2012 was a pretty great year. I turned 21 years old near the beginning of it. In May my family and I took a trip to the Four Corners area, so I saw more states (Arizona and Utah) that I hadn’t seen before. The Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, the Cliff Dwellings, the Red Buttes of Utah, the Rocky Mountains -- all that was food for my creative soul. I ate up the details and basked in the dramatic natural beauty that exists out there. (On a side note, after that trip I also learned the proper term for dramatic natural beauty: the Sublime. Anything in nature that is awe-inspiring, that makes one feel small.) We tied this trip to a beautiful women’s conference in New Mexico where I met Bodie Thoene, the author of my favorite series of historical novels, The Zion Chronicles. When my mom told her I was an aspiring novelist, she prayed for me! In June I went with friends to San Antonio, which I currently believe to be the most fascinating Texas city. In July I went as a junior counselor to Camp Yeshua in Oklahoma, the best youth camp ever! I got to be with dear friends and make new ones.
In August, something that can only be explained as a spark from God jumpstarted my writing. Although I had been committed to writing long before I graduated high school, it seemed like I finally felt grown-up about my commitment: that this was my job and I needed serious training. I heard about the Christian Writers Guild Apprentice program, which basically works like a mentorship between seasoned professionals and those just starting out. I’m in love with the art of writing, but the business aspect of it has me stymied. I started the program in December, and so far it’s going well!
In September, after several conversations with my author-friend Sarah Scheele, who has been a great “advisor,” I started this blog so that I could get a presence on the web. I also have a fun new hobby: following and participating in other people’s blogs.
In October, my family went to the Ozarks where we joined a group celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot (Lev. 23:34-43). The trip (not the feast) was a brand-new, rewarding experience.
At the end of 2012, I had a precious visit with my Wise- and Light-Hearted co-author, who lives out-of-state, and another great mutual friend of ours. The week before she came, however, my family went through the death of a dear, elderly friend, one cherished person who didn’t see 2013.
What a year! I learned so much, experienced much personal growth, expanded my heart to take in new friends, and fortunately didn’t make any mistakes that weren’t easy to clean up, praise God!
What will 2013 hold? I don’t know everything -- but one thing’s for sure: The Lord has it all planned out. I hope I’ll publish my first novel, finish my second, finish the one I’m co-authoring, and get started on a new project. I’ll complete the Apprentice program and maybe go on to the Journeyman Fiction program. There’ll be trips, too: My grandma’s 95th birthday is in June, so we’ll be visiting her to celebrate that; and then there’s Camp Yeshua in July; and there’ll probably be at least one more trip besides those.
So, to wrap up, I just want to say thank you to whoever’s reading this, because just by reading and commenting, you’ve blessed me. I hope I’ve blessed you. Here’s to Words That Give Life!
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