by Emily Conrad
When I quit my day job to pursue writing, I told myself the transition would be like going back to school and training for a new career. I thought, it might take 4 years to get a book published, but that would be fair, because that’s how long students take to earn a bachelor’s degree after high school.
I already had a bachelor’s degree, and I didn’t take on more classes to take my writing from where it was toward publication, but I did work with a lot of critique partners and I attended some conferences. My plan was to work toward publication and consider that four years as something of an apprenticeship.
My first day as a full time writer was 3/8/2014.
My debut novel released 3/9/2018.
I only just recently noticed how exactly that matched the goal I started with, but now that I’ve seen it, I believe it’s a fingerprint of God’s faithfulness. Not that I set a deadline and He met it–I’ve tried before, and letmetellyou, I can’t make things happen that way.
Rather, He whispered the timeline to me and then fulfilled it. He is the faithful God. He saw to completion that part of His calling in my life. Though I am His beloved writing daughter, I could not have forced this timing without Him.
I’ve been grateful to see Him at work in this writing endeavor, and I’m excited to see where He’ll take me next.
I’m excited and grateful, too, because I know this same God is at work in your life, fulfilling wonderful plans He has for you.
I’m sharing a little about my journey in an interview with a fellow Pelican Book Group author today. Click here to follow me over to MaryAnn Diorio’s blog to read a little more about how I felt called to be a writer, what “Christian fiction” means to me, and what I’m working on now.
Photo credit: photo by Marivi Pazos on Unsplash, graphic designed on Canva.com
So glad to feature you on my website today, Emily! :). Blessings to you!
What a wonderful story!
How awesome is your timeline! Definitely God's timing.
Beautiful testimony to the power of setting goals (as He instructs) and having faith that He will fulfill them!
Thanks for sharing.
Good luck and God's blessings
PamT
Wow! That is SO cool how the timeline matched! I love how you put it–God didn't give you the timeline you came up with, but rather laid that on your heart and made it happen to show His awesome providence in your life. Gives me goosebumps! 🙂
Love this, Emily! What a great example of God working. And your receptive heart.
Wow! That is AMAZING about the timing, Emily! Praise God!
Emily, your writing was made beautiful in His time. Is that just the best or what? May Justice bless your readers tremendously. Cheers
Thank you so much for having me, MaryAnn! The Pelican family has been so supportive!
Thanks! And thanks for stopping by!
Yes, He's so good!
I love sharing testimonies of His hand working! Thanks die stopping by!
I was really surprised to see how exactly it lined up! One benefit of keeping a record is we get to notice this kind of thing when He gifts us with them!
I'm so grateful He's always up to something!
Amen!
Thank you, Marilyn!And amen!