Sheri Yutzy - Speculative Fiction Author

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You are here: Home / All Posts / My response to trials decides who I am.

My response to trials decides who I am.

February 1, 2018 by Sheri

This was a tough year for my writing schedule. Despite attending two conferences and self publishing a short story collection(my first published book!), I struggled to write. I’d like to blame it all on my pregnancy and the sickness and tiredness that came with it. But when I’m honest, I can see that while those trials weakened me, my own laziness did worse. Yes, it’s hard to build a world while dealing with nausea. Yes, it’s hard to outline a novel for even an hour a day when I’m too tired to empty the dishwasher.

But as I consider the writing opportunities I missed this year, I can’t deny that it was my reaction to the trials that took me down.

I should have—and I did, to some degree—spent more time asking God to help me deal with the lack of energy. I should have remade my schedule to give me time to rest, but also time to work.

Instead, I mostly took breaks because I felt sorry for myself. I stepped back from God’s calling on my life because “that’s what you do when you’re pregnant.”

I’m sad for the times I missed out on God’s extra grace and strength. But I remember days when He inspired my fingers and filled me with wonder at what came out. I want more of those experiences, and I know the only way I can have them is to lean on Him for strength.

You may not be pregnant, but we all experience seasons of weakness. Remember that it isn’t the trials that decide who you will be. Your response will decide. Rejoice that we follow a God who only asks for surrender in exchange for limitless strength and grace.

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About Sheri

Here Goes Something New!

Hi, I'm Sheri Yutzy. I love forests under the night sky, trying new foods, and drinking Irish tea.
I'm married to a musician who looks good in black, mama to two toddlers who love to eat, and happy resident of a Cape Cod cottage in Ohio.
I write YA fantasy and am acquisitions editor at sparkflashfiction.com.
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It’s a quiet sort of day. The clouds were mistin It’s a quiet sort of day.
The clouds were misting this morning while the sun was shining. I love weather like that.♥️ I love weather in general.😊If I bring it up when I’m talking to you, I’m not really making small talk—I want to know how you feel about a dark bank of clouds, or wind in your hair, that lovely sunny heat when you step outside after being in the air conditioning for too long.
I also love weather in books, when it’s almost it’s own character. @isabelwriter09 does so well with making you feel the jungle in this duology.
What’s your favorite nuance of weather?

#yafantasy #woveninmoonlight #writteninstarlight #slowliving #booksandcandles #isabelibañez #yafantasyduology #yafantasyauthor
A night of supreme excitement.😅 thanks for lett A night of supreme excitement.😅 thanks for letting Jasper “find” all those balloons from your yard, @ro.robinson.writes! 
#hotairballoonfestival #ohiohotairballoonfestival
This is me after filming this reel five times whil This is me after filming this reel five times while trying to be normal. I finally decided to do whatever I wanted and this came out.😅

I do really love these books—they’re all culturally diverse fantasy, and they’re each lovely in their own way.

The Jade Bones - @laniforbes
☀️Sun gods, Aztec temples, the underworld☀️ 

Splinters of Scarlet - @emilybainmurphy 
❄️Danish pastries, ice skating, Hygge in a novel❄️

Woven in Moonlight - @isabelwriter09 
🌿Bolivian politics, magical weaving, gorgeous jungle🌿

Bone Crier’s Moon - @kathrynpurdie 
🍃French mythology, siren songs, dazzling romance🍃

And…not pictured is my own novel in progress:
The Secret Seller
🎭Medici legends, magical market, Italian festivals 🎭

Have you read any of these? Let me know what you think!

#amreading #yafantasy #thejadebones #laniforbes #splintersofscarlet #emilybainmurphy #writteninmoonlight #isabelibañez #bonecriersmoon #kathrynpurdie 
#thesecretseller #sheriyutzy
📚📚📚 The light through the clouds was mood 📚📚📚
The light through the clouds was moody yesterday, and I could hardly stop taking pictures. Photo shoots with poetry books are lovely because they leave me wanting to read more poetry.😏This volume of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese has been my companion since my husband bought it for me while we were dating. Back then I always bought a book or two when I went to my favorite used bookstores. Okay, I still do, I just don’t get to the bookstores as often so it feels like I don’t buy as many used books.😢 I’ve also gotten more strict with how many unread classics I can have at one time—still a lot, but I don’t have any under my bed anymore.😅
I’m delighted that my daughter asks me to read her poetry while we drink tea. It keeps me from forgetting about it in the busyness of summer.
Do you ever leave a bookstore empty handed? (If so, teach me your secret power😅)
📚📚📚

#poetry #elizabethbarrettbrowning #sonnetsfromtheportuguese #classicpoetry #moodyphotoshoot #slowliving #cottagecore #darkacademia
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