Through Open Doors
“God, if You open the door I will walk through.” My knees are knocking and my hands are a bit clammy. I take a deep breath and take the next step through to a new place I haven’t been before. God opens another door several steps later and I find myself face to face with another opportunity to trust Him. The prayer and knee-knocking clamminess starts all over. Walking, listening, seeking, wondering, nail-biting, muttering, mustering–all this paired with the exhilaration of knowing He has gone before, prepared a path, provided the resources and walks with me through the doorway. God’s part: door opening. My part: walking through.
It was a just year ago when the Taiko drums played in Florida right before the Synergy conference. A year ago when this writing adventure officially began. A year ago that I first heard of the Redbud Writers Guild. A few months later I became a new member as I walked through the first door. Amazed they would bring into their fold a woman with no writing background. The grateful tears flowed. I was no longer alone. God provided women of similar heart who were experienced, generous, and supportive. I started working on a book proposal. A few months after that I had a new blog domain thingy. God provided Aaron to design this site. He, so gifted, encouraging and patient. Me, so clueless, still clueless. A few months after that opportunities started springing up to share about my cancer journey in unexpected places. At the end of December an editor of a publishing house found me through another writer I had never met. And today my book proposal was brought to the managing editor of this publishing house to be reviewed by an editorial team. It’s the first or second step in 1000 steps of getting the “someday book” published, but God’s involvement has been undeniable.
Three weeks ago I heard about the Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. It was pricey and way out of range for us, but Darrin encouraged me to trust God to provide if He wanted me to attend. So I wrote to two churches that support us and they both immediately responded with wanting to help scholarship me. That same week I connected with a staff friend I hadn’t seen since November. We caught up and shared about areas we were needing to trust God. I mentioned the writer’s conference and she said,
“No way. My brother-in-law is on the Board of Directors. He might be able to get you some scholarship money since you’re in ministry. Want me to find out?”
“Uh. Yes, please.”
The doors keep opening. God has provided in full for me to attend this writers conference at the end of the month. My heart is pounding. My knees are knocking. So humbling. So undeserved. So like the Lord to provide, to guide, to reassure. My heart’s desire is to follow through on whatever doors of opportunity God opens. Your continued prayers are deeply appreciated.
What doors is God opening for you? What has helped you walk through? And what keeps you from walking through?