How Do You Handle Delay?
Judean desert
It seems my whole life has been one delay after another since I was born. I was an “early” baby, or premie, but I was delayed after birth by a stint in an incubator. My longest hospital stay was at that time. Thirteen days. @donnalhsmith #amwriting #lifesdelays #howdoyouhandledelay
It took me the longest time after college to get a job and to keep one. I’ve had numerous dreams about being delayed by friends, by dogs, by roadblocks, etc. both in dreams and in real life.
I should have found my career stride in my twenties, but I’m in my sixties now, and I’m not sure I’ve found it yet.
I’ve tried a number of careers and jobs. All with the same result. Initial success followed by mediocrity, followed by a release from the job—one way or another.
Hmmm. I’m delivered, so the past is the past, but I’m still being delayed. How old do I have to be before I get to actually “do” something significant with my life? I’ve tried before to do a number of things…secretary, radio reporter, freelance writer and reporter, balloon artist and decorator, chocolatier, etc.
I’ve been to a bible school and a ministry training school. What came of those? More education. Not much actual ministry or involvement in ministry.
I’ve gone and done it again though. I’m in an unaccredited healing certification program and an accredited seminary for an M.Div. (Master of Divinity). All that education will delay me another two to three years.
And just today, I learned my third novel is indefinitely delayed. There is no estimated publish date for it. When you’re a novelist, even if you don’t have very many readers, like me, you still and your readers still, expect some sort of timeline so they know. For instance, both my published books came out in November. November is next week, and Hannah’s Hope will not be out in November this year. I’m not even sure it will be out before the end of the year. I’m guaranteed it won’t be out by the time I needed to enter a contest – one I’ve made the finals of and placed in the last two years with my novels. Oh well.
When I asked the publishing assistant, she had nothing to offer me, except an opportunity to do a more detailed edit beyond the standard 12 minor edits or less which the other two books went through at the end.
There is no cover. There is no estimated date for publication.
So, what am I doing? I’ll be concentrating on my classes.
Oh, and there’s a class delay, too. It’s possible I won’t be able to complete my healing certification in my estimated time frame by next October. I’ll know more about this in January, but for now, it’s another delay. A class was cancelled because there weren’t enough people signed up.
No such delay for seminary. In fact, one of the first things you do is a Course Map. You look at all the classes being offered each term. Not every class is offered every term. But you decide, based on your degree program, which class you’ll take when, and I enrolled now for classes all way through next July.
When Mom lived with us for her last six years, waiting for anything was extremely difficult for her. I’d take her to the ophthalmologist, and we’d be there two to three hours sometimes, because we were waiting for this or that. She’d get so impatient it was hard for her to remain calm.
It’s hard to wait, when I’ve been waiting my whole life for this time. I’m glad it’s here, but it presents challenges in energy, time, and waiting, when there is nothing I can do about it.
But, since there is nothing I can do about it, I will do what’s in front of me … two seminary classes and a CHCP class, and all their requirements … while planning in my head a ministry to launch next year.
And maybe someday, oh how I hate that word, my third novel will come out.
In the meantime, I wait. I study. That’s it. How do you handle delay? Leave a comment and let me know. @donnalhsmith #amwriting #lifesdelays #howdoyouhandledelay
Donna L.H. Smith 
Wait on the Lord, Donna. In the meantime, pray for our country for revival. Whatever God speaks to your heart, do it. You’re loved and I’m so glad I know you and that we got to be roommates at ORU!
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Wow great mam, In fact I am a habitual if delaying, but I try out my best to handle the timing with quicker actions. Thank you very kind for wonderful post
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