The Sting of Rejection by Dana-Lyn Phillips

 

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People often tell me my writing seems effortless but that definitely is not the case. Behind every post or magazine article that seems to flow effortlessly for the reader, lie many hours, days, and sometimes weeks of painstakingly reassembling words in the hopes of making my thoughts coherent for others.

I remain confident that writing is where God wants me at the moment but can still occasionally question the ‘why’. Somedays I think to myself  “There are so many people already doing this – why am I needed?” When the answer fails to come I commit the day to the Lord and trust Him to lead me in whatever project He wants me working on. Not surprisingly, He has never failed me.

I am grateful that in one short year God has graciously provided opportunities for me to write for a wide variety of publications. Some have been accepted and printed, such as my first ever published article in Faith & Friends magazine (July/August 2026) and another in FellowScript’s August 2026 magazine.

Others remain in a holding pattern like those submitted to The Upper Room, Guideposts, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. Then, there are the others. You know, the ones nobody likes to talk about because they have returned with the word “REJECTED” stamped across them in big red letters. Well…not actually, but they may as well have been, as that’s what it feels like.

So, to answer the question “When has it been difficult to give thanks in my writing life?” It's when my work is rejected.

I relate it to the adult version of being the last one selected by the team captain for sports teams in grade school gym classes. It’s as if someone is shining a spotlight declaring “You are not worthy!”.

Ok, perhaps that’s a little dramatic but there is also a lot of truth behind it.

I remember when I first started out, I had a goal of writing a devotional piece that would be accepted by DaySpring’s (in)courage submission team. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to submit a devotion for consideration, two or three times, prior to them moving to Hallmark and no longer accepting guest posts. Each time, I worked for weeks and was eventually happy with my submission. Each one returned with a beautifully crafted rejection letter.

I’m pretty confident that every writer has felt the sting of rejection over the course of their career so perhaps you can relate.

As my skin has thickened over the past year I have started looking at my writing, and the rejections, a little more objectively. Truth be told, either the writing wasn’t good enough or it wasn’t written in the same voice of the publication I was submitting for.

It’s interesting how time can bring clarity, and a teachable spirit can help us to be more accepting of constructive criticism.

As I continue to learn and grow, I gain a healthier perspective on rejection. When I feel the heat of the spotlight…you know, the one that seems to declare “You are not worthy!” I remind myself that my worth comes not from what I do, or how well I do it, but from being a child of God, created in His image and loved unconditionally. The beauty of this sense of worth is that no one can take it away.

As we are reminded by the Apostle Paul, “...If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NIV)

So, I choose to persevere and I hope that when you experience your own rejections, you choose to do the same.

Dana-Lyn is a wife, and mother to teenage boys as well as a 14-year-old cava-poo named Hockley. She is passionate about encouraging Christian women in their faith and is stepping into her mid-life "calling" as a writer. Her happy place consists of a comfy chair, a great book, a hot cup of coffee and a chocolate…or three! You can read more of her work at https://plansfargreater.substack.com

Thank you, God, for the Tunnel! By Alan Anderson

Writing prompt: Share a story of when you found it difficult to give thanks in your writing life. What did God teach you through that experience?

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and

saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NIV)

Our prompt for October caused a phantom memory from the last decade of the 1990s to revisit my mind. This post strays a bit from our prompt. The following words are about when I believed God was distant and the church I was part of didn’t care. This was a painful time of searching, of questioning and evaluating the meaning of my life. It was a time of feeling lost and not knowing where God was. My life, my world, my soul was falling apart. This time in my life also set a direction for my writing!

Entrance into the Tunnel

In this period of my life, I was working full-time to support my family. I was a co-pastor of a church that held to a firm stand on doctrine and theology. I was also studying for a Master’s degree by taking a course or two each year at seminary. There had to be more to life than all this busyness and church performance. God was not very clear in this picture. Life was imbalanced, and something had to give.

I found myself in a depression, or what I call the Tunnel! I discovered that depression was not what many Christians wanted to hear about. In my experience, they would do all they could to avoid hearing of me being in a Tunnel. Depression meant you were weak, or had wandered from God, or were out of His will! Life appeared to be populated with more judges than healers. This was a tough experience for a pastor who had to face a congregation every Sunday. My conclusion? You are on your own, dear brother!

Escape from the Tunnel

My wife, Terry, thank God, was my confidante throughout my Tunnel experience. She let me know I still had someone in my life who cared. She listened without trying to fix or ignore me. Her support was the motivation for me to ease myself out of the Tunnel and for me to write about my experience. My wife’s support and writing saved me from depression’s iron grip!

Writing was also where God spoke to me, and I could then speak of God. Sometimes, I sensed He was in the shadows of the Tunnel. He was near and had never left me, and I learned He understood depression. God was not afraid to embrace me in the Tunnel! He heard the prayers of my stammering soul.

In much of my writing, God may not be apparent to readers. God may not be apparent in depression either, but He is there! After being in darkness, light shines even brighter! This helps me to focus on what other people might experience in their lives and give them hope.

Thank God for the Tunnel! There in the dark and fog, survival in the Tunnel became possible for me when I evaluated the meaning of my life. Thanks be to God for my life, as simple as it is! I am grateful for my wife and family, for there I know those who truly love me. I am grateful for faith in God despite the human imperfections of His Church.

For readers who may relate to the Tunnel, I trust you can also relate to God because the Tunnel need not win. Even in the threat of soul-crushing depression that assaulted me, I knew God had not left me. This is the reality of my deep thanks to Him!

Here are a few humble lessons I gleaned from my time in the Tunnel to share with you.

1. Practice stillness. There is no need to rush through every day.

2. Listen to stories people may speak from their darkness. The darkness can be crippling. They may need help to find God’s light.

3. Be gentle with those in the darkness. Listen to their words even if they stumble. This may open them to hearing your quiet words.

4. We listen to show we care. Our words don’t have to be loud to make a difference.

5. My depression had a purpose. God did not leave me.

In Deroche, a small farming village area of British Columbia, Alan shares his home with his wife, Terry, and their poodle, Charlie. Alan and Terry are grandparents of six grandchildren plus five grandbabies in heaven. Alan enjoys walking on the dike near his home, with trees all around and where he finds inspiration to write. In summer, however, he loves to hide in the shade from the warm summer sun. Alan is more of a friend of fall. He has occasionally written articles for FellowScript Magazine and is a regular contributor to the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship blog. Alan’s website and blog are https://scarredjoy.ca. He also writes on Substack.

Giving Thanks Each Step of the Way by Steph Beth Nickel

 

RESEARCHING

My hubby is the one who loves to do research. I have always thought we would make a good writing duo. While there’s more to the whole “write what you know” adage than appears on the surface, I enjoy writing from my base of knowledge or about the fictional worlds I create. Typically, I find it challenging to research what I need to know, retain that knowledge, and then compile it into something that will benefit readers. I am currently coauthoring Paralympian Deb Willows’s second memoir, tentatively titled Keep Looking Up. I am incredibly thankful for our ongoing back and forth through each stage from our initial chat about the project onward. (We are currently working on revisions.)

OUTLINING

When it comes to nonfiction, I recognize the need for a more detailed outline. However, when it comes to writing fiction, I much prefer the discovery writing process… And then I get to the messy middle. I find it can drag when the blush of getting to know new characters and where they want to take me wears off. At that point, I have a tendency to skip ahead and write the ending. That way, although I know I’ll never be a detailed outliner / plotter, I know where I am and where I’m headed. Even so, there’s still room for some surprises along the way. I am incredibly thankful that there are a plethora of ways to get from the figurative “once upon a time” to “the end.”

DRAFTING

The middle of the novel I’ve been working on for-ev-er is dragging and in need of serious revamping. The main thing that’s keeping me from going back to Square One is the fact that I have been releasing chapters to Substack. I only have a handful of followers, but those who are reading Rule and Reign chapter by chapter keep me pressing on. I’m thankful for them, for every Like, and for every comment.

REVISING

Some people love working their way through the first draft of a new manuscript. Others prefer the revision process. Because I have what has been referred to as an abundance of “starting energy,” I find going back over my work, tweaking, and polishing it doesn’t stir up the same enthusiasm as diving into a new project does. Funny, as an editor, I am more than happy to go through a client’s manuscript time and time again. I am thankful for that and may need to bring the same perspective to my own writing.

PUBLISHING

Which option to choose: The Big Five? Or is that the Big Four? A small royalty press? A hybrid press? Indie publishing? While Deb and I are working with a small royalty press, I intend to independently publish my own work. However, there are challenges no matter which route a writer chooses and much to learn. And for me… See above how I feel about researching. I am thankful for my many connections to both independent and traditionally published authors as well as books, blogs, and courses.

MARKETING

While there is much “conventional wisdom” floating around out there about how to market one’s book, there are also methods that are more approachable for different personality types. Authors are not all the same nor does their approach to marketing have to be one size fits all. I am incredibly thankful for this.

The number one thing I’m thankful for, as a Christian writer, is that I can ask the Lord for wisdom each step of the way and keep moving forward one step at a time.

Steph Beth Nickel is the former Editor of FellowScript and the outgoing InScribe Contest Coordinator. Steph is an editor and author and plans to relocate to Saskatchewan from Ontario to be close to family in 2027, Lord willing. (Headshot Photo Credit: Jaime Mellor Photography)

Treasures from Life’s Darkness by Sandi Somers

“Even in darkness light dawns for the upright.”

(Psalm 112:4a NIV)

“Fall is a time when old leaves are shed and trees are left bare for a while. In another season the trees will sprout new leaves again. In much the same way, we sometimes need to shed old ways in order to prepare us for new beginnings. These seasons leave us feeling bare and vulnerable, yet these times are necessary in order for the new ways to sprout.” 

I remember these words that came from a former InScribe member, Melanie Fischer. She touched on a topic we can all relate to: the unproductive times, the sometimes agonizing, soul-searching times in our lives. 

Several years ago I faced a major winter season (both literally and symbolically). I was exhausted from an overly-busy summer, then my sister Karen passed away. We knew her time to meet the Lord was coming but didn’t expect it so soon. I didn’t have time to grieve before going on a mission trip to Bolivia. It was a complex trip—a delayed flight in Dallas-Fort Worth caused us to miss our connecting flight in Chile. Baggage left behind caused an extra delay. And so our time helping Quechua villagers high in the oxygen-depleted Andes Mountains was abbreviated. 

Shortly after returning home while driving at dusk, I hit a deer. Although I received no injuries, my car was a write-off—and the unfortunate deer lost its life. 

All this left me physically and emotionally depleted. Writing was difficult and I couldn’t complete most of the items I had planned to submit. I faced the questions that had been niggling in my mind for some time: Did this mean THE END for my writing? And more importantly, did God actually want me to write? 

God brought across my path the exact meditation to answer my questions. In her book, An Artist’s Book of Inspiration, author Astrid Fitzgerald wrote, “There are times when artists have to go backstage…This withdrawal is no small thing and takes great courage and integrity. The fear of ‘losing the edge,’ of never working again can be very frightening. There is a sense of doubt and loss…” Yet these unproductive times are times to rest, reflect, and gather spiritual and emotional strength.[i] 

Looking back now, I see that God graciously provided the gift of time to grieve, to rest and heal. To meditate on His Word. To trust Him for all I didn’t understand. To give me a deeper understanding of His sovereignty and care in all the events that happened. “(God) renews my strength” the Psalmist said (Psalm 23:3, NLT). He spoke encouragement, peace and promise, new treasures in the darkness of that winter. 

God also infused me with confidence that He was renewing my writing and preparing me for something new. This time did not mean THE END. He gave me a promise, “Is there yet any seed left in the barn?...From this day on I will bless you” (Haggai 2:19 NIV). The Spirit also softly whispered to me, “I will show you the way.” 

And God did show me the way. He rekindled my desire to write. The next summer I felt as though my writing took a great leap as new ideas began to flow—words that brought a deeper message of peace and a more beautiful reflection of Christ’s work in me that would touch the lives of my readers. 

PS. And on this Thanksgiving Day, let us be grateful for God’s presence with us, for sending Jesus to die so that we may live, His many blessings, and more.

[i]Astrid Fitzgerald, Compiler and Editor, (An Artist’s Book of Inspiration, New York: Lindisfarne Books, 1996), xiv.

Sandi Somers’ writing passion is to help readers grow their faith in Jesus, including their vision of what God wants them to be and do. She writes of her love of nature, gardening, travel, and family in several genres—devotionals, personal essays, and Biblical fiction. She has recently published her first book, Divine Encounters: 21 Stories of God’s Miraculous Ways.

Sandi lives in Calgary, Alberta, the delightful city between the Rocky Mountains and the Prairies. 

(Top) Photo by Sandi Somers