It’s Thanksgiving! I hope you and your family and friends are spending time together, eating good food, and most of all – remembering to be thankful for all our blessings.
Every year I make a mental list of the things for which I am thankful. And the list is long. This year, I especially want to make note of all the new writer friends and colleagues I have gained. Some of these people I have met through conferences and some through writers groups. My critique group is a wonderful source of encouragement and growth for me. My local ACFW group is a source of learning and fellowship. And there are numerous friends I have made at conferences that I can keep up with through social media.
In the past year, I have completed my manuscript, received a request to submit it to a publisher, had it fully critiqued, rewrote, edited, proofed, edited again, and had it read by a group of gracious beta readers. That’s a lot to accomplish in a year!
It’s been a lot of hard, but I don’t regret one minute of it. It’s a lifelong dream to have a finished book in my hand. The next part of that will be to get it published, so I have more dreams to look forward to in the coming year.
Most of all, I want to thank God for allowing me to be a part of what He’s doing in the world through fiction. I don’t take it lightly that He’s called me to write, and I count it a privilege to come alongside His work. It’s His story; He just let me write it down. I never want to forget that.
In the midst of turkey, dressing, and desserts, I hope we’ll all take a moment to reflect on what God has done in our lives this year and to give Him all the glory. I also hope that we’ll carry that attitude of gratitude with us each day of the coming year.
What are you thankful for this year? Leave a comment and let me know.
Hope Welborn 