Holding on to Truth

"For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out 'Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:14-15 NASB)

This is my last day of writing conference. I've learned lots, but home beckons. Over the past few days, my emotions have been on an insane roller coaster. I've heard stunning praise for my writing with absolute belief in my story from some and the heartbreaking pronouncement that thrillers won't sell, especially with terrorists in the story line, from another. I'm dizzy with the praise one moment and teetering on the brink of despair the next. It's exhausting. I'm ready for an even keel, my own bed, and my Wonder Dogs. I'm ready for retreat.

Pastor Ed Underwood has been the evening plenary speaker this week, and he's spoken some very important truth. 

Being a writer will mess with your head. Being a Christian writer will mess with your heart. 

He's absolutely right. Being at a Christian writers' conference will also mess with your heart. If you allow it.

The key word is allow. Will I allow the enemy to mess with my mind or not? I will not. I'm excited and a little disappointed and overwhelmed. But excitement and disappointment and the sense of being overwhelmed are all emotions. They aren't truth.

My truth is I still have an editor who enthusiastically wants to hear a pitch and a top agent who wants a proposal. I have a skilled for-hire editor willing to not only edit my book but teach me to edit as he does. Talk about value for your money! 

The most important truth of all, however, is that I still have a Heavenly Father who not only loves me, but has a good plan for my life. What do I have to be disappointed about? Nothing at all. 

I wrote it yesterday, and it's true today. 

The spirit of adoption, as a child crying out Abba Father, changes everything.

The one in charge of my life and my future is not an agent or an editor. The one in charge of my life is God Himself, and He's my Daddy. He has a plan and it's good. Because God is my Father, I can count on Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope." 

Our Father has a plan, and it is good. 

For today, I'm headed to another class and another inspiring speaker, followed by a leisurely afternoon before a red-eye flight home. I'm leaving filled with more knowledge than I had when I came, more encouragement than I had, and more information about the CBA market than I had. I'm also going home with an inkling of a plan. 

Most important, though, I'm going home with the same truth I've had for many years. God is in control, and He is still on His throne. 

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Father, thank you for loving us enough to adopt us. Thank you for a plan that is always for our good. Draw us closer to your truth and closer to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.