by Nancy Mehl
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
I endured several years of rejection before landing my first book contract. Although I tried to be patient, a little voice kept whispering to me. Are you sure you heard from God? Do you really think you’re good enough to be published? Are you just kidding yourself?
Growing up, I didn’t receive much encouragement. In fact, just the opposite was true. I ended up with very little confidence in my ability to do anything special. However, an encounter with God in my twenties introduced me to a heavenly Father who taught me that I was precious and valuable to Him and that He could do wonderful things through me if I’d let Him. However, when He called me to write, that irritating voice in my head came back. Maybe God had better people to use. Others who were more worthy. The enemy of my soul knew exactly how to derail me. Fear. Fear that I wasn’t good enough. Fear that I would fail and end up making a fool out of myself. Who do you think you are?
Fear is a pernicious foe. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.” Fear will wiggle its way into our lives in many areas if we allow it. That voice doesn’t stop when you’re finally published. Then we’re afraid our books aren’t good enough. That other authors are much more skilled than we are. We’re afraid we may run out of ideas or that our publisher will drop us. We’re afraid that we’re not being promoted as much as someone else. We’re afraid of doing interviews or meeting other authors. Will they like me? Will I be rejected?
Fear attempts to derail us in many ways. But if we truly believe that God loves us and has a good plan for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11), then we can let go of fear and trust God to do whatever He wants to do. Our trust, hope, and confidence must be in Him. Not in ourselves.
Cold Vengeance, the third book in my Ryland and St. Clair series, talks about fear. My main character, River Ryland, has faced the unthinkable. A serial killer dubbed the “Salt River Strangler” attacked her one night and put her inside an old chest that he then pushed into the river. He also shot her partner, Tony St. Clair, who tried his best to save her life.
River survives, but fear becomes her constant companion. Nightmares plague her at night and fear stalks her during the day. The killer has made it clear that he’s not done. He intends to finish what he started.
I came up with the idea of a serial killer’s victims being bound and tossed into deep water because I’m terrified of drowning. I have no idea how this fear wormed its way into my psyche. We had swimming pools when I was young and I swam like a fish. I was never afraid of the water. I assume I picked it up from watching movies or reading books where people drowned. It seems like such a terrible way to die.
In writing about River’s fear, I channeled my own anxieties into the story. Although River has a negative view of God in the beginning of the series, through her friend Tony, she finally meets the God she never knew. The One who truly loves her. The One who gives her the faith to conquer her fears.
So when she is confronted again by the twisted man who intends to make her endure the death she fears the most, she faces the situation with the assurance that God is with her. That even if she isn’t rescued, death will only bring her into His loving presence. Her fear is truly gone.
With every book I write, my heart’s desire is that God will speak to my readers in a personal way. I hope Cold Vengeance will help those who fight fear and bring them peace in the knowledge that God is a good Father who loves us with a perfect love. The kind of love that casts out the enemy of our souls—fear.
About the Author
Renowned for her adept creation of robust and compelling characters, USA Today bestselling author Nancy Mehl has garnered a dedicated following of readers who are drawn to her enthralling romantic suspense novels. In her latest literary venture, Mehl concludes an exhilarating series that follows the investigative pursuits of two former FBI analysts. With Cold Vengeance, the final installment in the RYLAND & ST. CLAIR series, she weaves a heart-pounding narrative, promising sleepless nights and unputdownable suspense.
About the Book
When a renowned crime podcaster vanishes without a trace, former FBI behavioral analysts turned private investigators River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are called upon to track her down. As they wade through the evidence she left behind, they unearth a startling connection--she may have discovered the existence of an unknown killer, and he will stop at nothing to carry out a deadly plan.
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