Changing for the better, by Myra Johnson

My last couple of blog posts have dealt with our recent move from North Carolina home to Texas. As anyone who has ever moved can understand, even after three months we’re still getting settled. It’s…a process. 

And though we love almost everything about our new home, there were a few changes we needed to make. First item on the list was fencing the backyard so our doggies would have a safe place to run and play. They’re taking full advantage, too, romping or sunning in “real” grass (plush and durable St. Augustine vs. the scraggly fescue that struggled to survive in our shady NC lawn).

Penny & Poppy enjoying the lawn.

Another no-go in our new home was a master bathroom with a lovely soaking tub…but a single sink and NO shower! Especially with our daughter’s family of six expected for a visit next month, no way could all eight of us take turns using the shower in the guest bath! So for the past several weeks, we’ve endured the come-and-go of plumbers, carpenters, painters, electricians, tilers, and granite installers as we change the master bath to a tub/shower combo and add a sink. The end result will be both functional and attractive, the bathroom redesigned exactly as we’d envisioned.

Stages of our remodeling project from start to almost finished!

Writing a book has a lot in common with a remodeling project. The first draft may tell a good story, but it usually needs a little help (or a LOT!) before it’s ready for publication. A scene that goes nowhere? It’s out. The character who chose a certain course of action when the plot really needed her somewhere else? Gotta fence her in. Once character and plot are working in concert, then we get down to the nitty-gritty of polishing sentences and paragraphs, checking spelling and punctuation, and ensuring the finished book reflects the vision we began with.

And just for fun, a photo of Denali getting some outdoor time since he's not allowed to roam free.

It’s also good to remember that since God is the Author of Life, He is constantly at work on a remodeling project in each one of us. Unhealthy habits, harmful choices, negative emotions—these are all things God can help us change so that, day by day, we are growing into the people He created us to be. It takes patience and persistence, along with an unshakable faith that even when progress seems slow and we feel frustrated or discouraged, God knows exactly what He’s doing.

Have you undergone a remodeling project recently? Learn any important lessons along the way?

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Native Texan Myra Johnson writes emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. She’s currently at work on a new Love Inspired mini-series, Hill Country Haven, with returning characters from Her Hill Country Cowboy and Hill Country Reunion. The first book in the series, The Rancher’s Redemption, released last month. Book two, Their Christmas Prayer, will be out in October.


Also look for the updated editions of Myra’s earlier romances:

Autumn Rains

Romance by the Book

Where the Dogwoods Bloom 

The Horsemen of Cross Roads Farm (3-book collection)

And…mark your calendars for June 27-July 1, when Pearl of Great Price will be free for Kindle and other e-readers!

An abandoned Arkansas lake resort holds the key to a young woman’s past . . . and her future.

Myra is a three-time Maggie Awards finalist, two-time finalist for the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards, winner of Christian Retailing’s Best for historical fiction, and winner in the Inspirational category of the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards. After living five years in Oklahoma, then eight years in the beautiful Carolinas, Myra and her husband are thrilled to be back in the Lone Star State enjoying wildflowers, Tex-Mex, and real Texas barbecue! The Johnsons share their home with two very pampered rescue dogs who don’t always understand the meaning of “Mom’s trying to write.” They’ve also inherited the cute little cat (complete with attitude) their daughter and family had to leave behind when they moved overseas.

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