Keep Running

Seven weeks ago today, I was sitting in church, listening to the pastor speak about how God uses unlikely people to do amazing things. You can see it all throughout the Bible--the young David defeating the giant Goliath, Abraham and Sarah giving birth to a nation in their old age. Often, the more unlikely the person, the greater the victory for God. Where we are weak, he shows his strength "so that no man can boast". It cannot be the person, it must be God. So it got me thinking, what am I highly unlikely to do?

Something came to mind instantly: run a marathon.

Huh? What?

I am the least likely person to ever run a marathon. In sixth grade, I could barely run a mile. If I ever exert myself, I get this knife in the throat sensation, something I've always self-diagnosed as exercise-induced asthma. This has been my limitation my whole life. There are runners and there is me. The two do not mix.

I talked this over with God and he assured me I can trust him. I do trust him, so I said okay. I cannot do this, but if you want me to, You can. I downloaded a document from Fitness Magazine on how to train for a half-marathon in 8 weeks for beginners. It said if you can run two miles, you can do this.

I'd never run two miles in my nearly four decades of life.

That day, I set out on a painful journey where I had to pray for every step, pray for the breath, for the pain in my throat to go away. I felt things jiggling in places I never knew existed. It was excruciating. It was elating, because God brought me through. I told him, "I will take the steps if you will meet me." And he did. When I completed 2 miles in 30 minutes (that's 2 15-minute miles), he said, "You can do this. I got you." And I began my training the next day.

I have been faithful to take the steps. I have woken up at 5 AM and run in the dark just to get my run in before I had to hop on a  plane. I have blessed the houses I passed, prayed for the people I passed. I have been blessed with an old woman on a walker who told me to Keep Running. I have been blessed with people who have prayed for my runs because as I tell them, I am not a runner, but God is. I've never experienced such an amazing growth in faith by learning endurance and learning to pray for every step.

My family used to laugh at my running style, arms rigid so I wouldn't get cramps. If you see me now, you might watch a left hand raise in praise as I am blown away by his faithfulness to me. He has healed my "exercise induced asthma." He has taught me how to breathe. He has taught me self-discipline. When I run, I ask him to take captive my lungs, my heart, my legs, my mind, and he does. It is an awesome ride. Some days are very difficult still, but I am faithful to meet him on the road because he is faithful.

To make matters more interesting, for the past three weeks of my training, I have been fasting. Normally, I would not mention this private matter, but for these purposes, it illuminates how totally awesome God's work has been. Yes, I gave up caffeine and had to run on water only. I gave up seafood (I don't eat meat), dairy and breads and pastas and wine and all sweets and sweeteners. When I was out of town and all that was served was barbecue, I had to survive on a bag of peanuts, and He ran 8 miles with my body that weekend  in Jefferson, TX. Can you imagine how my faith has grown? In doing the Daniel fast, I felt a bit like Daniel. No, I don't need to eat what the king eats, feed us fruits and vegetables and our God will show up and give us strength.

And boy, has he.

I am not a special person, no more special than you. But I have learned that God wants to do great things though me. And He wants to do them through you, too. He wants us to draw closer to him. He wants us to thirst only for him. When I run, he is my water, he is my bread. I would not trade these hard 7 weeks, running and walking anywhere from 8-28 miles per week, for anything.

Yesterday, after training for 7 weeks, I ran my first race - 9.4 miles (15K) in the Charlie Post run on Sullivan's Island. I won't go into all the details here, but let me just say that not only did I run that race, but God gave me a running companion I would have never guessed as well -my sister-in-law, Megan. Her plan was to run, walk, run, walk her way to the finish line, and when she caught up to me in the third mile, she stayed with me and my pacing and ran the whole way. I prayed for her the whole way and I was witness to her amazement as she passed each mile marker. We encouraged each other and praised God mile after mile. And though we came in almost last, we finished that race together at a 12:30-mile pace.

This is only the first race, God-willing, and hopefully a half-marathon is in my very near future. After that, who knows?

I am learning endurance. I am learning that God will put people in my path at just the right time to encourage me and keep me going in the right direction. I am learning that in running by Him, for Him, through Him, and to His glory, I am running a miracle.

And I believe in miracles. I have seen many in my lifetime. And I needed to share this with you, for you see, I am still not a runner, but He is. Through me.

Now tell me, seriously, what are you highly unlikely to do that you have always admired in others but was simply impossible for you? Dare you talk it over with God? It might be an interesting and life-changing journey to begin. God speed.

Writing Multiple Points of View

Why do I write in multiple points of view (POV)? Is it because I have many voices in my head? Well, sorta, but not quite. It's because Life and Journalism have taught me that the true story--as Paul Harvey used to say, "the REST of the story"-- is found in the eyes of many people, not just one. Here's an example:

I may go through my day, driving down the road and being cut off by a guy (his wife just left him), and then going to the grocery store where a clerk is slow and making me late (she suffers damage from childhood brain cancer) and then on to school to deal with a difficult child in class (she's been to as many schools as she is years old and is uncomfortable starting a new one). What if I knew the rest of the story? Sadly, I rarely do. I would simply say, "I drove down the road today and was cut off by a guy, then I chose the wrong line in the grocery store because this slow clerk was making me late for school, and then I had to deal with this really difficult kid. What a day." But you see? How self-centered is that? What if we were able to think not only of ourselves, but about other people? What if we took the time to ask people how they are doing, what's their story, why are they the way they are? Might we have more empathy, compassion, grace, and patience? Might our perception of reality be closer to real than if we stayed in our own little head?

This is the power of the Author, the Creator of story.

And this is why I write multiple points of view as I did in my latest novel, The Inheritance of Beauty. As I was writing George, Maggie, Ash, Annie, and Joe, they came to me and told me their stories, often one right after the other. It's thrilling to write that way and I hope, thrilling to read that way, too. I want my readers to care about not just one, but all my characters. The best way to care is to understand. And the best way to understand is to walk in someone else's shoes. And oh, how amazing it would be to find out that the story-- our stories, in fact-- are not just about one person, us, but about anyone who has ever come in contact with us. What a majestic, powerful story that would be!

So what are your favorite novels or books told in multiple POV? And what's your story? Have you ever tried to tell it in multiple points of view? If not, I dare you. You might just come closer to the truth.

God bless and happy reading!

You're invited! Charleston Fundraiser/Launch party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(You can RSVP on my fan page or comment here!)
Contact: Marjory Wentworth, marjwpub@bellsouth.net 843-971-6930, 843-693-5191

Celebrate the Launch of Saving Cicadas, the new novel by Nicole Seitz

Charleston, SC - - On Wednesday December 9 from 5:00 – 8:00 PM, a book launch/fund raiser will be held at the chapel on-site at the Florence Crittenton Home in downtown Charleston. Saving Cicadas, the latest from Lowcountry native Nicole Seitz, follows the revelatory and haunting journey of a struggling single mother from South Carolina who discovers she's expecting another child. Unafraid to confront issues with no simple answers, Seitz has constructed a story of ultimate redemption in Saving Cicadas, told through the voice of a young child. A moving narrative about family, loss and longing, and the transforming power of truth, Saving Cicadas is an eloquent reminder that life is a miracle—and even the smallest soul is always a gift.

WHAT: Fund Raiser/Book Launch for Saving Cicadas

WHO: Novelist Nicole Seitz
WHEN: Wednesday December 9 5:00 – 8:00 PM, Brief Reading at 7:00 PM
WHERE: Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina (chapel on-site)

19 Saint Margaret Street, Charleston, SC
Free and Open to the public. Novels by Nicole Seitz will be available from Blue Bicycle Books. Wine and Hors d’oeuvres

Praise for Saving Cicadas:

This beguiling, inspirational family-first tale from Lowcountry native Seitz follows the revelatory and haunting journey of a single mother from South Carolina who discovers she's pregnant and needs to clear her head to plan her next step…... Seitz has a gift for creating wonderful characters, especially the young girls, … this tale's spooky sweet dénouement includes a magical twist….marvelously memorable

---Publishers Weekly

"Nicole Seitz is a bold and imaginative storyteller, and Saving Cicadas is no exception. With the voice of an angel and an eye trained on the unseen in our midst, this story of one single mother’s struggle to survive will leave you awe-struck…”

— Beth Webb Hart, author of Grace at Low Tide, Adelaide Piper, and The Wedding Machine

"What a deeply moving novel! I literally could not put it down...I think the issues covered in the book …are so relevant to our society. The choices...seen from a child's perspective, was illuminating. "

— Valerie Jones, Fireside Books & Gifts, Forest City, NC


For more information about Nicole Seitz, please visit www.nicoleseitz.com or www.thomasnelson.com.

Nicole Seitz grew up on Hilton Head Island, a small town off the coast of South Carolina, where she was surrounded by palmetto trees, marsh grass, sandy beaches and unique Southern characters. As an author, artist and speaker, Nicole's work is deeply influenced by her faith and the mystique and charm of the Lowcountry. In 1989 she went to the U.S.S.R as a student ambassador through People to People Organization, and the trip opened her eyes to the struggles, beauty, and universal qualities of other cultures--things she likes to explore in her work.

The Spirit of Sweetgrass (March 2007), Nicole's debut novel, was selected as the May 2007 FaithPoint Book-of-the-Month for Books-a-Million. Her second novel, Trouble the Water (March 2008), received a starred review and was chosen as one of the Best Books of 2008 by Library Journal. It was also seen in Southern Living, Sandlapper Magazine, and was an editor's pick in the May 2008 issue of Charleston Magazine. The book went into a second printing within two weeks of it's release date. Her third novel, A Hundred Years of Happiness (March 2009), was featured in the January 2009 edition of Charleston Magazine and the July/Aug edition of The VVA Veteran, was a Summer Reading Pick on CBN.com, and was nominated by independent booksellers for the 2009 SIBA Book Award.

Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina has a 112-year history of assisting low-income, at-risk pregnant and parenting young women by providing them a safe haven, education, counseling, medical care, and social support, so that they may grow into independent, successful young adults. Our ongoing vision is to provide hope, safety, and opportunity so that every young woman we serve gains a sense of self-worth and the capacity to achieve the fullest potential possible. Our mission is to foster the development of healthy babies and strong, competent parents. We provide an innovative approach to age-appropriate, comprehensive care for pregnant teenagers who are considered “at risk” due to poverty, lack of education, and other barriers to positive growth. We provide these discouraged young women with the tools they need in order to become proactive in their own care and the care of their babies. After completing the program, clients have the skills to become responsible parents and members of the community. For further information, please contact David Hoey, 722-7526, extension 15.

Saving Cicadas for Book Clubs

Bookmovement.com, a website that reaches over 20,000 book clubs, is featuring Saving Cicadas for the week of November 15 in its Book Giveaway Newsletter. If you have a book club, visit the website and enter to win copies for your group by December 15! Saving Cicadas has book club discussion questions in the back of the book.

Speaking of winning free copies of Saving Cicadas, here are a couple other places you can enter to win as an individual:

• My website! Go to the Contact page and enter to win a signed copy by December 1.
• Goodreads.com! Visit the Saving Cicadas page and enter to win a copy by January 1.

Piccolo Spoleto event

I'm honored to be a part of this year's Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, SC. I'm kicking off the Southern Literary Festival tomorrow morning at the Charleston Library Society on King Street at 10:00 am. Other writers in the series are Cassandra King Conroy, Brett Lott, Ron Daise, Anne Rivers Siddons, and Janna McMahan.

Writing the Southern Family: A Legacy of Secrets, Silence and Spirituality
Join novelist Nicole Seitz in a look at the Southern family - what keeps it together, what tears it apart. She examines the families in her novels: what aspects of these families are "Southern" and what parts are universal? Learn why people love reading about Southern families and why there's just so much to write about. Nicole Seitz is the author of three novels, A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass. A native of the Lowcountry, Seitz weaves family, faith, and forgiveness into her novels. Trouble the Water, was chosen as one of the Best Books of 2008 by Library Journal. Her next novel, Saving Cicadas, will release this December from Thomas Nelson.

Charleston Library Society164 King Street, Downtown Charleston
SCHEDULE
5/28 10AM

Jen's Jewels - Great Interview

Columnist Jennifer Vido recently asked me some probing questions about my latest release, A Hundred Years of Happiness. She also said of the book: "Beautifully written with an unforeseen ending, this book will leave its imprint on your heart and soul. Without a doubt, it is a must-read novel for May."

I hope you'll hop over to Fresh Fiction and take a look!