Affirming Sign

On the plane trip over, Kay and I talked about the fact that our trips to Maui had always seemed to include some kind of affirming sign about my writing. It was in Maui (in this condo, matter of fact) that I retrieved a voicemail message from an editor, telling me that he wanted me to revise my first novel so he could take it to the pub board. Never mind that the board rejected it, and that he's now at another publishing house. (And I hope the two events aren't connected). It was a positive sign.

The next year, I received an email from Kregel while we were here, offering me a contract on my non-fiction book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse. That was a really affirming moment, and it's set into motion a train of events that has totally changed my life. Big positive sign.

Last year we were here with another couple. I didn't do any writing to amount to anything, and didn't think much about the lack of a "sign." This year, I wrote only a little bit, but Kay and I prayed and talked about a change I'm planning to make. We felt that it had been pinned down pretty well, and I was content to consider that my "writing sign" for this year. But God had other ideas.

Yesterday, after I'd already posted on this blog, I got an email from the editor of In Touch magazine. I'd queried them about a piece I wanted to write, and they invited me to write it "on spec"--that is, no guarantee of acceptance, purely on speculation. I hadn't heard from them in six months, and frankly I'd forgotten about the work until the email yesterday informed me that they'd like to buy it. It's a different look at Simon Peter. Look for it in the August issue of the magazine.

God's always ready with a surprise, isn't He?

Now we're off to catch a plane for a long ride home. Thanks for reading.