“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Dt 31:8 NLT)

In just one week, my life will change, and something in which I’ve invested countless hours during the last two years will come to an abrupt halt.

My term as Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI) president will end around 9:00 p.m. CST, May 4, 2019. While I’m looking forward to seeing all the wonderful things that will happen under 2020 President (and my friend) Shelley Pagach, I know it means a significant transition for me. In keeping with the 2019 OWFI conference theme, I’m “turning the page” of my life.

During the last two years, I’ve helped organize the conference both as the conference coordinator and then as president of OWFI. These past two years have been wonderful, filled with friendships I’ll cherish for a lifetime, growth as a leader, and a flood of knowledge about both writing and leadership that I couldn’t have gained anywhere else.

Change is inevitable. And it’s hard. Sometimes, we don’t see change coming, while at other times, we do. Even when we see it coming, as I do now, it’s hard to prepare adequately. For the last two years, I’ve worked with an illustrious team toward a singular goal that will now become someone else’s responsibility.

But with change come new opportunities. With that in mind, I’m taking a positive approach and creating new goals for this next phase of my life. Writing goals that I’ve put on hold will now come to the forefront. I have plans for both fiction and non-fiction books as well as numerous speaking engagements coming up soon. In addition, I’ll focus more on my editing business and ways to make it sustainable.

I’m thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to serve as the 2019 OWFI president. The Lord has blessed me with friends and personal and professional growth that made the investment of time worth it. I’m even thankful for the change to come – it means life moves on, and we keep moving with it. No matter what the future brings, I know Jesus never changes and is always by my side, guiding each step.

Dear Jesus, thank you for the opportunity I’ve had to serve as OWFI President. You have brought so many wonderful people into my life, and I’m grateful for each one and the impact they’ve had on me. I pray you’ll guide me through this transition and into all that you have for me during the next season of my life. Amen.