When the Answer is Clear

A simple prayer, a couple of writers' conferences, and overthinking...

When the Answer Is Clear

This April newsletter is a little later than I planned.

Which feels fitting, because this month has been full—and I’ve found myself asking a few “what’s wise right now?” kinds of questions.

One of those had to do with writers conferences.

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A Decision I Wasn’t Sure About

I’ve already committed to speak at the Cedar Falls Christian Writers Conference this June 4–6, and I’m genuinely looking forward to it. (See more below!)

But I also had an application open on my computer for the Write His Answer Conference. This one is happening just a couple of weeks after the CFCWC.

I kept hesitating.

Not because I didn’t want to—but because I wasn’t sure if I should.

Energy. Capacity. Pain levels. Timing.
All the things I don’t always say out loud—but feel deeply when making these kind of decisions.

So I did what I’ve learned (sometimes slowly) to do:

I filled out the application . . . and then I asked God to make it clear.

For a few days, I went back and forth. I filled it out . . . closed it . . . opened it again. You know the feeling.

Finally, I just prayed:

God, would You make it clear what’s wise for me right now?

The truth—I was leaning toward not submitting it.

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The Answer

On the day the application was due, I received an email.

From the conference director. (gulp.)

She said she missed having me last year, understood if I needed to pass again this year—but wanted me to know the invitation was open.

And then she added that I wouldn’t need to be physically “on” for the full duration of the conference.

That must have been exactly what I needed to hear.

No overthinking required.

That was the answer.

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A Good One to Say Yes To

So this June, I’ll be part of both conferences.

The first is the Cedar Falls Christian Writers Conference (June 4–6), right here in Iowa.

If you’ve ever thought about attending a writers conference—but weren’t sure where to start—this is a really good one to consider.

It’s smaller, which means it’s approachable and relational. You’re not just sitting in a crowd—you’re actually connecting with other writers, asking questions, and being part of the conversation.

And it covers a wide range of topics:

• Writing craft (fiction, nonfiction, devotionals, poetry)

• Marketing and publishing

• Book proposals and platform-building

• Journaling and personal storytelling

I’ll be teaching three sessions:

• Legacy Writing: Why Your Story Matters

• Story Mapping: Finding the Theme in Your Life Story

• From Journals to Books: Mining Your Life for Stories

I’m also looking forward to meeting keynote speaker Jim Magruder in person. We were first connected through End Game Press when his book The Dessert Between Us was published, so this feels like a fun, full-circle kind of moment that I could never have seen coming.

So if you’re within driving distance of Iowa, it’s well worth looking into:
https://www.cfcwc.org/home

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💻 The Second Conference

I’ll also be part of the Write His Answer Conference in mid-June.

I’m still waiting on more specifics, but I do know it will be a fully virtual event with a variety of speakers equipping writers at different stages.

And for this season, the flexibility of that format made it an easy yes—once the answer was clear.

Check this option out here: https://conference.writehisanswer.com

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A Peek Behind the Scenes

While I’m preparing for conferences, there’s also a lot happening quietly behind the scenes.

We’re getting close to launching a couple of books through Legacy Press—projects that have been in the works for a long time.

Here’s a first look:

Cradled on Both Sides: Bearing Witness at the Thresholds of Life, By Leann Thrapp

This one has been especially meaningful. I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Leann on this project—what started as decades of journal entries has been carefully shaped and crafted over the past several months into a book that reflects her experience of walking with people at the thresholds of life and death.

We’re finally getting close to releasing this one, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

The next book:

The Immigrant and the Outlaw: A Collection of Stories from America’s Heartland, By Joy Neal Kidney

If you’re familiar with Joy’s books, you already know—this one is special.

It’s a collection of stories rooted in history, place, and the lives of ordinary people whose stories might otherwise be forgotten. The kind of writing that preserves more than events—it preserves a sense of where we come from.

I’ll keep you posted on launch timing for both—hopefully one in May and one in June.

And there’s more in the works behind the scenes, too, with new projects already lining up for July.

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A Little Takeaway

This season feels full.

I’m a little behind in places with a lot happening at once.
Preparing for conferences . . . while also finishing the work that no one sees.

But I keep coming back to this—

I remember when I used to sit at writer’s conference rooms over 20 years ago, taking notes and quietly praying that someday I could do this kind of work.

Not just standing in front of a group of writers or sharing beautifully published pieces.

But helping bring stories into the world. Most of that work happens behind the scenes.

In the editing.
In the interviewing.
In the shaping and refining and sometimes starting over.

The books you’ll soon see—

Like Cradled on Both Sides, which began as decades of journal entries . . .
Or Joy’s The Immigrant and the Outlaw, built piece by piece from years of writing—

None of it started as a finished product.

It started quietly. Over time.

That’s where the real work happens.

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For the Writers Reading This

If you’re journaling . . .
If you’re writing in pieces . . .
If your work feels slow or unseen . . .

You’re not behind.

You’re in the part that matters.

And if you’re trying to decide what to do next—

Yes, ask. Pray. Seek clarity.

But also . . . don’t overthink it so much that you talk yourself out of something that’s already been made clear.

(Again . . . speaking from experience here. 😉)

Thanks for reading along, sharing, and all of that. See you back here on Substack in May!

(And let me know if I might see you at a writer’s conference in June!