Sarah Bush’s Weblog

Hello to all!! I couldn’t wait to gather my thoughts and share all the wonderful things God has been up to in my life this week. Many wonderful events happened this week as I attended the Blue Ridge Mountain Writer’s conference. I’d like to share a few.

 I had the opportunity to meet and hear Cecil Murphey, the ghost writer of 90 Minutes in Heaven. It’s one of the bestselling books on the market. Cecil asked the question “Who would have thought?” He delivered an inspiring, vulnerable message of his trails and rejections during his writing career. He shared that his house burned down a year ago. It was comforting to know I am not alone in these unexpected trials and the moments of the “wanting to quit” temptations. It was good to hear that even the best of the best…are struggling, learning, and growing in the craft. His talk confirmed to me that most often life is about the climb, the struggle as he said, “God does not teach me the best lessons on the high peak of success.”

 WWHT…kept playing over and over in my mind all week. Who would have thought…that I would be attending a writer’s conference at the age of 40 something? I stand (at times with wobbly knees) amazed that God would call me to such an incredible journey and ministry in life.

After attending the conference for the second time, I was blessed and encouraged by the relationships that were built and renewed, by the helpful instruction and critique by the staff, and the sweet time of worship. But what I loved the most…was experiencing God’s presence high up on the mountain. God is faithful to weave His personal guidance through words, people, and circumstances…to make me very aware He is with me.

I could write pages of how God answered your prayers…thank you. Today, I will limit it to one story…amazing huh? I want to work on being concise and more careful of your time.

Wednesday morning, I woke up early around 5:00 am and I could not sleep so I spent some time praying on the patio of our lodge. I asked the Lord for affirmation… for clear direction concerning the next book I was planning and for someone to hike the mountain with me. 

 By lunch time I was standing in the cafeteria line talking with another new author about his Bible study for men…the theme? Mountains! Over lunch, he and his son and I discussed the mustard seed faith principle and shared personal stories. God also provided me with two hiking buddies.

 After our classes we met to hike up to Rattle Snake Summit. I was tempted to bail out after attempting to get one of my new girlfriends to join us. She had found two ticks on her head the day before from hiking the woods.  But I stuck to my commitment and traveled the rugged trail a mile, most of the time straight up to the top.

 Reaching the top is always worth it. I was so thankful I had made it to the top. The worries and writing woes were left behind below. Seeing all the gently rolling mountain peaks – I could have stayed for hours taking in the beauty. After a few pictures, and enjoying the mountain laurel starting to bloom, a butterfly approached me. As I began to follow him with my eye…it led me to more…many more. Twenty or so monarch and black/blue butterflies possessed their own butterfly garden flittering from one Mountain Laurel to the next without a care in the world. My friends who were avid hikers had never seen this sight before – at the top of a mountain and neither had I.

 Returning down the mountain, I pondered the gift of seeing the peaceful butterflies in the midst of the huge mountain range that surrounded them. Their beauty was for God’s eyes only…and for any adventurous climber willing to take a risk. 

 Butterflies have had a significant meaning to me, as well as many of you. I have kept a quote by Susan Monk Kid that I painted on a ceramic butterfly in my kitchen, “Quietly go on becoming your new self.”  

To see these butterflies at such a time as this, was not a coincidence? It was a picture of each of us in our calling (for those at the conference as writers), trusting – displaying God’s glory and grace! The following morning I read Isaiah 40:9, “Herald the good news, go up on a high mountain…raise your voice loudly. Raise it – Do not be afraid. Say… ‘Here is your God.’ See, the Lord comes …his reward is with him, and his gifts accompany him.” I thank the Lord for answering my prayers and meeting us high up on the mountain.   Who would have thought?

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”

Today, after reading this verse in the morning, I had forgotten to apply it within a few hours! Grow in the grace given us through Jesus! After hitting a bump in the road, and not liking some constructive criticism that I asked for, I did not want to accept the prossess that it takes to grow. It’s not always easy. I struggle with wanting to attain perfection, yesterday!! As I accept the process willingly and come in line with God’s purposes for my life, I grow extending grace to myself and others. I am on the right road, a work still in progress! Who said perfection was attainable anyway? Knowing and trusting HIs love for me as a free gift of grace is all  I need to know. As I yield with grace to His plans and purposes, and His refining to perfection…He receives the glory for the work that He has done now and forever because we are willing to grow in grace.

Life is full of decisions. But I have found the writing arena is constantly full of decisions! Choices can be seemingly small like what word to use in a sentence, yet have a huge impact on the meaning I am trying to communicate; decisions on whether the journal should be spiral bound and cost efficient or whether it should be in a notebook style with refill pages. Most importantly, I am trying to discern whether to self publish or pursue further a big house publisher. 

I find this very humorous, that God would take me into a profession that is an area I struggle with, making decisions! I end up taking so long to decide about a choice because I want to make the best one. Fear is probably at the root of making the wrong choice. I used to sing ”DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS!” to the tune of Fiddler on the Roof substituing the word for…”TRADITIONS!” I keep thinking about how God told David He would give him all the details for rebuilding the temple. In Psalm 32:8 God promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you and watch over you.” He will guide me in the maize of choices, but am I listening and seeking? I am still learning I need to be listening or I am lost without His daily counsel.