seventeen. {11.30.15}

It’s a strange thought, knowing that this time tomorrow I’ll be legally, officially, an adult.Those of you who know me know that I’ll forever be young at heart, no need to worry about that, but still, today marks the official end of my growing-up years. I’m on the very last page of the story of Em’s Childhood, and the Lord is bringing it to a neat and tidy conclusion.

Not to say that my story is finished, by any means. It’s more of a cliffhanger ending, one of those that leaves you guessing and just dares you to start reading the next book in the series immediately. That book is called Adulthood, and tomorrow it releases from the Author’s hand– a book filled with mystery and possibilities, and all the joys and bittersweetness that comes with flying from the nest. Even though it’s filled with unknowns, I’m not afraid like I was just this time last year– for I know that the Author of my life-books already has the ending all planned out, and it’s going to be beautiful.

And as the main character in this story called Life, on the brink of a nostalgic ending and a fresh new beginning, I can look back at previous chapters and see just how much I’ve grown, how much the Author has reshapen me into His workmanship and refined me like gold– and how He’s not even close to being finished with me yet.

Seventeen was a busy chapter of life to be sure. I finished my first novel and started a new one, realised that Liberty University was where God was leading me, got a car of my own, started my senior year, stepped up to help lead my school’s FCA, made several new friendships and deepened others, read many excellent books that drew me closer to the Lord and brought my imagination to life, and had so many random and epic adventures that all came together to make up a beautiful, beautiful chapter.

So here’s to the chapter of seventeen, the year of much growth and joy and firsts and lasts all overlapping.
May eighteen be even better, even brighter, even more joyful and adventure-full, and above all else, even more for His glory.

{love always, Em (who is no longer a child)}

// all photo credits go to Melissa Field Photography //

// “into the fire we go!” – nanowrimo 2015 //

IT’S HERE GUYS.

The simultaneously best-and-worst month of the year. (You fellow writerly souls know what I mean.)

Tomorrow, November 1st, marks the first day of NaNoWriMo. And also my last month of childhood– but this blog post isn’t about my looming adult-ing, so there.

I just wanted to share the story I’m working on with all you lovely people. Sound good? (Plus, I needed an excuse to write a blog post. I’ve missed it.)

{The book cover that I made All By Myself; quite proud of it, actually}:

{Basically the only synopsis I could concoct without including Major Spoilers}:

Everyone wants to defeat the villain at the story’s end, but what happens when the villain ends up becoming a hero?

To the world, she is known as Shadow– the girl who slips unnoticed throughout the city, building her reputation among the criminal underworld as a skilled and dangerous retrieval specialist. When circumstances force her to seek shelter in the home of her nemeses, a group of teenage heroes called the Light Squad, her cynical outlook on life slowly begins to crack… but only when the greatest sacrifice of all is made for her can she understand the meaning of this thing called grace.

And maybe, just maybe, the girl of shadows is filled with more light than even she knows.

~

{Now it’s time to meet a few of the characters…}

Shadow // Sierra Roth

Rogue // Tori Davidson {Sierra’s best friend and literal partner in crime}

~The Light Squad~

Defender // Josh Carter {the team’s leader}

Inferno // Luke Howard

Arrow // Damien Thompson

Sprocket // Hana Suzuki

Wildflower // Lili Racioppa

Firelight // Cass Howard

~Those Who Live in Darkness~

Duchess {Shadow and Rogue’s Mentor– more neutral than anything}

Emperor + Empress {The highest of the city’s underworld, yet you never see his face; she runs their business socially, makes everything look like sunshine and roses– but not everything is what it seems}

~

Seriously, I’m so excited for this…

LET’S DO THIS. DEFY *ALL* THE GRAVITY. WRITE *ALL* THE WORDS.

{Into the Fire // The Scarlet Pimpernel (musical)}

{and so, goodnight… love always, Em}