Hello, everyone!

It has been…too long…since I last posted an update! Just about one month after I posted my last entry, I sent my completed (91,000 words) manuscript to my editor on September 21st. Then, on October 30th, I received the notes back from my editor!

There’s a lot to work on and honestly, it can be a bit overwhelming at times! But, I am so excited as I continue on this journey 

There has been a lot that the Lord has taught me recently, over the past year, but especially the last few months. One thing I’ve been learning is remembering to trust in the Lord. Oftentimes, as we walk through life, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the here and now. Personally, I begin to overthink things, which typically sends me in a spiral. 

My life verse has always been Proverbs 3:5-6 which says, “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.” It’s easy to memorize these words and recite them when asked what my favorite verse is, but then I come upon some days, when the Spirit whispers to me, Are you truly trusting Me? 

A blast of conviction hits me like a winter chill. It gives me pause and in those quiet moments, I evaluate my heart, but specifically my thought patterns. It’s those thoughts that appear at a moment’s notice that eventually cause me to attempt to lean on my own understanding; those thoughts that pull me further from trusting the Lord. 

I think that a lot of the things we struggle with on a daily basis come from our thought patterns. What we think about matters, especially what we allow in, because those things will settle like dust in the corners of our mind. One verse that the Lord constantly reminds me of is Philippians 4:8, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” We have the choice to change what we’re thinking about and how we’re thinking about certain situations. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul says, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 

In life, we were never promised an easy path. Jesus even said in John 16:33, “In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” We are going to come to seasons where we walk through difficult trials. There will be hard days. But we have this hope – as an anchor for our soul (Hebrews 6:19) – that the Lord is going to walk right alongside us.

So I encourage you to remember the hope in Jesus that we have. Honor Him with every moment of your day. Trust that He knows the bigger picture and He will see you through this season, no matter what you are walking through.
If you’re not a Christian or if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at sarahbaylorwrites@gmail.com and I would love to tell you about the gift of salvation through Jesus.