Monday’s Mantra

Nothing Knocks Him off His Throne!

Thanks for joining us today for Monday’s Mantra and Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United. Have I got a story for you…one that needs to be broken into two coffee hours, so grab your break-time beverage and join me for some moments that changed everything for me but nothing for He who looks to and fro looking for hearts that are looking for Him in every situation (Zechariah 2:13).

Have you ever had something happen and thought to yourself, this changes everything? I have, and too many times to count. And to be honest, most of the time when I’ve thought that, it hasn’t been with a positive perspective, but when I fast forward the reel of my life, wow, am I amazed at this truth: While something happened to change everything for me, it has never or never will change who He is and His plan for my life!

Did I ever share with you how I became a court reporter? It’s a pretty interesting story, now that I look back on its origin and compare it to my present season. I was 12 years old, called to testify against my step-dad (the molester) and my mom. I remember sitting to the left of the judge one day, and to the right of him the next day. It was that first day that I saw her. She was fairly close to me. In fact, if I bent over I could have tapped her on the shoulder…and I did. I remember telling her, “When I grow up, I want to be a court reporter.” It took me a long time to “grow up,” but about 17 years after seeing that court reporter, I became one!

Fast-forward to my current season: I’m working two to three days a week as a freelance court reporter, and I go into Los Angeles at least one of those days. There is a law firm that I often go to that happens to be one of the largest in the world, and I have a pretty good reputation and relationship with several of the attorneys. Most of them know my passion is writing and teaching. In fact, there are three attorneys from three different departments within the firm that have said you really need to talk to our guy who represents authors and agents. That was nine months ago and the possibility of meeting him gave me hope! 

To make a long story short, in November I was working with an attorney who is a monster on the record, but a genuinely nice guy off the record. Not many reporters volunteer to work with him. He can be so incredibly sarcastic and aggressive on the record; that’s his style and the way he does his best for his clients and because I’ve had several conversations with him off the record, I can say he’s really a nice guy. This particular day was no exception; he was going at the witness; I call it poking the bear…ever so softly at first and then harder and harder and harder until the poor guy was backed into a corner and Presto! He lied about something! J J

On a recess, Jeff and I talked about his methods, and he actually confided in me what he had done – which of course I can’t divulge, but anyway, the conversation got steered toward this mysterious attorney I needed to meet who represents authors and agents. “Jeff, everyone keeps telling me about this attorney that represents authors and agents. Can you make the connection for me?”

He looks at me with his piercing blue eyes and says one word: “Why?”

I sputtered and stuttered…”Because I’m a published author and I need some representation.”
He looked as surprised by my statement as I was by his question. “Well, then we gotta talk. Let’s talk after the deposition.”

When the deposition was complete, we were all pretty exhausted and as he left the room, I asked him if I could just give him a call the next day. “Yeah, give me a call.” And he left.

The next day, we played telephone tag; he was the last one tagged and he hasn’t tagged back. In the months that followed, I’ve gone to the firm at least six times. I have talked with his assistant, several of his colleagues and was even escorted back to his office one day, determined to get a few minutes of his time only to discover he had just left for an attorneys retreat!

I was disappointed, of course, and yet, I had this peace, knowing that it just wasn’t His timing yet, and that it didn’t change a thing for Him.

Join me Wednesday for the conclusion to this journey with the attorney…and in the meantime remember Thursday’s Coffee Hour live at 10:00 PST!

Love,

Evinda