My Biggest Fan

Prepare yourselves, I need to gush on my husband for a second—and this isn’t even a Marriage Monday post.

We went to Colorado Springs a couple weekends ago for me to attend the ACFW “Write in the Springs” event with Margie Lawson. (Side note—the event was INCREDIBLE, and I learned a ton, and I’m back at chapter one to continue revising my first manuscript. But it’s okay. Every encounter I’ve had stretches and grows me as a writer, and I love getting to push my craft to be the best it can be.)

Colorado Springs is normally a little over six hours from our house, and we couldn’t leave until after work on Friday evening. And, as luck would have it, we ended up driving through a snow storm on our way up, so our travel time increased, which put us there after midnight.

So I have to gush about two things Howell did over the weekend that blessed my soul.

For one—he came! My rock star hubs got us there safely, and when I arrived at the event on Saturday morning, I was greeted by a table of friendly ladies who first couldn’t believe I’d come from Texas and then couldn’t believe my husband had brought me.

Howell has traveled with me to all of the writer’s conferences I’ve attended over the last four years—not because we’re inseparable (though we do love to travel together) but because he values what I’m trying to do, the vision I have for my writing.

It’s a no-brainer to us, and I forget it’s unusual until I’m confronted with perplexed faces and surprised reactions.

The second “aww-thanks-babe” moment happened while we were at lunch on Sunday. One of my writing mentors lives in Colorado Springs, and I’m grateful she and her hubs are willing to spend time with us when we come. She’s taught me so much about my writing and the industry.

So, we’re sitting at Mimi’s Cafe, and I’m giving an update about semi-finaling in Genesis for Restless Heart, which is a book she knows about, and finaling in First Impressions for Harvesting Love and preparing that second book for a publisher, which she doesn’t know about.

And she asks the question I’m never prepared for—though, I KNOW, I should be: what’s this new book about?

I stumble over words. It’s been so long since my pitch in September. What did I say again?

As I’m mumbling something incoherent, she turns to Howell and says, “You tell me.”

And he did. He gave a great set up of the story and praised it as his favorite one I’ve written.

We’re in the presence of an award-winning, bestselling, multi-published author, and he’s praising me.

Y’all, I can’t tell you what it means to have his support for my dreams.

He pushes me to be better, and he encourages me when I need what I have to be good enough for today.

I don’t know about you, but I’d say that’s priceless.

Friends, if God’s put a dream in your heart, surround yourself with people who will believe in you. And then don’t forget to thank your cheerleaders every now and then.

Thanks, babe. :)