Day One, Prayer-Confessions of an Aspiring Novelist

Dear God,The Author and Finisher of ALL things,

Did you know a human could truly write several thousand words without editing and survive it? I didn't. In fact, I assumed that most unplanned writing was not worth reading but pure drivel. Perhaps some of it is. I just never thought I could write that way.

 But I can because of Your help. How weird is that? No editing. Well it's suppose to be "no editing" but I just couldn't help myself 100% of the time.You know that, of course. You made me and knew that I would obsess about doing it right, but through Your grace, I did it. I  imprisoned the ciritical side of my brain and let the creative thoughts flow. That HAD to be Your handiwork there.

Here's what I found: in writing, I am a very big plotter, planner and editor, so much so that I edit myself right out of writing the story at times. Next, I've also discovered that writing is a great deal like life in that one cannot micro-manage it or it will never go anywhere and one will always be frustrated and uptight. Some planning is helpful but too much of it stifles the creative flow of the story.

So, I did it. I wrote my first day's worth of writing for National Novel Writing Month as a seat-of-the-pants style novel. Wow. It feels good. (unless you count the occasional one eyebrow I raised as I told myself not to correct things yet.) The time will come in December to edit. This month is all about the writing. It's so revitalizing to my soul. I've missed this part of me. I was lost but now I'm found. Only a writer could understand that statement in relationship to this topic. You understand. You are THE ULTIMATE author, only--You never lost Your vision or thoughts. You always had us in mind even before we were formed in our mothers' wombs. You wrote the words of our Life Book. You knew I would want to be a writer. You even knew (when I didn't know) that I could write creatively if I stopped over-planning.

 I can't sit and revel in it though because I have several thousand more words to write this month and this type of writing is new to me. So I'm going to need a little help freeing up my schedule and my busy brain if You want me to do this.

I have no idea how it will turn out in the end but at least for now the process has begun and I am finding my creative juices have not totally dried up.  I'm not being proud-just happy, happy to find something to enjoy and delight in. As my friend and I discussed tonight, we are made in the image of You, our Creator. You create and  are pleased with Your creation. We were designed to create and be pleased with our creation. Because we are human, we have the chance of being displeased with our work  periodically but when we take the time to relax and keep creating, eventually we will produce something that makes us smile with satisifaction. That is because You made us in Your image. In those ways, we are like You.

 I've heard it said that we are most like You when we play and create--more so then when we work ourselves like dogs. Even You rested on the seventh day to enjoy what You had made.

It's not proud, is it, to be glad God gave you a gift to use and to use it? It's an insult to not use it and not believe that You knew what You were doing when You gave gifts to men. How much more intimate we become with You, our Creator when we realize that You created us each to have such pleasure in creation of our own. How endearing it is. What insight it is into Your character!  When we see what we create and are pleased, we know a smidgen of the feeling that You have for us when in Ephesians You say we are Your masterpieces. Amazing.

Well, I've not created any masterpieces yet but I have seen the beauty of Your wisdom in creating each of us with our own creative bent. How wonderful it must feel for You to see one of Your children delighting in the gift prepared for them from the foundations of the earth. It's just like we feel when we see our children enjoying a gift that we labored for them to have. We don't resent them for enjoying it. We smile with glee to see what joy it brings them.

Thank you, God for the gift of writing. May this novel writing journey bring praise and delight to You who created me to love linguistics and  made me a scribe of life's events and innovative ideas. If for nothing but the mere pleasure of reading and writing the words, may I always use this gift as a reminder that You love ME. Yes, Me. You loved me enough to create a gift that You knew I would love for all of my days. May it not only be pleasing to me but may it be a blessing to others as well.  Thank You, God.

Love,

Your Daughter

Back in the Saddle

I'm so thankful for the time to write once again. A part of  me was missing without being able to "write my heart" as much. I am once again "back in the saddle".

Last weekend, I watched my boys as they enjoyed therapeutic equestrian training. It was quite the experience. So much of their involvement focuses on balance, posture, learning to communicate with the horse and listening to the trainer. It struck me as similar to life. Whatever we learn to do takes focus, concentration and communication as well as learning the rules and philosphies around the particular interest. Mistakes can be dangerous or even fatal.

Writing is also like that. It takes research, time honing the skill, a general interest in what you write, advice from the experts and listening to your Trainer. You have to balance your unbridled dreams with the "bit" of editing and consideration of who is sitting in your audience. Your posture on topics and what you present publically determines the direction that your writing takes in the market. You have to run a few times around the ring to learn what works and what doesn't. Maybe you make a mutitude of laps before you see a rut behind you.  You mount carefully and ride confidently all the while realizing that your horse is bigger than you and must be tempered. You must lead your horse rather than letting it lead you but you'd be a fool not to notice what your horse is doing and "saying". Are you tracking with me here?

Writing is complicated. It flows naturally but must be harnessed as well. If you don't pay attention on the trail, you are likely to be bucked accidentally at bumps. After a great deal of riding, you climb off and need to rest for a while. You might be a little sore from the effort. It can be a while before you are able to climb back on again.

Well, I'm there. I'm finally back in the saddle.  This week, I began working again on my Christian RAD Parenting book.  I also had a children's book idea that "asked" to be written right away. I have several works in progress:  one big one and many little projects (some finished and some still developing).  I don't know if this is unusual or not but that is how I tend to work best with many irons in the fire (I had to use that analogy since we are talking horse sense).  I needed to be off the ride for a while to straighten up some things in the ring and on the trail of life but now I am ready to ride. Fences needed to be mended; holes needed filling.

So where will this ride take me? I feel like I have trail maps now and a good compass. God will be my guide too. Please pray for me if you are so inclined. And if you are a writer, saddle up, partner! You're along for a great, scenic ride, Lord-willing.

Christian Writers, Contend For the Faith!

"Beloved, ... it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." JUDE 3

Whatever genre in which the Christian writers flourish, we have a high calling to exhort our Christian readers to contend for the faith and to bring in those yet to be found. 

It's so much easier to be a generic Christian. By that, I mean, to blend in with the world and not share our faith. However, I believe that we, as all believers, have a call to share the Good News with a lost and spiritually dying world, not to cram words down anyone's throats but to shine the light through our witness so that people will ask and we will be ready to answer.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying it's wrong  for a Christian writer to flourish in the secular market. When God gives you a seed to plant, He will bring the harvest in the ground where it should be planted. Let's not forget though, when the baskets are full of monetary proceeds from the sold harvest (or when they are empty), there is a spiritual harvest ready and waiting for us to come and pick. We are not called to be sheep in wolves clothing but to fit nicely in our sheepskin and to wear it with honor and humility. 


 I exhort you and me both to contend for the faith as the early disciples did. There may be a time when we won't have this freedom that we now hold dear- our freedom of speech. It is happening all around us. I received an email recently about an author who is being imprisoned for using his free speech right here in America. These instances are few and random in our country but not so elsewhere.

It doesn't costs us much in comparison to what our brothers and sisters in Asia and third world countries suffer when they preach the Gospel. Many of them give their lives; all we get receive is a little flack here and there from people. 


Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel, (make disciples of all nations) baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20


Christian Writer, remember who you are. Don't forget your call. Remember you have fellow sheep spread across this continent and further. Use your freedom as a Christian writer to contend for the faith and win souls whenever God gives the opportunity.

We Are Works In Progress

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

I've been discouraged periodically about all of the dreams and goals that have yet to be realized as a writer.  Life gets in the way. I see my imperfections and struggle with self-worth. Missing the mark can make a goal-oriented person feel like a failure.

 In reflection, I have discovered that sometimes I set the mark too high. Other times, I don't work hard enough at the goals but allow distractions to deter me. I'm the stereotypical moody writer, who thinks she can publish a library one day and another day, fills the trash can with crumpled paper.  I don't want to feel like I'm not accomplishing my goals.

I asked the Lord for a Word on which to stand. He gave me the above passage. It was an immense comfort. Here's why:

I am not perfect. I fail. Failure reveals my humanity and somehow, in that state, I see the steadfastness of God. Jesus, the Perfect One, is performing a good work in me--to sanctify, to cleanse, to save, to make whole and to enable for service. He began that work in me and He will not quit working until I am perfect in Him.  When He returns to take me to Heaven and gives me a heavenly body which will no longer struggle with weakness and imperfection, then all my earthly expectations will fade and I will know what was His perfect will for my life and hopefully, hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of thy Lord."  All the rest won't matter any more.  In order to hear that I need to finish what He called me to.

He  finishes EVERYTHING He starts and that good work in us  that only He does is a work in progress with many stops and starts. I think it's because we are sometimes like the characters in our books or stories that try to make suggestions to the Author. Our suggestions are one dimensional just as our characters can't know what each other are up to but must discover through the plot where they all fit in the story. It is the Author that keeps everything straight and makes the story turn out right. The characters think they would die in the process worrying about their struggles if the Author didn't have it under control.   How amazing is that!

With that in mind, I look at my plans. I'm only one character in the story God is writing of my life. I can't see ahead or how God is going to use every detail of the story to accomplish the plot. I think I'm just going to die of heartache or exhaustion at times when my dreams aren't working out as I'd desire.  Hearing Philippians 1:6 reminded me once again to trust the Author. He is at work on my life. I am a work in progress.So are you.

When The Path Branches Off Like a Pile of Pretzels Intertwined...

  Life is incredibly full for me right now. I realize I have a tendency to be addicted to that "busy" and not to clear my path enough to where I can see a straight line. Instead, rather, the moment I empty it, another idea comes cropping up in front of me. There is always something begging for my attention. If I let it, life could dictate my path for me and I could be caught in a labrynth of activity and never follow the path to the hopeful end and the future that God has mapped out for me. (Jeremiah 29:11)

This year will be different. I aim to be more intentional. I'm seeking the Lord in all my ways and looking for His guidance daily in my home, ministry and career paths and for the future. I might have to stop cycling on the maze from time to time--to at least stop in the midst of it and ask for direction more than just in the beginning.

The truth is that we only have so much control over our own lives. Some of us micro-managing multi-taskers think we can conquer the world in a day but really, when it all spins in front of us, our lives could become like the cat's cradle gone askew if we don't let the Master Designer take control of it.

I love writing. I love all the pursuits life holds.I love teaching...

and visiting.... and encouraging.... and counseling and most of the time, parenting.

Somehow I need to strike a balance. Not just what I think is the right balance but what He determines is my position and station in the world.

I've been called to all these things but where the difficulty lies is in finding where they all fit together.

I've decided to stop trying to figure it all out myself. It's time to ask, seek and knock. Every day. Every hour. Every moment. I'm on a new journey to pray without ceasing. About everything. Everyone. Every day.

When I wander, as I am prone to, then I will tune in again and say,

"Speak Lord, for your servant is listening" and I will hear His voice saying,

"This is the way; walk you in it."

Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Psalm 25:4.