A glimpse into my faith, my dream of writing, and reaching people for Christ through my words.
“He understood more about her than she had ever thought someone could. Maybe one day she would be able to tell him the truth, tell him her own story. And maybe one day, he’d be able to help her believe again.”
Do you need more of Caroline and Connor’s story? If so, Caroline’s Purpose is available now!
“Connor reached for his auxiliary cord and dug his phone out of his pocket to plug it in. He called up his driving playlist as he prepared for the hour or so drive home. He tapped the shuffle button, and “Run” by Urban Rescue sprang to life in the speakers.
Letting the lyrics fall over him, he put his truck in reverse and left the parking lot. He whispered along as the first verse continued. “Please don’t leave me where I am. Take me back where love began. Though my eyes can’t see the end, I believe You have a plan.”
Connor turned onto the road and headed for the interstate. He let the song work its way into his heart as he drove and pictured Caroline. There was a plan; he just had to wait it out and keep praying for her every step of the way.”
Run is one of my favorite Urban Rescue songs, and I thought it fit well into this part of my book. If you want to know what led up to this moment, Caroline’s Purpose is available now! If you’ve read it, and enjoyed it, I would love for you to leave a review on Amazon!
“And he couldn’t help but let that wonder turn into a sense of hope.”
This is one of my favorite quotes from Caroline’s Purpose. If you want to know who ‘he’ is and what he’s hopeful about, Caroline’s Purpose is available now!
Barnes and Noble: https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/carolines-purpose-erica-zaborac/1138372131?ean=9781611533927
I feel like a lot of my time is spent waiting on water tanks to fill. A horse drinks at least ten gallons of water per day. I have one horse who can drink more than thirty gallons a day in the heat of summer, meaning his seventy gallon tank needs to be dumped, cleaned, and refilled every other day, if not more. I say all of this to explain that I spend a lot of my time filling up water tanks.
While I wait, I often sit on the top rail of the fence and reflect on a lot of things, like work, my youth group kids, or the horses themselves. Other times I write, capturing a few sentences or phrases or ideas that have been floating around in my head. I find it better to sit still and wait on the water than to wander off and do something else. Why?
Because if I don’t sit there and wait, I overflow the tank and leave myself, and my poor horses, with a muddy mess. A muddy mess that only time can clean up.
Last week, I was sitting on my top fence rail, waiting on a water tank, wishing it would go faster because the sun was setting and I was cold, when a question came into my head.
How often does God ask me to wait, and instead of sitting still and waiting, I rush off and fill my time with other things that leave me in a mess?
I didn’t want to think about the honest answer.
Isaiah 40:31 is a verse I am very familiar with. It was my school’s theme verse for preschool through eighth grade. It reads: “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Because I heard it so often, I’m not sure I ever gave it much thought. This says God gives new strength to those who wait on Him. We all know it can be hard to be patient, but God gives us strength when we wait on Him. Psalm 27:14 shares a similar meaning: “Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.”
No one likes to wait, especially in today’s world where we’ve gotten used to everything being instant or quick. But if we don’t wait, we may make a mess God never intended for us to be in. We may deal with heartache that our rushing around caused. Like the mud from the overflowed water tank, only time and God can heal the pain.
As a writer, I want to write the story. But I’m learning that the stories I write, that I make up in my head, are different than the story of my life that God is writing. So even when I think I know how my story should go, I have to remember to let go of the pen, and give it back to God. Especially in seasons of waiting.
We may not understand why God is telling us to wait. But His plan is better than ours. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. The will of God is better than anything you know to ask for. The waiting will be worth it.
Connor rubbed the crescent moon on Luna’s forehead. “Caroline, can I ask you something?”
Caroline lifted her eyes to his as she continued working on Luna’s coat. “Yeah, go ahead.”
“Back in the classroom, when we started our presentation, it seemed like you couldn’t do it. You started to talk, but nothing came out. Then all of a sudden, you flipped a switch, and you were fine.” Connor paused, taking a breath.
Caroline stared at him. “I guess I’m waiting for a question?”
Connor laughed. “Right. Well, I guess I’m just wondering how you did it.”
A slight hint of red came across Caroline’s cheeks as she looked back down to Luna’s coat. “If I tell you, you’ll either laugh at me, or think I’m crazy.”
Connor grinned. “What if I promise to do neither?”
Caroline rolled her eyes. “I don’t think you can make that promise.”
“I think I can. I won’t laugh. I just want to know.”
Caroline looked at him, her eyes doubtful, her cheeks still red. “Alright, I’ll hold you to that.” She slid the curry comb off her hand and reached for the lead rope. “Do you want to get her other side?”
“Sure thing.” Connor handed her the rope as he slid the curry over his own hand. He started working at Luna’s shoulder.
Caroline sighed, running her fingers through Luna’s forelock. “In high school softball, we were the Colts. That was our mascot. Our coach put a horseshoe on the wall by the entrance to the bullpen. When we got to the field for practice or a game, we would touch it. It was our way of leaving everything from our day outside, so we could focus on what we needed to do. Just a little mental trick. Obviously, I needed to focus on our presentation, so I pictured the horseshoe and touched it in my head.”
Connor watched as her cheeks turned a deeper red. Caroline wouldn’t look up at him. She just kept running her fingers through Luna’s forelock. “Hey, I’m not laughing,” Connor reassured her as he put the curry comb away and reached for the stiff bristled brush.
“True, but you have to think I’m crazy…”
*Remember you can pre-order now! Release date is January 5th!
“Caroline could feel the crowd’s anticipation. She could sense the energy pulsing through her team. Everyone knew this was it, the last batter she would have to face if she could get the out. The championship would be theirs.
The no-hitter would be hers.
She forced another deep breath as she stepped to the rubber to get her sign. Another drop ball. She repeated the motion and spin she had just thrown for a called strike one. She got the ball back, replanted her feet on the rubber, and waited for the next call.
Caroline nodded her head, agreeing to the changeup. Keep your arm speed up, she reminded herself as she worked the ball in her glove to get the grip she wanted. She flipped her wrist as she released, slowing down the pitch for a called strike two.
The fans for their team stood up in the stands, recognizing they needed just one more strike to win. Caroline took the ball to the edge of the pitching circle, looking out at the center field fence, then up to the lights shining down on the field. The last beams of light from the sunset glowed over the top of the mountains. The May breeze ruffled the end of her ponytail. She closed her eyes. You can do this. Throw a strike. It’s that easy.
Turning back, determination echoing in each step, she took to the rubber. The catcher relayed the sign to her. Screw ball, up and in.
With two strikes on the hitter, Caroline knew she needed to make this a chase pitch, something out of the strike zone that would trick the batter into swinging and missing. She pictured where she wanted it to go, and off she went.
She gave the pitch a little extra oomph, grunting as she snapped the ball. It ran in and up, going right where she wanted it. The batter swung through it, missing by several inches. Strike three. Three outs. Ballgame.
State championship.
No-hitter…”
Caroline’s Purpose is available for pre-order now!
I am excited to share the cover of my novel, Caroline’s Purpose! You can preorder it at Amazon or Barnes and Noble! Release date is January 5, 2021!
One Word at a Time 