Square One and A Trip to the Mountains
The July Newsletter
Square one.
To be honest, I don’t like being there. And yet I find myself here once again, flung back to the beginning when I thought I had it all figured out.
I spent most of June in flux, waiting with bated breath to see whether my life would go through a huge change or if it would pretty much stay the same. I felt ready for the change—had been hoping and praying for it for a while, even—but ultimately it wasn’t what God had in store. Which was confusing, considering I had thought that was what He had been pointing me to for months.
And maybe He still is. Maybe this ‘no’ was just a ‘not yet’. I’m not quite sure yet. What’s cool, though, is that I’m okay with the not knowing, if only because I do know that He’s in control. Even in the midst of my pain and confusion, I can rest in the fact that God’s timing and plans are perfect and far better than my own. I didn’t miss out on what was meant for me; this closed door is simply leading me to the right thing at the right time.
The Bright Spot
Even though June was spent mostly in flux, there were some wonderful bright spots throughout the month. The main one being a trip to one of my favorite places—Estes Park, Colorado.
Our visit to the mountains was short but oh so sweet, just like always, and full of reminiscing and celebrating. Eight years ago, my husband and I began our relationship in Estes while participating in a leadership program through our college ministry and working in the YMCA of the Rockies. With our five-year wedding anniversary approaching, it was so special revisiting our old haunts and reflecting on where we started. It was just the respite I’d been craving, especially after not having been back to visit since 2022.
Writing Update & Social Media Breaks
Once again, I have not been writing much. My creativity often suffers when I’m in a season of uncertainty, but now that things have settled I’m hoping to get back into a proper writing routine. I think about book 3 almost everyday and can see so much potential in it, and I truly can’t wait to get back to its characters.
Getting back into a routine with social media, though, has been decidedly tougher. I took some sporadic and unintentional breaks from posting throughout June, and I don’t have a strong desire to return to it—at least not in the way I had been before. I would like to be present, but I don’t necessarily want to participate in the social media ‘grind’. I’d rather my posting be organic, if only because I’d rather be writing than creating loads of content. My relationship to social media has been a tenuous one over the years, so we’ll see what comes in this season.
Monthly Book Recommendations
For the MG/YA readers:
Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan — I read through the Percy Jackson books for the first time last year and thought they were so fun, so when I heard that Riordan was writing more Percy Jackson books I was thrilled! This latest installment was just as fun, and I enjoyed revisiting Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, this time in a different phase of life.
Thanks for reading, friends! Hoping and praying that the latter half of your summer is just as good, if not better, than the first. (And, if you’re reading this on the day of publication, have a safe and happy Fourth of July!)
-Abby
New here and looking for my books? Check them out here!