Let me answer both of those questions for you, before I ask you to respond to them.
You may have noticed the date of my last blog entry was on February 25, 2021. It has been 16 months, so you might be wondering what’s been going on in my life. For starters, I have been writing a book I never intended to write. Why? Because when my husband, Don and I moved up to Northern California 5 years ago, I told God I was content to retire.
We moved from Southern California to Northern California to be near our youngest daughter, Kellie and her family. This all came about when Kellie and Rob were visiting us and wanted to talk about the future. They explained they’d been talking about us and wanted us to know they were committed to taking care of us as we aged. My first reaction to their pronouncement was “am I really looking that old?”
Further discussion led us to sell our home in Southern California, the place we’d lived all our married life, and buy a home 4 miles from Kellie and family. We were convinced the time was right because we were relatively healthy and active and we really wanted to spend quality time with our two darling granddaughters. So in July 2017 we said good-bye to our dearest friends, the church we’d been a part of for 32 years, and all of Don’s siblings who lived in Southern California. It was bittersweet, but we’re thankful we took the leap.
Shortly after our move, I felt God nudging me to write again. I immediately dismissed the thought telling God I was content and didn’t need to write another book. I said I really don’t have anything else to say.
Fast forward two years. One day in my quiet time, I felt God’s Spirit nudging me again to write. I gave Him my standard reply, “Lord, I don’t need to write another book.” In my inner spirit I heard Him very clearly say, “I know you don’t need to write one, but I’m asking you to write one.”
I wish I could tell you that I went directly to my computer and words started flowing. That did not happen. I started doing what I had done with my previous 6 books. I started praying for God to give me an outline of the chapters which He’d always done in the past. Several months went by and no outline floated down from heaven. I asked several friends to pray and I was sharing with a friend my frustration over God’s lack of cooperation. She said, “Jan, what if God wants to do it differently this time?” I said, “I don’t know how to write without an outline—He’s always given me one.” She just looked at me, shrugged her shoulders and said, “Well, I guess you’re just going to have to trust Him.”
So, that’s where i’ve been—writing a book I never intended to write.
So, where am I now? I’m in the process of seeking out publication for the book I never intended to write.
I’m not going to give it away at this point, but I will tell you it’s about the hope I want to offer to the next generations. It’s about the faithfulness of God throughout this journey called life, in spite of my resistance, rebellion, and reticence.
I would appreciate your prayers and I am looking forward to seeing what only God can do!