We
live by faith, Not by sight - 2 Corinthians 5:7
I’m fascinated with doors, love them. Walking
the French Quarter in New Orleans last summer, I took more pictures of doors
than anything else.
Doors are
a strong symbolism for opportunities and rejections. How do we handle an opened
door? Afraid of the unknown or do you have the faith to walk through with
courage?
How do we
react when confronted with a closed door? There are times we want to bang on the
locked door until our fist is bloody and our throat raw, or imagine going Chuck
Norris on the thing that keeps us from our perfect life. Denying us what we
think we desire the most. The one thing that would make us happy.
In my August release, the heroine, Vickie, had
been beating on a closed door. Her husband wanted out of their marriage so he
could move on to better things. She fought as long as she could to save the
marriage.
Now she’s back in her hometown wanting to be strong for her
kids. Is she so focused on the closed door she might miss the opened door?
I have
learned that closed doors can be the greatest gift, forcing us to find a new
path.
Yes, faith is believing in what you can’t see,
but I also think we need to see with faith. If we take the time to look we can
see God’s love in the most unlikely places.
Have you ever yelled at a closed door only to
learn later it was a blessing that you didn't get it open?
Excerpt from LONE STAR
HERO available now
For a moment, she
imagined them all together as a real family. Her gaze traveled the outline of
his cabin. The cabin he built. If she had been brave enough to make the right
choices in high school, this warm home and special man could’ve been hers. The
reality of it hit her hard. Jake made is easy to image reconnecting with him, but
she had to put her life back in order, starting with two kids that needed her
to be strong.
Her baggage weighted
too much to drop on Jake’s steps. Friendship with Jake sounded easy. Vickie
knew her heart would fly right past friendship and into dangerous territory of rekindling
that first love.
She couldn’t afford to
make any more wrong choices. Time to grow up.
“Jake, your mother’s right. I’m not what you need.”
He leaned forward,
elbows planted on his knees. “Why don’t you and my mother let me decide what I
need?”
The
intense stare of his eyes seared right to her unreliable heart. She couldn’t
handle that look right now. Vickie stepped back. “I’ve got to go. The kids are
waiting for me at my parent’s house. Bye Jake.” Teeth clenched, she ran all to
her car.
Jolene Navarro’s Bio:
Jolene, a seventh generation Texan, knows that, as
much as the world changes, people stay the same. Good and evil. Vow-keepers and
heart breakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who showed dancing in the rain
never gets old. Her life and her stories are filled with faith, family, dirty dishes and all of life's wonderful messiness. Jolene teaches art at an inner city high school. When she's not hanging out with her four almost grown kids, she loves creating her own world of family and love. You can connect with Jolene on facebook and her blog at jolenenavarrowriter.com.
Posts
What a great post, Jolene! And I loved the excerpt. Loved the photos as well. Very beautiful and interesting doors.
ReplyDeleteLoved the pics, Jolene! You are so right about closed doors. I felt like I was beating my head against the closed door of publishing for 15 years, but God had my journey in exactly the right place. I needed time to learn the craft and focus on Him. When it all came together, then the right door opened. In retrospect, I thank Him that the door I wanted to open stayed firmly locked.
ReplyDeleteThank you Missy. Christine isn't it amazing how we worry than end up in the right place after all. And the time does speed by.
ReplyDeleteLOL, my door had handprints on it. I have a nine year old and in the neighborhood there are at least five more boys close to that age. No matter how many times I wash them off, they're soon back.
ReplyDeleteRepresenting, I supposed, a house where someone's always asking, "Come play! You're important."
As well as, "Wash my hands? I don't need to wash my stinkin hands."
LOL
What a great post. I take a lot of pictures of doors and windows.
ReplyDeleteHuman nature sure has us focused on the things that are closed off to us rather than what may be open. I'm with Christine. I have bruises on my forehead from banging my head. And the thing about windows is they are often harder to get through and we need to make an extra effort.
Thanks for making me think this morning!
What a wonderful post. I have railed against closed doors many times. But I am happy that God is in control.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Phinney
Author of Protected by the Warrior.
Great post, Jolene. I've knocked at closed doors, but I've been known to stand at open ones with knees knocking as well. Following the Lord's leading can be challenging at times, but I trust that He knows the best doors for me to walk through. Well, on my good days I do, anyhow.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post, Jolene!
ReplyDeleteWow, I'd never really given much thought to doors (and what they can symbolize)but your post makes me think of them in a different light now. :)
Congratulations on your latest book--sounds delightful!
Blessings from Georgia, Patti Jo
LOL Pamela. This year at the coast my youngest niece had not only left hand prints and face print but she had somehow managed to have her foot prints too on the glass doors! I had flashback of my dad yelling that he had just cleaned the glass doors. Fun times!
ReplyDeleteAmen to that Barb!
ReplyDeleteJulie, I use to let fear keep me from climbing through those windows. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Keli. Learning to following the Lord's leading is an ongoing lesson that hopefully I'm getting better at. I still tend to want to "control" the doors around me. :D
ReplyDeleteLoved your post. My mom always advised us not to allow closed doors to get the better of us. We could find a way in, or out, if we put our minds to it - and also prayed. Congrats on your new release.
ReplyDeleteCool pictures! Great post Jolene.
ReplyDeleteLove the post and pics, Jolene! Although I've never yelled at the door, I've definitely been grateful afterward for doors that remained firmly closed when I'd wanted them opened--in publishing and in romance. :D
ReplyDeleteFascinating! Loved the photos as well :)
ReplyDeleteJolene, I've been waiting for Vickie's story. Looks like my wait is over.
ReplyDeleteInteresting take on doors. Great pix, too.