Taking the Next Step

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Maybe you’ve been in this situation before. There’s a path ahead. You know it leads somewhere, you’re just not sure where. Does it lead to where you want to go? Where you should go?

Maybe you’re prepared to begin the journey. Could be you don’t feel prepared at all. You could always turn around and go back to where you were before. You know that place. It’s either comfortable or not. But at least you know what’s there.

You could just stand still. How long will you stand? Minutes? Days? Months? Years?

Or you could pray, gather all the information you have, and take a step forward.

If you’ve ever been at a place like this in your life, you are in good company. I’m sure just about all of us have been there at one point. I’m there now.

A couple of things have happened over the past month that cause me to find myself at the head of a new trail, trying to decide my next steps.

First, my November 30 blog post used the last photo in the Photo-A-Day Challenge I took around nine years ago. You may have noticed last week’s post didn’t have the usual explanation of the blog at the bottom. I’ve been using the photos in that challenge as my inspiration to hear from God and to share with you what He shared with me. The process kept me disciplined and required me to be creative and in communion with the Lord. With the last photo used, I now must decide what I want to do with my weekly blog.

Second, after six years of studying the craft of writing, attending writing conferences (where I focused on novel-writing and meeting with editors, agents, publishers, and other authors), working with paid coaches, and meeting regularly with a writers group, I’ve decided to stop my pursuit of publishing a novel. I have two completed manuscripts, but my passion for those stories has dried up.

However, my passion for writing is still alive and well.

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I believe the calling God placed on my heart in 2016 to write for Him is still there. However, I don’t believe a full novel is where I need to place my focus. The work I’ve put into learning and the contacts I’ve made along the way have been important steps to prepare me for the path ahead. I know that. I would have never met authors Starr Ayers and Stephanie Pavlantos, who included three of my short stories in their anthology of short stories from families with special needs members, outside of those experiences.

I don’t receive any money from the book, but I truly believe you will be blessed by reading the heart-felt stories about the special needs population. You get to know some of these special family members through stories written by them and about them. I wrote my stories for my wife and her brother, Paul, who is developmentally disabled. You can find a copy where books are sold and if you lean toward Amazon, you can find it here… Room At The Table.

So, as I turn my focus to shorter pieces of work with a more devotion or Bible Study concentration, I ask for your prayers that God will continue to lead me in the direction He would have me take. He’s been so very good to me so far and I fully expect He already knows what is beyond the bend. I trust His good purpose will be worked out when I get there.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105, NASB)

If you have ideas that you would like to see in my blog posts, please let me know. For the time being, I will write as the Lord leads week-to-week, and I know His leading can often come from input from readers. Please post your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear them.

May the Lord richly bless you during this Christmas season.