tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post314628912726023211..comments2023-12-09T00:33:24.572-08:00Comments on Novel Matters: Dry PlacesBonnie Grovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11377519561074174038noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-91665026825826007132012-05-13T23:48:31.109-07:002012-05-13T23:48:31.109-07:00Thank you, Sharon. Your prayer says it exactly rig...Thank you, Sharon. Your prayer says it exactly right. xKaren @ a house full of sunshinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17787916466155321686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-5432074579348670312012-05-13T13:05:51.050-07:002012-05-13T13:05:51.050-07:00Henrietta, my heart goes out to you. I get a deep ...Henrietta, my heart goes out to you. I get a deep sense of your pain. I pray that God redeems this season in many ways, and that you experience the fruit of it.<br /><br />Karen, I pray the Lord shows you exactly what is right for you at this time in your life, and that He uses you as He desires. Thank you for your honest heart.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-49674948747541523642012-05-13T04:43:48.545-07:002012-05-13T04:43:48.545-07:00Sharon, your post made me a little teary. I could ...Sharon, your post made me a little teary. I could blame hormones (always a useful excuse), but the truth is you touched a nerve. <br /><br />I feel for you in your dry place 'cos I know what it's like. I'm there too. I'm really wrestling with what I can and should be accomplishing in this particular season of my life. REALLY, really wrestling. Like... should I even keep writing? Should I put these silly little dreams aside for a season and focus on my kids? Maybe I just don't have what it takes. etc etc......<br /><br />I haven't yet reached any conclusions or found an answer. No words of wisdom from me. But... I feel for you because I do understand. I pray that somehow we'll all find the times of refreshing we need.Karen @ a house full of sunshinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17787916466155321686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-37811860023238245612012-05-12T20:00:11.640-07:002012-05-12T20:00:11.640-07:00Broken hearts and cracked pots and crushed grapes ...Broken hearts and cracked pots and crushed grapes and the plow furrowing the field. Reconciliation, light, wine and sprouts.<br />God is good in the offing.<br /><br />These last three years have seen two intimate deaths and a season of near insanity. Hovering on the brink of giving up is a throbbing place to encounter God - a thin place where the veil heaves. But the characters in my book have greater dimension, they feel seriously and act nobly from within that pain that I experience. The story is written in fits and starts and is therapy to me as much as it is freedom to the characters. <br />I have a friend who makes no adjustment in her life for other people. She has no responsibilities except for herself. She is very content. I could not live that way. <br /> Robin Mark has a song "Jesus don't you keep me from that storm, I want to walk that sacred ground."Henrietta Frankenseenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-5652976107186739352012-05-12T09:16:55.819-07:002012-05-12T09:16:55.819-07:00SF Foxfire, what a great comment. Thank you for sh...SF Foxfire, what a great comment. Thank you for sharing your wisdome. I agree, the crucible is vital if we want to grow up in God. It's never fun, but it's where the growth occurs.<br /><br />Yes, girls. I would SO love to get together with you all again. One of these days . . .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-11276412927757215172012-05-11T21:00:56.779-07:002012-05-11T21:00:56.779-07:00Thanks for that great comment.
For the record, I&...Thanks for that great comment.<br /><br />For the record, I"m totally walking on in MORE than my big girl panties. Totally putting jeans on. :DBonnie Grovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11377519561074174038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-41547692239317550182012-05-11T17:16:25.355-07:002012-05-11T17:16:25.355-07:00Deserts to me has a lot to do with the worst-case ...Deserts to me has a lot to do with the worst-case scenario, and it doesn't help to have OCD when the scenario strikes. The "What if it never ends?" question always freaks me out a little, but I have this inner drill sergeant that slaps the quailing me and says, "Put on your big girl panties and walk on!"<br /><br />God's my main go-to guy, and as many times as I beg him to take me out, I always praise Him once I'm free (partially because I never even saw the liberation occur) and look back and smile at the progress. I find dry places are the most fruitful. Out of the struggle comes hard-worked fields and rows that deepen with each furrowing, giving more space for better and juicier things to grow and flourish.<br /><br />Music is huge for my deserts. And long conversations with my two most favorite folks in my life, where we laugh and joke and even quarrel a little. (I find conflict stimulating beyond proper conveyance) Because I've had a hard life, I've learned to cry--and through crying, rejoice--as I tread the dusty dunes of the deserts in life.S. F. Foxfirenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-74358483237627198292012-05-11T16:55:56.174-07:002012-05-11T16:55:56.174-07:00Sharon, what hope there is, in taking notes becaus...Sharon, what hope there is, in taking notes because one day this will all come in handy. Thank you for your beautiful post.Kathleen Popahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03682046279211463305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-48406465141389631092012-05-11T15:33:44.609-07:002012-05-11T15:33:44.609-07:00The sooner the better, honey!The sooner the better, honey!Patti Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07575415697841348226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-80433650211642640222012-05-11T15:07:25.931-07:002012-05-11T15:07:25.931-07:00Can "next time we meet" be soon? Please?...Can "next time we meet" be soon? Please?Bonnie Grovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11377519561074174038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-32066886692326399322012-05-11T12:46:07.533-07:002012-05-11T12:46:07.533-07:00When I'm trudging through a desert, I'm ve...When I'm trudging through a desert, I'm very much like the lost legionnaire putting one foot in front of the other, desperate to reach the oasis or the hills where water may seep in a ravine. I do what must and should be done, hoping that the small reward of accomplishment and/or obedience will accumulate into joy. <br /><br />As a writer that means going to the computer and pounding the keys until I've met my daily word count. <br /><br />Thanks for your lovely, honest, encouraging words, Sharon. I've purchased "Resucued" for my iPod. We'll sing it together the next time we meet.Patti Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07575415697841348226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-7905456331116576952012-05-11T09:08:28.923-07:002012-05-11T09:08:28.923-07:00Wanderer, thank you for the beautiful visual. I...Wanderer, thank you for the beautiful visual. I'm holding out for the oasis.<br /><br />Megan, I pray all is well with you, but I know that you know nothing is wasted in God's economy. I'm reading your manuscript. Wow.<br /><br />Wendy & Dina, amen! So glad for those clouds, Dina. Let it rain!!!!<br /><br />Nicole, one of the things that means so much to me is that my tears mean enough to God that he saves them. Prayer and tears. Tears and prayer. Yes. Amen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-38995231704023796442012-05-11T06:39:32.418-07:002012-05-11T06:39:32.418-07:00Prayer and tears. Tears and prayer. Telling the Lo...Prayer and tears. Tears and prayer. Telling the Lord to bring it because I must need it. Spiritual warfare.Nicolehttp://hopeofglory.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-15475770454000759742012-05-11T05:45:50.684-07:002012-05-11T05:45:50.684-07:00Long walks outside, dancing, cuddling my kids. Aft...Long walks outside, dancing, cuddling my kids. After a long dry time, I'm finally seeing some welcome clouds on the horizon :)Dina Sleimanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05214446103057806111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-45255796760255952462012-05-11T04:23:27.929-07:002012-05-11T04:23:27.929-07:00Time outside & time with God. Those are two of...Time outside & time with God. Those are two of my biggest rescuers.<br />~ WendyWendy Paine Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15136235074351188350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-61946937951628978642012-05-11T02:35:15.032-07:002012-05-11T02:35:15.032-07:00I understand those dry places. Especially when the...I understand those dry places. Especially when they're long, and you can't see the end in sight. None of it is easy. <br />But isn't it funny how we find ourselves writing about them, knowing that they'll be useful? It's like what Latayne said the other day about how writing redeems the loss of those precious times for us - it also gives us meaning in the hard ones. I found myself on my own in a hospital waiting room the other day with many more questions than I had answers, so I did the only thing I knew how to do: pulled out a notebook and started writing about it. It made the feelings useful. <br /><br />Praying for you all tonight.Megan Sayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15410068162701570057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-48649867595466688952012-05-11T02:22:36.796-07:002012-05-11T02:22:36.796-07:00desertdesertV. Gingerichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01615988080091167938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-9388542063706539142012-05-11T02:21:48.617-07:002012-05-11T02:21:48.617-07:00I see you know my Sahara.
But the best thing abo...I see you know my Sahara. <br /><br />But the best thing about Saharas is how icy the rivers, how lush the grasses, when you finally push through the dust and find those green spots again. It's worth the dessert, every time.V. Gingerichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01615988080091167938noreply@blogger.com