TELL YOUR STORY

By Janetta Fudge-Messmer

We’ve all heard the saying, “The Lord works in mysterious ways”. In my case, He directed me on a path I could never have imagined, and blessed me beyond measure.

Almost two years ago I had the privilege of spending a month with my mom after she transitioned into the nursing home. One day I started to ask her questions about her life. Each evening I’d go back to her home and type out what she’d shared with me that day. In the end, I had thirty-five pages of “Mom’s Story.” Later that year, I compiled it into a book (with photos) and ent it to my siblings. They loved it.

Also, while visiting Mom, I put the finishing touches on the novel I started the year before. I tell people that Early Birds is loosely based on my husband and my life. Our dog told us to quit our jobs, sell everything, buy an RV, and get on the road. (I’m happy to report we took Maggie’s advice and have traveled for over three years now.)

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t see a correlation with us hitting the highways and my mom’s story. But the Lord sure had a plan. A few months after Winged Publications published my debut novel, my hubby came up with a grand idea. We could sell my RV-inspired novel at RV rallies.

He called different RV groups and the state directors at the rallies wanted me to set up a booth and sell my book at them. Some even suggested I do a seminar, along with selling my book. I said, “Sure”, but didn’t have a clue what I’d talk about. Then I remembered “Mom’s Story”.

She had a story to tell and it was if the Lord was telling me, “Other people do too.” At my first seminar I shared my mother’s story and gave them questions to jumpstart their own writing. I also used my novel as an example of more ideas they could write about (friends, adventures, trials and tribulations, etc.).

It’s funny how two unrelated events ended up going hand in hand.  I’m learning so much on this writing/marketing journey, especially how much the Lord directs our paths when we let Him.

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your path; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4

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Janetta Fudge-Messmer is an inspirational author, speaker and editor. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and spent seven years as a speaker with Toastmasters International. Her first novel, Early Birds, was published January 2016. The sequel, Southbound Birds, followed in October 2016. Her newest novel, Chords of Love, is in a compilation with four other authors entitled My Secret Love.  Janetta’s past publications include a fiction article, A Working Relationship, published in Guideposts Magazine. Guideposts Books published, "Shorthaired Miracle”. She resides in Florida, or wherever the wind blows, with her husband of 35 years and their precious pooch Maggie. The three of them became full-time RVers in 2013 and enjoy traveling around the USA in their Minnie Winnie. All of Janetta’s novels are available on Amazon: https://goo.gl/rd0X4T  Website: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/ Blog: http://www.nettie-fudges-world.blogspot.com/
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