Haircuts & Hurricanes

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by Kathleen Denly

This year has been full of surprises, and few of them pleasant. It can be difficult to understand what God is thinking during times like these. It can be tempting to believe what we are going through is so terrible it cannot possibly result in something good.

Take my hair for example. It’s very thick and dense. Therefore, if not regularly cut in a special manner, it begins to cause me daily migraines. Well, at the start of this year I needed to change stylists. That meant going an extra two weeks between haircuts and by the time I arrived at my appointment, I’d begun to experience migraines.

Unfortunately, communicating with a new stylist doesn’t always go smoothly and, in this case, I walked out of the salon with hair several inches shorter than I’d intended. Already feeling pushed to my scheduling limits, I fretted over how I was going to find the time to properly style hair that could no longer be pulled into a quick ponytail or messy bun. I’d just lost thirty minutes at the start of each day that I couldn’t afford to give up. It was a minor issue, compared to what’s happened in this world since, but I’ll admit to shedding a few tears over the situation.

The funny thing is, I got that haircut exactly four days before our family began staying home to avoid SARS-CoV-2. Suddenly, styling my hair became a moot point. No one but my husband and kids were going to see it and they couldn’t care less if I looked like a clown. What’s more, because of the lockdown in my state, it turned out I wouldn’t be able to get another haircut for several months unless I was willing to hand my husband a pair of scissors and let him have at it. That extra length I cried over losing?  It means I’ve avoided migraines and my husband’s hair-cutting skills. Thank you, Lord!

In my upcoming novel, Sing in the Sunlight, my heroine endures far worse trauma than a disappointing haircut. Not the least of which includes battling the only hurricane to have ever struck the California coast (for which today is the 162nd anniversary). Her experiences leave her convinced God sets his creations on earth just to stand back and await the Day of Judgment. Over the course of the story she learns that God is far more involved in our lives than that. He loves us and even when things seem terrible—even when they are terrible—God has a plan to use it all for the good of those who love Him.

Although authors often write from home, we’re far from immune to the major changes taking place in our world. Our quiet sanctuary may have been invaded by loved ones seeking to carry on some semblance of noisy normal life. Friends may be revealing unpleasant sides of themselves we never suspected were there, leaving us hurt and confused. Loved ones may be sick or dying, making it impossible to escape into our make-believe worlds. If you’re struggling to write and can’t understand how God expects you to fulfill the calling He’s given you amidst the chaos that has become your life, take heart. God knew this was coming—yes, all of it—and He loves you. He has a plan to work everything out for your good. In the midst of the storm, lean on Him and He will carry you through.

In the midst of the storm, lean on God and He will carry you through. #writerslife @KathleenDenly #ACFWBlogs #writetips #ChristianFiction #ACFWCommunity Click To Tweet

Kathleen Denly writes historical romance stories to entertain, encourage, and inspire readers toward a better understanding of our amazing God and how He sees us. Award winning author of the Chaparral Hearts series, she also shares history tidbits, thoughts on writing, books reviews and more at KathleenDenly.com. 

 

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