For my current hockey romance, my story idea originated with two hockey players (USA vs Canada) and an epic love story that began at an Olympics once upon a few years back. I pictured a scene on a frozen part of the lake playing ice hockey like they might have as kids. I pictured a face-off on the ice, both in different jerseys, egging each other on as they fight for the puck.

Currently I keep picturing a dark haired Belle type character setting up her own candle shop in the fall in a cozy Colorado town. I’m thinking there might be childhood friend turned romance in that one, but that’s a story for a later time.

The point is, every story begins somewhere. Right now, I’m in the weeds of editing, and to be honest, it can suck some of the joy out of writing for me, especially since this is the most I have ever needed to rewrite and edit a story. But I trust that the story sparks that began this adventure will be polished to something beautiful, encouraging, and fun to read when it’s all said and done.

Isn’t that what the Lord wants to do with us. He takes a human who isn’t noteworthy to begin, and he weaves, crafts, and writes a story you couldn’t even imagine. It has bumps, twists, and turns, triumph, and tragedy.

But just like my favorite stories, if your story isn’t good right now, God’s not done. He wins in the end, just like our favorite books that give us the satisfaction of a happy ending. For some that looks like a redeemed story here on earth, and for others it will look like all things new, happy, and whole in heaven one day. But if the story isn’t good, God’s not done. He still wants to make the story of your life and mine into something beautiful.