The Writing Life
I used to go on vacation to get away from the phone, email, and all that jazz – now, I just load it up and take it with me. Somehow I still manage to get away from most of it. Vaughn and I just got back from a week in Gatlinburg and it was wonderful. This wasn’t supposed to be a vacation for me – it was a working trip. We went to stay up in the mountains so I could get some serious writing time in and I did. Not as much as I had hoped, but I did write. And not only write, but I rested and I read my Bible more and I talked to God about the work He’s called me to do.
I realized about halfway through this working vacation that this is what I want to do with my life – live on a mountain and write books. It really doesn’t get a whole lot better than that – at least not for me. As I thought this through it occurred to me – this is what I used to do….well, almost. I lived in a valley and I wrote all sorts of stuff, but I did get paid for it. And I didn’t appreciate it – at least, I didn’t appreciate it enough.
It was only a few short years ago that I was a fulltime freelance writer and I loved it. But life interrupted and I was offered a job with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and it was a real paying job with a regular paycheck. Something that I hadn’t had for years. I was captivated by the thought of someone handing me a check once a week. And that continues to be pretty cool. Don’t get me wrong, I love the work we do at CASA. I know that God has used this time to grow me spiritually and I’m blessed to have such a wonderful job — but I do miss writing full time. I never realized just how wonderful it was until it was gone.
I started most days with Bible study and prayer (I should have started every day that way, but I'm sure I missed a few). I spent my days working on contracted articles, pounding out pieces for different websites, regional publications and national magazines, drafting book ideas and dreaming up new articles. It was a great time for me – I wrote lots of different stuff from financials to etiquette training. I learned how to interview, how to draft an article, and how to work on a deadline – I never stopped loving it. I just didn’t appreciate it and I also knew that God was calling me to write for Him, but I just couldn’t (or I should say wouldn’t ) take the time to listen to that call on my heart. I just kept plugging away.
After taking the CASA job, I still managed to keep my writing feet wet with the occasional article here and there. I still worked on a book proposal, the one that the Lord had called me to write and that book proposal is the one that just sold. So, I’m praising God and thanking Him for such an amazing blessing. Did he take me out of fulltime writing so I could focus on this proposal? I don't know, but I do know this — when I looked around and had no writing work, I realized that I need to write and I worked on that proposal.
So, for now, I’ll hold down the CASA job and be thankful for the chance to work for such a wonderful organization and with such amazing people. I will keep writing this book and working on the next one. I will keep praying that God, in His wisdom, will one day allow me the chance to be a fulltime writer again.