Part Two

In 2023, I decided it was my turn to volunteer for the 3-night Spiritual Conference where I had been a participant 4 years prior. In the months leading up to the conference, the organizers asked each of the servers to come up with a small gift to give to each of the participants and encouraged homemade gifts. I did love crafty things, but the only thing I felt I had enough time to do was to edit From Darkness Into The Light.

On the final preparation day for the conference, I wandered to the small pond on the property where the conference took place. I prayed for the participants and that my contribution would bless the ones who were there to learn. I prayed that my short story would bless the hearts and minds of those who I would be sharing it with. But I brought the prayer back to my biggest worry which was how I would financially contribute to my family’s income. I took a deep breath and said, “Ok Father, I’m listening.”

The voice repeated, “Write your stories.”, I remained silent and realized God didn’t say Story. The voice sounded again, “Write your stories and watch what I will do with them.”

I remember feeling a lump in my throat as the cool November wind blew through my knit sweater. Swishing leaves behind me announced the arrival of my best friend.

I choked up and I shared with her, for the first time, what God had been instructing me to do and all the other beliefs I have had over this instruction. I concluded my explanation with, “Girlfriend, I think God wants me to write for a living.”

With assured confidence, my best friend, April, said, “Yeah! I know!” She couldn’t explain to me how she knew, but explained an intuitive sensation assured her that my discernment was correct.

Later, my fellow volunteers and I were waiting on participants to show up. One asked about my story. I offered to read it to them. They all agreed that they wanted to hear it. I kept my eyes on the pages in front me while I read aloud to the strangers listening to my work. Upon the pronouncement, “The end” I looked up to look for feedback.

Sniffles from one of the women behind me was the first to break the silence, “Wow, that was so beautiful! You need to get this out there!” The rest of the ladies sitting with me agreed with the initial comment.

I did not share with my non-christian husband my supernatural encounter over that weekend. It would take me a few more weeks to work up the courage to discuss my intention to write full-time. I was fully prepared for Gregg to debate me, but he did the exact opposite. He was in full support of my writing. Gregg shared with me that he knew someone who had some success of being an author. Gregg said, “He doesn’t have a Degree as far as I know. You need to give this a chance. You never know what might happen.”

I spent the next few months turning my fictional point form notes into a format that sounded more like story telling than an encyclopedia entry. Once I was satisfied with my first rough draft of my introduction and my first chapter, I shared it with my inner circle.

Of all the people in my inner circle, my parents and my sister hold first place for being my biggest critics. During a visit with my parents, my mother let me know that she was disappointed that I had shared my book with my sister and not with her. I handed her a printed-out copy as my mother shared a paraphrased version of what my sister thought about my writing: “Mom, have you read Stacy’s book yet? You know, at first, I was like ‘it’s my sister’s writing, how good can it be’. It’s really good! If I read her intro in a bookstore, I could see myself buying it. I can even share this story with my kids.” The only feedback my sister gave me directly was, “Well done.”

“Well?” I said nervously when my mother finished the first sample of my novel.

“Wow, Stace!” Mom shook her head, “I pushed you in the wrong direction! It is so good! So, so good!” Of course, she had to add in that my grammar needed a lot of work, but that one criticism couldn’t dissuade me from the praise from one of my biggest critics.

Since I decided to write full time, my good intentions have been thwarted by life-altering changes to me and my blended family members, frequent onslaughts of writer’s block and imposter syndrome, and battles with the dysfunctional Executive Function center of my brain. However, I am half-way through Part 1 of Emra’s story.

I hope, as I share my on-going challenges and mini successes, that I will complete Part 1 of Emra’s journey and maybe even have it self-published by the end of 2026.

A question for my audience:

Has there been anything that you have a natural ability for, but were/are too nervous to pursue? I would love to hear about it!