Thursday, September 8, 2016

Our Writing Contains the Fingerprints of God

Lynette Eason @LynetteEason


Hi all, Happy Thursday. Hope everyone is doing well and making progress on whatever you’re working on this week. 

When I was wondering what in the world I might blog about today, I thought about God’s fingerprints.

I’ve been writing pretty steady since about 1999. I was published in 2007. Since then I’ve written thirty some odd books. That’s a lot of writing if you stop to think about it. LOL.
I work hard and it’s paid off in one sense. I am published. (NOT to say that those who aren’t published AREN’T hard workers!) And I’ve gotten tired. I have days that I really don’t want to sit in front of my computer and be creative. (Shocking, I’m sure.) Some days are harder than others. I mean I pray over my story (mostly begging God for words, but you get what I mean) I ask God to bless the story, to let it touch someone’s life and then I finish it, turn it in to my editor and then kind of have to sit back and see what happens.

Sure I’ve gotten some crummy reviews and they can be soul crushing. But then I get an email and I see that no matter how many lousy reviews may get posted on Amazon, God is still in control. And he’s got his fingerprints all over my books. And that makes me smile.

For example:
From Reader #1:

Reader emails can be a glimpse of God at work.
“Hi Lynette,

First, I love your books. They keep me on the edge of my seat. I wanted to share this with your.

I am in the process of reading No One To Trust. I am enjoying it, but it has been difficult to read. This past February I was a victim of a scammer I met on a dating site. Sadly I fell hard for him. His name was David Hackett and he was in the Army. When I first started reading the book, I had to stop when I read his name. I finally decided to try again and I have been enjoying the book even tho it brings up some tough memories. The character in the book is similar to the "David" I met online. I have found some healing in reading the book. Thank you for that.

I just wanted to share that with you as crazy as it sounds.

Blessing!
Name”

Wow, can you imagine? The character in my book is David Hackett, he tricked his wife into marrying him and he wasn’t who she thought he was. He was also in the army at one time. Crazy, huh? The funny thing is that when I was writing the book, I started out with naming the character Hatchett. But then kept typing Hackett. I finally gave up and told him,  “Fine. Be David Hackett then. What difference does it make?” But it did make a difference to that one reader.  I responded to her and this was her second email back to me.

Thank you!
“I truly believe it was God's hand. I finished the book on Saturday night and I have felt such a peace since then. I know it was reading about the forgiveness that Summer gave to both David and her sister. I was a great reminder that I needed to forgive the man that hurt me. I was holding on to that hurt and it was holding me back.  I cannot express how much your book has helped. I am so thankful God has used you and your words.  Thank you for sharing your words.”

Yeah. God’s fingerprints.

One other one I’ll share with you. From Reader #2:

“I feel like I know the people in your books. It really intrigues me how you have developed the characters and their relationships so completely. I about swallowed my tongue when I read about Summer almost deciding not to get down a coffee cup for her husband. Then realizing how petty that was, even though she was furious with him.  Wow! Caught me!!”

LOL. I have absolutely NO recollection of writing that scene. But God knew it was there and he knew someone who needed to see it.  God’s fingerprints. 

So, all that to say, I love it when I see God using my stories to touch lives. It’s amazing, crazy and humbling. And exhilarating.

What’s a story that touched you? Made you think or possibly give you peace about something?

Just wondering. Have a blessed day!
Lynette

TWEETABLES
Have you seen the fingerprints of God in your writing - @LynetteEason on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

When your #writing touches someone, that's the fingerprint of God - via @LynettEason (Click to Tweet)


Lynette Eason is the award-winning, bestselling author of over thirty books. Lynette writes for Revell and Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line. Her books have finaled or won awards in contests such as The Maggies, Inspirational Readers Choice Award, The Carol, ECPA Book of the Year, The Selah, and others. Her most recent wins are the Carol Award in 2013 and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award in 2014. She began her teaching career in the public school classroom and has since moved to teaching at conferences all over the country. Lynette often speaks at women’s conference and retreats, but finds her first love is teaching writing. In her spare time she can be found hanging out with her family, loving on her nieces and nephews, traveling, and…um…writing. Lynette and her husband Jack live in South Carolina with their two teenagers. Life is never boring, that’s for sure! Lynette can often be found online at www.facebook.com/lynette.eason @lynetteeason on Twitter, and www.lynetteeason.com.

5 comments:

  1. I had a reader leave in a review, this comment: "If Claire could get through her ADHD, so can I." The thing is, I didn't write Claire to be ADHD, but God knew that reader needed to see it. I love that.

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  2. Blessings to you! When you have a reader tell you how much a book meant to them--that is a blessing!

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  3. wow, Lynette, so amazing. I love love love how Father God shows up in our writing, truly in the seeming small things we do.

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  4. Great post, Lynette! Thanks for sharing these stories about how God has used your writing to touch others for Him. It's amazing how God chooses us to do His work and blesses us by even sometimes letting us SEE how He used us! Another great reminder to write prayerfully so that we are truly writing what He wants us to.

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  5. That is fantastic and very encouraging! May His fingerprints be all over our creative work!

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