Managing the “In-Between”

In the in-between— 

Straddling two big writing projects, I was stalled out.

Which book is next, Lord?

A month went by then another and another. Come on, Lord, hurry it up. Which book do I focus on? I need some direction please.

Then I won a partial scholarship to a three-month Online Writer’s Class. Wonderful, I’ll post pieces from each book to use as a directional testing ground. These wise writers will help me discern which book is next. 

I posted an 800 word piece that is written to the heart of birthmothers, adoptees, and adoptive moms. I told about how for twenty-one years, I wrote letters to my two daughter’s birthmothers. 

As I read the comments posted by birthmothers and adoptive moms, tears pooled in my eyes. Your letters helped them heal. It was a kiss of comfort and an aha moment for me. Even in my thirties my aim to write has been to help women heal, to fall deeply in love with Father God, and to grow deep roots in the Truth.  

After the comments, I swung and posted a piece of writing from my other project, on how to survive living in days of deception. 

Do you think God was getting tired of my crazy hurry-it-up plan and pleas in prayer? Like positioning myself ahead of God. How foolish am I.

Can you relate? Have you ever done such a thing?

A few more weeks went by and I taught and spoke at The Well Conference for Christian Creatives. I had free time and I landed in a chair in a pre-conference session, taught by superb teacher Cindy Bultema and received a golden nugget on leadership. She encouraged us to write down topics we desired clarity in.  I wrote. Book. Book. Those two books I was straddling.

The next morning, in the hotel, I awakened and grabbed my coffee, propped myself up in bed and opened up to Crickett Keeth’s Bible study on 2 Timothy, called, Living Out a Life that Matters. I highly recommend this study!

Then cracking open my big study Bible, I turned to the passage Crickett was referring to, Colossians 1:23-29.  Verse 29 states “ For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” 

I stopped. Reread it. “ For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” 

My eyes teared-up. Finally, I had my answer about which book to write next.

The verse of words in my Bible were highlighted, underlined, and even dated.

 The word “Purpose” was highlighted in yellow. “I labor, striving according” was underlined and “His power” was highlighted in yellow. And written below this verse in my handwriting is, Write Darlene, birth the book, plus the title of the book that Carol Kent spoke into my heart at the Speak Up Conference 2011. 

His answer finally came. Right in His book. Freeing, knowing His way leads. 

And you may wonder why the time lapse with a book title and the product being produced. That would be called writing in the wait, healing, growing in the Lord, as God prepares our audience to be receptive for what we have learned to help them get through what we just waded through—survival while living in deception. 

Let’s Review 

Lessons we learn in the in-between of waiting, wondering, speaking, and writing.

1. Pray.
2. Write.
3. Speak.
4. Rewrite. (We release our writing in critique groups and classes. 80% of our writing, if not more, is rewriting.) 
5. Learn from other leaders. 
6. Receive.
7. Attend classes and conferences.
8. Write some more.
9. Listen and obey His promptings in the wait. I almost left my big study Bible home from the conference. But it was as if the LORD whispered to me, Pack your big Bible, you are driving to this conference, you have messages all over in your Bible dated to your timeline of life.
10. Keep writing, waiting, speaking and praying, until we know His way. 

He is faithful! 

Question:  What has God used to break through your silence in a season of waiting—a conference, a conversation, a Scripture, or something else entirely? I look forward to your comments.

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