Happy New Year!
A new start is always refreshing. It can be a hopeful time that things will turn out better than we anticipate or at least not be so bad.
UPDATE
You may remember my concerns because I hadn’t heard back from Nielsen, the international book data base. Well, in the end I emailed them, and with their advice applied again. Within a few days we were able to register Martha Martha. Another hurdle jumped, all helping to develop those flight muscles.
The other bit of news is, we’re off to a conference on evangelism next week - and no I didn’t see that one coming either - where we hope to make some contacts and get ideas to help find new outlets for Martha Martha. I’m keeping an open mind.
PLANS FOR 2023
To register Martha Martha with one of the largest book wholesalers, so she is more readily available to outlets. Thank God for my husband; without him the whole process would be terrifying not just difficult.
Also to prepare a collection of short stories, each the product of specific criteria given by a skilled teacher, largely the result of a night school writing course, back in 2008; a most productive time. They will form the core of the collection I’d like to publish this year, along with one or two slightly longer stories completed more recently in between work on Martha. Having something different to work on was refreshing.
I also have plans for two children’s books; one from a Christmas sermon, which needs work, and the other is an exciting seed; both are part of the Christmas story. Retirement eh! I think not.
THE WORLD WOULD TELL US WE NEED TO BELEIVE IN OURSELVES AND UP TO A POINT, YES THAT HELPS
We should have a sense of self worth, but it’s so much wiser to believe in the God who called and chose us, rather than putting too much belief in ourselves. He made us and knows us inside out and upside down, and has great plans for us, but those plans don’t come to fruition because of our great attributes - no they come about because of his wonderful attributes; a Father who cares deeply for his children and wants the best for them, a Father who will deny his child nothing, as long as it is good and wholesome and beneficial to their growth and development, helping them to grow spiritually to be more like his first born son Yeshua/Jesus.
Since the launch of Martha Martha on the 21st October, I’ve been fairly busy, continuing on the path as God has directed my steps, some of which I have shared on Instagram and facebook. During this time, through the kind, encouraging comments of Martha’s readers, I have learnt to believe in the book that God asked me to write. This belief didn’t come naturally or easily but now I believe it is a good product and that has given me a boldness that I did not have before and the seed of a gifting I wasn’t really aware of.
Believing in Him and following where he takes you or moving in the direction he shows you; working with him and not against him; being steadfast and persevering is what is required, until we become secure in His love. And from that close relationship, based on being chosen and therefore knowing we are loved and approved of, comes a confidence and a peace that can’t be beaten and that the world can’t take away - working from his approval not for his approval.
Be loved,
Ceridy
P.S. God let his son die to save everyone - no one was left out - but sadly not everyone choses to respond to his love for them by believing. He gave us the choice to love him back.