A Lesson in Grace

The last Plot Sisters' meeting of 2017 included a visit from local author, Linda A. Marshall, who came to talk with us about her book, A Long Awakening to Grace. The memoir recounts a period of twenty-two years, when "Linda grew in wisdom and strength as she grappled with her children's puzzling behavior and searched for the reason behind it."

Linda spoke about her evolution as a writer, citing journaling from childhood on to be foundational to her work.

     "Journaling truly is a spirtual practice," she said.

Aside from writing in journals, she also credited taking writing classes and being involved in writing groups (both in-person and on-line) to keep her accountable in her process.

Linda's humility in her writing and also her meeting with us is extremely evident. Her greatest desire is that she might help someone else who finds themselves in a similar circumstance. We asked Linda if her book had opened any doors and she candidly shared:

     "The doors haven't opened easily. Many times, I find myself banging on those doors," she said.

While struggling with her own acceptance of the life she and her children had been dealt, Linda explained that through her surrender she found a surprising gift:  being vulnerable and confronting her own fears while writing her memoir not only allowed Linda to convey an important message to others, but it also created a sense of personal freedom she never expected.

Thank you for visiting, Linda. We're looking forward to reading more of your work in the future.

~Cindy