Grace Given: Heroines Volume III (Andi Hale and Erica Lovingood)

Andi:

A native Texan, Andi Hale moved to Nashville a year and a half ago. She now works as administrator for Fellowship School of Dance and is heavily involved with the My Local college ministry, started by Erica and Trevor Lovingood.

Erica:

Erica Lovingood resides in Nashville with her husband, Trevor, and oversees college and young adult ministry, My Local. She is a stay-at-home mom with her daughter, Londyn.

---

“. . . They went up on the roof, removed some tiles, and let him down in the middle of everyone, right in front of Jesus.”

Luke 5:19, MSG

We have all experienced paralyzing moments—when we learn of a friend who has overdosed, when we witness a marriage of several decades disintegrate, when we encounter the kind of racism we believed only existed in history books. A God-authored friend walks with us through those seasons and places us at the feet of Jesus when we are paralyzed. When we don’t have the strength, they will fight our battles with us, take up our cause and shield us with prayer. 

It is our calling as God-authored heroines to bring one another to the feet of Jesus.

“Without a moment’s hesitation, he did it—got up, took his blanket, and left for home, giving glory to God all the way.”

Luke 5:25, MSG

At His feet, we experience victorious moments—when we learn of the new life inside us, when we witness friends come to eternal salvation, when we encounter God-dreams we didn’t know we could possess. In unity, we celebrate these miracles. We are empowered to move through both the beautiful and the crushing parts of life with grace. Not a delicate, soft grace. Fierce, enduring grace that pushes us through the seasons of unimaginable heartbreak and pain. Grace that moves through us and forges a path before us.

“My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives…”
James 5:19-20, MSG

God-authored friendships are grace-giving. We are not called to be hoarders of this grace but to actively seek ways to give it away. As sisters unified in Christ, we look for the best in each other but are also willing to point out areas that threaten to compromise God-dreams. An authentic friend is one who will have tough conversations with the hope we can begin to run in freedom, not fear. These vulnerable discussions start with us. When we open the door to our own fears and struggles, we allow them to go there as well.

“Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in.”

Ecclesiastes 11:9, NLT

As God-authored friends, we get to take it all in. Friendships are meant to be enjoyed, celebrated. Relationships are a gift, given to us so we can be freed up to enjoy the journey together.

Our journey began in an old warehouse in Franklin, Tennessee. We were both new to Nashville and in desperate need of community. In that moment, the Lord answered our prayers and brought us together. Since that day, we have been through many trials. Each battle was hard fought and won through prayer. We have spent a good portion of our friendship on our knees, calling out to the Lord on our sister’s behalf. In His perfectly authored story, we have also experienced some of the most rewarding moments of joy together. Every Sunday at lunch, we celebrate these victories the only way we know how: tacos and queso.

Our friendship has been built on a firm foundation of prayer and queso.

Praise God.

Our prayer for you is that you would find grace-giving relationships that bring you to the feet of Jesus . . .

Friendships that carry you through paralyzing seasons and to the victories on the other side.

Pick Up Your Sword: Heroines Volume II (Caroline George)

War burns as a charcoal haze, a bundle of embers flickering where the kingdom melts to horizon. Your fur cloak, white as Michelangelo marble, is replaced with plated metal. You trade your scepter for a sword, your throne for a chariot. The calling to battle is rich, anointed and promised. You will charge into the fire out of obedience to the King, fight for the people He has placed under your leadership. To forgo the task would result in destruction, so you push away your fear and submit yourself to whatever occurs at the front.

Beauty once drew their attention but now it has transformed into a radiant strength that surpasses eyes and reaches deep into hearts, divine in origin, holy in mission.

There has come a time in each of our lives when we’ve had to trade our flower crowns for ones made of metal, forged from heat and sweat, given out of necessity, not vanity. We’ve experienced painful seasons when what seems pretty around us carries the weight of a battlefield. We may look put together like queens but at the center of our innermost being, we are survivors, warriors and royals riding our horses into already-won battles. We are God-authored to be heroines in His victorious saga, but have we accepted the role, been rebuilt by the divine authority entrusted to us as daughters of the Most High God?

Heroines, in literature, are characters who accomplish incredible feats despite impossible odds. They sacrifice their own interests to attain a goal greater than themselves. Their motivation stems from mission, purpose, vision for self, others and the world.

God-authored heroines are women of vision.

Throughout the Bible is evidence of God’s relationship with His girls. He handpicked women from insignificant backgrounds and used them in world-changing ways. Not glamorous. Not sugar-coated and dipped in petals. Hard, taxing ways that made history.

We, as handpicked protagonists, have the same potential and God-strength as Esther, Ruth, Mary and the other countless women who were used in the story of Christianity. Time does not sever us from saga-impacting roles—time is irrelevant and unbinding to the God who created it. We are our generation’s heroines.

Judges 4-5 introduces girl-boss heroine Deborah, leader of the Israelite people, a prophetess and wife. Deborah had a deep relationship with God that yielded strength, insight and vision. She was faithful to her calling, recognized the strength of others but remained steadfast in God-ordained authority and sanctification.

Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him; “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”

Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

“Very well,” Deborah said, “I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will hand Sisera over to a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.

Judges 4:4-6

Three things to note . . .

1.     God gave Deborah a vision for the Israelite nation.

2.     Because of the vision, Deborah was a steward of God’s plan for others.

3.     Deborah did not leave Barak to tackle his God-given mission alone, rather she went with him into battle to share the weight of such a task.

God-authored heroines . . .

-        Are fueled by futuristic calling, accept leadership and point others to their God-authored visions.

-        Recognize God’s presence in the visions of others.

-        Magnify the callings of others.

-        Heroines see through the worldly shroud of sin and bear witness to God’s will for the future.

God’s daughters have melted under stereotypes, expectations, fears and insecurities for too long. They have denied their swords and crowns, instead retreating to their small, safe dreams. Heroines take their swords to already won battles and suffer through trials with supernatural endurance. They also join others in their suffering so as to keep unified the Kingdom of God.

What is vision? How do we get it?

-        Visions are God-sized, God-given dreams powered by purposeful calling.

-        To have vision is to have vision for self, vision for others and the world.

-        Visions are not products of tenacity, rather weapons gifted to us by the King of Kings. As children of God, we have visionary birthrights, positions of ordained leadership bought for us through salvation. If we take ownership of the power offered to us, we step into a place of sacred closeness with God and the visions handed to us like swords become our drive, our struggle and His victory.

-        Vision isn’t a quiet, gentle gift. It roars like a lion. It rattles its cage, aching to break free.

-        Vision leads.

Takeaway: Women with holy vision are women equipped with the power of God.

We are not flawless. We have been broken, pieced together and scarred in battle. Our lives are not aesthetic scrapbooks uploaded on social media sites, rather charred battlegrounds and reconstructed fortresses. In the eyes of others, we appear pretty and soft, but our Creator has designed us to carry vision, leadership and care for others.

What are the visions God has placed on your life? What’s stopping you from charging into battle with faithful endurance and royal confidence?

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. […] “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

Proverbs 31: 25-26, 29

Heroines, let’s forgo our scepters, pick up our swords and step into the history-changing, generation-defining roles prepared for us by the Author of All.

Lighting the Spark: Heroines Volume I (Stephanie McGraw)

A little girl sits cross-legged while playing with her beloved stuffed bear, Fuzzy. Her mother is in the kitchen making pancakes while her father sits on the couch next to her flipping through channels on the television. Little girl is content. She loves Saturdays, and pancakes, and Fuzzy. Father’s program cuts to commercials and little girl looks up. On the screen is what appears to be a flawless woman with long legs and yellow hair. She is being chased by a handsome gentleman. They embrace each other. They look so happy. In that moment little girl becomes aware of her undeveloped body and curly brown hair. She will forever associate beauty with the flawless couple that frolicked on the screen.

We were children when we first started to build our definitions of what womanhood meant. While the television was often a dominant educator, we also watched our mothers, and older sisters, and friends to understand who we are, and what we will be. Some images empowered us, and others crippled us. And at some point in our lives we must choose the kind of woman we will be. Some will fixate their eyes on beauty, and others wealth. Some will use their womanhood to birth a lineage, and others will dedicate their lives to seeking justice. For each of us, there is a deep sense and longing for more. Unfortunately, some women have been told to, “be quiet,” or “let a man do it” for so long, that they have become lost to this calling.

It is extremely easy to get swept away in the noise and let false perceptions define you. That is why we want to go to the source of our womanly nature—the author of our very being. Through this series we will be unleashing the vast ways of being a God-authored heroine.

Heroine. The word is literally defined as, “A woman noted for courageous acts or nobility of character.” She is strong. She is fierce. She is unstoppable.

Contrary to popular belief, God loves using women in His story. Scripture is filled with examples of this—Esther, Ruth, Rahab, Mary, just to name a few. He loved using the unlikeliest of people to carry out His will and to be heroines in their time. They defied cultural norms, risked their lives, and took immense leaps of faith to fight for what they believed in. They embodied courage, bravery, and spirit.

It’s easy to look at these women and marvel at their stories and how the Lord used them to make history, but dismiss that same possibility for our own lives. However, there are endless doors of possibility waiting to be opened by the girl who unlocks the potential that God has given her.

She who sees her womanhood as a gift and not an obstacle. She whose character surpasses her beauty. She whose spirit lights the way for others. She who believes the Lord can use her. These are the heroines of our day.

I truly believe that God deeply enjoyed making the woman. Woven in our personhood are the sincerest and most loving characteristics of God. The Lord delights in using the woman. She is His secret weapon and one of His most treasured creations. He grieves when she is oppressed. He rejoices when she is glad. He loves her and is for her.

A God-authored heroine is a woman of enormous character. She loves life, yet holds it loosely. She is always receptive to learning and is always searching for the Lord in every corner of her life.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and she laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25

As God-authored heroines, it is important that we believe in each other and encourage one another. We must highlight more than our sister’s cute shoes, and instead, note her character. We must search deep within our sisters to see their unique strengths and gifts, and lift those up. We must build up what was torn down. When we begin to reconstruct our views of our own womanhood and the women around us, we free ourselves to truly loving one another. We rid ourselves of envy and jealousy that has so often robbed us of our joy and confidence.

It is time that we stopped looking at our womanhood as a curse, or an excuse, or an obstacle, and instead saw it as a gift from the heavens. May we not get stuck looking back that we never move forward. May we use our words to lift up and heal one another. May the Spirit fill us with dreams bigger than our fragile frames that they may overflow into the hearts of others.

We invite you to explore what being a God-authored heroine means in your life. It is our prayer that you would be open to hearing from the Lord to see how He can use your story and womanhood in this world. May these words light a spark in your heart. There is unimaginable adventure in store for she who embarks the life of the God-authored heroine.

“It is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’—the things God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9

STEPHANIE MCGRAW

WordsUnfolding.com

I am a girl, growing every day into shoes too big. I’m a dreamer, always have been. I’ve loved many art forms, but the written word is by far my favorite. I have come to adore the infinite possibilities that characters and syllables and punctuations strung together can become. I believe we are all storytellers and that we all have very special, very unique perspectives begging to be shared and heard. Words have the power to inspire us to do remarkable, courageous things. They sometimes lift our spirit and make us laugh. Other times they make us cry and see the world differently. Words can help us heal and grow stronger.

Just like I am a young woman becoming my own, my story is unfolding with the passing days. I don’t want to miss a beat. I want to savor every word on every page of this story that is my life. I want you to be part of it. To hear my heart. To laugh with me, cry with me, grow with me. I want to hear your story, too. Let’s have a conversation. Let’s love each other well, and use our words wisely to change our worlds for the better.

For me, I believe that this life is far too complex and beautiful to not have an author. I adore my Creator, and am learning from Him and about Him each day. It is for His glory that I write. He’s the truest inspiration.

Resisted: We, The Authored Volume III

“I was transformed by the program.

Nothing is the same now.

Not me. Not Kyle.

Not the world.

It’s been two years since the Titan first started killing off Legionaries. He challenged us all to a game but killed ninety-percent of our soldiers before the fight for our survival could begin.

My brother is dead. So is Sarah and all of Kyle’s task force.

Europe is a nuclear wasteland.

The other continents have gone dark.

America is barely a flicker on earth’s rotating screen.

And I know that if things don’t change, its meager light will go out.”

-        The Prime Way Program: Divided (Coming fall, 2017)

Conflict sparks a story and keeps it in motion. The first element of plotting an author must determine is the inciting incident, the moment when a character’s life is thrust in a new, life-altering direction. Before the grand conflict, all that exists are a backstory, a character with tremendous flaws and limitless potential. What matters most about the character comes from the pain, the suffering and times when he or she has to either conquer or be conquered. The story itself stems from resistance.

When readers reach the final sentence of a novel, they desire resolution, a sigh-worthy scene where the protagonist at last has what he or she has been fighting to gain. THE END is the end for a reason because once a book or series is finished, the conflict is, in theory, no more. How can we, the authored, live with the expectation that life is meant to be different for us; we should be without obstacles and villains, we should waltz into our dreams as easily as stepping across a threshold?

Without a villain, there cannot be victory.

Without obstacles, a story is an eternal state of THE END.

Obstacles come in various forms. Writers have pinpointed and categorized these struggles: man versus self, man versus man, and man versus world. However, there is one other conflict not included in the list—man versus Satan.

Self is a villain often overlooked. We, the authored, sabotage ourselves. Like any well-developed character, we believe our own lies, we allow insecurities to riot against our calling. Self is an insurgence waging war against the confidence gifted to us as children of the Most High God.

Man is the more notorious villain. In most books and movies, there is an individual wreaking havoc on the protagonist’s life or threatening the world on a massive scale. Although used by storytellers to give evil a face, men can be overcome. They are mortal. They believe their own lies.

World is a villain with power over the physical. It can attack a character’s body and state of wellbeing, but it cannot fully reach an emotional level. The world doesn’t have supernatural authority. However, its ability to deprive is its greatest weapon.

Satan surpasses all villains. He is our greatest enemy, knows when we are weak and works without relent to prevent us from fully experiencing the favor of God. He works . . . but the war against him has been won. We, the authored, have been victoriously rescued and claimed. Our THE END was written before we breathed our beginning. The conflict was resolved before the inciting incident.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John, 16:33

Suffering comes with the question of why, and the answer isn’t sweet and straightforward. It isn’t wrapped in a gift box or include hot tea and fuzzy slippers to comfort us while we deal with its truth. Suffering is the foundation of our story. We live to fight a God-won war, to grow as characters in His saga and reach the victorious THE END. We suffer to manifest the glory of Jesus Christ on earth and magnify His sovereignty.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” – 1 Peter 5:10

My intentions for this post are not to woo with poetic language. Instead, I desire only to offer truth and encourage my fellow comrades. We have been called by the Living Christ to enter into a crusade for His glory. We, the authored, suffer so we can have a meaty, rich story that oozes His divine power. The war isn’t easy and will require everything to complete. With urgency and determination, we must clothe ourselves in righteous armor and battle the villains, obstacles, conflict.

We must allow God to conquer our villains by surrendering ourselves to His plot.

Friends, I have been fighting the good fight and I am weary. Conflict rages in the rooms I enter, saturates the air I breathe, but God has declared victory over my heart and soul. He has won the battles I am now facing, so all I must do is endure.

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” – Exodus 14:14

Our villains do not define us, whether they are memories of sexual abuse, bad relationships, addiction, anxiety or depression, etc. If we have entered into the kingdom of God by confessing our mistakes and asking Him to claim us as sons and daughters, the conflict in our stories has been resolved. We fight with divine armor and God-favor. We are free of fear.

What are your villains? Have you surrendered your pain to God and asked Him to transform your suffering into a glory-rich story?

The protagonist climbed the plot graph, gained and lost, bled and sweat, reached a climax, then plummeted down a falling action. They endured a catastrophic amount of turmoil, yet they’re stronger, wiser. And when their THE END comes, all that once seemed impossible no longer holds relevance. With their THE END comes victory.

Through resistance, they discovered their story.

We, the authored, are won.

We, The Authored Volume I

Motivation to write stems from various needs. One may begin to type or scribble words as a way to relieve inward tension, escape reality, tell stories to entertain and teach, explore realms of thought. Whatever one’s reason to begin, writing soon becomes an extension of body and soul, a proclaiming voice to eager minds.

The tenacious surge required to become an author is a result of a different need, a desire to flaunt the love and devotion poured into our stories, showcase carefully crafted characters and spread our message, once an exclusive exchange, to the world.

What gives us the need to express? Why do each of us carry a desire within us to speak and be heard, explore and discover, grow close to our own creations?

Since I was a platinum-haired child with a single ponytail on the top of my scalp, I’ve adored stories. They’ve been my teachers and friends, the captains of voyages to places not found on any map. They’ve been mirrors and open doors. Overall, stories have rooted themselves within me. I read and write them to grow, bud, flourish.

Again, I ask the questions: What gives us the need to express? Why do each of us carry a desire within us to speak and be heard, explore and discover, grow close to our own creations?

Children reflect their parents, thus creation reflects its Creator.

We radiate with the artistic splendor of our Alpha and Omega Author.

God has our beginning and end, indented the first paragraph and reserved a final period to conclude the epic novel of our lives. He’s brainstormed, outlined. He has crafted us with precision because we, the authored, are His protagonists.

To float in the peace of His orchestration, all we have to do is surrender ourselves to the scandalous, all-consuming plotline mapped out before the dawn of time, constructed from His sovereign desire to have an intimate connection with us. We are His expression.

No one can love us more than the Author of our story.

The classic verse, Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

What beautiful, miraculous hope we have in Christ Jesus! If the end of our stories have already been written, what do we have to fear? If the Love of our lives is composing our every moment, why should we be overcome with anxiety, crushed by the weight of MAYBE?

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book.’” Jeremiah 30:2

For the longest time, I didn’t understand why God placed me in a waiting room, kept from the blessings I could see in the distance. I couldn’t figure out why my Father allowed me to experience deep hurt, sink into trials before pulling me up to stand on top of them. Through writing, He revealed His intentions in a bursting epiphany.

A wonderful story isn’t captivating unless the main character is confronted with obstacles.

I have spent many afternoons crying over my computer (while sitting in coffeehouses) as I placed my characters in painful situations. I wept when they wept. I rejoiced when they rejoiced.

God does the same with us. Through muck and mire, darkness and anguish, happiness, progress, He walks with us; He grows closer to us while proclaiming His presence to the world.

But the great thing about obstacles is this: They can be conquered. They have already been overcome by salvation’s grace. They will subside, and our stories will be better because of them.

Waiting seems to be the overarching theme of the publishing industry. I wait to hear news regarding my books. I wait for progress, opportunities to present themselves. I wait for personal desires such as relationships, direction, etc.

Life is a state of constant expectance, yet we must be sure to not passively wait but place our hope and faith in the Author’s hands. 2 Peter 3:9a says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.” His timing is without fault. He knows our stories backward-and-forward, has crafted extravagant plotlines for us.

Blessings given too soon become burdens so by allowing us to wait in His care, He is aging us like fine wine kept in a cellar, preparing us to experience the fullness of His plan.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Hebrews 10:36

Over the past few years, I have learned God wants nothing more than to have a close relationship with us. He values the righteous desires of our hearts because He placed them there. That said, He often makes Himself known in situations to verify we are in His will, yet refrains from fully manifesting an opportunity. We can become restless and believe a certain schedule is best for our lives. However, His plot for our stories exceeds our expectations. He holds us in a rising action until the perfect moment, when the climactic roar of fulfillment rushes onto our metaphorical pages and an average story transforms into an epic novel written for His glory.

You are a beloved character.

I am a beloved character.

We have been given a spirit of power.

And with endurance and faithful expectancy, we can successfully climb our plot graphs as protagonists in a God-authored saga.

I’m humbled and honored to be an anointed ambassador, a radiating creation of my Creator. He gives teaching through typed words on a screen. He shows me the worth I do not see and gives me dreams I have no right to dream.

A Gifted Note: Pursuing Music as His Steward (SAMPLE)

Purpose is an innate desire within us and inflicts more questions than any other element of human nature. It drives us to ask, “Why am I here? Does my life matter? What are my talents? How can I be used by God?”

First and foremost, purpose is found in Jesus Christ alone, but as children of God, we have been entrusted with gifts to use in His name, to glorify and project Him to the world. These gifts, when developed with the right intentions, have the power to transform culture, society and ultimately, be tools of evangelism. Jesus expounded on the importance of being good stewards of God-given gifts in the Parable of the Talents, found in Matthew 25.

Gifts can be any physical or emotional actions expressed with above-average ability—this broad definition includes music and art talent, a desire to serve others, an intimate connection with God through prayer, etc. Recognizing your gifts is the first step to becoming a good steward of God’s talents and taking ownership of the power, the unfair favor willed to you through salvation.

Like a flame hidden behind a bushel, a gift not applied is useless. Galatians 6:4-5 says, “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”

Writing is the gift God has handed to me, and I strive each day to use it as a tool to magnify His light and love. However, music has established itself within my life as a limitless beacon. I live in Nashville, work as a publicist for a recording artist and compose songs with friends from My Local, a young adult ministry organization. Music absorbs my God-given gift and shines it in a different format, a revised medium.

To those with a passion for music, take heart. There are countless ways to serve God with your talent. Music is universal. It affects anyone with the ability to hear. In contrast, if you feel God leading you to pursue music as a career, you have an extensive journey before you. The music industry is a congested business. To reach an audience and generate a sustaining income, one must have determination, a “thick skin,” networking ability and the Lord’s blessing.

Nothing is impossible with God.

When I first met with my client to discuss her public relations plan, we went through several steps to establish who she was going to be as an artist and strategize ways to broaden her audience. The following steps will help you become a better steward of your gifts . . .

(Read more in the April 2017 digital issue of Pursue Magazine)

From Dawn to Dusk: A Writer’s Guide to Recognizing God’s Presence in the Wait

Time ticks on, yet the metaphorical doors leading to answered prayers remain closed, and the hallway between opportunities stretches as far as the eye can see. What else can be done but wait, hope and pray? How can God be actively at work within a place of stillness?

When I speak at schools and other venues, I often tell people my job is to be rejected. I give thousands of hours to a pixelated stack of white pages on an illuminated computer screen. I pour my heart and soul into each sentence, yet I spend as much time waiting for a YES from publishers and accepting countless NOs as I do composing a novel. I’m on a thousand-hour coffee date with possibilities that may or may not become my reality.

Life is a hallway of locked doors. No matter how much someone knocks, unless it is God’s will, the panels will stay sealed and act as protective barriers between the sovereign plan and one’s desires. Some doors never open; those that might have been concealed from sight or kept from consideration unlock at unpredictable moments.

Opportunities come in fleeting gasps, subtle whispers and screeches of celebration. They’re delivered in blinks and extensive spans. They come when we ache for them, when we least expect them.

Rejection is a large portion of my job, but God-glorified waiting is a lifestyle I have accepted, applied. God-glorified waiting is an attitude of surrender, a faith in His promise to open doors—it is a life of knocking and being content in whichever threshold becomes available.

Waiting is not a passive verb.

God is not bound by time.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

Our lives are caged into a block of linear years. We exist in a timeline, but God surpasses chronology. He does not abide by the earthy rules that hold our bodies captive. He works beyond seconds, hours and days. If we have asked Him to be Lord of our lives, we have been adopted into His master plan where nothing can happen too early or too late.

The timelessness of God is a truth we can cling to as we wait for His doors to unlock.

God is not bound by dreams.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Hebrews 10:36

God cares for the desires of our hearts. He does not toy with us, give dreams and not fulfill His promises. If we are divinely called to a destination, He will pave the path.

Our dreams cannot build parameters around God’s power. He has the ability to change our hearts, replace desires with burning passions. He can do immeasurably more with us when we walk the hallway of life, knock and ask for His guidance.

God is not bound by choices.

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14

Salvation through Jesus Christ is the ultimate open door—it makes available to us God’s perfect plan. Grace declares victory over the choices we make, and God’s will prevails.

Waiting is a state of motion where God can reveal His truth and mold our hearts. We must be sure to recognize His voice in the perceived stillness, listen to Him above all else and dwell within the comfort of communication with Him.

Dreams can be fulfilled while walking down a hallway.

Five Steps To Falling In Love With Your Story

Books live within their own pages, bleed an invisible intimacy that connects with readers in powerful, unexplainable ways. The publishing industry feared extinction when new forms of entertainment became available to the public, but they soon discovered consumers treasured the ability to indulge in an individualistic experience catered specifically to their personal desires, interests—an experience different for each person. eBooks also presented concern for publishers. However, even with lower book costs, consumers preferred the tangibility of paperbacks, the physical bond.

Readers fall in love with books, characters and new worlds.

Writers must fall in love with their own work because, as I mentioned above, books bleed an invisible intimacy that first stems from the writer before it can affect a reader.

I’ve undergone months and months of rewriting, editing, probing the innermost parts of my creation. There have been times I have wanted to kill off my characters and spend the remaining word-count lecturing on my book’s meaning, yet I have continued to fight through the work because I believe the book says something important—it may resonate a valuable lesson to readers.

The writing process is long and turbulent. Without a personal connection and belief in the story’s importance, a writer will “throw in the towel” and trash their manuscript.

Love, life, writing—they are all the same. They require determination, a futuristic mindset and belief in the end goal. They involve relationships . . .

And relationships, the ones that change us, are worth fighting to keep.

Fellow writers, I understand preparing to write a book can be a daunting task. There are many factors to consider when developing plot, characters, etc., most of which I will not cover in this post. However, I will offer you five steps to help you fall in love with your story.

1.      Believe In Your Message.

You have the unique opportunity to capture readers’ attention for hours. Use that time you have with them to say something important. If you believe your book could help someone, change perspective, make a needed statement, you are more likely to reach the “finish line.”

2.      Write For Yourself.

I have met many individuals who tell me they want to be authors. What they do not realize is publishing is the product of writing a book worth reading.

Write the book you would want to buy, read and showcase on your shelf. Write the book you would love so much, you wouldn’t care if another person laid eyes on it.

Loving your story will create an urgency that increases your motivation.

3.      Weave Yourself Into The Pages

Find a common ground between you and your characters. Add elements of yourself to the setting, conflict, etc. Although the book shouldn’t convey you to the public, it should reflect parts of you.

Just think—you wouldn’t grab coffee with someone polar opposite to you (that would make for awkward silence and an overall uncomfortable situation).

4.      Extend Expression

Writing projects a story, but there is more to a character’s life than what survives edits. Have fun with your world-building. Create a storyboard, illustrate scenes from your book and incorporate your work into other artistic mediums. Be your own biggest fan!

 

5.      Believe In God’s Plan For Your Life

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Galatians 6:4-5 says, “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”

If God has called you to write, you will discover the ability to write.

Three Cheers for Teens - Big City Thoughts - Acacia Evans

Few would expect the flannel-dressed girl typing feverishly on her sticker-pasted laptop to be the founder and editor-in-chief of a popular music website. However, Acacia Evans, an Entertainment Industry Studies Major at Belmont University, has never been one to “think inside the box.” At age fifteen, Acacia started media outlet turned digital magazine, Big City Thoughts, which has grown to include staff writers and photographers.

This past week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Acacia about her journey with Big City Thoughts.

To begin the interview, would you tell readers about Big City Thoughts?

-        Hey! Thanks again for thinking of me. Big City Thoughts is a digital magazine/online media outlet I created when I was 15-years-old. Originating in the alternative/rock scene, I finally decided that I wanted to expand into different genres. In the spring of 2015, I temporarily left school for health reasons. While I was home, I decided to make Big City Thoughts into a digital magazine so our audience could flip through our work in one place.

What motivated you to start Big City Thoughts as a teen?

-        This is actually really funny so please no judging! When I was in middle school, I was obsessed with the Jonas Brothers. Everything about them: their fan base, live shows, and obviously good looks were extremely fascinating to me. I thought to myself, “I’m going to interview them one day.”

Did you face adversity, negativity from others?

-        I think no matter what industry you’re in or what company you run, you’re always going to run into hardships. The media outlet/concert photographer world can get extremely competitive. I’m not a very competitive person, but I think this industry sometimes brings out a side of me that I’m not too happy about. I’ve learned throughout the past couple of years that empowerment is so much stronger and healthier than competition and jealousy. Better for your mental health as well.

How has the magazine grown?

-        The magazine has grown in ways that I have absolutely never imagined. I have writers. I have photographers. I have friends that help me run our social media accounts and who coordinate our live show coverage. I’m photographing in arenas. I mean, it’s truly incredible how much support and help I’ve gotten. It’s amazing to have a team of friends and family behind me who are helping me grow more and more every day.

What are your goals for the future?

-        I always find this a difficult question because my goals change everyday. As of right now, I want to expand our viewership and following on all platforms. I also want to make sure that we are covering all genres of music and successfully doing so.

After years of working with the magazine, what’s been your favorite experience so far?

-        I think my favorite experience so far was shooting Demi Lovato for the first time back in March of 2014 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. I have been a huge fan of Demi since my Jonas Brothers days and have always looked up to her for so many reasons. Demi battles mental illness and I do as well, so it’s incredible to see her up on stage in a really raw and vulnerable state.

If you could give advice to all the young people with large dreams, what would you tell them?

-        I feel like people get sick of being told to “just do it,” but it’s entirely true. If you want to do something, take action. I also feel like a lot of people hold back on chasing their dreams due to age, but to me, age is literally just a number. It’s never too late to start chasing!

To learn more Big City Thoughts, go to: bigcitythoughts.com.

And don’t forget to follow Acacia on Instagram and Twitter @acaciaevans.