Debra Clopton's Thoughts on the Hump--Gotta Love It!

It's me--Debra Clopton, sticking my head up from deadline crunch :) to say hi.

In writing a book there is a time when the book hits a wall or a hump that frustrates me and stalls my process. I've learned that I'm going to encounter this hump in each book and that it is just a part of my process. What I've learned about this hump is that while frustrating as it is, it has stalled me out for a reason. I've learned to spend more time with God during this time and ask Him to guide me and help me see what it is that He might be trying to tell me. This is the hardest moment I have in each and every book. It is ususally the moment that I realize something extremely important to my story that was never there before. I usually have an ah-Ha moment when I realize what it is that God was trying to tell me and I push forward over the hump to the other side. Most of the time I've found that my favorite part of a book, after it is written is the section where I encountered the hump... In life I think it is the same way. Have you ever encountered a hump (there are small humps and humps of huge despair) Moments when you thought God had turned his back on you and left you to flounder on your own? I have! But I know if I turn and look at my life trailing out behind me that it is the momets during the hump and afterwards that I see God's glory as I see exactly how He was guiding me or helping me navigate over that hump. Or using it to draw me back to HIM.

In the picture above my husband and I were driving up the Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon of Kauai) which was beautiful and lush for the most part then this area of red rock shows up. Chuck stopped so I could explore. I climbed down off the road and looked down, just over one of the red dirt humps and there beside the stream hidden from view were three beautiful stems of purple orchids! I was so astonished and thrilled. LOL I didn't have my camera with me :( so I don't have a picture. But when I was thinking of this post I immediatly thought of the orchids. If I'd stayed on the other side of the hump and not put forth the extra effort I'd have missed one of the most memorable moments of my honeymoon. This second picture is Chuck and I standing at the top of the mountain behind us is the Na Pali Coast. We're so high up that it is almost impossible to distinguish between the ocean and the sky. Again, we reached a spot where we thought we were at the top of the mountain, but someone had told us that when we thought we were at the last stop to keep on going because we weren't. They were right. The road got rougher and full of pot holes and not many traveled up that far...but oh what a beautiful sight it was to be there. I'm praying that when you are feeling like you can't go any further that you refresh yourself with time with God then push forward.

God has something beautiful in store for you.
Until next time Live, Laugh and Seek God with all your Heart.

Debra Clopton--I hope you'll be watching for the reissue of THE TROUBLE WITH LACY BROWN AND, AND BABY MAKES FIVE coming out as a Classic in March.