Sometimes songs help tell a story.
Today, “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus is going to help me. Just like Kutless helped me tell one in 2011. READ IT HERE!
I can almost see it.
That dream I'm dreaming…
I wrote my first book in August 2008. I had no idea where it was going to go, but I felt compelled to write. I gave that manuscript to my mom that Christmas. She cried, but not because it sucked. Though, I think it might have.
I kept writing. One story. Another. Another.
I met and pitched to my dream agent in Feb. 2011. She offered me representation in September of 2011.
She submitted my book (not my first but 12th) in November 2011. I thought in about a month or two I’d have a contract, after all this was a God-given dream (insert maniacal laughter here). I kept working. Revising. We kept pitching. Rejections came. And came. And came.
There's a voice inside my head saying
You'll never reach it
Every step I'm takin'
Every move I make
Feels lost with no direction,
My faith is shakin'
But I, I gotta keep tryin'
Gotta keep my head held high
But I couldn’t quit. Because no matter how shaken I felt. No matter how discouraged, how frustrated, how physically painful it was, I couldn’t deny this was what I was born to do. This is part of who I am.
Twelve manuscripts turned into twenty.
I met amazing people. Authors. Unpublished writers. Industry professionals. They sowed into my life. They taught me. They corrected me. Friendships were bonded. Some of my best friends live states away and yet a day doesn’t go by that we don’t text or talk on the phone. A prayer team, I call the Triple Ps formed. These women pray for me with such intensity and passion, I can honestly feel it when I sit down to write.
I’ve learned what true patience, endurance, and perseverance mean. I’ve had years to hone my craft (though I haven’t “arrived” I’m always growing and learning). I’ve had years to discover areas where my pride is Nebuchadnezzar kind of scary. I’ve had years to nail it to the cross. I do it daily. I’ve had years to learn how to fight fear with the Truth of God’s word. To battle doubt and confusion.
New stories bring new obstacles and struggles. It’s a slow climb. It’s a lesson in waiting, in a culture where we don’t have to wait for anything. It’s a stretch where I’ve learned balance. Balancing being a wife, mom, ministry leader, friend, daughter. I asked, “Why so long? When, Lord? I’m doing everything you’ve asked me to do! How much longer? I’m hanging on but…”
And I’ve cried. I’ve been exhausted physically, emotionally, spiritually. Worn slap out and feeling too tired to press on. Too tired to write something new. Too tired to revise what I already have. Too tired for one more blog post. Too tired for one more rejection. Too tired for one more person asking me when I was going to get published. Too tired to roll my eyes when someone mentioned writing was easy. Just type up a story and slap it on Amazon. Too tired to slap them for saying that. Too. Too. Too. Tired. I’ve lost the fight.
But God.
Always: But God. He never failed me. Never let me down. He presented amazing opportunities out of the blue, right when I needed the encouragement. Every step of the way. He’s been with me. For me. Beside me. He’s gone before me. And He’s pushed me from behind…straight up the mountain. Not the mountain of publishing per se, but the mountain of self-discovery. The mountain where I’m pruned. Grown. Matured. Developed.
 There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb
And then halfway up the mountain, God gave me a new vision. A new direction. One I hadn’t jumped on before. But I obeyed. Because if I’ve learned anything in 7 years, it’s trust and obey. I wrote one more book. And you know what? I had it in me to do. Because in my weakness, He is strong. And His grace is sufficient for me.
Price of Betrayal was born. I sent the proposal to my agent on February 27th, 2014. On March 19th, the editor requested the full manuscript.On March 26th, my agent sent it to her.
And guess what? I waited.And waited.And waited.I wrote two more books for this line while waiting in 2014.
On October 10th,2014, the editor sent back a request for revisions. So I went to work. Again. We sent those revisions back on November 3rd, 2014.
And guess what? We waited. I waited. I revised. I put out a free Christmas novella to subscribers. I decided to create a series of novellas. I shopped for presents. I checked my email like a freak of nature.
On January 29, 2015, I got THE CALL. My amazing, wonderful, encouraging agent sat on the other end of the phone while I hit my knees sobbing. A week after that I had the chance to talk with my editor from Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense. She’s super nice and fun to talk to. And her revision requests were insightful and spot-on.
Price of Betrayal (tentative title) will hit shelves in early 2016. Yeah, another year of waiting while I’m working. But I’ve learned waiting is worth it.
New struggles will come. New challenges. More mountains to climb. To make move.
The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down, but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it, but
These are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep goin',
And I, I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on, 'cause
Maybe you’re trying to make a mountain move. Take the steps. You move. And God will move the mountain.
Keep on movin'
Keep climbin'
Keep the faith baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith…
Never ever stop dreaming. Never ever give up. Keep reaching. Keep climbing. Keep stepping. Climb tired. Climb when it hurts. Climb when you feel rejected. Climb when you’re discouraged. Climb when you can’t see. Climb through the tears. Climb when you want to quit.
Push on. Press in. Pray forward.
When you reach the summit, you’ll look back and see God’s fingerprints all over the journey. 


It’s not about fast. It’s about faith.
If God is in it, you can’t lose.
Thank you to everyone who has stuck by me and encouraged me. It ain’t over yet! And listen to the song. You'll be glad you did. 


photocredit: freedigitalphotos/watiporn 
What are you dreaming for?