Yesterday I got discouraged.  In the morning I looked up, the Full Beaver Moon was setting for the day.  It was beautiful.  I thought; is the moon laughing at me?  It seemed to say, “I still have a pull on the earth.”

It was busy yesterday, and the busy season is starting.  This time of the year in America, everyone wants a piece of our good cheer.  It is more than just the holidays.  Winter is coming!  Prepare!  Finish the year-end reports!  Get your Calendars!  Taxes are due!  Shop, shop, shop! Then, shop more!  In the last fourteen days I have been on vacation, making house decisions (at both homes), catching up at work, holiday plans, emergencies, finances, restock, unpack. Then write, write, write!

In the middle of it all is the NaNoWriMo challenge.  When I look at the challenge that is where I am discouraged.  I really want this challenge.  The world swirls around me as I try to squeeze a marathon of writing into this crazy busy life.

Do you wonder where I am in the competition?  Dare I even look?  I cringe as I look through my fingers at today’s stats on the NaNoWriMo site.  I have written 13,520 words in Targeted since Friday, November 1, 2019.  That looks impressive to me until I hover over the target to stay on track for a win.  The site estimates where I ‘should’ be for a win. {Sigh} I ‘should’ have 23,338 or more words by the end of the day.  I’m only about 10K off my mark.  Not so bad right?  {Said with a tight smile pasted on my face}

The odds are good that I won’t win the marathon on time.  Let’s face facts; as much as Americans enjoy being winners, everyone winning, and win-win situations; not everyone wins.  There are those that don’t finish.  Looking at the stats I wonder if I should give up and handle the things that need my attention.  Part of me screams YES!  You need to rest.  The family and work need you to handle stuff.  Just stop this silliness and pay attention to your tasks.  I’ve got a list for you!

The other half of me screams ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Take the risk!  Run the Race!  You need to stretch your legs or fingers in the case.  Do your best and see what you can do.  RUN! Baby RUN!

An Aside: Have you thought about the synonyms for the word marathon?  I didn’t until today; here are the ones Microsoft Word gives me:  Grueling, long-winded, epic, lengthy, difficult, and long-drawn-out.  That just about says it all!  And maybe this is why the Beaver Moon appears to laugh.

Okay if I keep in the race, I need to focus.  I need some scripture guidance.  Here is what I found:  The Race of Faith

¹ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  [Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV]

Today I made the choice to shove aside the doubts, depression, and seasonal stress.  I am working through the month to write the bones of this book.  Here is why, in these words from Hebrews, I understood that I have a goal for the glory of God.  My writing is Christian fiction.  My prayer over my writing is for the stories to come alive and bless God’s readers.  I pray the Holy Spirit will use my work for the encouragement and enjoyment of those who seek.

This is the race set before me.  I want my ideas to become something God can use for His Glory.  My age and health concern me.  I don’t know how many ideas I will write.  I used to think my imagination was just a fun little quirk about me.  Now I am thinking God has a plan for the stories.  He is my Guide on this journey from working mom to author.  I must trust my Guide.

The kicker is if I quit tonight, I don’t know if I could actually win the prize.  As Hebrews chapter twelve states: “… let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…”  The race set before me getting the words on the pages.  Let’s Go!

Peace,

Milly

I hope you enjoy this short excerpt from Targeted’s rough draft Chapter 1.  Our heroine has just been thrown into the fight of her life:

“Nicole had tumbled onto all fours as a man with a large pistol rushed towards her.  She glanced at the man who’d pushed her to safety.  He was a little busy.  Not understanding the danger she reacted with all the fight she could muster.  She pulled herself into the runner’s stance she learned in college track.  As if she had heard the starter’s pistol; she took off in a full sprint with her head low.  She took him in the abs with her shoulder.  His surprise at her action broke any resistance.  With her momentum propelling her she rammed them both into the opposite wall.”