The Undiscovered Country

Got Courage?

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." ~ Anais Nin

A friend showed me that quote a while back, and is appropriate for the first entry of 2009. You see, I got plans, and I will need courage in order to make those plans succeed.

To continue to pound on the same subject of writing and publishing (I beg your forgiveness), I need courage to present my manuscript to two publishers attending the writers conference, perhaps an agent (though I'm not sure he'll accept science fiction). It would be so easy to merely attend classes and reconnect with friends, convinced the idea of publishing is a mere dream.

It won't happen, and not only because I want it. I've yet to shake the certainty God wants this as well.

Strange, considering the world is supposed to end in 2012 . . . (Note: I don't believe it will, but if it does, I control it naught. No sense in worrying about it).

Whenever I want to back away -- allow my life to shrink a little -- God reminds me to depend on him. He is my strength. As long as I hold on to him and allow him to lead me, nothing is impossible.

What will happen this new year? The optimist that I am, I hope for great things. I look forward to my son's first birthday, sell copies of my novella (once I start marketing more aggressively -- scary stuff that), sell my other novel to a publisher, polish up the second book, and perhaps begin the third.

Internally, though, I hope to grow closer to God. Since I no longer attend Bible study classes, I've not read my Bible, take time for devotion, or even pray with complete focus.

Why is that? After all, I spend time with my husband and son knowing it's necessary for a healthy relationship. Do I not love God at least as much if not more?

I think it boils down to knowing God is wherever I am, and that he loves me whether or not I pay close attention to him. Yet I don’t' want to take him for granted.

To be fair, I talk to him throughout the day. He's my first thought in the morning, and more often than not my last thought at night. Is that enough? Sure. Sometimes it's okay to allow a relationship to remain comfortable, with no challenges or surprises.

As long as it doesn't remain that way. Otherwise it stagnates.

Now for a little fun:

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Last thing:

What are your hopes for 2009?