Guest Post - Dawn V. Cahill - Recovery vs Salvation

Recovery vs Salvation

by Dawn Cahill

SOBRIETY

When I was a practicing alcoholic, I couldn’t bring myself to admit it. I knew I had a problem, but I didn’t want to stop drinking. I would tell people that I was “on the road” to alcoholism. I figured I’d become one if I didn’t stop drinking. Finally, the day came when I saw myself for what I was: an early middle-stage alcohol addict who wouldn’t live much past age 42 if I didn’t stop drinking. (I’m now well past that mark.)

While I was drinking, I often went to AA meetings. Once there, my craving for alcohol only increased because that was all they talked about. Imagine a food addict being surrounded by conversations about food. So, on the way home from meetings, I’d stop by the store and pick up a bottle of wine, finishing it off before bed.

Once I got sober, life changed dramatically. I went from gloom to color. Beauty burst around me. The sky gleamed clear blue. I cried when an arsonist set a local school on fire. Life was now so vivid, the craving for alcohol diminished and gradually died.

SALVATION

When I was a practicing sinner, I couldn’t bring myself to admit it. I knew I had a problem, but I didn’t want to stop doing my own thing. Finally, the day came when I saw myself for what I was: a rebel against God who wouldn’t make it to heaven if I didn’t repent of my sins.

Prior to this, I often went to church. Since I was raised in church, I had no objections to it. What I objected to was fanaticism. I didn’t want to be like those churchy people. Yet they said things that baffled me. They seemed to care what God thought of them. They talked about their love for God and His for them. But I just didn’t get it. I’d never experienced that for myself, yet I’d been told all my life that I was as Christian because I’d prayed the “right” prayer as a child. And I certainly didn’t disbelieve the message. I simply didn’t care that much. 

But once I admitted I was a sinner separated from God, and repented of my rebellion against him, life changed dramatically. I went from darkness to light, death to life. A new warmth filled my heart. God’s presence was all around me. I now cared what God thought of me.

And God had a purpose for those dark days. When I tell people about how He brought me out of darkness, they seem more likely to listen when I share my recovery story with them than if I simply throw Bible verses or the plan of salvation at them.

(This article was originally published on dawnvcahill.com on April 27, 2015)

About Moonstone Secrets – Dawn's latest release:

As the Christmas season sparkles around her, DeeDee McCreary eagerly anticipates visiting magical Victoria, BC, with her boyfriend, Nick, and meeting his family. But the trip proves disastrous. First, Nick finds his bank account cleaned out. Then he disappears. Frantic, she determines to uncover what happened. When she discovers something far worse than she anticipated, she questions everything she believes to be true about him.

With the man she loves in jail for an unspeakable crime, DeeDee knows the truth lies somewhere in Nick and his ex-wife’s past. But if she pursues their secrets, will she put herself in danger, too?

Amazon purchase link:

https://www.amazon.com/Moonstone-Secrets-Christian-Contemporary-Seattle-ebook/dp/B06Y1P9R3Z

Other Places to find Dawn:

Amazon Author page

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

An Interview with author Dawn Cahill

Hi, Dawn, welcome to Whispers in Purple. So happy to have you drop in for a visit. Let’s chat a while.

How long have you been writing?

I wrote a lot of short stories as a kid, so,…a long time! But once I got serious about it, I actually finished a novel for the first time. That was 3 years ago.

Has your writing journey been as you envisioned it? If so, tell us a bit about it. If not, how is it different?

It’s been a funny journey (funny as in unexpected). When I finished my first novel, I immediately submitted it to a First Novel contest, and my family was highly confident it would do well. LOL! I learned it usually does not happen that way. It didn’t do poorly, but nowhere near as well as I’d hoped. I still had much to learn about the craft. Since then, I’ve taken an online fiction writing course, joined critique groups, attended umpteen writers conferences, gotten professional feedback.

Finally, earlier this year, entering contests at last paid off. My first novel (still unpublished) finished in the semifinals in the Genesis contest. And then, my second novel (Sapphire Secrets, featured today) finished in the finals in the First Impressions contest.

What sparks your creativity when feeling drained?

A good book and a long nap! But when I need inspiration, a long walk or hike does the trick.

What have you learned recently about yourself, and how has it affected your writing?

I’ve discovered, through various means, that God wired me to write, and by abandoning my writing dream while raising children, I was violating my true God-given nature.

Here are some quotes by George Orwell that resonate with me. Do they resonate with you as well?

Orwell: "I had the lonely child's habit of making up stories and holding conversations with imaginary persons."

"From ... the age of five or six, I knew that when I grew up I should be a writer. ... I tried to abandon this idea, but I did so with the consciousness that I was outraging my true nature and that sooner or later I should have to settle down and write books."

How much of yourself do you put into your books?

Funny you should ask! I just wrote a blog post about that. In Sapphire Secrets, while writing my protagonist’s conversion, I relived my own salvation experience. And some of my character Scott’s funny quirks I “borrowed” from myself. For instance, I hum a lot, and sometimes the song I hum reveals what I’m thinking. Scott is the same way, except he whistles. And sometimes, he gives himself away. It makes for some semi-embarrassing moments. ;)

Do you write in one place or switch off to different locations? Describe your favorite writing place.

I write in the bedroom that I used to rent out. Prior to that it was my son’s before he went off to college. Once he took his old bed, it became the perfect writing spot. Plenty of daylight, big table, lots of room. My cats love to hang out in here with me while I write.

Let’s pretend: An anonymous donor has gifted you with a 5-day stay at a place of your choice, and you can bring four other contemporary (not family) with you.

A: Where would you go, and why?

To Ireland, because I’m so fascinated with the Irish people, their history and culture. I’m part Irish myself, and love a good limerick and all shades of green.

B: Who would you take with you, and why?

If I could take family, I’d take my three sons, because they’d feel right at home. They look Irish, and all three have Irish names! But since I can’t bring them, I’d bring four of my single women friends because they deserve a vacation.

Tell us something about your book.

• · Title: Sapphire Secrets
• · Publisher: Kindle Direct
• · Release Date: January 13, 2016
• · Genre: Women’s fiction
• · Series or Stand-alone: Book 1, Seattle Trilogy
• · Target Audience: Christian fiction readers aged 20 to 50+

· Back cover blurb: Filled with mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Sapphire Secrets is the story of a Seattle woman’s relentless pursuit of truth and God’s power to heal and transform broken lives.
Twins Livy and DeeDee McCreary open a dance studio in honor of their late mother, whom they lost when they were six. Problem is, Livy remembers nothing of the day her mother died. The more she questions her family about that awful day, the more she suspects she’s been lied to all her life. While she’s seeking answers to what really happened, she keeps crossing paths with handsome engineer Scott Lorenzo, who compels her to question the New Age philosophy she was raised on. What if there is a personal God out there who cares about her?
Before Livy can discover answers, a brutal accident interrupts her search. Her life flips upside down as she faces a future she is not prepared for. Yet the unanswered questions continue to haunt her. Can she find the strength to keep on with her quest, even if it means losing the two people most dear to her—her twin, and the man she loves?
2015 Finalist, ACFW First Impressions Contest

· Buy links: http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Secrets-Christian-contemporary-Seattle-ebook/dp/B01AL7VIO8

Finally, where can readers find you?

• Blog/website: http://dawnvcahill.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dawn-V-Cahill-Author-581290478668884
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dvcahill/
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dawnvcahillauth/

About the Author:

Author Dawn V. Cahill pens “Stories of Victorious Faith for the 21st Century,” nearly always with a crossword puzzle, sudoku, or dark chocolate nearby. “The characters in my stories face situations that would have been unthinkable even 20 years ago. We live in a vastly different world than our parents did, and that’s the world I write about.”

Seeing an unfilled niche in the Christian fiction market, Ms Cahill birthed Hot Topic Fiction at an intensive four-day writers conference. HTF isn’t afraid to explore the question, how does God want us to live out our faith in this not-so-brave new world? Without insulting the reader by offering pat or easy answers–because there aren’t any–HTF tells stories of ordinary Christians following hard after Christ in a world of terror and violence, of upside-down morality, of hostility to Judeo-Christian values.

Ms. Cahill also blogs about puppies, substance abuse, and single parenting…sometimes all in the same day. She’s going to finish that novel she started at age 11 called Mitch and the Martians…someday. She has written several newspaper articles, two Christian contemporary novels, and more limericks than she can count. Email her at dawn@dawnvcahill.com, or find her on Facebook. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

Dawn, thank you so much for being my guest today. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you.

You are very welcome! It was my pleasure.

Dawn Cahill Visits my Cozy Den

Hi, Dawn. Welcome to my COZY DEN on Whispers in Purple. So glad to have you visit. Let’s get acquainted.

Peg: What five words best describe you?

Dawn: As my mom used to tell me, I have stick-to-it-ive-ness, which I’ve found to be a very valuable trait for an author! As a child, I drove adults crazy with my incessant questions, and exasperated my parents with my tendency to run off and explore. My five words: Persistent, Curious, Exploring, sometimes Impatient, Introvert.

Peg: Tell us something few people know about you?

Dawn: I would not be alive right now if God hadn’t delivered me from alcohol addiction. I have a section on my blog devoted to substance abuse, in hopes of encouraging other strugglers. Since I came to know the Lord, He’s impressed on me the need to minister to others in the same boat. Over the years, He’s brought me opportunities to do just that, mainly through organizations like Celebrate Recovery.

Peg: If you were a book, what would the title be?

Dawn: “People-Hugging God Worshiper.” Here in the Pacific NW, we have plenty of tree-hugging earth worshipers. We need more people huggers that worship the Creator of the earth.

Peg: What have you learned recently about yourself and how has it affected your writing?

Dawn: I’ve learned that I can successfully put myself in the head of someone as unlike me as you can get. I’ve written stories from the POV of a male twenty-something aspiring rocker (see my latest release below), a drama queen (which I’m totally not), a father, and an identical twin. It’s given me more confidence to stretch myself. After all, you wouldn’t want to read a story about someone just like me. How boring would that be?

Peg: Oh, I don’t believe that for a minute!

When you’re not actively writing, what do you like to do? Hobbies, etc.

Dawn: I’m an avid hiker, and I live very close to an awesome mountain trail. I can walk to it from my house. I also sing and dance at every opportunity - even around the house, to my sons’ mortification. <grin> And I love puzzles of all kinds. One of my favorite childhood memories: sitting with my siblings around the card table on a chilly November evening, fire crackling in the fireplace, a 1500-piece jigsaw puzzle spread out in front of us, racing to see who could finish first.

Peg: I love jigsaw puzzles! What kind of books do you enjoy reading, and what are you reading now?

Dawn: I love action-packed, edgy fiction. I just finished a book by Harlan Coben, Gone For Good. But sometimes I just need a fun, light-hearted read, and will select a chick-lit book. Christian authors such as Brandilyn Collins, Frank Peretti & Ted Dekker are top-notch plot-twisters, and I aspire to write stories as compelling as theirs.

Peg: Ooh, I agree with you about Brandilyn Collins. She’s top-notch in my book.

At the last minute you learn company was coming. What kind of meal would you throw together?

Dawn: The truth? I’d run to Safeway around the corner and load up on their pre-made trays. I live alone now, so I usually only keep enough food on hand for my own needs. And after raising three constantly-hungry sons on my own, I’m a little burned out on food preparation.

Peg: I understand you’re re-releasing a book from your backlist. Tell us about it.

Dawn: When Lyric Met Limerick: Two creative souls – a songwriter and a poet - meet one day at Pike’s Place Market in Seattle. But obstacles keep popping up to stop them from being together.

I became very attached to the MCs as I wrote, because both of them love word-play, as I do, and rhymes. So they make the perfect pair!

It’s available as an e-book on Amazon. Get a sneak preview HERE

 

Peg: Where can readers find you on the Internet?

Dawn: http://dawnvcahill.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/Dawn-V-Cahill-581290478668884

AVOUT DAWN:

Dawn V. Cahill loves stories that entertain and inspire. “The characters in my stories don’t always live pretty lives…just like you and me. But God can take the messiest of stories and turn it into a happy ending.” In her Hot Topic Fiction series, she tackles current events that real people in the real world face with ever-increasing frequency. Issues without pat or easy answers.

Along with word-crunching, Ms. Cahill also crunches numbers, and can’t live without her morning frappuccino. She wrote her first story at age 5, and at age 8 heard one of her stories read on a children’s radio program. Someday she plans to finish the novel she started at age 11 called Mitch and the Martians. She has published a short story, written several newspaper articles, two Christian contemporary novels, and more limericks than she can count. Email her at dawn@dawnvcahill.com, or find her on Facebook. She is a member of Oregon Christian Writers (OCW) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

FOOTNOTE FROM DAWN:

I have a section on my blog called "Crumpets and Tea: Encouragement for Single Moms." It includes anecdotes from my years as a single mom, mock interviews with "Solo Mama", and interviews with real-life single parents. If any of your single-parent readers would like to share their story on my blog, they may email me: Dawn Cahill dawn@dawnvcahill.com

Thanks for that information, Dawn. I hope there are some reading this who will take advantage of this.

And, it’s been fun getting to know you!

Thanks for having me!