I have two thoughts in my head right now. First, I’m going to the Mt Hermon Writer’s Conference a the end of March and I’m totally stoked about it. I’ve got a novel that’s nearly done that I’ll be pitching to an editor and getting feedback on. I really love this book and I expect it to do well, I just have to be patient to see how that happens. I might get feedback that will send me back to do more work, but that’s ok. I want it to be great. I just can’t help glancing at the calendar and feeling nervous excitement – did I do everything I could to get it ready for submission? There are two sections that need more work, so guess what I’ll be doing today.

Second, I just love reading Isaiah. In 6:1, he says, “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple” NKJV.  The King James Version says, “His train fills the temple.” I always wondered what that meant so reading the New King James made more sense, the train of His robe. Wow, that’s a big robe! Then suddenly (don’t you love the suddenlies?) I thought of Isaiah 61:3, “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Hmm, garment of praise – His robe fills the temple. I know! I know! Our praise is His garment. Our praise fills His temple. Sweet!

When I feel Heaven smiling at my baby steps, I begin to think big thoughts. I believe in the gift He has given me. I know I will write important books and touch lives. Last night I had the thought of being asked to the White House,  just a random thought. This morning on CNN, I looked up to a shot of the White House and a story of someone being asked to a special dinner there. Some day… Yep, I’m thinking big and praising big.

So the curve balls come at me when I’m not looking and I get knocked in the head. It takes me a while to stumble around and find peace again. I haven’t always been very good at that. Once I was nearly hospitalized because I allowed stress to almost kill me. I am not going back there. Ten years ago, I found a verse, well, several. I bookmarked them and read them over and over again now. Finding my peace is a lot easier.

For some reason, Isaiah speaks to me. “Therefore, the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a  God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait on Him.” v. 30:18. When I wonder why in the world have my prayers not been answered, I go back and read. Oh, it’s because God is being gracious to me. It’s His kindness to not jump when I demand. He wants better for me than I do, so He will move in God time.

Then I wonder, well, what exactly should I be doing? And He says, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left” v 30:21. Oh, how I wish I heard an out loud voice telling me that, but I do hear it in my spirit, the urging on, the encouragement to keep going. He created a destiny for me and He wants to see me walking in it. Nothing could be easier, but there is a condition: I have to go to Him. If I turn my back on all that I know to be true, He’ll sadly let me leave. If I keep saying I’ll spend time with Him, but never do, He’ll wait patiently, and all the good things He wants to do for me wait as well. Totally up to me.  I guess it’s not so odd that writing comes so much easier when I’m in peace. Go figure.

I’m back to reading Isaiah again. It is nourishment, I feel stronger. After a while, I hope to walk in Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye.” I’m not there yet, but I will be.