Meagan, I actually share a publisher. TreasureLine Books & Publishing and that's how I first met Meagan. When her book, Choosing To Grow Through Marriage came out, I bought it because I had been on Meagan's blog and was so impressed with what she had to say.
I was not disappointed. Though a non-fiction, her book read like a fiction novel. I was sucked in and couldn't put it down. Her journey and her insight are very real and very relateable dilemmas that we all face at one point or another during our married lives. So I recommend you read this book and even have a "Tea Party" with your book club friends when you're done, so you can discuss this very important topic.
First lets get a little background on Meagan. Tell us a little bit about yourself .
I'm a writer. Actually, I’ve always been a writer, but I’m finally attempting to make writing a career. I am a mother of three great kids, ages 11, 9 and 6 and I’ve been married to their father for thirteen years. In my life I’ve been a high school English teacher, a newspaper reporter and a college soccer coach. All of my jobs have been incredibly fulfilling for me. I am grateful to be at a place in my life where I can continue to pursue something I have always loved.
Do you believe that we all have an intended purpose, destiny or mission to fulfill in life?
I do believe my life has an intended purpose. I don’t know if there is a specific mission for me, but I do feel as though the gifts God has given are meant to be used for a purpose bigger than me. If I had to speak to what gifts I have to share, I would say I can write and I can teach. Yes, I’ve been trained for both, but it is deeper than that. I feel driven and passionate about both writing and teaching.
When I started the project of my first book, Choosing to Grow: Through Marriage I was moved to gather everything I needed to know so I could improve our marriage while I wrote and shared about all that I found. I am doing the same thing with my other Choosing to Grow books, and I hope to share the things I find through both writing and speaking platforms.
I can’t really imagine my life without the Choosing to Grow projects. I started working on my first book in response to an incredibly low point in my life. I needed to dig my way out, and with every hopeful nugget of truth I found, I became more and more motivated to share what I was finding with others. It is now a way of life for me. Every day is an opportunity for growth, and I seek out chances to tell everyone who needs to hear that.
My writing portfolio is journalistic in nature. I wrote for a newspaper for a while, and I have a few magazine articles published. My first book is a non-fiction, creative memoir based on research and interviews about modern marriage. I am using the same approach for my current non-fiction work in progress, Choosing to Grow: For the Sport of It. In addition to the non-fiction book projects, I write regularly for my own blog, and I have just signed on to be a contributing writer for the Mother’s & More Voices blog. I plan to continue to do some freelance article work as well.
Non-fiction is only part of what I want to do with my writing. I have a long-term goal of adding fiction to my resume, and I have a WIP about a world-renowned reporter who finds herself in a situation where she cannot research her way to understanding. I practice my fiction writing in weekly challenge submissions to a website called Clever Fiction: http://cleverfiction.weebly.com/.
How do you balance your home and family life and your work?
I am really lucky to have a hard-working and supportive family. We work as a team to stay balanced with all the things that need to be done, and I am really grateful to be a part of such a great group of people. I am currently establishing a routine that allows scheduled writing while the kids are in school, and then I am on full-time mom duty when they get home. During the vacation time, or summer months, I do a lot of writing either before or after the days’ activities. The best scheduling trick that I have is our dry-erase board calendar. Every person in our house has a designated color, and the activities are listed by day in the color for that person. We’ve all become pretty dependent on what is listed on the board to keep us on track. There are weeks when the board looks much more like a rainbow than it does a calendar!
What is your advice to people who feel their lives are lacking purpose?
I would tell people, who feel they lack purpose, that I think it is a temporary feeling. I have felt that way too, and I think a lot of people feel like that at different times in their lives. The key is to keep searching for purpose.
I like the idea of steady toil. You don’t have to be born into the right place, nor do you have to have had all the right things given to you to improve your own life. Through prayer, reflection, intention and a willingness to keep putting one foot in front of the other, purpose is revealed. It is a decision in belief: belief in yourself…belief that your purpose exists…and belief that you will find it if you never give up looking.
Wise words Meagan! Thanks for sharing your wisdom and your talents. For more information on Meagan Frank and her work, please visit her web site at www.meaganfrank.com
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