Tabitha Caplinger's Blog: TabithaCaplinger.com

"Life's full of tough choices, idn't it?"- Ursula, Disney's The Little Mermaid.

Life is full of choices. Some are small, like do I want pancakes or toast for breakfast. Others are much more complex with bigger consequences. We can often wrestle with knowing what is the right choice.

Cliché advice is to 'follow your heart' or 'do what feels good.' But we know our own hearts can be deceitful and that what feels good isn't always good in the long term.

What is good anyway? How do we know if something is truly good or good for us? How do we even define good?

Recently, I've put a lot of thought into GOOD. As a Christ-follower, I believe that God is good and that His plans are good and that He wants good things for me. But is His definition of good the same as mine?

Good, when speaking of God, harkens to a Hebrew word, TOV, which is about something fulfilling its purpose. (For a deeper dive into this, you can check out this message.)

By this definition, good becomes less subjective and less about how something feels. It becomes more about purpose. So, let's go back to this whole idea of choices. How do we know if something really is good, or just feels good?

Here are some questions I ask myself when I need some help knowing which choice is good. (This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these are my top three.)

What does God's Word say?

Our go-to move should be to check the Bible. Which choice best aligns with what Scripture teaches us? The Word is the primary way God speaks to us, so it is the primary way we will gain the wisdom to know what to do. We can't get away from consulting Scripture. (Because this isn't always black and white, it can be good to talk to godly counsel who can help you understand God's Word if you need help processing.)

Is this more about building my kingdom or His Kingdom?

We are all created to know God and make Him known. So, when I have a choice to make that comes with consequences bigger than breakfast--ones that will impact my time, relationships, etc--then I want to be sure it aligns with His purposes. This isn't about looking so holy or being overtly preachy. This is about my motives and priorities. This question helps me check my own heart and ask myself my why.

For instance, when deciding whether it was good to make writing a priority, I asked this question. I love storytelling. I find delight in creating characters and worlds. I love being an author. But, I didn't want to make it just about me and building my fame, because that wouldn't ever really satisfy my soul. When I'm tempted to make it all about me, it gets discouraging and stressful. I actually ask myself this question often when it comes to writing, just to keep my heart in check and as a reminder of how I define success so I maintain peace.

What fruit will this produce? Is it the kind of fruit God desires and wants to nurture in my life? Is it fruit that will point to Him?

Choices will nurture the fruit we are producing--and we are always producing fruit--the question is just what kind. Something can feel good in the moment, but in the long term, it can steal our peace and joy, stress us out, and leave us bitter, resentful, or scared. Pausing to consider the impact this choice will have in our minds and hearts as well as what it will display to those around us, I've found to be super helpful.

We don't live in a vacuum. Our choices impact others. Sometimes very directly, and other times because they will consume the fruit that is nurtured in us. Because I am called to love God and love my neighbor, I have to consider if my choice will honor Him and if it's rooted in love for others.

In the end, it comes down to obedience, humility, and love--for God and others. I'm not looking for the easy choice or the comfortable choice, I'm looking for the wise choice...the tov choice.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.   For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him." John 3:16-17 NASB

We are entering an election year and that means a lot of people will probably get a lot angrier on the internet...and in real life...maybe...most likely. We feel the stakes and we have strong opinions and values. That's not a bad thing...necessarily. But, there are a lot of people who make more money when they get more clicks, and they get more clicks when we are scared and angry. If they can stoke our emotions, no matter who wins an election, they end up on top. (Learn about how algorithms work to better understand this.)

But beyond media moguls, there is a very real enemy who has the same game plan he's always had...to steal, kill, and destroy. He loves division. He loves to separate and tear down. It can be so easy to fall into the traps he lays that push us to devalue and dehumanize others with categories and boxes, and "us. vs. them" mindsets. He loves it when we forget that there is a real person on the other side of that issue, one created in the image of God with inherent value...one who is possibly hurting and broken, one who needs Jesus as much as we do. He loves it when we forget that we are called to be merciful, to be peacemakers. He loves it when we put opinions ahead of people.

We don't have to fall for his nonsense. We don't have to join in the division. We can contend for unity. Why should we? Because where there is unity God commands a blessing. Because we are Kingdom citizens with a Kingdom mission above all else--to know God and make Him known--to love God with all we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

We can't lose sight of love. God is love. God is motivated by love toward us. We should be motivated by love towards others. Not fear. Not pride. Not personal preferences. Love.

My pastor recently made the statement, "I'm not trying to win anything, I'm just trying to be loving." Too often, we get more concerned with winning arguments, rather than loving people to Jesus. Because the TRUTH of the Gospel is our mission, it's our primary objective, and it should inform everything we do. We are living, breathing, speaking, acting representatives of a living and loving God. It's His kingdom first. His mission first.

That doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't engage with politics and culture, but we have to do it His way. So, how?

How do we share our opinions without losing love?

I think the first thing we have to do is make sure our opinions align with His. We have to make sure our values align with His values. When we do that, our hearts will align with His heart and we will love what He loves. (Hint: God loves people.) We have to dig into the Word and get to know God for who He really is and to see what He really wants from us and for us. We have to check our assumptions and biases at the door, not relying solely on what we've been taught but searching Scripture for ourselves.

I love how Christopher J. Harris recently put it, "The conviction is, not to be a loyalist to a party, but be a loyalist to the text [Bible]."

We have to be students of the Word. The more we do this, the deeper we will know Him. I don't think you can know a God who is love without coming to value loving others the way He does. (We will also see that it's not as cut and dry as red or blue.)

How can we keep the TRUTH a priority?

Love and truth go hand in hand. God is love but He is also truth. Real love speaks truth because the truth sets us free. But...and this is a big but...the truth we prioritize and the truth we speak first is the Gospel. The truth of who Jesus is, our need for Him, and His saving grace are what people need to hear. And they need that truth first. You can't ask or expect someone to act like Jesus, obey Jesus, or live like Jesus if they don't know Jesus. Too often we put the cart before the horse and we try to get people to change their behavior, before introducing them to a good God who can transform their souls.

After all, it isn't our job to change anyone. We don't have that power. But we can introduce them to the God who does. And it is His kindness that leads to repentance, so we have to be models of that kindness and love.

How can we make souls the focus rather than winning arguments?

We have to keep our motives in check. We have to sit and talk to Jesus and let the Holy Spirit shine a light into our hearts. We have to be willing to look at the log in our own eye. Our focus gets skewed when we let fear or pride take the lead. And they can be sneaky. We tell ourselves we are loving people, but we are loving our own comfort more. We tell ourselves we are loving people, but really we are just scared.

The opposite of love isn't hate, it's fear. But, God didn't give us a spirit of fear. He may ask us to do scary things, but He doesn't use fear to motivate us. So, we have to pay attention to our motives. We have to be honest with ourselves about why we are doing or saying or posting certain things. Is it loving others or feeding fear? Is it to point others to Jesus or just our opinion? Does it align with His values (truly)? Am I saying it with grace? Is it fruitful or just adding to the noise?

Oh, and if we really care about loving our neighbors, how we say something is just as important as what we are saying. It doesn't matter if it's the truth if it lacks compassion and love in the way we say it. Our words should be full of grace and hope.

To anyone who's been around here for a while you've heard this before; we have a right to our opinion, but a responsibility to the Gospel. There's so much nuance and complexity to so many issues--there is so little that is black and white, cut and dry--except the Gospel. But the Gospel isn't easy. The Great Commission requires relationships, it requires conversations that are full of empathy, it requires a willingness to not just speak but also to listen. It asks us to be people who are willing to build bridges connecting our hearts to others so Jesus can cross over. As Carlos Whitaker says, "Don't stand on issues walk with people."

We don't have to fear. We serve a loving and good God who is sovereign over all things...including elections. He has plans and purpose. He is present no matter the outcome. In all of it, when we put Jesus and His Kingdom first, we become people full of and fueled by hope. The enemy hates that and the world needs that. So whatever you do or say, whichever conversations you engage in this year, don't lose the love. Don't lose the hope. Don't lose sight of Jesus who is the Way, Truth, and Life.

I work as a freelance editor, coach, and marketing strategist. I’ve also run multiple businesses, and I’ve been a teacher in various capacities for over fourteen years. Plus, I ran a publishing company for seven years. But if you had told eleven-year-old me that these would be my areas of expertise, I would have laughed at you. Because everyone knows that it’s impossible to make a career in these fields. No, eleven-year-old me was heading to veterinary school. I even visited the University of Georgia’s veterinary school open house. I was going in a solid science field that paid well. Turns out, God had other plans, and His plans are always way better than mine.

One thing that upended my plans was humbling. I brutally failed some higher math classes and did poorly in higher science classes. At age sixteen, I went into remedial math tutoring, all the way back to multiplication tables. While I could have still gone into the sciences, I had no interest in going through more mathematical ordeals that made my brain hurt. I studied hard for a year to get a 490 on the SATs, which meant I didn’t have to take a college math class (essential, because I was on an academic scholarship, and a D in math would have been disastrous). In college, I was finally diagnosed with a numerical processing disability that negatively impacted my ability to do higher math.

The second thing that upended my plans was surprising. In my senior year of homeschooling, there was a class I wanted to take, but it wasn’t available at the local co-op. So I did extensive research, chose a number of reputable books to study, created a syllabus and writing assignments for myself, completed them, and presented my findings to my evaluator. Little did I know that I had managed to absorb the principles of teaching. It just made sense to my brain—in the exact way that mathematics didn’t. Go figure that God understood my brain since He made it.

When I was in college, I ended up self-designing my major in Cross-Cultural Studies, ESL, and Writing since the Anthropology department had been dissolved the year before I began college. Again, I had to create my own learning plan and prove to qualified professionals that it was a valid field of study. I was also a go-to person for study tips, organized notes, and paper editing help, just through word of mouth. When I graduated, God continued to open doors for me to teach, edit, and write.

Admittedly, I’ve been sheepish at times, because I don’t have a degree in teaching, editing, business, or writing. Instead, my major was interdisciplinary, a mixture of all of those areas with a deep focus on understanding people and how to communicate with them. But God has opened doors, provided additional training and courses, and shown me that sometimes, the greatest ability is to have a deep desire to love Him, bring Him glory, and sacrificially love people like Jesus did. I’ve been able to help authors get published, delight readers with my words, help students love learning, and help books reach the right audience. My passion and gifts are nothing like I expected or planned when I was eleven, but I’m thankful for them every day. And I can’t wait to see what God has in store next.

Janeen Ippolito believes that books change the world. She’s the multi-published author of 20+ books, including bestselling fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. She’s also an experienced editor and marketing strategist, and for seven years was the CEO of Uncommon Universes Press, a publishing company with award-winning books. Oh, and she hosts the Author Elevate Podcast and speaks regularly at conferences. In her spare time, she helps her epic husband with his youth swordfighting ministry, indulges her foodie ambitions, reads whatever she wants, and explores a slew of random hobbies. Her life goals include traveling to Antarctica and riding a camel while wearing a party hat. She loves to collaborate and encourage, so connect with her on social media or at janeenippolito.com

What does it mean to Live Chosen?

As I reflected on this question, I found I struggled to find the answer. On the surface, it seems simple: Living Chosen means being a child of God. Having a neverending hope. Believing in the impossible. Knowing I have a Father who loves me unconditionally.

But the more I thought about it, I realized I don’t struggle with the knowledge that I’ve been chosen. I struggle with choosing to Live Chosen.

This past summer, my family adopted a rescue dog. My sweet Luna-girl is a pit-lab mix who loves to love and often doesn’t recognize her own size. We aren’t sure of what her past was, since she was found on the street and given to the Humane Society. But judging from how she reacts sometimes, I believe some sort of been involved.

When we first brought her home she was afraid of everything. She wouldn’t go near the stairs or leave the yard to go for a walk. When a new person was introduced to her, she would freeze, her sad puppy eyes watching and waiting. No matter how much we cuddled her or told her how much she was loved, there was no way to force her to believe it.

Eventually, she wanted to be with us all the time. When we would leave the house for just an hour, it would cause her great distress. Even now, after having had her for 3 months, she hates it when any of us leave the house. She’ll mope around, refuses to eat, won’t play, and often chooses to remain in her bed for hours.

Still, we continue to snuggle and love on her. We try to use soft, kind voices when speaking with her. Over time, she’s learned to begin to trust us. She now does stairs and will go for a walk—although climbing into a car is still a no-go. And yet, we persevere, reminding her daily that she is safe and loved.

And yet… even though we chose to adopt her, to make her a part of our family, even though we will never abandon her or give her up… she’s fearful.

In the same way, the hurts and traumas from my past keep me from fully Living Chosen by God, at times. It’s a daily task to wake up and choose to Live Chosen. To not allow the lies of my past to invade my brain and tell me that I’m alone. That I haven’t been chosen after all.

Sometimes, when I hold a treat out for my dog, begging her to come to me, she won’t come to me because of fear.

In the same way, God stands before me, begging me to trust in Him, to believe I’m safe, to accept His love and guidance. And yet, I don’t fully trust. I don’t allow myself to step out of the false security of this world because I’ve forgotten that I am Chosen. I am a child of God. I am invited into His kingdom for all of eternity.

For me, Living Chosen means admitting that I’m human. I forget the goodness of God, sometimes. I allow my past to make my heart grow stubborn and confused.

Living Chosen means waking up each day and allowing God to remind me that I am Chosen. I’m chosen by Him no matter what I’ve done in the past and no matter what lies ahead. I am already Chosen.

Ultimately, it’s my choice to choose to Live Chosen.

Laura L. Zimmerman lives in a tiny rural town in south-central

Pennsylvania with her husband, daughters, and four adorable kitties. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing loudly, and pretending to do yoga.​She’s an avid coffee and tea drinker, enjoys learning ASL, and is a sucker for anything Jane Austen related. Thanks to a certain boy-wizard, she may or may not be convinced she’s the long-lost twin of Luna Lovegood. Laura has been married to her Mr. Darcy for 23 years.

She loves to read and write YA sci-fi and fantasy and middle grade mystery. Her favorite tropes are enemies-to-lovers and grumpy/sunshine.

Connect with her on:

Facebook or Instagram

You can find all of her books on her website. Her newest middle-grade novel, The Curse of Ozpa Springs, releases October 24th. Preorder it here.

Finding the balance between perseverance and surrender.

The best advice always sounds so simple, even obvious. When you hear it, you feel like you knew it already. At some level, you probably did, but you needed someone to remind you.

This happened to me Sunday. When I’m not writing, I often play music at a large church in Atlanta. I was hanging out in the green room and talking to other musicians about ambition, creativity, and the pursuit of goals.

I recognize that, in and of themselves, those aren’t the most spiritual pursuits. I constantly struggle with balancing my deeply ingrained ideals of working hard and persevering until I achieve success with Jesus’s extremely clear statement that I should not worry over what I will eat, drink, or wear.

The notion of “let go and let God” has never sat quite right with me. Should we relentlessly and tirelessly pursue our God-given (at least, we hope so) passions? Or should we stop trying to make things happen on our own power and instead leave room for God to work?

My friends and I discussed these questions for 20 minutes or so, not really arriving at much of an answer. I told them that a little over a year ago, I quit worrying so much about what would happen with my writing. Before that, I constantly thought about how to put myself in front of the right person at the right time with the right book proposal. I was determined to control my fate.

It was exhausting.

After many years of living that way, I was burned out. I didn’t quit writing; I quit concerning myself so much with what people thought about my writing. I stopped worrying about offers of agent representation and publishing deals. I merely did my work and let God handle the rest.

A few months later, I got a book contract.

But you can’t fake surrender to get what your heart desires. For the Christians reading this blog, I want to make that point very clear. Obviously, I had made an idol out of success and yes, I suspect that God waited until I surrendered that idol to present me with the opportunity. That doesn’t mean you can trick God into giving you what you want by pretending to let go. Trust me; I’ve tried that, too.

I’m also not saying that, once you surrender, your goals will finally present themselves to you as they did for me.

What I am saying is that once you truly let go, you will find deeper peace either way. You will find more joy and contentment in the journey.

Back to Sunday. At the end of the second church service, I spoke to another friend who has accomplished quite a lot in his field. He’s going through challenges of his own and I asked him how he finds the balance between working hard and trusting God.

“I just know that I’ve done all I can do,” he said with a shrug. “After that, it’s in God’s hands.”

It seemed so obvious when he said it, but I needed to hear the words, nonetheless.

Hearing God requires stillness and faith. For those of us who strive, there always seems to be more that we could do and, technically, that’s true. But I believe the Holy Spirit whispers to let us know when we have reached the limit of our responsibilities; when we approach that line between joyful obedience to God’s calling and the prideful attempt to wrestle control away from Him.

To hear that voice, we must listen.

So while I write this blog fully admitting that I hope for more book deals (God willing, y’all) and a career that lets me spend more time on my passions, I recognize that the real blessing is knowing He is in control and will deliver to me a fate far greater than any I could ever engineer.

For me, that’s what it means to live chosen.

Clint Hall is an author and podcaster who has been writing stories since middle school, where he spent most of his time in English class creating comic books. (Fortunately, his teacher not only allowed it; she bought every issue.)

Known for stories of hope, wonder, and adventure, Clint has been published across multiple anthologies and magazines. He has also authored numerous pieces for IBM, The Weather Company, The Masters, Adweek, and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.

You can find him hosting panels at conventions, online at ClintHall.com, or at “The Experience: Conversations with Creatives” podcast, available on all major platforms.

Clint's debut novel, Steal Fire From The Gods, will release in November 2023 from Enclave Publishing/Oasis Family Media.

Connect with Clint Hall on Instagram

Preorder Steal Fire From The Gods

I was raised in the church. I have more pastors in my family than not. I understand calling and I know what it is like to try to do something other than what you were chosen to do and then realize that the only option for truly knowing peace and fulfillment is obedience. I’ve not always been excited about that fact. To be honest, when I was in my younger years, there were times that growing up in ministry, I felt like a trained seal balancing a ball on my nose. It was wash, rinse, repeat with a few disparaging comments from people who may not appreciate what God had chosen me to do. I don’t mean for that to sound harsh, but there have been times when knowing what you were called to do and dealing with the struggles of that calling made the struggle pretty real.

But thankfully, we grow, and we mature and as we get more life experience under our belt, we also see that the faithfulness of God is constant and gracious. Now, as an adult, I look back and realize that all those seasons of hardship didn’t destroy me, as I thought they might at the time. But what they did do was show me how the Creator of the Universe knew the number of every hair on my head and had no intention of forgetting my name while He also looked over others that He so lovingly had chosen as well. The greatest lesson that I have learned and never divert from when I am using my gifts and working within my calling is how much I need the Savior who chose me.

I am a mental health counselor. I hear normal everyday tales of people managing and overcoming the issues that life throws at them. I hear both the good and bad as well as the sad, heart-wrenching recollections of broken lives that are in need of healing and restoration. There is never a time when I am not cognizant of how much God is needed in the room. It’s not me that heals or restores, because I don’t have the answers. I can recommend and suggest, but I have no control over anyone but myself. It’s humbling when someone comes back to me and thanks me for the help that they have received because I realize that any healing that they have experienced, is not by my power, but it’s been that they have been willing to do the work and God has in turn shown up in their lives by HIS power. What I know is that in order for bonds to be broken in people’s lives, I can work as the catalyst, but God is the activator. Without the activator, the catalyst can try to speed those atoms up as much as they want, but there will be no change. I am humbled by that fact every time I step into the room and ask someone to trust me as I point them to the only Power that can change a life.

I have been asked what I do when I realize that someone isn’t ready to do the work that it takes to make their life better. I have learned that it’s my job to offer tools and give them support by walking with them on their journey, but it’s not my job to do the work for them no matter how much I want to help. I’ve learned that if I do my job and the person wants the change enough to follow the treatment plan, which means taking responsibility for their decisions, then they open up the door wide for God to step through and take all of the broken pieces of their life and make something beautiful like only He can do. I’m just so grateful to witness the miracle.

Radonda works as a counselor with Chesterfield Counseling Associates in Chesterfield, MO.

www.chesterfieldca.com

Have you ever felt like life is a contradiction? Charles Dickens's famous line from "The Tale of Two Cities" might ring true for you: "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." When we're frustrated or in pain, it's easy to feel alone. However, we're not alone in our suffering. God and Satan are both at work in our lives. In moments of pain, it can be tempting to believe Satan's lies. Instead, we can choose to believe in God's faithfulness, as King David did. David was confident that he would see the goodness of the Lord even in the midst of his problems. “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”(Psalm 27:13).

When I couldn’t find a human solution for my own pain, I gave up and turned all my attention to the Lord. It was time to walk through the desert and see what God wanted me to learn. I took to His Word every single day—studying, learning, praying. He was no longer my pre-show or the intermission, he became the main attraction in my life. Plain and simple, I took the time to know him. Was I still in pain? Yes, I was. But something wonderful took place after several years of seeking him. I developed a deeper relationship with my Creator. My faith grew. Without my pain, I’m not sure I would have found this more wholly wonderful faith that yields love and trust instead of fear.

Dr. Tony Evans summarizes our journey through life perfectly: “Between Eden and heaven, we have nothing but problems because this world is under the curse of sin. The first tree that Adam ate from messed us up. The second tree that Jesus Christ died on fixed us up. And in heaven there will be a third tree, the tree of life (Revelation 22:2) that will keep us fixed up.” So, I choose to "live chosen" every day and trust in God's goodness even in the midst of my struggles. You can too.

Sherry Torgent is an award-winning young adult and middle grade author whose works have been recognized by Benjamin Franklin IBPA awards, Foreward Indies, and Next Generation Indie. Her books are creative and fast-paced with supernatural elements that keep readers turning the pages. (Clean Teen Fiction appropriate for Middle Grade.)

When she's not writing, she's looking for her next great thrift find or working in her greenhouse. She lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband and their rescue dog, Mr. Bates.

You can connect with Sherry on Instagram or Facebook.

Growing up, I wouldn’t have described myself as the runt of the litter, but I was definitely on the small side. My parents recognized early on that I wasn’t going to be as tough as my two older siblings. For example, I wilted when the temperature outside rose above seventy-five degrees, my Scottish genes turning my face an unflattering shade of bright pink. My inability to tolerate the heat provided a get-out-of-jail-free card from gym class on numerous occasions, which was fine with me. Sports weren’t my thing. Whenever someone threw a ball in my direction, I’d either duck or run. (Common sense, right?) Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly the first one chosen when teams were formed at recess.

Whether it’s a group of kids selecting a shortstop for a pick-up game of baseball, or a bank executive hiring a regional director, the goal is to pick the most talented, the smartest, and—at times—the most attractive. That could be us, or a more qualified contender could come along placing us in the unchosen category.

God, on the other hand, tends to seek out the most unlikely candidate…at least in human terms. For example, Saul checked off all the boxes on Israel’s job application for a king, but it was David, a young shepherd boy, who succeeded in defeating their enemies.

I was sixteen years old and an emotional trainwreck when I accepted Christ's invitation to follow him. If He were looking for someone strong, capable, and put together, He wouldn’t have even glanced in my direction. But He saw me in my brokenness and said, “I pick her.”

A talent—and task —God has given me is writing books. I’ve always loved to write; I began penning stories and poems in elementary school. But my best work didn’t result from earning an “A” on an English class term paper, or even from winning a literary award. Instead, it happened when I experienced rejection from two publishers before a third accepted my first book. It happened when I received that first round of edits and saw more red ink than black! Then, I began to view correction—and even failure—as necessary mentors that taught me to dig deeper, work harder, and develop a new level of dependence on God.

To “live chosen” means considering the notion that perhaps God’s love pursues us not despite our flaws and failures but because of them. For, as we reckon with our limitations, we learn reliance on God’s limitless power and provision.

Even though I’m (much) older now, I still wilt when the temperature outside rises above seventy-five degrees, my Scottish genes turning my face an unflattering shade of bright pink. And, if someone throws something in my direction, I’ll duck or run…just not as quickly as I used to! But, most importantly, I remain grateful to Christ for choosing that sixteen-year-old girl who was an emotional trainwreck…and changing her life forever.

Then again, He tends to seek out the most unlikely candidate. At least in human terms.

Two-time Award-winning writer Jan Hemby is a native North Carolinian who is proud of her small-town heritage. Her first novel, The Gates Manor Band, was published in 2016 with the sequel, Secrets and Surrender, debuting in February 2019. Her book, Burnt Toast: Devotions for Imperfect People, was released in February of 2018 and ranked number six out of the top one hundred new devotional releases on Amazon. It also received the silver medal in the Jenkins Group Illumination Book Awards’ 2019 Enduring Light Devotional Category. Jan’s first novel, The Gates Manor Band, also received the silver medal from the Jenkins Group Illumination Book Awards’ 2020 Enduring Light Christian Fiction category.

Jan is also an inspirational speaker who has been featured at numerous book clubs, libraries, churches, and civic organizations. She currently lives in Wilson, North Carolina with her husband, Billy. They have two grown daughters, Hope and Cara, and two grand-puppies, Gatsby and Daisy.

Connect with Jan on social media:

Facebook

I nstagram

I have been a published author for almost five years now and it’s still surreal to think about. When I first started my writing journey, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing! My original plan for my life was to attend law school and become a lawyer. But when God told me no (twice, actually) I waffled for a while on what I was meant to do with my life. It wasn’t until a good friend of mine encouraged me to start writing as an outlet to help me through a difficult time that my writing journey began.

I started all sorts of stories. Some were ideas that are now books on reader’s shelves! Other ideas will never see the light of day. Throughout my writing journey, I have always seen God’s hand. Only through His guidance, what started as an outlet, has turned into something so much more.

While I was working on a series idea (which has now become The Legacy Chapters), I had the idea for Heartmender. It wasn’t the entire book series or even the plot of the first book—only a snippet of a scene. I thought the idea was really interesting and jotted it down but proceeded to work on the other series. Days after, the idea for Heartmender kept gnawing at me and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was then I heard a sermon about God giving us ideas, but we, being too fearful or unsure, let them pass by. I knew then that God wanted me to write--what is now the best-selling, award-winning Heartmaker Trilogy.

But this journey wasn’t always easy. Yes, I had two degrees, but neither were in English or Creative Writing. I had SO much to learn (and am still learning). I tried self-publishing, but that was a flop. I tried querying agents and had no bites. Many said they loved the story idea, but it wasn’t the right fit for their brand. Eventually, I met my husband, got married, and became pregnant with our first son. Knowing a lot of changes were coming my way, I decided to put my writing aspirations on hold. And that was when God decided to grant me my first publishing contract. I knew that in both areas of my life—motherhood and becoming an author—He wanted me to rely on Him to help me learn and grow..

Fast forward to now and God has led me in so many ways. When I’ve been lost in my writing, He has helped me find the way. When I’ve wanted to quit, He’s encouraged me that my writing is only paused, not done. Throughout all my triumphs and struggles, I’ve seen Him molding me and my stories into the witness He wants them to be. Any new path in life is never easy, but if you’re on the path that God wants you to be on, you will make it through. Trust in Him and His guidance.

V. Romas Burton grew up bouncing up and down the East Coast where she wrote her first story about magical ponies at age seven. Years later, after studying government and earning an M.A. in Theological Studies, V. Romas Burton realized something even bigger was calling out to her--stories that contained great adventures and encouraging messages. Her debut novel, Heartmender, has won several awards including First Place in Young Adult for the 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Second Place in Juvenile/ Young Adult for the 2021 Illumination Book Awards, and tied for Third Place for Young Adult Fiction- Fantasy/Sci-Fi in the 2020 Moonbeam Children's Awards.

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Living Chosen Through Storytelling

I wrote my first story in kindergarten. I don’t remember what it was about, but it was probably a bizarre amalgamation of My Little Ponies and Star Trek. You know, I was a weird kid.

Story has always been my love language. If you want to be my friend, tell me a story. And if it’s a funny story, that’s even better. One of my favorite things to do with close friends is to introduce them to movies or books they haven’t experienced.

I see the world in stories. I walk into a coffee shop, and I make up stories for the people sitting at the tables. What might the dude in the three-piece suit be typing on his fancy-schmancy laptop? What is the girl with the mohawk thinking right now? What possessed that parent to buy their child a triple-shot espresso?

But it took me until last year, as a 40-year-old reluctant adult, to understand what story has done for me spiritually and emotionally.

When I was young, I told myself stories all the time. I thought I did it because my brain was overactive. Telling stories was just what I did. It was how I entertained myself.

Come to find out, stories were my therapy. They were my coping mechanism when life didn’t make sense. Even as a child, I developed characters to help me understand the grownups in my life. Why they did what they did. Why they said what they said. Why they hurt each other.

But I didn’t figure out the people in my life by myself. You can’t expect an eight-year-old kid with no real-life experience to be able to comprehend complex trauma and how it manifests in adult relationships. Writing became my therapy because I had to have an outlet to process the inconsistencies of life between what actually was and what the Bible said was true.

I decided at a young age that Jesus was my guy. I don’t remember the actual day it happened. I know I walked the aisle on Palm Sunday when I was seven, but from that moment on, I was 110% sold out for Jesus and His Word. And by His grace, I haven’t looked back or wandered off yet. But I didn’t really understand what it meant to live for Him and by Him and through Him until I hit college.

I lived and breathed God’s Word. I craved it. I read it every day and looked for verses to remember throughout the day. And it never failed: God would always give me something. And then as I got older, that became something I could share with other people.

I’ll never forget putting a post-it note of Colossians 3:23 on my computer at work, to remind myself that I should work as though I were working for the Lord and not for people. A coworker asked me about it, and I explained it—and even though she knew the Bible, she’d never thought about it that way. She’d never thought about using it in her everyday life.

That was a turning point for me.

I’d always dreamed of being a bestselling author with books lined up spine-out on the shelves of the local bookstores. I imagined television interviews and radio shows where I’d have to be quick-witted and funny and charming (so I figured I had to practice to be prepared). I envisioned awards for exceptional creativity and skill in craft.

So, just to be clear, none of that happened. And I am so very okay with that. Because somewhere in the middle of my career as a storyteller, God led me to start telling stories about what He has taught me. I started making my stories about the Truth—His Word.

He had sheltered me, protected me, guided me, taught me, redeemed me, and restored me. I wanted to tell those stories, and, what’s more, I wanted other people to know that I wasn’t special. That He could do it for them too.

Once I started looking at my career through the purpose God had for my life, my whole perspective changed. Sure, winning awards or gaining fame and status would be nice, but the only reason I’d want that now is to make the name of Jesus known more effectively than I can already.

That’s how I found my passion and my purpose. Letting Jesus change my heart and mind, allowing Him to transform the way I think. Storytelling will always be my love language, but my heart is using stories to show people what it looks like to follow Jesus.

They’re not always overt (I write samurai superhero novels, for crying out loud). Sometimes it’s a story about loving someone who is unlovable, or maybe it’s a story about standing up to do what’s right even when you know you’re going to suffer for it. They’re biblical principles if not Bible stories.

Actually, my first full-length non-fiction work, a Christian lifestyle book about choosing joy when life isn’t joyful, will be releasing from Bold Vision Books soon. But even then, I wrote it with the same purpose as my fiction books: To help everyday people get to know our extraordinary Jesus.

Living chosen as a daughter of God is the greatest gift and responsibility of my life. It both fulfills and challenges me. And believe me, when you put Jesus at the center of your career choices, you can’t imagine the adventures you’ll have, the memories you’ll make, and the stories you’ll get to share.

Author A.C. Williams is a coffee-drinking, sushi-eating, story-telling nerd who loves cats, country living, and all things Japanese. She’d rather be barefoot, and if she isn’t, her socks won’t match. With fifteen published books in both fiction and non-fiction, she is a Realm Award winner and a Selah Award finalist, as well as the 2022 Arise Daily Writer of the Year. She is also a popular monthly contributor to two blogs ranked in Writer’s Digest’s Top 101 sites for authors. Follow her adventures at her website, www.amycwilliams.com.

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