While many readers are still deep in snow, where I live, in the East Anglia region of Britain, it’s almost Spring. Sunshine, lighter frosts, leaves already opening on the rose bushes, buds fattening on the fruit trees, daffodils that tease me every day by almost-but-not-quite opening.
I’m glad to see all these signs of hope and new life. It hasn’t been a hard winter with the weather, we’ve been blessed with the sunniest winter since 1929 (or 1896, in some parts of the country!). Yes, it’s been sunnier than usual, but for me, it’s been a hard winter. A long dark cold spell in my heart and in my soul. Writing has felt like a struggle.
I wonder if it’s because God had lessons for me I didn’t want to learn, both in my real life, and in the story I’ve been working on all winter?
When I write a story, I go through the same spiritual journeys as the characters. God calls me to write what I most need to learn! So when Beth had to learn to let go of past hurts, Cara had to learn to accept forgiveness for a terrible mistake in her past, Tiffany needed to learn to let go of her own plans and follow God’s will for her life, I was in there learning the spiritual lessons along with them.
My circumstance aren’t the same, but I needed to let go, I needed to feel God’s forgiveness, I needed to accept God’s will. I cried when they cried. I laughed when they laughed. When God lifted them, I was lifted.
I hope that readers feel that too, when they read the stories.
But the heroine in my next story, ‘Forget Paris’, is a difficult, wilful, stubborn woman. At times, she does things that are definitely unlikeable, because she’s sure she knows what’s best.
Definitely NOT one bit like me, right?
Hmm, ask my husband….
Zoe needs to learn to trust in God’s love and allow Him to soften her stony hardness of heart. She needs to learn to believe she is worth loving, but because she’s so resistant, she can find a million excuses why love isn’t for her, either the hero’s love, or God’s love. Hurtful broken relationships have put her heart into permanent winter, and only letting God in can bring her the new life of Spring.
Her Bible verse is –
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them.
I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart.
Ezekiel 11:19 NLT
‘Forget Paris’ was supposed to be a Valentine’s Day story, with a planned release date in early February. Because so much real life got in the way of writing all through winter, the release was delayed. And delayed. And delayed!
‘Forget Paris’ is finally on track to release next week. In Spring.
It feels so right for the story to appear now, I’m wondering if maybe it was part of God’s plan all along. Because I’ve realised it’s not a Valentine’s Day story, though it starts on Valentine’s Day. It’s a Spring story, a story of ice melting and new life. Of God making stony stubborn hearts tender and responsive.
Even mine. Poor Zoe couldn’t get her new heart and new spirit and find her Happy Ever After with Gabe until I let go of some of my own anger and resistance to God, allowing His sun to melt my winter iced heart, allowing His Spirit to give me renewal.
At last, it’s Spring!
I’d love if you would share in the comments the biggest spiritual lessons you’ve learned either writing or reading stories.
And if you’d like to be notified when ‘Forget Paris’ does finally release, please sign up for my mailing list here. I have a special gift for subscribers at release time.
If you don’t have it yet and would like to read the The Wedding List, book 1 in the Love in Store series, it’s now available free on Amazon, plus on iTunes, Nook, and Kobo via D2D.
USA Today bestselling author Autumn Macarthur writes romances full of faith and hope, celebrating God's love as well as a man and a woman finding their happily ever after. She prays they’ll warm your heart and make you smile. An Australian transplanted to Britain, Autumn lives just north of London with her lovely English husband and three demanding cats, in a very small house with a teensy tiny garden. She loves talking to readers, so please get in touch! And get a free Christian romance novella when you sign up for her reader newsletter at http://bit.ly/Autumnsubscribe
Big hugs and continuing prayers for you, Autumn. Thank you for this honest sharing, and I look forward to reading Forget Paris soon.
Thanks Valerie! Things are waaaay better now. God is good, and He’s helped me out with something of a much needed attitude transplant :)
“It’s a Spring story, a story of ice melting and new life. Of God making stony stubborn hearts tender and responsive.”
Love that, Autumn! That’ll speak to a lot of us.
I love how you give you characters a verse. That is cool.
I hope so, Sally! :)
It’s part of my story development. I don’t feel I really know the character until I get their verse, though often it doesn’t happen until I’m halfway or more through the draft. That verse never actually is used in the story, but it’s perfect for Zoe’s process!
I’ve never heard of an author who gives their characters a verse, that is so very awesome! Zoe sounds a lot like me….willfully stubborn (ouch!) I think I could probably most relate to her from what your book description is. God IS working on me, I know He has brought me a long way (thankfully) from what I was. But it’s still a struggle sometimes.
I think the book that stands out the most for me as God using to teach the biggest spiritual lesson is Francine Rivers “Redeeming Love”. I used to question why God (or my husband) would love me & then I’d put my walls up. Kind of like the description of Zoe….if I push them away then I’d not get hurt…I know what’s best for me right (ouch!). If you’ve not read this book, wow, you should! It’s a modern take (well 1850 anyway) on the story of Gomer and Hosea. Amazon describes it as this :”Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love.” WOW, for me what an eye-opener!!! How God unconditionally loves me…in all my sin, shame, stubbornness, all the ugliness of life. He gently woos my heart because He loves me…no other reason & really what other reason does He need? It really broke something in me. I applied that to my husband too because that’s how he loves me too! It got right down in my heart….GOD LOVES ME! What a freeing feeling, like being uncaged from a prison cell I put myself in. I still to this day, get goosebumps thinking about it!
Autumn (I love that name) I am so glad that the Lord helped you through your winter season & now you can see Spring coming! What an awesome God we serve, yes? He really does work in us in spite of ourselves…. even in our resistance & anger towards Him. And He understand those emotions, all that “messy” stuff. Aren’t you glad He still loves you?
It’s the greatest blessing of all that God loves us so much, despite our messiness!
I love your honest and thoughtful reply :)
Francine Rivers is a powerful, wonderful writer. My story is fairy floss in comparison. I think we all need to come to that place where love breaks something in us, breaks through our resistance and our defences and our self-will. And yes, that’s the greatest freedom. Only from that place can we truly give Jesus Lordship of our lives.
Thank you for this, Autumn. I appreciate you and for sharing in this awesome post today. I always give verses for my characters in the beginning of each of my books. It’s something I’ve always done for the reader to keep in mind as they read (and for me as I write their journey of faith and love). Many blessings to you, and I look forward to reading your new book.
Thanks JoAnn :) Yes, I love to keep the verses in mind as I write, so I know the direction God wants me to take with the story, and they go on the title page too for the reader. We are so blessed to be able to do this!
Autumn, thanks for sharing your heart with us. I’m glad Spring will be a season of season of renewal for you :)
Thanks Narelle! For us all, I’m sure, God is always working miracles :)