God Changed My Plans

Fall's almost upon us.  Amidst the rain, the air is growing slightly cooler.  School's starting, and life is beginning to run.  Faster and faster and faster.  Like a bike, each pedal only makes the wheels fly that much quicker.  And seems to never stop.

I began to get distracted in the beginning of August.  Why?  Because I started writing faithfully again.  I went through my WIP, Emblem of Hope, and edited/rewrote half of it throughout the month.  It was special to experience the joy of storytelling, feel the emotion of my characters as I stepped into their lives, and cry with them when their lives turned upside down.  But it also distracted me.

Project Love continued.  But it wasn't real in my own life.  I tried...but distractions won.

As August ended, I had a decision to make.  A really hard one.

My Plan

I had decided exactly what my fall would look like.

I would spend September finishing the other half of my novel.  This was an exciting adventure because it's from the perspective of my other main character.  She's dear to me.  I wanted to love on her again by writing her life story.

I would also set aside my blog for a month, posting lightly - maybe every other week.  This would keep me from being too consumed.  I could write, do school and other activities, and then pick up the blog again in October.

This also included setting Project Love aside.  In October I would be free to devote myself completely to it...so what was one month?  And God was giving me such grand ideas for Project Love.  This would be bigger.  Life changing maybe.  All I needed was September, a month to rest, catch up, and do what I wanted to do.

But God had different plans.  (doesn't He always?)

God's Plan

During the last week of August, I felt a strange pull inside.  I pushed it away.  Then I shoved it away and tried to trample it down.  It was just a thought - an idea.

What if I devoted myself now to God instead of waiting another month?

Revolutionary, I know.

The problem was this: on my blog, I say that love is important.  I even say that it's the most important area of life.  The two greatest commands in the Bible focus on love.  It can literally transform our lives.

But I didn't believe that in my heart.

So the battle raged.  My writing and plans vs. spending a month focusing on loving God more.

Thankfully, God won, stubborn though I am.  It took a few days of fighting, but it's over.  September is His.

Ever since I made that decision, I haven't regretted it.  It's hard to put aside Emblem of Hope.  But this is so much more important.  And you know what?  My novel will be waiting.  One day it may be time to write on it again.  And how much sweeter it will be.

He's been faithful.  Soon after making the decision, I read an encouraging blog post by Ivy Rose that seemed so relevant.  And then, while chatting with a sweet friend, she asked if she could join me in this challenge.  The ranks are growing, and I'm so excited to see where God bring me (us!) during this month!

But What Now?

I have no clue what the next few weeks will bring.  I am going to strive to learn what it means to love God with all.  All my heart, all my soul, all my strength, all my mind...the list goes on and on.  I want to show my love for Him in every single area of life.  That's my goal for September and beyond.

Project Love won't be gone now that summer is fading.  It's changing, yes.  But I'm hoping that as we restart this challenge in a new way it will touch our lives.  Instead of posting any random post and calling it a blog series, I want this to transform the way we live.

I know you probably follow a dozen other blogs.  There are hundreds of messages, lessons, and words floating around you each day.  I don't expect you to drop everything and join me.  But I pray that as I do this in His strength, someone will be encouraged to do the same.  Drop everything unnecessary and love God in a new way.

Isn't that what being a Christian is after all?  Loving God with all?

If that's you, in two weeks I'll be posting a more practical viewpoint of how this works.  Right now I don't know what it will look like.  All I know is that we need to love Christ with everything.  And I would be thrilled if anyone wanted to join and do this as sisters united through Christ.

So until then I encourage you to pray.  Seek Him.  And grow in Love.

Life's busy, I know.  I'll be attending a college class on creative writing, college algebra, an online witnessing class, normal electives (Spanish, ASL, and/or piano), writing here, and then practicing for a play that I didn't audition for (another plot twist from God...) =).  That along with regular life.

But we need to keep out eyes on the prize.

Press on.  Fight on.  Love on.

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39