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Savannah Scott Romcom Author

You’ll Find Me at the Cross

March 3, 2019 By Patty Leave a Comment

3 Mar

My mentor and I sat in her study, shoes off.  I had spontaneously taken mine off before kneeling in front of her 12″ wooden cross and she followed suit.  We noticed the holiness of the ground around us at that moment.  The mundane turns sacred as we turn towards Him.  I began my prayer – pouring out my heart: the good, the bad, the ugly, the angry, and most of all the deep longing.  All of it poured out to God openly and without reservation. 

Turning towards Him

How many years did I turn away or hold back, thinking I could keep Him at arm’s length from the most tender places?  Not tonight.  Tonight I chose to face Him and the cross and my sin.  No comfort in sight, I began.  He sweat blood before He faced the cross.  I’m feeling it – the “if there is any other way” of this encounter.  His cross was for separation so that we could be reunited.  My cross is for dividing and exposing that I might bring more of me to more of Him and be made whole as a result.  Some sin dwells in our heart condition rather than any action we did or did not do.  Sometimes the sin is as simple and profound as missing the mark by pushing Him out and trying to take His place, or attempting to replace Him with something seemingly more promising. 

Broken

Wholeness from brokenness

I’m reading a marriage book these days – about the seven keys to a successful marriage, written by a man who can predict divorce based on trends in the ways spouses treat one another.  In marriages where patterns of criticism, blame, and condemnation prevail, ultimately partners turn away from one another until they begin to stonewall.  The great divide can lead to quietly living estranged lives under the same roof, or it can lead to separation and divorce. 

I ponder how we turn away from God – how I have turned away at times and, though I reach for Him with much of my heart, I have kept corners guarded with barbed wire fences. Turning away leads to estrangement.  Turning towards builds intimacy. Only when I bring myself, as I am – to Him, as He is – do I experience healing and freedom. 

Returning to Him

My story includes abuse and rejection. Years later I self-imposed demanding expectations and the weight of perfectionism. In my mind, I mistakenly expected Him to be exacting, dissatisfied and demanding. I have asked Him where He was when horrendous things were happening to me.  Why didn’t He move His all-powerful hand on my behalf? Why didn’t He spare me the worst of what I have lived through?  Trite platitudes don’t suffice as answers to evil. Only love can cover a multitude of sins. When you’ve experienced the reality of sin at its worst, you will only settle for love at its best. I’m not playing church. I need a Savior. So many years into walking with Him and my need hasn’t changed. If anything, I need Him now more than ever. If I’m going deeper, His grip must be reliable. 

Love Covers and Fills

At the cross, we cannot hide. Some disregard His sacrifice. Some hurl insults, mocking Him. We may find ourselves weeping as we witness love – giving all for all. The cross leaves me unsettled in the best of ways. I meet Him there so He might enter into what remains broken and make me new. Behold He is always doing a new thing. At the cross, He whispers, “It is finished.” Jesus frees me from the weight of sin and shame. He offers resurrection to the dead places within me.  

cross

The real Jesus – gentle and powerful. 

When all is said and done, unfinished business sits comfortably in my heart next to a space newly opened to Him. I know I have allowed Him to see me as I am – I have chosen turning towards. I have risked rejection, but have received relief. When we cover up our pain, we never know how loved we truly are. We only experience shallow approval – of our works. Our souls are restless until we come, vulnerable and incomplete, bringing all we are to all of Him. Only then do we experience the fullness of love.  


This vulnerable post was originally written on April 26th, 2016 to share with you as I walked through deep exercises of going to the cross with my mentor.  If you want to know more about what we did together, please comment here. 

As we pursue God, we occasionally tread water for a while, but life in Jesus is not a static experience. Like Peter, we want to set up camp on the mount of transfiguration.  Jesus says, “no.” He knows we need to keep moving forward – towards the cross and through to the joy and freedom on the other side.  God is so patient with us even as fear of the pain causes resistance. 

I pray you take your next risk with Jesus – whatever that is for you. 

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Filed Under: Parenting, Spiritual Growth Tagged With: Forgiveness, Freedom, letting go, Perfectionism, The Cross, trusting God

About Patty

I write to encourage your heart, feed your soul, and give you wisdom for your life. Motherhood is my passion. I've been married to my surfer/skater husband for over 20 years.  We have two boys and a home full of neighbor kids most days.

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Hi, I’m Savannah …

I’m a Zumba dancing, coffee sipping, road tripping girl and I love writing closed-door romcom!

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Ahhhh … enemies to more. 🔥 The banter is so f Ahhhh … enemies to more. 🔥
The banter is so fun!

Chris and Ella Mae start out getting on one another’s nerves … then, due to completely unexpected circumstances, they end up fake dating … and then they drive one another crazy in a whole different sense of the phrase 😉🥰

Ripped & Shipped comes out early May. I’m about 🤏 close to finishing it and sending it to my editor.

ARC Team sign ups will be coming for ebooks on Saturday (Apr 1). Paperback team is already selected and will be getting a welcome email by this weekend. 

We are going to have so much fun launching this book! I can’t even tell you the feelings I have … wrapping up this first Bordeaux series, writing this story that’s full of heart, and laughs, and kisses that make you grab a glass of ice water and fan yourself. 🔥😘🧊💦🫠

I’m so grateful you’re along for the ride. There aren’t words for the sweetness of sharing the Getting Shipped series with you. 💕

(And I’ve been loosely plotting the next series and getting excited as I start writing the Love Trippin’ books.) 💕

Do you love enemies to lovers?
Fake dating? 
Let me know … 

#wipwednesday #workinprogress #amwritingromance #amwritingromcom
#romcombooks #sweetromcom #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom
#savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever #newrelease #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #lovestories #rippedandshipped #chellamaebae #rippedandshippedbook #bookstagrammers #bookstagram #romcom #romancereadersofinstagram #romcomreadersofinstagram #bookexcerpt #shippers #Imashipper #Smalltownromance #ohiolove #smalltownromancebooks
Okay. So. Yes, we are still waiting for Ripped & Okay. So. 
Yes, we are still waiting for Ripped & Shipped to come out and be in your happy little hands on May 1st. 

But, authors are always (usually) a book ahead of the readers. 

And, this time, I’m a whole series ahead. 

I’m thinking about “Are We There Yet?” It’s the first book in the Love Trippin’ series. 

Four people from Bordeaux (yes!!) are traveling to California where the next series takes place. 

This first book takes place over a road trip (after a few chapters in Bordeaux, and before the later chapters in Cali).

So, I want to plan this road trip!
Im a road-tripper, and I grew up spending summers traveling from state to state with my family. 

I know my road trip stories. 
I want to hear YOURS! 
Leave it in the comments or DM me. 🚗🌳🚧🏔️

I’m not going to use your exact story, of course. But, if your story inspires something in the book, I’ll send you a free sticker and bookmark when “Are We There Yet” releases this summer. 

I’m so excited to share this new series with you!

#lovetrippin #lovetrippinseries #savannahscottauthor #savannahscott #romcombooks #sweetromcom #sweetromance #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #romcombooksaremyweakness #romcomreadersofinstagram #romancereadersofinstagram #bookstagram #roadtrippin #roadtripromance #roadtrippin #arewethereyet #arewethereyetbook
Writing retreat A few days on the central coast. Writing retreat 

A few days on the central coast. 

Views. 
Good food. 
Sweet conversation 
Getting so close to finishing Ripped & Shipped. 

Dreaming about the next series. 
Thinking about how to bless moms and women 

#writingretreat #amwriting #amwritingromance #amwritingromcom #romcomauthor #romcomreadersofinstagram #romancereadersofinstagram #bookstagram #sweetromcom #closeddoorromcom #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #cambriacalifornia #centralcoast #slocounty #moonstonebeach
Would the Rob & Laura fans raise your hands? 🙋🏼‍♀️

My husband and I are listening to the audiobook of Battleshipped together right now. It takes us forever because: life. But, it’s been fun to revisit their story. 

If you love a slightly geeky leading man, a strong female lead with a loyal heart and a persevering spirit, Battleshipped is for you. 

If you love second chance romcom with a dash of enemies to more, Battleshipped has all the “working hard to win her heart back” vibes. 

If you love laughing out loud until people look at you funny while you read. Yeah. There are those scenes. 

If you love a found-family friend group, and a quirky small town that will win your heart, come to Bordeaux. 

QOTD: Do you love when a brainy male lead becomes your book boyfriend? Which brainy male characters have stolen your heart? 

#battleshipped #battleshippedbook #bookexcerpt #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #smalltownromancebooks #sweetromcom #closeddoorromcom #secondchanceromance #goatsgoatsgoats #bordeauxohio #bookboyfriend #romancereadersofinstagram #romcomreadersofinstagram #ohiolove #bookstagram #bookstagrammers
Is it Wednesday? Um no. No it is not. But, do y Is it Wednesday? 
Um no. No it is not. 

But, do you still want this #WIPWednesday teaser from Ripped & Shipped? Why yes, yes you do. 

I’ll tell y’all. This book is coming along. And it is scrum-diddly-umptious. 

We’re talking banterrrrrr!
And all the swoony enemy vibes. 

And then they start faking! 
What? yasssss. They fake. The enemies start to fake a romance. 

Then … a completely unexpected and sweeeet friendship develops. 

But, ruh-roh. One of them catches feelings (just quoting Duke here). 

And it gets so HOT ( in a very closed-door way) and so HEARTFELT. 

This story is special. It’s the last in Bordeaux. So I’m pouring it all out into this book. 

You’ve got Memaw, Esther, and Mabel. 
The Bordeaux friend group. 
Lulabelle 
Ella Mae
Cooter
And so much more. 

I’m not kidding when I say this may be my fave in series. 

And you know what it means when I say I’m about 3/4 done writing? Yep. I just might release this story in May … ARC Team wannabes, lace up your running shoes. I’ll be posting opportunities to join the few open spots the first week of April. ❤️

Wait til you see the cover, too. Gah. I love it!! 

#rippedandshipped #workinprogress #amwriting
#amwritingromance #amwritingromcom
#romcombooks #sweetromance #sweetromcom
#closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom
#savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #bordeauxohio
#bordeauxohioforever #bookcoverdesign #newrelease
#ilovemyreaders #gettingshipped
#gettingshippedseries #lovestories
#chellamaebae #comehomeellamae
#rippedandshippedbook #bookstagrammers
#bookstagram #romancereadersofinstagram
#romcomreadersofinstagram #bookexcerpt
Heyyyyy ARC Team! If you were on the ARC team fo Heyyyyy ARC Team! 

If you were on the ARC team for Cruiseshipped, our exclusive ARC Team only book chat is coming!

Tomorrow (Thursday March 23) at 5p PT we’ll be gathering on zoom to talk about Cruiseshipped. 

I’m so grateful to each one of you for reading, sharing, and reviewing Cruiseshipped. ❤️ 

So … mark your calendars and set your alarms (and a countdown is in my stories!) and let’s talk all things Brooks + Gabby ❤️🚢💃🏻

#cruiseshipped #cruiseshippedbook #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #arcteamperks #bookchat #buddyread #ilovemyreaders #authorchat
Well, I’m back with another #mememonday and this Well, I’m back with another #mememonday and this one is featuring one of my favorite movies EVER: The Princess Bride!

Which slide do you like best? 

And … aside from posting here today, I’m writing! Ripped & Shipped (Chris’ story) is halfway done! 

I’m on a roll now, and my family is going to an amusement park for the day (without me), so I’m alone with Bella and my laptop. 

Then, this weekend, I’ve got a writing retreat. The final book in the Getting Shipped series is going to be written! 

Not saying we won’t have some novellas down the road … mayyyybe we could. (Who would you want to see in a Getting Shipped novella?)

I hope your Monday is GREAT!!

#bookmemes #bookishmemes #princessbride #asyouwish #amwriting #amwritingromcom #romcomauthor #sweetromcom #closeddoorromcom #romancereadersofinstagram #romcomreadersofinstagram #savannahscottauthor #gettingshipped #rippedandshipped #gettingshippedseries
#mawwage #bookstagram #bookstagrammers #bookishcommunity
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