Friday, December 14, 2018

Interview with Author Elizabeth Ann Wallace


Extraordinary Hope:
30 Days to Being Strengthened and Inspired


1.      Elizabeth, what inspired you to write your book? God had been speaking to me for years about writing. When I finally realized I was being disobedient by not writing, I asked Him what should I write about.  He said His people did not know about the fullness of the hope they have in Christ. Just like when we try to create a new habit by doing something for 21 days, He said what would it look like if we focused on hope for 30 days, with 30 verses on hope and accompanying stories. That became the basis for the book as Holy Spirit directed me through research to the stories that went with each verse.   
          
2.      What advice do you have for those who seem to have forgotten the power of hope?  For those who have forgotten that there is power in hope, think again.  The Bible says that "So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Cor 13:13.  If those three things are what will remain, then those should be our focus on how we live.  Quite a bit has been taught about faith and love, but hope is something we have failed to offer in great abundance to others.  I believe it is because we are not quite sure about it ourselves.  We don't want people to be disappointed so we are hesitant to offer it.  And yet, it is the anchor of our soul!  How well can we be anchored in our spirit if we aren't really sure of what to put our hope in?  In Isaiah 49: 23c it says, "Then you will know that I am the LORD, those who hope in me will not be disappointed." Hope is one aspect of Him that we just don't know enough about to be sure of to offer to others.  After my own journey of spending 30 days writing about hope, I absolutely knew the limitless hope God offered.

3.      Tell us what hope means to you?  Hope is the assurance of all that is promised in the Bible, it is Jesus and all He has for us.  We struggle to understand it by trying to put it in concepts and definitions we can understand and convey in something another human being can understand. Yet so often something that is invisible and intangible, such as hope, is almost impossible to fully define.  It's like the wind, we know its there and it is something we feel, even though, we can't visually show it to someone. 
                  

4.      How can people get strengthened and inspired for the New year? People can get strengthened and inspired for the New Year by being intentional about learning something new. The Bible is the living and breathing word of God.  No matter how many times I have read it, I am constantly amazed at the things I see and understand for the first time.  It is an ancient, timeless book of wisdom.  If you are looking for direction, strength, and inspiration, I would encourage you to read it every day.  Also, find a Bible study, devotional, or teaching book to go along with what you are reading as an accompaniment. 

5.      What role does faith play in your life today? Faith doesn't just play a role in my life, I pray that my life is a reflection of my faith.  The greatest adventures I've had so far have been when I stepped out in faith. God has great plans for us as He says in Jeremiah 29:11. When we believe Him and step out in what He asks of us, even though we don't understand it, that is when we see great things happen. We struggle with this and therefore miss out on incredible blessings and favor, not only for us but for so many around us.  "Faith is the confidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things we do not see," as the Bible says.  Therefore, living in faith, means we are not going to see it before we step into it.

6.      Why do some people give up on hope?  Some people give up on hope because they don't believe what they can't see.  Thank God this is not the case for everyone or we would never have any new inventions or cures.  Believing that something may be true before you actually see it is so important for it to actually transpire. Yes, we are disappointed by some things we wish would happen, but when you believe in God and trust Him with your life and the outcome, then "He will work all things out for the good of those who love Him" as the Bible says. Everything we hope for in the natural life is not always what we need.  Only God knows how your life will turn out and He knows what is best for you.
  
7.      What were the biggest challenges in putting your book together? The biggest challenge in putting my book together was learning about the publishing industry and how it works.  I literally wrote this book out of my obedience to the Lord's call on my life to write.  Trusting Him with where He wants it to go and what is next feels like I've stepped off a cliff and am hanging with Him in midair.  But that is what faith is, trusting Him completely, totally with my life.  I do believe whatever He calls you to He will equip you to do.  It may not come in the way we expect, but He will provide what we need just when we need it.  The Israelites in the wilderness had all the manna they needed for that day, but no more. I believe we are to live the same.

8.      Do you have any words of advice for those seeking to write a book?  For those seeking to write a book, ask God if this is His plan for your life. I believe all our good intentions and desires take us on long detours if they don't line up with what God has planned for us. I also believe that you will not be happy, fulfilled or at peace if it is not what you are supposed to do. Lots of people think writing a book is a glamorous career, almost like being a celebrity.  The truth is it is hard work and will cost you time and money of which you may not see a monetary return on your investment.  If it is God's plan for you, you will be happy though with however it turns out, knowing all that He wanted to accomplish with what you have written was achieved. Trust Him with everything in your life and everything in your life will be successful! 

For more information, please see www.ElizabethAnnWallace.com


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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.

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