The Beginnings

Last week I attended a conference called She Speaks in North Carolina. Similar to 800 other ladies, I’m left processing all that went on. The good news is, I received clear direction as to what to do with my book manuscript. But before we get into all that. . . like every good storyteller, I must start from the very beginning.

Writing a book wasn’t actually on my bucket list. Growing up, my best friend used to joke she would keep a notebook about me and someday write a book of “Lisa Stories.” I always seemed to find myself in the most interesting predicaments from flooding my parents’ kitchen floor with bubbles, to decorating the ceiling with orange juice, to flying over the handle bars of my banana bike.

In the eighth grade, Miss U kindled a quiet love affair with writing. Deep down, I loved to write! However, it only expressed itself in academic ways until I graduated from college. Soon after, I found myself with way too many words for my introverted husband, so I began to journal. Since I was a stay at home mom, I talked to the only other person there, God.

As I communed with God through reading and journaling, I began expressing my thoughts about God and His truths in article form. My hard drive became littered with such articles until one day God said, “This is for your blog.” Within a week I started the blog and the Samson Series was born.

For the last year and a half I have been sharing my God thoughts with you, and naturally my mind began to drift to dreams about writing a book. In fact, when we were looking for a house, I told our realtor, “This is where I will write my first book.” We bought that home.

At the time, my life was in transition because our youngest was entering school. Would I go back into teaching, as I had done before our first was born, or was it time to open my heart to something new? I took an internship at our church and learned to effectively run a ministry. A job became available, and it seemed to make perfect sense that I would apply. However, God was saying, “Not yet.”

Four months I waited. Other job opportunities came along, but still, God said, “Not yet.” Finally, I decided I could take up substitute teaching while God made up His mind. However, due to a glitch, I was forced to wait until the following school year to apply. “Oh,” I thought, “You meant, not yet!”

Around the first of the year, I stumbled across Joanna Weaver’s book, “Having a Mary Spirit.” As I read, it was as though God was saying, “This is the book I want you to write in your own words from your own experience.” Finally! I had my assignment.

Tune back in tomorrow for the rest of the story!!