In a clamorous house on the picturesque southern coast of England, a young girl twirled a long strand of hair in her fingers as her eyes darted across the page. Immersed in the book she was reading, she was oblivious to the chaos and family drama that ensued—she was a bonafide bookworm. Absorbed in adventures. Captivated by characters. Fascinated by fiction. Yes, I had a writing dream…
Maybe you had a childhood dream? Mine was to be an author one day. To be the one writing the books. But I was a sensible, responsible eldest child and knew the reality of becoming an author was comparable to becoming an astronaut. I had as much chance of landing on the moon as writing an actual book. And so I shelved my dream, telling no one. Not a single soul. I kept it a secret.
For twenty-five years.
For twenty-five years, I continued on with life—my secret dream buried so deeply I scarcely gave it a second thought. I married my high school sweetheart, dabbled in banking, emigrated from the UK to Canada, raised three children, and homeschooled for thirteen years.
It was during the latter period of time as I pored through books with my children and had the privilege of teaching them how to read, that my writing dream began percolating once again. Perhaps seeing their love of reading reminded me of my own passion at their age.
Perhaps it was God gently prodding, preparing, prompting.
I believe He was busy cultivating my dream, even though I was utterly unaware. He was revealing to me fascinating people and places as we transplanted our lives across the globe. He was shaping my thoughts and my heart as I navigated marriage and motherhood. He strengthened me in times of grief and pain and showered me with the fullest joy. He grew me and nurtured me for what was to come.
And then, one night on a much-coveted date at a coffee shop, my husband began digging into that cultivated soil. He unearthed my desire to write and promptly became my number one cheerleader and supporter. And God—He gave me the courage and wisdom to take my writing journey one shaky step at a time, for He had already been busy for years preparing me, cultivating me so I could follow my dream.
For the record—it didn’t come fast and it certainly was not easy. As is the case for us all, God has not finished cultivating my life and I still have much growth ahead. I have learned humility and patience and perseverance along the way, and will never stop needing His grace in every area of my life.
But after countless rejections, jubilations, and the steepest learning curve imaginable, I now have articles, stories, devotionals, and eight traditionally published books under my belt.
All this to say—God hears, sees, and knows us so very well. And I assure you, His timing is always perfect.
My dream to be an author took decades to incubate and take root. I needed a whole wealth of life experience before I could possibly hope to begin sharing via the written word.
Honestly, there were seasons where I floundered and questioned my purpose in the great scheme of things. Did God really have a plan for me? Maybe you can relate. But I know this to be true:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
I have carried these well-known and well-loved verses from Proverbs around with me since the age of eleven. I’ve vacillated and tried my own way on times but ultimately, I have complete confidence that God knows best. There is tremendous comfort in knowing He sees the whole picture and leads us from His vantage point. He longs for us to trust Him with our dreams as well as our dilemmas and decisions.
He redeems and restores and revives.
Do you have a dream, friend? I’d love to know in the comments below! Is it currently on your radar, or has it been buried under responsibilities and reality? Perhaps you don’t know what it even looks like but you do know that God has been preparing you for something.
The truth is, God is busy cultivating your dream even as you are busy doing life…
Cheering you on,
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