The Wilderness Road

If you had told me six months ago that I would be writing a blog post, I wouldn’t have believed you.

If you had told me that, not only would I be writing a blog post, but that I would also be content and excited about doing it, I’d have laughed.

Six months ago, everything was mapped out in my head. I was going to publish my first book, Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel, in serial form. It was going to be a wild success, and who knew what would be next?

But that’s where my plan got all twisted; my idea of success was all wrapped up in popularity, money, approval, you name it.

And God knew it.

“It so happened that after Pharaoh released the people, God didn’t lead them by the road through the land of the Philistines, which was the shortest route, for God thought, ‘If the people encounter war, they’ll change their minds and go back to Egypt.’ So God led the people on the wilderness road, looping around to the Red Sea.”

Exodus 13:17-18

I’m so thankful that He sees what I don’t.

From a worldly perspective, my first attempt at publishing independently wasn’t successful at all. And a month ago (OK, a week), if I’d been brutally honest, I would have had to admit just how bitter and disappointed and honestly stunned I was that this didn’t go how I planned.

Flash forward a few days later to when I actually started listening to what God had to say.

He brought me to two verses in Exodus to show me how I’d begun to wander from what He intends my writing to be and to remind me of how intimately He knows me.

He knew I would get wrapped up in worries and fears about money and success. He knew that my motives would get twisted, all because I was more worried about acquiring approval and having something concrete to show people, so I could say, “Look! See? This whole writing thing is worthy of being taken seriously!”

And I believed the lie that my words are only worthy of consideration if I have a dollar sign or a certain number of likes to hold up next to them.

And He knew, and He waited until I was ready to know it, too.

So, here we are six months later, on a website that’s unexpectedly become a blog. A place to share a love of stories and Jesus and the written word. There’s a lot left to learn about doing this for His glory rather than my own. I’m still being led on the wilderness road, looping around to the Red Sea, still unaware of what exactly is coming next, but certain now that it’s something unexpected and good.

Walk with me?

Alexandria