My mind is still hovering within the clouds.
Last week my unpublished historical romance novel The Rescue won the OCW Cascade Award! I still can’t believe it! If only you knew the struggles I had writing this novel.
In 2012, while writing, researching, and working on this historical romance novel, doctors discovered I had cancer.
There are many times in a person’s life where he or she may reach an obstacle. It may be an illness, an accident or a difficult decision that must be made. I’d reached that point in my life. It was a defining moment, not only dealing with my cancer prognosis, but asking the Lord if He truly called me to write as I thought, or was I mistaken. I stuffed my historical romance novel away and almost gave up on God’s call to write.
But through the fears and searching for God’s direction, I learned He did indeed place this desire to write on my heart and no matter what I was facing in my life, it didn’t diminish His call. I’m inspired by the Lord to write inspirational Christian fiction so people may know the love of Christ. To know the depth He will go to have a relationship with us. And though we struggle, He uses us—people like me, the ordinary—to do out of the ordinary things. Unexpected things—like writing.
The Rescue is a story of hope, and about a future only He can provide.
I can still recall how my eyes filled with tears when I wrote “The End.”
To God be the glory!
Here are the 2018 Cascade Winners listed below. Congratulations, everyone!
UNPUBLISHED
Children’s Picture/Chapter Book
Jennifer Bingham, Nothing Changes Everything: A Simple Retelling of the Truth
Contemporary Fiction Book
Michelle Aleckson, Riptide
Historical Fiction Book
Tanya Eavenson, The Rescue
Memoir
Jessica Domagala, Abstract Love
Middle-Grade Book
J.D. Rempel, Melanie on the Move
Nonfiction Book
Marlys Johnson, Inconvenient Love
Speculative Fiction Book
Christina Gollings, Citlali Means Star
Young Adult Book
Cheryl Bostrom, Climb, Run, Drown
Articles, Columns, and Blog Posts
Marissa Hunter, “Cutting the Cord”
Devotionals
Donna Hues, “A Wee Lesson in Grace”
Poetry
Rebecca Johnson, “The Horse of Death”
Short Story/Flash Fiction
Robert Gilbert, “Elysia’s Doll”
PUBLISHED
Contemporary Fiction Book
Kristen Joy Wilks, Athens Ambuscade
Historical Fiction Book
Anna Zogg, The Marshal’s Mission
Memoir
Carolyn Wade, Five Hundred Letters
Nonfiction Book
Lynn Hare, The Quest for Self-Forgiveness: Discovering the Secret of Guilt-Free Living
Speculative Fiction Book
Jill Williamson, King’s Blood
Young Adult Book
Sally Apokedak, The Button Girl
Articles, Columns, and Blog Posts
Dorcas Smucker, “What We Truly Believe Will Show”
Devotional
Bethany Hayes, “The Great Exchange”
Poetry
Kristen Wilks, “Praying for Bugs”
Short Story/Flash Fiction
Jennifer Anne F. Messing, “Labor Day Delight”
Last week my unpublished historical romance novel The Rescue won the OCW Cascade Award! I still can’t believe it! If only you knew the struggles I had writing this novel.
In 2012, while writing, researching, and working on this historical romance novel, doctors discovered I had cancer.
There are many times in a person’s life where he or she may reach an obstacle. It may be an illness, an accident or a difficult decision that must be made. I’d reached that point in my life. It was a defining moment, not only dealing with my cancer prognosis, but asking the Lord if He truly called me to write as I thought, or was I mistaken. I stuffed my historical romance novel away and almost gave up on God’s call to write.
But through the fears and searching for God’s direction, I learned He did indeed place this desire to write on my heart and no matter what I was facing in my life, it didn’t diminish His call. I’m inspired by the Lord to write inspirational Christian fiction so people may know the love of Christ. To know the depth He will go to have a relationship with us. And though we struggle, He uses us—people like me, the ordinary—to do out of the ordinary things. Unexpected things—like writing.
The Rescue is a story of hope, and about a future only He can provide.
I can still recall how my eyes filled with tears when I wrote “The End.”
To God be the glory!
Here are the 2018 Cascade Winners listed below. Congratulations, everyone!
UNPUBLISHED
Children’s Picture/Chapter Book
Jennifer Bingham, Nothing Changes Everything: A Simple Retelling of the Truth
Contemporary Fiction Book
Michelle Aleckson, Riptide
Historical Fiction Book
Tanya Eavenson, The Rescue
Memoir
Jessica Domagala, Abstract Love
Middle-Grade Book
J.D. Rempel, Melanie on the Move
Nonfiction Book
Marlys Johnson, Inconvenient Love
Speculative Fiction Book
Christina Gollings, Citlali Means Star
Young Adult Book
Cheryl Bostrom, Climb, Run, Drown
Articles, Columns, and Blog Posts
Marissa Hunter, “Cutting the Cord”
Devotionals
Donna Hues, “A Wee Lesson in Grace”
Poetry
Rebecca Johnson, “The Horse of Death”
Short Story/Flash Fiction
Robert Gilbert, “Elysia’s Doll”
PUBLISHED
Contemporary Fiction Book
Kristen Joy Wilks, Athens Ambuscade
Historical Fiction Book
Anna Zogg, The Marshal’s Mission
Memoir
Carolyn Wade, Five Hundred Letters
Nonfiction Book
Lynn Hare, The Quest for Self-Forgiveness: Discovering the Secret of Guilt-Free Living
Speculative Fiction Book
Jill Williamson, King’s Blood
Young Adult Book
Sally Apokedak, The Button Girl
Articles, Columns, and Blog Posts
Dorcas Smucker, “What We Truly Believe Will Show”
Devotional
Bethany Hayes, “The Great Exchange”
Poetry
Kristen Wilks, “Praying for Bugs”
Short Story/Flash Fiction
Jennifer Anne F. Messing, “Labor Day Delight”
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