Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The other days . . .

People ask what we do on non-ministry days. I've learned there's no such thing as a non-ministry day! Once my refugee families had my phone number -- which I gladly gave them -- the phone began ringing day and night.

Since we've been on the mission field, and for 23 years before that, I've worked as an author of Christian fiction. Check out catherinepalmer.com to see my books.

Recently, I reduced my writing to three days a week. Now the Lord has led me to take a sabbatical from my writing career. Maybe forever!

Here's my current messy office. The level of messiness rises with the approach of the end of a book. I'm finishing up The Courteous Cad, and my readers are going to be relieved. They've been clamoring for this book for several years.I've had to postpone The Courteous Cad due to other book contracts. Right now, I'm putting the finishing touches on it. My amazing and wonderful husband reads and edits every book I write before I send it to publishers. His great editing and his sense of story have a huge impact on my writing. Thanks, Tim! So, here's what the inside of our closet looks like!
These books are like my children. I conceived and birthed them, rejoiced that others loved them as much as I did, and am now ready to let them go.New beginnings are fun . . . and scary. Tim will continue his part-time job as a tennis center attendant. I will increase my ministry days -- to continue visiting in homes and supervising The Refugee Sewing Society. We believe our loving Father will take care of us. Thank you for your support and prayers as we take this big step!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It makes me sad to think that you will not be writing any more books, at least for now. I have a full bookshelf of all of your books. But I sense the joy and excitement that you are experiencing in doing mission work in a much needed area. These are "your people" and you have a definite ministry doing what the Lord has led you and Tim to do. I'm sure you had no idea when you were growing up in Africa that one day you would be ministering to these refugees in the heart of Atlanta.