Garnet Miller is an active FaithWriters 500 member. She is a pastor's wife, a mother, and part-time freelance writer. Join interviewer, Lynda Schab, as she chats with Garnet about her work, her church and her unique name.

LYNDA SCHAB: Garnet is such a unique and beautiful name. Is there a story behind it?

GARNET MILLER: Thank you for the compliment. Even though I was born in December (on Christmas Day) my mom really liked the name for the January birthstone. She pronounces it differently than the jewel, giving the "e" in "net" the "e" sound instead of an "I". Ironically, I used to dislike the name when I was little, instead using my middle name, April. Now, I like being unique and wouldn't change my name for anything.

LYNDA: You are a pastor's wife and you started your own church. That's very cool! Take us through the process. What have been the most challenging and rewarding parts of starting a church?

GARNET: We used to belong to a church in the same denomination (Disciples of Christ) that was started by a visionary pastor. We helped with bible studies and Sunday school to get the church off the ground. Unfortunately, that church crumbled under a big cloud of personal scandal and malfeasance. Many got hurt and some left the church, vowing never again to be a part of organized religion.

God has always wanted my husband to preach. He led him to begin a church and a handful of others from the former church followed him. The name of our new church is Hope Community Christian Church. We chose this name because our hope was totally in God and what He would bring to pass out of our grief.

The process has been hard. In a large church, there is always someone to help with all of the jobs. Now, there is only a few. I constantly re-evaluate my priorities when I get discouraged.
 
Attending meetings and training has helped us. One thing the whole process did was bring out some issues my husband and I had as a couple that we weren't dealing with. In a marriage, two people become one and that one unit is a force for God. But, we were divided on many fronts, which could have splintered the church before we even got going. But God wasn't having that. He loved us and knew we needed to change in order to make His vision come true. I won't lie. It was painful for a long time. But, now we are stronger for it. It is still a struggle at times, but God's work is most important and He will never let us down.

LYNDA: In your FaithWriters profile (http://www.faithwriters.com/member-profile.php?id=13994), you describe yourself as a "closet writer." What do you mean by that?

GARNET: I have been writing since the age of eight. My mother recently sent me a little booklet that I wrote when I was little about a mouse. It was an awful book but also cute. The funny part is that after I finished writing and illustrating the book, I smeared glue all over the pages and let it dry. I did this because I had seen laminated pages in children's storybooks before and I thought that was how they did it. The glue made the pages shine and that's what I liked about lamination. It was a young girl's laminating machine! I find old partial manuscripts and story ideas all over the place. I can date them because my mom used to have an old typewriter that wrote in cursive! Anything that is typed in cursive was from my formative years.

I always dreamed of what it would be like to be a writer but, for a long time, was afraid to try. I didn't know how to go about putting my work out there until God led me to FaithWriters.

I remember one day, I was daydreaming about being a famous author. The Holy Spirit told me to basically "put up or shut up." He said that if I wanted to be a writer I needed to do something about it or leave it alone. Well, I decided to do something about it.
That was during a time I was laid off from my job. I was searching the Internet for nothing and everything. Somehow, I found FaithWriters and began to look around. I was a member for two weeks before I joined the 500. I did know that if I wanted to write, I would need access to articles and other resources to teach me.

LYNDA: Do you remember the first time you "came out of the closet" so to speak? LOL. Tell us about some of the things you've since had published.

GARNET: I came out of the closet when I wrote my first challenge article. That was tough because I hit the "Submit" button and went about my business. Well, I didn't know to look for a message saying that the submission was successful. Imagine my surprise when I didn't see my entry listed when the challenge articles went live. I cried. I thought maybe I had heard God wrong and I wasn't supposed to write. I berated myself for not checking more carefully.

Through my tears, I heard the Holy Spirit ask me if I was going to give up and let this stop me at the beginning or keep going? I wiped the tears and decided that I would keep going. I actually penned a poem (one of the few that didn't stink!) called, Disappointments and submitted it in the regular article section. It was about my heartbreak and God's words to me.

Since then, I have stumbled some, but never looked back. Writing is in my blood and it is one of God's gifts to me. I refuse to bury it any longer and have been writing ever since.
My first published article was in an early addition of Riders and Reapers when Ben Stephens was still in charge of the e-zine. I was so happy, I told everyone! To this day, I get the most excited over articles in books and magazines for which I don't get paid. It keeps me grounded and reminds me it isn't always about the money but the use of the gift to enhance someone else's life.

Writing has opened me up to meeting people. I was painfully shy as a child and I wanted so much to reach out but didn't know how. I guess I sort of developed a phobia of people. I had anxiety attacks when in crowds, especially if I didn't know anyone. Except for my friends in school, I avoided awkward situations. But it limited me. I was afraid to be spontaneous because I believed everyone would laugh or poke fun. I could be myself when I was writing my stories. The characters could have the adventures I never dared to live out.

God amazingly transformed me. People who know me now say that I am fun-loving and outgoing. Me! It seems unreal, but God made it happen. It would be hard to reach people for God if I couldn't even talk to them.

I have been published in three FaithWriters anthology books. Last week, I was sharing one at work and everyone wanted to read it. It was the book with my R.S.V.P. Challenge entry. They were moved to emotion while reading. One person wanted the FaithWriters website address so he could read more of my stuff.

I have had several articles published in Cross Times during Glenn's tenure. I currently write two columns for Extreme Woman Magazine (e-zine) and also serve as Managing Editor. I love sharing God's Word. He has given me the gift of exhortation and expounding on His Word is what I love to do. I have also written several articles for Associated Content over the past three years which has led me to ghostwriting.

I love ghostwriting. That is the basis of my business. I have clients on this continent and in the UK. I have learned so much from writing articles, reports, handbooks, e-book stuff, and other things. God has been good to me through this business and it is something I love to do. It keeps me quite busy.

I also wrote a story for dear Amy (Wiley) that was accepted in the new Peculiar People project. I am really excited about that.

LYNDA: What do you love most about FaithWriters?

GARNET: I discovered FaithWriters in 2003. I entered The Challenge and submitted articles, but because I didn't know much about message boards, I didn't join the forums until the following year.

What I love most is a toss up between The Writing Challenges and the forums. Once I discovered the forums I was hooked. I began speaking to people from all over the world. It was fascinating to hear from Christians in other places. Outside of church, it was the biggest Christian meeting place I had ever encountered. It was a dream-come-true.

The best part is that no one can see each other. I get to know people based on who they are not what they look like. I see their hearts and their minds which is what God sees in us. I've made friends whom I feel I've known forever.

The challenges are addictive. In the last year and a half, since I began writing as a business, I haven't had much time to write for The Challenge and that saddens me. I do submit one every now and then and I have committed to do it again regularly. I miss the competition. The writing has stepped up tremendously since I first started submitting about four years ago. It is great!

LYNDA: Do you have a favorite Challenge entry? If so, why is it your favorite?

GARNET: If you mean an entry of mine, it would have to be R.S.V.P. which was a winner in the "Life" challenge for the book "Abundance of Life." I recently read it again and it is both amazing and sad that even though I wrote that entry so long ago, it is still as relevant as if I wrote it yesterday. Because the words are so powerful, I know that they only came to me on a whisper from the Holy Spirit.

Now, if you want a favorite entry from someone else, it would have to be anything that has been written by Kenn Allen. I have never met him in person, but His writing speaks for itself. I once wrote in a forum that he reminded me of Richard Paul Evans, who wrote the books, "The Christmas Box" and "Timepiece." Even if the effort to write the words upon the page was gut-wrenching, the finished product reads as if it were as effortless as breathing. Kenn's poetry is inspiring and so is his fiction. He has a tremendous gift that I admire and thank God for because I get to read it.

LYNDA: What are your writing goals?

GARNET: That is wide open. I want to write novels in the near future. I have one that is eighty percent complete (the first draft). It is a mystery with a pastor's wife playing the unwilling sidekick to the sheriff of a small town. I have always loved mysteries. My favorite author is Agatha Christie. It is the genre that chose me.

I want to continue to ghostwrite and write columns. My main goal is to write full-time. Now, I work part-time and write part-time. I want to totally convert over to writing. But God knows the perfect timing and I haven't yet been ready. I hope that I am getting closer. But, only God knows and I just wait and continue to enjoy writing when I can.

LYNDA: Tell us more about your family.

GARNET: Well, my husband is an assistant principal at a local high school. He was a school teacher for many years before taking the plunge into administration. God provided a way for him to go to school and have it paid for by the state of North Carolina. It is a program to recruit people into the Masters of School Administration curriculum. He graduated with his Masters degree two years ago. He is also a motivational speaker and a surrogate father to many students.

My oldest son, David, was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when he was in the second or third grade. For those who don't know, Asperger's is a mild form of autism. He has the characteristic movements of an autistic child and the issues with fine motor skills but he is extremely intelligent. I used to blame myself for his condition. Maybe I didn't do something right when I was pregnant. I prayed that God would make him normal. Now, I see that it was not my fault. This is the way God made him to be and I've accepted my son as he is. God will do wonderful things through my son and I am thrilled to be his mother. It hasn't been easy to raise a child who is different, but God has given us and him the strength to get through each day. He is a teenager now and that makes it tougher. I worry about his adult life, but the Holy Spirit has spoken that he will be alright.

My youngest son, Elijah, is into skateboarding. He is a lanky handsome kid who is also compassionate and helpful. He and his brother fight like cats and dogs but they would do anything for each other. He has a heart for God, but not for his schoolwork. He just turned thirteen and it is a battle to get him to see that he will use math when he grows up. When he was younger, he developed severe allergies. His allergist told us that he would need injections each week for the rest of his life. My husband and I prayed for him and my son began to get active with skateboarding and playing outside. He takes Claritin and Singulair, which is by prescription, but he has never had one allergy injection. Praise the Lord!

LYNDA: What do you like to do for fun?

GARNET: For fun, I like to read. Reading has always been my gateway. My kids have picked up the love of reading that my husband and I share.

I also like to spend time with my sisters and their kids. We are originally from Maryland, but after I moved down to North Carolina, my middle sister followed and lived with my husband and me for a short time. My youngest sister and her husband moved here when they got married, about four years ago. Except for my brother, my other siblings are living in Greensboro with me. It's great! We look out for each other and share many experiences.

For me, fun can be found in a lot of things I do. I can walk outside and trim my rosebush and enjoy myself. I can walk beside my son while he skateboards through the neighborhood and find that fun, too. I'm trying not to limit myself.

LYNDA: If you could give one piece of writing advice and one piece of "life" advice, what would they be?

GARNET: That is a tall order, Lynda. The one piece of writing advice would be to never stop learning. Raw talent is not enough. You have to hone your craft through practice and study. By study, I mean reading reference material on grammar, having the latest AP Stylebook for acceptable formats for Internet and print material, and joining a forum or writing group that can give you feedback on your work. Learning also involves moving out of your comfort zone and trying something new. For me, it was poetry. I quickly found that poetry wasn't second nature to me, but I could do it if I tried. Also, writing non-fiction is not my forte, but through FaithWriters, I was led to a writing class where I learned to translate my memories into story form. The biggest thing I learned as far as storytelling is how to show what my characters are doing and not just tell.

As for life advice, it is complicated. I have learned so many lessons over the years. I am thankful and grateful that God has stayed by my side through it all. I wouldn't have made it without Him in my life.

Never give up on God. Life is hard. But Jesus died to save our souls and restore relationship with God. This is not the home our souls were meant to live in. We are only passing through. I have felt the pain of depression, the stab of hopelessness, the ache of my parents' divorcing, and the hurt of betrayal by a friend. I have wept for loved ones who have died and cried for friends who have felt grief in their lives.

I have also felt God's hand on me when I was in so much pain I couldn't stand it. He helped me overcome depression and the hole that my father left in me when he left our family. That hurt almost tore my current family apart, but God taught me how to let go. Maybe that is the real lesson—to let go of everything that hinders us. The New Testament speaks to that. As humans, we feel we have to right every wrong and repay every injustice. But God is the one who repays. Who knows? Maybe something we've done in the past has someone else wanting to exact payment from us.

That is the beauty of God. He loves us all completely and gives everyone a chance for redemption. If we don't give up on Him, He promises not to stop trying to reach us until we take our last breath. Oh, and He forgives our mistakes. I love that about Him, too. Actually, what is there not to love?

I just want to say thank you, Lynda, for asking me to be a Featured Author on FaithReaders. I love what God has done with the lives of everyone I've met here on FaithWriters. It is an honor to be a part of this group. We are a force that is reaching the world for God, one story at a time.

LYNDA: And thank you, Garnet, for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me. What a warm and wise woman you are. God bless you as you work towards becoming a full-time freelancer and as you pursue all of those writing dreams!

To read Garnet's work, visit her FaithWriters profile by clicking here: http://www.faithwriters.com/member-profile.php?id=13994