I don’t
know about you, but sometimes I can get a little caught up in production mode.
I’ve had a pretty busy year with lots of deadlines to meet, and at times I’ve
felt a little bit like a meerkat being busy, busy, busy then when I’ve met my
deadline, poking my head up to peer around to see who and what is available for
a chance to relax, refresh and reinvigorate.
Last month,
a week before the Omega Writers Conference in Sydney, I had such a moment, and just so happened to attend my local chapter of the Jane Austen Society. We
were fortunate enough to have a guest speaker, Tim Bullamore, who is the editor
for Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine (and who also, incidentally, writes
obituaries for The Times newspaper). After his talk about Jane Austen’s life,
death and legacy, I spoke to him, where it just
so happened someone mentioned I was a writer. He gave me his card, saying
if ever I would like to submit an article for his magazine (which Jane-ites
from around the globe subscribe to) then to send him an email. I took his card,
thanked him, and went back into busy mode, all the while thinking, thinking,
thinking.
Having done
a fair amount of historical research for my Regency novels I wondered if he
might be interested in an article about Brighton, England’s Royal Pavilion, something I
mention in my latest book The
Dishonorable Miss DeLancey (and something Donna Fletcher Crow just so happened to write about last week). I sent off an email, went to the conference,
and had a great time. The following week was back to busy, busy, busy as I work
to get my sixth book ready for submission next month. In the midst of my
busyness, mothering duties called me to Sydney (1½ hours away) to pick up my
daughter from a concert at the Sydney Opera House. Having some time to kill I
thought I’d visit the nearby New South Wales State Library, where they just so happen to hold a copy of the
most marvellous book, The Making of the
Royal Pavilion: Designs and Drawings by John Morley. This book examines the
renovations and refurbishments that took the Royal Pavilion from Brighton
farmhouse to the jaw dropping edifice of Moorish / Chinese / Indian design that
it is today. I was able to read this, take a few colour photocopies of some of
the designs, then pick up my daughter, all the while marvelling that I had such
(relatively) easy access to one of the only copies of this book in Australia.
Why did I want to read this? It was a faith step, just in case Mr. Bullamore
said yes to my article proposal.
It just so happened that two days later I
received an email saying – you guessed it – yes, love that idea, please submit,
etc, etc.
As a
Christian, I’m trusting God will open the right doors at the right time. Not
everything works out, but so many times when I’m asking God to direct my paths
and submitting my plans to Him it just so happens that I see Him provide opportunities, opportunities that I’m
learning to say yes to. Life can get pretty busy, but taking time to follow
those Holy Spirit nudges can be so much more rewarding than we realise. Sometimes
we need the reminder that God holds our lives in His hands, and we just need to trust Him and His timing, and step out in faith.
Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South
Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a
church for ten years, and worked part-time as a public high school English and
Learning and Support teacher.
A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette
Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves
drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our
lives. Her Regency novels include The Elusive Miss Ellison, The Captivating
Lady Charlotte, and The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, all available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Koorong, etc
