all of the things our heroes seek—meaning, purpose, identity, true love, answers, friendship, redemption, everlasting life and treasure beyond compare. I don’t know what your Lenten practices or beliefs are, but I am certain we could all be better off with a little more time with Jesus. A few more minutes in our day allowing Him to remind us that He designed us, He loves us, He selected us, He reaches out to us and offers us not skimpy, or getting by, but abundant living. More moments understanding how grand and vast He is. Some more time realizing that no matter what the world offers it is hollow in comparison to the love, acceptance, and glory Jesus offers. We don’t need to look far. He told us, “Behold, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” But how often are we talking to Him? Listening to Him? Reaching out to Him? Seeking Him? If I lose Wi-Fi, I go on a quest to find that freaking connection! I’ll restart the router. Unplug the router. Turn the router on and off. I’ll turn the Wi-Fi on and off on my computer. Search for networks all over again, re-click, reenter the insane password issued to me by Time Warner that only Little Man Tate could remember, and go through the whole process as many times as necessary. What am I doing to hook up to Jesus, to find my connection with Him? How fervently am I seeking Him in this journey of my life? God made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! –Acts 17:27-28 Today we’re officially one week into the 40 days of Lent. My journey began with the flu, and for the first couple of days what I was mostly seeking was for my cough and fever to go away and a little normalcy in my sleep patterns. My focus was fragmented. I prayed off and on as I lay awake in the middle of the night or as I drifted off in the middle of the day, but I didn’t want just mumblings with God, I wanted to seek Him. So I began reading the Psalms, and just meditating on His love. This is what I found on Day 1. Pretty remarkable? One day into my quest and I was already finding Jesus. Have you found any time with Jesus yet? Have you been seeking Him? Why not put down this blog, close your eyes, and reach out to Him. He is near.
I devour books like chocolate. I love them and all of the potential pressed between their pages. I got three new books for Christmas and cannot wait to dive in. My kids all got new books, too, and I’m eyeing them like a hawk, chomping at the bit to read their new books (as soon as they’ve read them, of course). But before I immerse myself in new adventures, I want to reflect on some of my favorite reads of 2016. I’ve gotten to the point where there are just too many books I want to read to waste my time reading ones that aren’t doing it for me. As a result I put down over a dozen books after getting fifty or so pages in this year. But because I put down those books, I was able to enjoy these great books below (plus many more). Here are a few of my favs from 2016 in no order at all. If you’re bookish too, I’d love to connect on Goodreads and we can share all the books we read together. Fiction: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Sigh. This book took me to France, which always makes my heart pound and my soul swirl. But All the Light is so much more, it is one of those books that lingers, that comes back to you time and time again. It is a book I won’t forget, but instead will fall into the realm of my all-time favorite books. Doerr’s novel is the gorgeous intertwining of the stories of a blind French girl and a German orphan boy during World War II. Doerr is an articulate, bright and exquisite storyteller zooming in with careful descriptions, creating tension and developing a multi-layered plot. I read it at the beginning of the year, and months later many scenes still resonate in my mind. I loved All the Light so deeply, I also read Doerr’s memoir, Four Seasons in Rome, this year and have another one of his novels sitting in my “to read” stack. Young Adult: The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun made my Best Books of 2015 list. I’m always slightly hesitant to read a second book by an author I love…will it measure up? I never had a moment to consider being disappointed by The Sky is Everywhere, because it immediately sucked me in, grabbed my insides and swept me into the story of two sisters, loss, love and self-discovery. I might have held my breath from the first sentence until I finished the last page of this sensory overload of color and emotions. Nelson writes so explosively raw. Her integration of music and art into story are exquisite. Her character development is purely authentic. I’m already chomping for the release of her next book. Potter: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling If the New York Times could create a new category for their best-seller lists, because of the popularity of Harry Potter, then I figure I can also create a category around this beloved series. It wasn’t necessarily that The Cursed Child was Rowling’s best (it wasn’t), it was just that I missed Harry, Ron and Hermione so much. I longed to hear more about them and Hogwarts and the Whomping Willow. Once I got into the screenplay format of Cursed I was once again immersed in the Wizarding World. A lovely fix for my imagination. Nonfiction: Unashamed by Christine Caine My husband bought me Unashamed after we attended the Catalyst Conference where Caine was one of the speakers. I loved her straight forward, no nonsense declarations of her past, how she’s handled her insecurities, and how she reminds readers that God loves us and is waiting to change everything for good. Her writing is candid and natural, friendly, not preachy. Every time I picked up Unashamed it was like listening to a motivational, spiritual talk encouraging me to let go and let God take the reins of my life and steer me to amazing opportunities. Christine seemed to be jumping off the pages, nodding her head, taking my hand, saying, "Yes, this is available to you.” The voice of her book was so genuine. This is the first book I've read of Caine’s, but it won't be my last. How to: How to Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
A must have for any creative. Austin Kleon’s stick figures, simple bullet points and fun square formatted handbook is packed with ideas on how to spark your creativity. One of my sweet writer friends bought it for me, and in turn, I bought a handful of copies for some special creative people in my life. If you don't follow him on Instagram, yet, start. His whimsy will get your creative juices flowing. For Kids: Faith, Hope, Love Devotional by Amy Parker Although written for the younger set, this devotional is an excellent catalyst for my ten-year old and I to interact and discuss who he sees God to be and how he sees Him working in his life. Each day has a Bible verse about faith, hope, or love, a paragraph or two describing what those words mean, how they apply to a kid today, and a couple of questions to make kids (and grown-ups) think with room to write and draw. Where else could my son tell me the things that amaze him about God are “hearts, nerves, veins and the brain…I mean that He made all of those things and made them work like that.” Hard to argue. It is all pretty stinking amazing. As my son and I go through this book together, I’m learning more about him and about God. Great conversation and idea starter for you and the young ones in your life. Enough of my opinions. Your turn. I want to hear what your favorite books in 2016 were? I want to add them to my list. I’m snuggled on the couch with my youngest on a rainy Saturday morning watching Prince Caspian with tears dripping down my cheeks. Yes, I’m a total Narnia fangirl. Can’t even count how many times I’ve read all of the books by C.S. Lewis or watched the movies, but I am so enamored with these tales because they resonate so strongly with me and my faith journey. And just as Aslan tells Lucy in the story, “Things never happen the same way twice,” I am never hit by these stories of a magical land, and their perfect, untamed ruler, Aslan, the same way twice. This viewing I was deeply challenged about the motivations behind all I do. In Prince Caspian, High King Peter and his royal siblings have been magically called back to the land of Narnia to help this nation and its people (um, well, citizens) in a dire, dark time. Peter is not only excited to be back in his realm, but also thrilled to be High King once more—to be respected, honored, to have people seek his opinion and listen to his ideas. And we all seek that, respect, honor, self-worth. But Peter gets it wrong. I get it wrong too, day after day. Peter starts making plans—which way to go, how to attack the enemy, and other kingly type decisions—but he makes them without seeking guidance or direction from Aslan (who represents Jesus in this allegory). And not surprisingly, he and his companions get lost, lose time, resources, troops, and are forced to retreat. Just like when I start making plans—deciding what to do and how to do it, how to strategize my days, my goals, fight my personal battles without consulting Jesus. Guess what happens? Duh. I get lost along the way, distracted, waste time and resources, and end up feeling like a failure. There is a pivotal point in the movie when Peter’s sister, Susan, asks Peter, “Just who are you doing this for anyway?” Ouch. Clearly this is not Peter at his best. And I had to ask myself, who am I doing life for? Who are you doing your thing for today? Convicted, Peter changes his tune, slightly. He raises his sword and calls one of my favorite battle cries, “For Narnia!” And he almost gets it, but not quite. Just like when I make a special meal for my family and think, “This is to make my family feel loved and special.” Or when I write an article about true beauty, and think to myself, “this is to help show people how beautiful they are.” I’ve almost got it, but not quite. My family is awesome, and I want them to know it. I do write to spread the word that we are all unique beautiful individuals. You may be folding someone’s laundry so they have clean clothes, or working someone’s shift as a favor to give them some relief, or working late to help a client solve a problem, or maybe you gave up something for Lent, because it helped you with self-control. There are plenty of good causes, good reasons to do what we do, but ultimately there is one that matters more than any of the others. May Your voice be louder May Your voice be clearer Than all the others Than all the others “Full Attention” by Jeremy Riddle There is a turning point in the movie where the final battle is all but lost by Peter and his troops. The enemy is overtaking them in droves. Left with no choice but to attempt to save the lives of the remaining good guys, the Narnians are retreating once more, this time to their fort. But the enemy implodes their fort, their one safe place. There is nowhere left to run. Nowhere left to hide. It is only at this desperate, hopeless place that Peter looks at his companions, nods, and knows exactly what to do. Peter turns around to face the enemy he’d been running from head on, pulls out his sword and changes one word in his call “For Aslan!” He screams and rushes towards the oncoming opponent. This is Peter at his absolute best, bravest, humblest, wisest, kindest—the most brilliant version of himself. Yes, this is the part where tears stream down my face.
And in this exact moment Aslan’s reinforcements, an army of trees, appears, and overtakes the enemy. Doing it for Aslan instead of for himself, or even for the noble cause of his nation is a gamechanger for Peter. Who am I fighting my battles for? For me? For a good cause? Or for Jesus? Why am I so stupidly trying to do things my way, when time and time again God shows up and turns the tables, and knocks down my walls, and clears the way for victory? When I call out, “For Jesus!” I’m no longer struggling, no longer feeling like not enough. My eyes are opened to unexpected opportunities. I can see myself better for who I am, and what I am called to do. I am more able to see a better version of myself, my true reflection. You can too. It only takes changing one word in our battle cries. How about you? Who are you working, playing, studying, parenting, living for today? As one year ends and another begins, I am the girl who looks at my “to read pile” with excitement over the possibility of all of the stories and characters and insights waiting for me to uncover in the pages on my nightstand. But I am also, always, looking for new titles that will change and grow and educate and challenge and entertain me. So, if you’re anything like me, if you’re searching for that next great read, I thought I’d share my favorites in a large range of genres I read in 2015 in hopes you’ll share your favorites with me too. In no particular order these were my favorites across a wide range of genres: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern I’ve spent most of my life pounding on the backs of wardrobes and leaning into brick columns in train stations in hopes of stumbling upon Narnia or Hogwarts. Now, I sense I'll be scanning neighboring fields at night, hoping in my deepest hopes that the Night Circus has set up in my town, and that I may have the pleasure of experiencing its magic. This book is one of the most captivating novels I've read in a long time. It captures beauty and motion and flavors and textures so vividly I'd like to crawl into the pages. I believe what The Night Circus offers is something like a glimpse of heaven, a place where the kittens are fluffier, the caramel more delectable, the acrobats perfectly balanced and the bonfires brighter than our every day life on earth. A place where we feel more like our actual selves than we have ever felt before. The Plans I Have for You by Amy Parker The Plans I Have For You is one of those rare gems, which is more than a picture book—it is a life book. Leave it on your coffee table and this book will capture the attention of young readers time and time again as they enjoy the rhymes, find new details in the beautiful illustrations, and find hope and courage in the fact that God has plans for them, big plans, special plans. But this book will also captivate the adults reading the story, as it reminds us just how personal and important the work God has planned for each of us. Reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's Oh The Places You'll Go, but with deeper meaning and truth. Bonus: a devotional and journal to accompany The Plans I Have For You just released! One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt My twelve-year old daughter, Mallory, picked up this book at the library this summer and devoured it in two days. She insisted (against her brothers' protests) that it be our next "read aloud". After two pages we were all completely absorbed in this authentically raw and beautiful story of a foster child. Needless to say, as we reached the climax, I was sobbing so hard, my son, Max, had to remove the book from my soggy self and read the rest out loud for us. So touching and true -- filled with lessons of life and love and the importance of having someone believe in you. This is the best middle grade novel I've read in years! For the Love by Jen Hatmaker A friend in Nashville gave me this book right when it released. Only a couple pages in I was laughing uncontrollably. A few pages later and my eyes were wet with emotion. Yet other chapter in had me nodding at profound truths of faith. This is the first book I've read by Jen Hatmaker and not able to wait to read more, I ordered a copy of her book, 7, while cruising Amazon for Christmas gifts and am about 1/3 of the way in. Her writing style made me feel like she and I were old friends, hanging out on her porch and talking about everything from the fashion police, to trying to feed a house full of kids, to what we read in our Bibles that morning. Hatmaker's writing is hilarious and authentic. I found myself reading sections out loud to anyone who would listen. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah What an exquisite book—a beautiful portrayal of two sisters and their lifetime searching for love and purpose. On a historical level, The Nightingale exposes the brutal and trying conditions the French people endured during WWII. As a Francophile I devoured every French countryside and phrase. I’m ashamed to admit, I had no idea the trauma the French women experienced during World War 2, as their cities were looted, their food was rationed, their safety was at risk, and soldiers took over their homesteads and places of work. Hannah's elegant writing was beautiful and made me incredibly grateful for so many things I daily take for granted. I would recommend this book to everyone. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
This story is electrifying, raw, honest, emotional, and sensory overloaded. It’s a book about twins and family and art and self-expression and grief and getting in and out of our shells and self-discovery. The colors ooze out of the pages, the distinct personalities of the original characters are perfectly executed, the intertwining and shifting of these characters is brilliant! I absolutely loved loved loved Jandy Nelson's exquisite, gorgeous, stirring writing and can't wait to read her other book! The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer I’m blessed to have a compassionate, diverse, faithful group of women from my church that I get to do Bible studies with on Wednesday mornings throughout the school year. This year, my favorite study was The Armor of God. Shirer takes ten verses from the book of Ephesians (Ephesians 6:10-19) and creates an entire study about how we can utilize the armor God has provided for us to fight the enemy and stand strong throughout life’s battles. This study came at the exact right time for me. I had some life issues I was wrestling, and The Armor of God reminded me that God has already won. I need to stand firm in this truth, take up my shield of faith, dig my feet into the peace He offers and pray, pray, pray. Okay. Your turn. I want to hear what your favorite books you read last year were? I need to put together a new pile. Do you know that old Rod Stewart song, “Every Picture Tells A Story (Don’t It)”? I’m understanding more and more that every person has a story, and they’ll tell it to you, and it will blow you away. All you have to do is ask. I recently experienced an amazing event in Nashville called STORY. The experience was filled with presenters sharing their stories and inspiring attendees to explore and share theirs. Abigail Washburn the Mandarin speaking, banjo playing woman from Illinois, who just returned from a tour along the Great Wall of China with Yo Yo Ma was a stand in for a sick presenter. What? This was the sub? And Jeremy Cowart, celebrity photographer who has taken photos of everyone from the Pope to the Kardashians to Sting, yet uses his celebrity to launch amazing humanitarian projects such as Help-Portrait, which offers free portraits to people who have never had their picture taken, and campaigns in Haiti, Rwanda, and Uganda to raise awareness of the devastation these people have endured and funding to help them rebuild. This guy was the guy who struggled through high school. This was the guy whose mantra growing up was, “I can’t”. But his parents repeated to him, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13). A reminder of truth that WE CAN, despite what the world tells us, despite what our achievement tests score us. Look what he’s become! Think what you can become. Jon Guerra appeared on stage plucking his acoustic guitar and breaking into a soulful melody “We are stained it’s true, but when Your light shines through, we all look like stained glass windows to You.” And there was the lady who played the bassoon and the woman I bumped into at an after party in a warehouse who made a cotton candy tree full of wishes. And James Rhodes, world renowned classical pianist and composer, who played Chopin so beautifully it made me weep, then proceeded to share openly his story of being sexually abused as a child and how music saved him. Not to mention the fact my sweet friend who I attended Story with and I, stayed up late in an artsy Nashville hotel wearing our pj’s watching Taylor Swift videos. We all have stories. I could go on and on. But you get the idea. Stories. We all have them. Each and every human being was knitted together in our mother’s wombs (Psalm 139:14) by God, our Creator, with skills and fears, hopes and hiccups, weaknesses and joys, leaps and bounds, whispers and screams. And God takes all of those marvelous little details and writes our stories. It’s like an Encyclopedia Brown mystery, in that God gives us the opportunity to choose if the hero (you or me) will pick A or B, will they give up or keep going, will they try harder or stop trying, will she dream bigger, smile broader, take a different path when the first one is blocked? Will he or she trust in the Author of their story for a happy ending even when the villain seems menacing and the tornado is twisting and they’re locked in a closet? Will they tap into the courage and peace their God has to offer? Will you? What’s your story? What’s the story of the person next to you, the one you’ve never talked to, the kid who sits in the back of class, or the woman on the far side of church, or the person who always shows up late and leaves a minute early at boot camp? Are you willing to ask them? Are you willing to share yours? Because when we hear other people’s stories, we see their true reflections, often for the first time. And when we share ours, we let other people see ours. And they are all beautiful.
Have you ever become unexpected friends with someone? On my first young adult novel, Skinny, I had no idea how the whole editing/publishing process worked. I received an email from a woman named Amy Parker, the editor assigned to my book, saying she had sent me a previous email but hadn’t heard from me, and our deadline was approaching. I was intimidated just by the word editor. And WHAT email? How had I missed it? And deadline? Yikes! How could I have already messed things up? I typed back with shaking fingers a giant apology, begging to chat on the phone, because I was a rookie and was clueless as to what was expected from me and when. I was anticipating someone firm, hard-edged, in a suit with black glasses. Too many movies, maybe. Instead a comforting, friendly voice packed with Southern charm and smiles filled my ear with reassurances, “no problem,” “plenty of time,” “minor changes,” “no big deal.” My shoulders relaxed. I smiled, too, even laughed, and we completed the project on time (much improved with her edits). Amy was assigned as editor on my next two novels, Hot and Angry. And through the process we learned about each other—our shared love of coffee, chocolate, Jesus, Jack Johnson, and family. We discovered we both had a passion to share our faiths through the written word: we didn’t want to be pushy, we just longed to be genuine, and we strived for our work to be quality, to stand out. Because God is God, Amy’s family vacation brought her within an hour of my home. We met for mochas and true confessions. Since then we’ve attended a writer’s conference in California together, she hosted me in her home, her writing brought her back to Ohio, and we’ve chatted on countless Skype sessions waving dictionaries, Bibles, and laughter. God knew I needed Amy Parker in my life. In many ways she helped launch my writing career, because she encouraged me back on that first novel to keep writing the kinds of things I was writing. But way beyond helping with my writing, she’s become one of my dearest friends. Her heart fills the room. Her faith is even bigger. And her passion for others is a result of the enormity of her heart and faith. One of our visits was when Amy was in Columbus, Ohio. The zoo’s annual Fete, a fundraiser to protect Rwanda, the land of the gorillas, brought her to town, and I got to be her date. Amy introduced me to a man named Frederick. Frederick’s smile is as bright as a full moon on a dark sky. Immediately upon being introduced, he embraced me in a tight hug. He showed me his beautiful, colorful paintings of his homeland, Rwanda. The fete was also helping support Frederick’s foundation, a place where Rwandans disabled by the genocide can find life again, where they are taught life skills, and learn to play sports, and are given food and shelter, and most importantly, hope. Oh, did I tell you Frederick had his arms severed in the aftermath of the genocide? Yup, that’s Frederick, grinning from ear to ear, helping others, fighting the good fight, even though he was left for dead on the side of the road. Painting bright images, embracing people he’s just met, and riding his bike around the country to raise money to help others, even though he has no hands. And, Amy, with that passion I told you about, has written with Frederick his story. You know what they named it? Frederick: A Story of Boundless Hope.
Where are you today? Does something seem too big? Are you unsure? Nervous? Overwhelmed? Defeated? Hang in there. A friend like Amy Parker is just around the corner. A man like Frederick is changing people’s lives, when he could have given up on his. Read their story. Find hope again. I was blessed to speak last week at an amazing event called Stand Up, Stand Out at Missouri Institute of Science and Technology. We ran out of time at the end of the talk for the usual Q&A session, but several of the college sorority women who were in attendance wrote down questions and handed them to me. Not only were they great questions, but a lot of the questions were things I get frequently asked. Since I didn’t have a chance to answer them then and there, I thought I’d answer them here and now. There were so many great questions; I’m running it as a two-part blog. So imagine you’re sitting at a round table at a ballroom in a university student center. Picture the autumn inspired orange and gold streamers draped across light fixtures. Grab a handful of the brightly colored M&M’s from the glass dish and listen to them tap against each other, and get comfortable for part one. Q: What inspired you to write about/speak to college girls? A: My memories of college life are movie-like. If you ask me about college, a montage with a soundtrack consisting of songs ranging from R.E.M. to Sinead O’Connor to James Taylor plays through my mind. I attended Miami University, which has a picturesque campus. My roommates were my best friends. I was involved in student life, took a summer to study abroad and laughed all the time. That’s the movie version, and the things that first come to mind. But the reality is there were other times to. Memories that would be left on the cutting room floor. Like when my roommates and I fought, and it left me feeling raw and alone, because these were the girls I cared about most, and sometimes I let them down, and sometimes they didn’t understand me, and sometimes I felt isolated. Except for when my strenuous business major called for all-nighters, and team meetings and presentations and I had to schedule my life in fifteen minute intervals, so I would be where I was supposed to be and do what I was supposed to be doing all day, and I was so stressed I felt like I might implode. Except when I had a series of bad relationships and felt sad and dejected and unlovable, and there were more tears than smiles. Now I live in a college town, and am surrounded by beautiful, bright young women full of potential. Girls who are embracing life, and seizing opportunities, and struggling to keep it all together, and look perfect on the outside while they’re dealing with hard-hitting issues on the inside. They confide their stories in me. And so I write for them and speak to them. To share what I learned. To prove to them that they can get through. To let them know they’re not alone. To inspire them. To remind them that they are beautiful and unique and capable of moving mountains.
Q: Do you ever get writer’s block? A: I actually have the opposite problem. I have way too many ideas bumping around in my head. I have books I want to write, characters I long to create, blog topics I’m itching to get down in words. There are certainly times when I’m writing, when I get stuck on a word or a phrase or a scene, but (knock on wood) I’ve never run out of ideas. Q: How did you still believe in love after your parents’ divorce? A: Man, I never once stopped believing in love throughout all of their separations, fights and finally their divorce. My parents’ divorce was about dishonesty and selfishness, insecurity and greed. It had nothing to do with love. If anything it made me crave real love, the kind that builds each other up, communicates, believes in each other, supports one another, edifies one another – the kind of love I’ve found with my husband. My parents’ struggles showed me what I wasn’t looking for, and therefore what I was looking for. And my faith in God has given me the reassurance that God always has and always will love me. He’s shown me an example of perfect love, of sacrifice and concern and compassion. Come back next week for part two. Until then, How about you? Do you have any questions for me? SUMMER READING. My local library has a summer reading program. My kids' school is trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for most hours read in the summer, no lie. High schools have assigned reads ranging from To Kill a Mockingbird to The Fault in Our Stars, sigh. And me, I have my usual stack of delectable books that I can not wait to dive into. In fact, I already have. My stack appears random to a passerby, but to those who really know me, each title makes sense at some level or another. I was at the beach last week, translation, "Let The Summer Reading Begin." I read Sara Zarr's How to Save a Life - loved it! And then totally changed it up with C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters - blew my mind, had a copy from the library, need to get my own copy, so I can underline it like crazy! Next in my pile are Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, Seeing Through Stones by Rajdeep Paulus and Pulitzer Prize winner, Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. If you're still adding to your stack, Playlist Fiction has an a-ma-zing deal for you this week! Five phenomenal young adult titles for only $5! Actually slightly less, they're only 99 cents each! What? It's true. So, fill up your Kindle or phone, or iPad, or whatever device you read on with these great titles from ground-breaking young adult authors Laura Anderson Kurk, Rajdeep Paulus, Jennifer Murgia and Stephanie Morrill. And, oh yeah! My book, It's Complicated is only 99 cents this week too! How about you? Any suggestions for my summer reading pile? What's on your summer reading list?
I am so excited to share with you my latest release, It's Addicting. It's Addicting releases July 14 in both print and e-book formats from Playlist Fiction. This third installment of the Status Updates series finds four college sophomore roommates finally getting comfy with the routines of dorm life. But Kat, Claire, Palmer, and Hannah soon begin to feel the nagging ache of innocent addictions pulling them away from their true selves. Still, obsessing over perfection, exercise, or a super-cute boyfriend could never be a bad thing—could it? Hang out with these four roomies to see if they can—or even want to—ditch these sneaky little hang-ups before they take over their lives. 'I'm so glad to see Laura L. Smith writing about such serious and important issues. Kudos to her for being brave enough to write the truth. ~ New York Times Best Selling Author, Tosca Lee
It's Addicting tackles real-life issues with raw honesty. This book is something every high-school and college-aged girl should read. ~ Nicole O'Dell, author, speaker, and founder of Choose NOW Ministries Laura L. Smith writes with precision and honesty in the third book of her popular Status Update series. It’s Addicting asks readers to consider their own lives and the blinders we all wear. The college roommates in this book struggle with the most authentic of issues—the sometimes subtle but often overwhelming addictions we all cling to. In the end, the answers aren’t easy or pretty, but Smith, with characteristic gentleness, pushes readers to see that clarity and hope come from one place—a God who seeks us as fiercely as we seek Him. ~Laura Anderson Kurk, author of Glass Girl and Perfect Glass |
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