That evening, during our “Highlight/Lowlight” conversation over dinner, I told my kids, “My lowlight was a letter I got today. It told me someone else won a writing contest that I really wanted to win.”

Jane looked at me with sad eyes and said, “I still wuv you, Mama.”

Jack said, “If I had a contest, you would win. I’d make sure of it!” Then he used his Super Magic Powers to change the results of the writing contest and declared me the winner.

Even if I never, ever win a writing award, I am one lucky woman.

The Tuesday after, quite serendipitously, I met the other agent who has a partial of my novel. We had a lovely conversation as I drove her to her hotel from a writer’s group I’m part of. She emailed me the next day and asked me to resend my partial. Woot! Another little jig.

But several more rejections have rolled in since then, including two for contests I’d entered earlier this year. I wrote in my journal last Monday night that I felt discouraged, as if I were writing in a vacuum: does anyone even read what I write? And I asked God for some validation. (What can I say? I have a short memory; it needs near constant reminders of God’s goodness.)

The next day, my friend Susan, who lives in Boston and to whom I’ve not talked in about a month, called me. “I read your blog this morning,” she said. “I liked it so much I posted a link on Facebook, and two of my friends responded–they both liked it, too.”

Well. It’s not a request for a full manuscript. It’s not an award or a grant or acceptance of an article submission. But it was the validation I’d asked for, manna enough to keep me writing for another day.

And then on Friday, three people posted comments on my blog–more manna in what sometimes seems a writing wilderness.

God is good.

As anyone who’s been reading this blog for awhile knows, this summer was not kind to me on the writing front. In fact, this whole year has been pretty much a wash: I’ve made 200 whopping bucks, less than any year since I first started freelancing in 2005 (that year I made a staggering $260).

Needless to say, I have long since used up the second half of last year’s book advance paying for someone to watch my kids while I write articles and book proposals and novels that no one seems to want. (Wah, wah, wah. Okay, so I’ll quit whining now.) So last month I told God, “Look. I’m doing this because I think that’s what You want. But You’re going to have to show me the money, because I’m broke.”

At this point, God was doubtless raising amused eyebrows. My husband makes good money; our family is just fine financially. It’s only my writing money that’s gone, and no more to be had in sight. And since I am darn tired of being a drain on our family finances, even if it’s to pursue something I feel called to, I said, “All right, God, unless You provide me with a paying writing job by Labor Day, I’m going to have to cancel my sitter.” Them’s fightin’ words.

The Friday before Labor Day, I got two amazing emails in my inbox. The first was a request for a partial of my novel manuscript from Agent #11 (insert Hallelujah Chorus here)!!! The second was two out-of-the-blue work-for-hire assignments that together will pay for another month of childcare!

How’s that for an awesome answer to prayer?

Of course, next time I play Gideon, I’m going to be a lot more specific and ask for a $25K book advance…