CLR - by Tracy Krauss

Celebrating, Leading, Remembering. 

This month's prompt asked us to remember and celebrate how God has lead us. “You shall remember all the ways which Yahweh your God has led you.” (Deuteronomy 8:2) God spoke these words to the Israelites at the end of their 40 years in the wilderness.  Like the Israelites, at times it's felt like I've come through the wilderness during my writing journey. (I've also felt like I've had a good 'decalcifying', thus the nod to the cleaning product in my title!)

Celebrate:

A toast to my first book in 2009!

When I look back at my thirty-five years of writing, there is much to celebrate. One of the sweetest moments was signing my first book deal back in 2008. After years of submitting and subsequent rejection, it felt like I had finally broken into the 'inner circle'. (I think I was a bit naive back then!) Since then, my writing skills have definitely improved and I've gained a lot of knowledge about the publishing business, but no matter how much I learn, I realize there is more that I need to learn! There have been occasions to celebrate since, but I think this 'first' one was the most memorable. 

Leading:

Throughout my writing career, I have genuinely felt God's leading. I've written before about this sense of 'calling', especially when it comes to writing fiction. For some, fiction may seem unimportant or even expendable. Even those who like reading fiction may not like my stories and that's okay. I understand that different people have different preferences when it comes to reading material. My goal is to write the stories that I feel led to write, no matter how popular. The ultimate reward will be to hear my Lord say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Remember:

Recently I've felt somewhat discouraged about not getting my current WIP ready for publication. I have had at least one book or play published each year since 2009. (Usually more than one, leading to a grand total of 21, not including anthologies or magazine articles.) Will 2019 be the first year in ten years that I don't have something published? Even after I had heart surgery and was often fatigued, I managed to finish and publish the book I was working on. 

Then I stop and remember... I remember how far I have come and how gracious God has been through this journey. I remember that it's not about me or a self imposed success barometer. It's about God's will, God's timing, and God's grace. Period. 

I try not to compare myself to others when it comes to my writing journey. It is my own unique story orchestrated by God and I am thankful as I remember and celebrate both the successes and the difficulties. In the end, I know God has been leading me all the way.

Tracy Krauss writes from her home in Tumbler Ridge, BC. She is privileged and humbled to be serving as InScribe's current president. http://tracykrauss.com