I'll be honest. I approached my first American Christian Fiction Writer's conference with some fear.
The past year held a lot of challenges, in a bunch of areas. I was weary. In fact, I felt like a pheasant at hunting season - hit with buckshot and peppered with wounds.
It's hard hanging out with others when you feel like you're full of holes.
When I arrived in Dallas, I asked God to do a healing work. Then I waited for the big moment where He'd wash over me. But that wasn't how He worked.
Instead, each conversation, each encounter, held balm for one of my small holes. Little by little, He brought targeted and specific restoration through the love and wisdom of people at the conference.
If scatter-shot has chewed up your life, I pray that God will tend each small wound. Little by little--surgery, suture, and salve. He's so good at letting us be the touch of grace in each other's lives, isn't He?
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The photos show some of the friends who made the conference such a joy. In the first, I'm sandwiched with Katie Cushman and Julie Carobini - two delightful Bethany authors. We are a mutual fan club. The second photo is with the ever gracious Susan Meissner and Mary DeMuth. The third shows me with my wonderful roommate, Amy Wallace. Our late-night giggles were a highlight of the conference. :-)
Most of the rest of my photos came out blurry - which is appropriate because it was such an intense time, most of it is a blur to me.
Two vivid exciting memories:
*Next year's ACFW conference will be in Minneapolis - with the multi-author booksigning at the Mall of America! I've done a signing there, and it's a marvelous venue. Minnesota fiction writers, if you haven't yet joined ACFW, now is the time!
*The Secret Life of Becky Miller won second place in its category for Book of the Year, and I was delighted and honored. What a treat!
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Tomorrow - God's sense of humor and a photo from the book signing...
6 comments:
Yay! I'm so glad you had a good time! Congrats on Becky Miller winning 2nd place! I can't wait to read it :D
Hey Sharon--Cute picture of us! So good to see you again, and congrats on your 2nd place win--woo-hoo!
Those giggles till all hours of the morning and the abundant wake-up humor will remain a touchstone of grace~ a healing work of joy in my heart too.
I'm already looking forward to Minnesota and those backyard tents. ;-)
the sweater/shawl you are wearing is just how I pictured it! You are lovely! Welcome home! God is good!
Sharon,
You are one of my very favorite fish in the publishing sea(even if you have outgrown my little tank--I'll always love you as a fellow guppy!)
I'm delighted to hear that Christ is knitting you back together, you know sometimes it's the small pin point wounds that need the most tending. How wise is He to go little by little and take time with each one. And how like our nature to think He would wash them all in one great deluge and then get on with having us serve Him. Another reminder that there are no small hurts in His eyes, and than any pain His child feels is too much in His sight. Thanks for sharing!
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