Be Brave and Take Your Next Step
I recently asked myself why I love the story, “Anne of Green Gables.” Certainly, it is well written, and well-acted. Anne is a high energy girl, full of curiosity and wonder. And yes, her surroundings add scope to the imagination. But its something more…So I decided to take a look at the writer Lucy Maud Montgomery. Then it made more sense. Lucy’s life was hard and full of loss, loneliness, and eventually, success and its shadowed cohort, scandal.
People who have suffered great loss, been rejected, raised in an emotionally strict environment, who have fought to survive, who have made poor relational choices, often bring to their work both fantasy and reality, longing and pain. These are combinations that help create stories more accessible to the masses. Lucy’s layered life offered her a deep ink well for developing plot, tension, characters, and the elixir of imagination.
God wants you to use your energy to help others survive and thrive. So write your book, open your heart, pursue your dreams as they align with God’s best for you, run your race, and experience a substantive life. Live your reality with the redeemed insights birthed out of pain and goodness.
You have within you something to say, to sing, to write, to plant, to paint, and to plan. Be brave and take your next step.
“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” — Anne of Green Gables
Here’s What’s on My Bookshelf This Month
Anne of Green Gables Series by L.M Montgomery
I live Anne and you Patsy , you both entertain and inspire , we are kindred spirits
I just lost my mom to Alzheimer’s, and with her all my unction. Now what. Your theme “Just be brave… put a smile on my face. I have several difficult tasks to do today. Thank you for writing those words.
I love the Netflix series that is on right now. Thank you Patsy for the insight into the author. God Bless You.
Hi Patsy,
Thank you so much for your encouraging words!!! What a boost to my spirit.
I have been part of a drama ministry at my grace-based church and it has breathed new life into my soul. I’m also getting counseling and am part of a 12-step program, so getting lots and lots of good input in my life. Your note is icing on the cake!
BTW I’ve enjoyed you very much when I’ve attended a few of the WOF conferences (some years back now)!
Love these books, i try to read them once a year.i never get tired of them.everytime i read anne of green gables, its still as exciting as the first time I read it. I have been to PEI , loved every moment of seeing it throught the eyes of Lucy Montgomery
I alsoLOVE Ann of Green Gables😍
I miss YOU, my friend👋
Time to reread these books. Thanks Patsy!
There is a series on Netflix. It’s called Anne with an E. I love it . Now I will have to check out the books.
Sweet Patsy, this is so timely in many ways for me! Our daughter Sheridan found a new Canadian version of Anne of Green Gables called “Anne with an E ” on Netflix, and we started watching the series as a family. It’s beautifully filmed and extremely well acted. But as we ventured further into it, and even though admittedly I’ve not read the book series, we realized from what we knew, that the Canadian version was wandering far afield from the original books. We just stopped watching it. While I don’t generally mind artistic liberty, we set it aside. I’ve decided at this stage in life actually to read the books that I missed in my childhood, and your wonderful post further encourages me to do so. I love reading children’s books for their accessibility and wonderful life lessons. Sheridan also located another movie series, likely the ones to which you refer, and they’re beautiful. I’m also reminded because of our little “Canadian excursion” that as we live our own lives, we can often wander (or just drift!) far afield from the original, purposeful story God is writing through our lives. I’ve done that for a number of years (to my chagrin). After my passion book on prayer journaling was published at just the time of the big publishing downturn, I sensed God asking me to put down my pen for a time. However, for several years now, I know He is wanting me to pick it back up. Most recently, I was so touched that a magazine article I published deeply ministered to someone who wrote to me, and she said what you are saying here (in so many words) that God uses stories of our survival to help others thrive. As I conveyed deep personal pain and how God helped me to overcome it, she found hope for her own life. I say this with all humility, that as we obey the Lord to share our stories, He uses our lives to bless others. It’s not we, but HE who does this!! You have always lived and written so transparently about the pain in your own life, and that has greatly inspired me. Thank you also for encouraging us here to live a substantive (great word!) life . . . to align ourselves with God’s purpose and dreams for us, and not to give up . . . to pursue them passionately. I have sensed for at least three years that God wants me to write another book. It’s daunting to me at this stage in life, but I know it isn’t to Him! Thank you so much for this well-timed encouragement. And I’m going to call my library now and put the “Anne” books on reserve.
Oh, and I’d be remiss in not mentioning (though the whole universe knows it), that you also live your purpose through passionate humor. I love how you make us laugh!!
All my love, and I hope to give you a personal hug in Saint Louis this October!!
xoxo
Lynn
This gives me much “scope for the imagination!” (Anne).
Dear Patsy,
Anne of Green Gables is one of my very favorites…. I must have seen the series over again quite a few times, but the characters are so endearing to me. Thanks for your post xoxo ♥
I grew up with these books and movies. Disney produced a tv series based on MS Montgomery’s books entitled Road To Avonlea in the 90’s. I bought the dvd series from Amazon recently. Our whole family has enjoyed them. However, recently Netflix has produced a new series based on these books that has questionable material for young viewers….season 2 more notably. Please review the content before allowing children to watch Anne With An E on Netflix. Love your thoughts, Patsy! ❤️
I never read these books. All the comments you ladies made I think I will start.
❤️ these books
My favorite books ever! I have the first CD series, but loaned it out and one of the CDs is missing! Don’t know what happened. So sad! I have only watched the first in the new series, Anne With an E. I didn’t like it as much, but couldn’t help but like it somewhat! I was not aware the whole series was on Netflix now. I read the books when I was much younger and always loved them. Patsy, Shelley O’Brien Johannes, who illustrated “Sleep Sweet” is my daughter. Were you aware that she has a series of chapter books coming out for 2-4th grade children that she wrote and illustrated? They are published by Disney and the first one has been out a while, Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker, and is now in paperback. Her second in the series is, Beatrice Zinker, Incognito, and will be out at Barnes and Noble on September 22. She also has a picture book being published by a division of Simon Schuster coming out in 2020. Don’t know the title yet. She is still working on that book and will also do another for them!