Going to the ACFW Conference later in the week has me thinking over the last year. It's been a year since I went to my first ACFW Conference. Now, I've been to a lot of conferences in my time as a writer, but none has had quite the impact as this one has on me. What a difference a year can make too!

In thinking over the last year and how far God has brought me with my writing, it's made me think about my journey into writing and publication. I thought I'd journal over the next few days about my journey. I hope you will find it helpful and encouraging no matter what journey you're on.

Every summer, I wondered what else I could do besides teach. I'd been teaching for 4 years. 'Career' had never really been emphasized in my home. My mother talked of career more in terms of things I could fall back on if I needed them or careers that would work well with raising children IF I had to work. I always thought I was just supposed to be a wife and mother. I never really thought God has a plan for me other than that. Okay, so, no prince on a white steed had arrived to rescue me from the doldrums of teaching. Not even a tarnished knight on an old nag. I just knew that teaching wasn’t my destiny. I loved the kids, but I was not fulfilled. I enjoyed creating what we would do in the classroom but implementing it not so much. I wanted something … something more. But I didn’t know what that was.

One day, my sister suggested that I be a writer since I was always scribbling in my journal. That sounded wonderful. So without much thought or study, I quit my job in the spring of 1991, finished out the school year, moved to the country (my parents' ranch) and set up shop to write. Now, I do not recommend this. I remember praying and telling God I really liked being at the ranch. But other than that I didn't pray about it much. I do remember feeling peaceful about the decision. I had come to a place in my life where it was scarier to stay put then it was to seek adventure. So off I went. Boy has it been a journey!