Connect with Industry Professionals
Making Contacts
Too often, writers will meet with an industry professional—whether an editor, an agent or a marketer—and expect him or her to immediately catch their vision. They want success now. God gave them the story, right? So why isn’t He answering their prayers to be published?
It’s good to make contact with industry professionals whenever the opportunity presents itself, but remember each contact can be an opportunity to grow and improve so your work will be complete and ready when God's plan and timing come along.
Quotes #1
With God, there’s always an appointed time for things, and when you put Him first, trust in His timing, and keep the faith, miracles happen!
—Germany Kent
Grass that is here today and gone tomorrow does not require much time to mature. A giant oak tree that lasts for generations requires much more time to grow strong.
—Henry T. Blackaby, Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Workbook
Sometimes we have to let our dreams go in order to allow God to bring them back to us—in his way and his timing.
—Melody Carlson, The Christmas Angel Project
God is never late and rarely early. He is always exactly right on time—His time.
—Dillon Burroughs, Hunger No More: A 1-Year Devotional Journey through the Psalms
The least of you will become a thousand,[space]the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.
—Isaiah 60:22
To love God is to love His will. It is to wait quietly for life to be measured by One who knows us through and through. It is to be content with His timing and His wise appointment.
—Elisabeth Elliot
When we come to a place where we trust that God’s timing is perfect, we can be content no matter where we are because we know that God will not leave us there forever. Maintaining a passion for the present means embracing the light we have where we are at this time and trusting that it is enough.
—Stormie O’Martian
When we are unduly impatient with an omniscient God’s timing, we really are suggesting that we know what’s best. Strange, isn’t it? We who wear wrist watches seek to counsel Him who oversees cosmic clocks and calendars.
—Neal A. Maxwell
—Germany Kent
Grass that is here today and gone tomorrow does not require much time to mature. A giant oak tree that lasts for generations requires much more time to grow strong.
—Henry T. Blackaby, Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Workbook
Sometimes we have to let our dreams go in order to allow God to bring them back to us—in his way and his timing.
—Melody Carlson, The Christmas Angel Project
God is never late and rarely early. He is always exactly right on time—His time.
—Dillon Burroughs, Hunger No More: A 1-Year Devotional Journey through the Psalms
The least of you will become a thousand,[space]the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.
—Isaiah 60:22
To love God is to love His will. It is to wait quietly for life to be measured by One who knows us through and through. It is to be content with His timing and His wise appointment.
—Elisabeth Elliot
When we come to a place where we trust that God’s timing is perfect, we can be content no matter where we are because we know that God will not leave us there forever. Maintaining a passion for the present means embracing the light we have where we are at this time and trusting that it is enough.
—Stormie O’Martian
When we are unduly impatient with an omniscient God’s timing, we really are suggesting that we know what’s best. Strange, isn’t it? We who wear wrist watches seek to counsel Him who oversees cosmic clocks and calendars.
—Neal A. Maxwell
Reflections Prompts #1
Recall a time (perhaps at a writers’ conference) when you had a plan for who you wanted to connect with but that didn’t work out—and what actually happened turned out to be God ordained.
What kind of industry professional (agent, publisher, freelance editor, PR/marketer, social media expert, virtual assistant, successful author) would you like to meet, either here at the retreat or at some time in the near future?
What kind of industry professional (agent, publisher, freelance editor, PR/marketer, social media expert, virtual assistant, successful author) would you like to meet, either here at the retreat or at some time in the near future?
Quotes #2
I needed to do my current job well, keep preparing, and wait on God’s timing. I needed to trust His leadership rather than try to force an outcome I wanted.
—Tony Dungy
Never act on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which will take years to untangle. Wait for God’s timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment.
—Oswald Chambers
The vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
—Habakkuk 2:3
If we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
—Romans 8:25 ESV
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
—Ecclesiastes 7:8 ESV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
—Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV
—Tony Dungy
Never act on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which will take years to untangle. Wait for God’s timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment.
—Oswald Chambers
The vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
—Habakkuk 2:3
If we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
—Romans 8:25 ESV
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
—Ecclesiastes 7:8 ESV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
—Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV
Reflections Prompt #2
Write a prayer giving your writing and your goals to God to do whatever is His will.