Author Nancy Mehl & Running Toward the Roar
My guest today is author Nancy Mehl who writes Mennonite romance and mysteries–a good combo! Nancy is offering a copy of her book so be sure to leave a comment to enter the drawing. Here’s Nancy:
A Common Mistake
“In my newest book, Unforeseeable, the third book in my “Road to Kingdom” series, my main character, Callie Hoffman, realizes that rather than dealing with her hurtful past, she’s locked her pain behind an emotional door. Now as a young woman, that choice is causing her problems and may even cost her the man she loves. I created Callie this way because I felt this is a common mistake many people make. It seems to be even more prevalent in women.
Why would women be affected more than men? Women are usually the primary caregiver, whether the care is being given to children or to elderly parents. When we don’t have time to “deal with our mess” we sometimes put it off until “later.” Unfortunately, sometimes later never comes and the “mess” just becomes “messier.”
The Wrong Thing to Do
I’ve dealt with this same problem myself and have learned several things from my mistakes. As one Christian teacher says, “Feelings buried alive never die.” What that means is that ignoring pain doesn’t make it go away. It just burrows down inside, causing us to react to it in ways we don’t understand. We may take it out on others or allow it to paint a picture in our minds of ourselves that is destructive and harmful. I’ve watched different women react to childhood trauma in different ways. One path leads to freedom and the other one can stop life in its tracks. The choice comes to this: Will you seek healing and deliverance from God? Will you allow Him to open old wounds so they can be cleansed and healed? Or will you become a victim, never fully experiencing the joy that God has for you?
To purchase, click here. Unforeseeable (Road to Kingdom Book #3)
Through the urging of a friend, Callie finally begins to face the truth. Realizing that many of the choices she’s made came from wrong motivations, she decides to confront the past and start searching for the life God has for her. It may sound easy, but it isn’t. Many times we’ve allowed others to shape our destiny out of fear or insecurity. Breaking those chains can be difficult.
I pray over every book I write, and my prayer for Unforeseeable is that it will not only provide an entertaining story, but it will also touch readers who may identify with Callie.
No Teeth
I heard a story once about lions. Sometimes the pack will send out the oldest lion to face their prey. This elderly lion can’t run and has lost most of his teeth. But when the old lion roars, their quarry turns and runs, not knowing he could easily escape the lion in front of him. Unfortunately, the young, strong lions are hiding in the trees, and the hapless victim runs straight into their trap. The lesson is this: If we run toward the roar, we will find that our enemy has no teeth. But when we turn and run away, we will be defeated. Real bravery isn’t always facing down a lion. Many times, it’s simply facing ourselves.”–Nancy
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Wow, Nancy, I never heard that about lions. What a great analogy for us and fear. QUESTION: Do you recall a time when you didn’t want to face something? What happened? Have you ever discovered a secret years later and wondered why no one told you?–Lyn
