Awe

Waiting. Gotta love it. (insert slightly hysterical laughter)

But if it’s the Lord we’re waiting on … the payoff is STRENGTH and ENDURANCE. (Isaiah 40:31)

This past week, I feel like I’ve been given a second wind–and those eagles’ wings–and I’m just soaring.

First of all, the “breakthrough” came in the form of an answering email from the personage who critiqued my work months ago, and offered me a recommendation to her agent … and I found that email waiting for me last Thursday night after our Passover Seder. For those unfamiliar with the term, that’s a family dinner celebrating Passover as the Jewish people continue to, only with a Messianic twist–showing how all the elements of the dinner/service point to and are fulfilled in, our Machiach Yeshua. As someone raised thoroughly Gentile, I find it a beautiful and unique way to celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord.

So anyway … I’d been waiting a while to hear from said personage 🙂 and the email came right about the time we sat down to dinner. Coincidence? I really don’t think so. 🙂 And this means I’m moving abruptly from one season of waiting, into another–but a season I’ve looked forward to for quite a while.

And then, THIS week, before I’ve been able to move forward with the directive of last week, I received another amazing piece of news … my new book finaled in the sci-fi/fantasy category of this year’s Genesis contest, sponsored by ACFW. The joy is shot through with disappointment for two good friends who didn’t final (I never thought I’d score out higher than either of them)–reminding me once again how subjective these things are–but, after half a dozen contests in the past two years, I have to admit … this feels very nice.

The next step is the second round, and then the winners will be announced at the conference in Dallas, in September.

So, first-round finalists in the SF/F/spec fiction category are:

Beth Goddard
Rebecca Grabill
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirta Ane Schultz
Sherry Thompson

(If I get links to for the first Rebecca and Sherry, I’ll gladly add those as well!)

So. Here’s to the next phase of waiting and trusting the Lord’s mighty hand … Baruch HaShem Yeshua HaMachiach!