The Best-Made Plans

Are you a planner? I'm not. I love spontaneity.

As you can imagine, my natural dependency on serendipity gets me into trouble. I need friends and colleagues that keep me on track.

That's why it's a blessing to get together with my friends from Byhalia Christian Writers.

The encouragement I receive from fellow writers challenges me to focus on my goals. The group's vision for next year­­––hosting a conference for Christian writers across the Mid-South––gives me an extra shot of excitement. At our meetings, ideas for informative workshops spring up among our members like Daylilies in my summer flowerbeds.

Our group's devotions encourage me as a scribe for the Kingdom of God. I realize the greatest enemy of my writing is fear: fear of rejection and not being good enough; fear that God has abandoned me.

But God always triumphs. He gives me His hope, strength, and help. He upholds me with His right hand and drives out my fears. He anoints me with perfect love.

When I'm seeking divine plans, whether it be a writing goal or a vision shared by a group of writers seeking God's heart, it's good for me to remember: "A man's heart plans his way. But the LORD directs his steps." (Proverbs 16:9 NKJV)

I won a door prize at our June writer's meeting. My gift? A daytime planner. God winked at me and politely aligned my scattershot steps.

Thank goodness when my plans fail (or I fail to plan at all) God has a way. The best-made plans are His.

Join me and other members of BCW on this blog as we prepare for our conference next year. We invite your comments and suggestions for workshops you would like to attend.

Our conference date is March 8, 2014 in Collierville, TN. Roland Mann is the scheduled keynote speaker.

Pray for our group as we seek to follow God on the writing journey that lies ahead.

Jeris Hamm

BCW Marketing