Thankfulness

Yes, I'm taking the easy way out this week. With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, "what are you thankful for" is the theme for everyone, so I thought I'd chime in too.

God helped me accomplish goals this year that I thought were impossible. Almost two years ago, I started writing. I wrote the first part of a book whose working title was "Alex and Rachel." I had the book mapped out into five parts, but I didn't make it much past part one. I rewrote part one once, but then I drifted from the story for a while and my computer broke, leaving me unable to write for the rest of the year. And I thought I'd failed. I started a book and never finished it, which kind of felt like business as usual for me.

Then Sarah Cameron began tugging on my heart. She and her friends had been with me for almost eighteen years, but, when I began "Alex and Rachel," I'd felt too scared of failure to attempt starting the Sarah Cameron series. A year can change a lot, though. By the time Christmas 2009 came around, I was dying for a new computer and the chance to start writing again.

My wonderful husband bought me a Mac for Christmas that year, and a few days later I started writing. In secret. I didn't want to share what I was doing because, if I failed again, I didn't want anyone to know. But I didn't fail. The following May, I had two rough drafts on my computer and the Sarah Cameron series had begun.

God has taken my writing on a journey. "Alex and Rachel" wasn't a failure, but more like practice. A chance to work on my writing skills before starting the story that really mattered. Someday, I hope to finish "Alex and Rachel." Unfortunately, I saved the story in Microsoft Works and the file didn't transfer properly from my PC to my Mac. But that's okay because I love the act of writing and rewriting a story. I've learned a lot about writing this year. But what I've learned most is that I want to be an author more than anything and I am willing to work, to grow and to push myself out of my comfort zone to achieve that goal.