God's Spot-On Timing

with guest Krista Phillips.

Photo Credit: Olivia Snow Unsplash

Back in 2004, my hubby and I were debating a move/job change. It would be a HUGE life-changing deal. We prayed about it. But when we didn’t get a specific answer, I did what I always do. 

I took things into my own hands and made a plan. <3 font="" plans="">

I had every single detail timed out to almost the hour. I remember the day. It was a Tuesday. I was supposed to hear back sometime that day if I “got” the job, which would determine our move and set my plan in motion. But in order for my grand plan to work, I had to get that call by noon. I was convinced it couldn’t happen any other way.

I sat at my desk all morning, jumping every time the phone rang. But that phone call didn’t come. The clock ticked over to 12:01. I sighed. It wasn’t meant to be. No new job. No move closer to family. I might as well take my plan that I’d worked SO HARD on and throw it in the trash. At 12:05, I stood to go to lunch, completely dejected. 

Then the phone rang.

And in that moment, before I even answered it, I knew it was them offering me the job. I had this mental picture of God smirking just a bit, having delayed that call from coming in an extra five minutes just to remind me that HE was in charge and my timeline was worthless when it comes to a big God who can move mountains.

They did offer me the job. At a higher salary than I expected. I marched into my boss’s office and kindly told them I was moving and gave them my already-written- 2-week notice. (I was prepared!)

What does that have to do with writing, you ask?

That little reminder that God so lovingly taught me by delaying a phone call an extra five minutes has served as a constant and needed reminder throughout my writing journey.

Photo credit: Ales Krivec Unsplash

God’s timing.

Not Krista’s.

Period.

As I was contemplating how best to share with you God’s unique timing in MY writing journey, I thought you really needed to SEE the timing. 

Krista’s Writing Journey

May 2007: We bought a house. The previous owner was a writer. His galley edits from Zondervan were sent to my house in error. (And I peeked… so sue me. He knows and thought it was funny…) It was as if God pointed his finger at that package and said, “WRITE.” Three months later, I’d finished my first novel.

2007-2010: I realized I stunk at writing. So I set my hand to learning it, editing as I went. Wrote a new book. Networked. Went to conferences. 

April 2010: I semi-finaled in my first writing contest. That same week we found out our 4th child, still in the womb, only had half of a heart. 

July 2010: Annabelle was born. She almost died multiple times. I didn’t care one bit about writing. 

January 2011: Annabelle was still in the hospital. I received a call from an editor friend asking for a proposal. Our conversation was interrupted by doctors coming in for a meeting to tell us they thought Annabelle would die unless we listed her for a heart transplant.

March/April 2011: Editor asked for full manuscript. Annabelle got her new-to-her-heart but still struggled.

June 2011: Annabelle almost died when her new-to-her heart failed. A week later, I got a call from the editor of Abingdon, offering me a contract. 

July 2011: Annabelle almost died at home just 3 days after her 1st birthday. She was life-flighted to the hospital. What was this writing thing again?

September 2012: BOOK RELEASE! But honestly? I found it hard to care. Home oxygen, g-tube feeds, 3+ therapy appointments a week and weekly doctor appointments took precedent. My book sales never did great on that book, but still—publishing stuff helped a little to get my mind off the crazy.

2012-2014: Krista did super good to get out of bed each morning. 

2014-2016: My years of recovery. God was slowly healing places in my heart and allowing writing to be cathartic again. I indie published a few novellas just for kicks. It helped.

February 2016: I decided to indie publish the novel my agent had been shopping. The day I was taking the first step to do so, I got an email from my agent asking me to hold off. Barbour was interested.

August 2016: The summer had been—ugh. Lots of health issues with my daughter. I was SO thankful I didn’t keep my plan to publish the novel on my own. During the mess, I got a phone call from my agent. Barbour/Shiloh Run Press was offering me a contract.

November 1, 2017: The Engagement Plot released.

This timeline doesn’t mention the smaller moments like ARCS arriving and positive reviews coming on the exact day Annabelle ran a fever/puked/visited the ER and scared the wits out of her momma. 

During one such moment this past summer, I panicked. I texted a friend and told her I needed to quit writing. It was making my daughter sick. Every time something GOOD would happen in my writing life, something BAD would happen with Annabelle.

It felt like God either had a sick sense of humor, or I was just a horrible mother.

I’d always told myself it was God timing it out to make me keep writing in a proper perspective. But secretly, I’d also feared that He was punishing me for following my dream of writing. It wasn’t a new fear, but the first time I’d allowed myself to voice it to someone else.

That friend lovingly told me how ridiculous that was. 

If God really didn’t want me to write, he wouldn’t go about it by harming my child. He is a GOOD Father. I can trust Him. Period.

He called me to pursue writing back in 2007, and in a way that was clear and left no doubt.
The only thing that had ever told me otherwise was my fears. And fear, my friends, is not from God.

I took my fear (finally) to Jesus. In time, I saw this picture of God seeing the hurts that come with life. Those same hurts have molded me into a completely different person than I was when I started ten years ago. which now enables me to give much more depth to my stories, because *I* have more depth. Then, He sprinkled in some good news with the bad. He allowed smile moments during some of my lowest, darkest points. He timed them out to perfection to be exactly when I needed them most.

It was such a healing picture for me, one that my heart needed very badly.

Photo credit: Heather Zabriskie Unsplash

His timing is perfection.

So many of us have seasons of discouragement, of fear, of being told wait, of having bad news upon bad news, both in writing AND in real life. Or maybe even being told to put aside writing for a while even though you were so sure this is what God wanted you to do when you started.

I want to encourage you, no matter if you’re in a “go” or “wait” or “I-feel-like-God-is-telling-me-to-go-but-all-I-get-are-road-blocks” season, to hold on to Jesus. To remember that writing isn’t your whole journey, but a piece of it. To keep your focus your eyes on God, because looking at the bumps in this journey, both writing and life in general, can make you dizzy and nauseous if your eyes are trained on them instead of on Jesus, who is steady and constant and unwavering in his love for you.

What are some ways God has worked his timing out in YOUR writing journey? Have you ever had a season where you had to put it aside, or you felt like you were following God’s leading but didn’t see results and doubted your calling?

Krista is generously giving away one copy of The Engagement Plot to one commenter. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

Can Hanna and Will Find True Love amid the Bright Lights of Reality TV? 

Six months ago, William stole Hanna’s heart and shattered it in front of millions of people on a reality TV dating show. And now the big-wig CEO is back on Hanna’s home turf in Minnesota and wants her to forgive him? Fat chance of that. But life is swirling around faster than snow in a blizzard, and despite her objections, teaming up with William seems like the only option to rescue her reputation.

              

William has never regretted anything more than the day he gave that ill-fated interview for the reality show, The Price of Love. But while he can’t change the past, he’s determined to fix the future. He just needs to convince Hanna to forgive him—and pretend to be engaged with him. Simple, right?

When the media erupts with even worse accusations, teaming up and pretending to be engaged seems to be the only way to salvage their reputations.  Despite the media frenzy that swirls around them, an attraction neither of them can fight off begins to surface. Could this love run deeper than a scandal, or will old wounds tear them apart once and for all?  When all seems lost, it’s only with help from above that Hanna and Will may find their happily-ever-after.

Krista Phillips writes contemporary romance sprinkled with two of her favorite things, laughter, and Jesus. And sometimes chocolate for kicks and giggles. She lives in Middle Tennessee with her husband and their four beautiful daughters and is an advocate for congenital heart defects and organ donation awareness. Visit her online at www.kristaphillips.com.