Friday, January 22, 2010

Give it up

I just returned from the second round of interviews for a new job. Yeah, I'm still breathing.I prayed a ton before I left my home and then asked God to take over for me.

Do you do the same with your writing?

I know I'm guilty. I try to force the words to come. Writing paragraphs that don't move the story at all. Writing whole scenes that have little to do with anything.

Same way with blog writing. The pressure, you know. The pressure to write when God hasn't given me anything at all. Like the pressure to get this all-important job because it will mean my life might go back to normal.

My husband's last words to me this morning, "Relax and just do your best."

Some wise words. Words we can also apply to our writing.

If we pray and ask God to give us what he would have us write--I think we'll all find our words will come out easier.He'll show us what we need to share. He'll show me where I need to work.

I'm trusting Him today with my future as an employed person and as a writer.

Are you?

41 comments:

Jinksy said...

May all your prayers be answered!

Deborah said...

Right now I'm trusting him to give me the strength to be mom to 6 kids....our latest addition being a 7 week old! One of these days I'll get some writing done.

Cherie Hill said...

I'll be praying over your job situation...praying God leads you directly into His perfect will!
In Him,
Cherie

joe doaks-Author said...

I wish I did force my writing. What I do instead is procrastinate and find an excuse to not write. I'm wondering is forced...and potentially bad writing...better than no writing. Probably. At least it can be revised. Hard to revise a blank sheet. Ha!

I'll be waiting to hear which job offer you selected.

Best Wishes Galen.
Imagineering Fiction Blog

Eileen Astels Watson said...

I'm praying for you, Terri! may the job offer come soon!

Great Grandma Lin said...

It's hard to accept God's will when we know what we'd prefer to happen. But He sees the overall picture and knows us better than we know ourself...relax and focus on your writing and whatever happens will happen.

Melissa Amateis said...

Thank you for this, Terri! A few months ago, I was really focused on asking God to bless the words that came from my mad typing, and it was so much more peaceful to write. I've forgotten that. I needed the reminder!

Paula said...

Terri, I'm so sorry for the struggle you're going through right now. I understand too well the difficulty of job loss and very little to live on.

Praying for you today. Interviews are brutal.

Gaia said...

Hi Terri, I feel the same, sometimes I just can't write anything, I was just not inspired. Without inspiration, it feels irrelevant and meaningless, not just to the readers even to myself. Bless you.

Anonymous said...

Praying for you with the job. I linked to you today in my blog post. have a great weekend! :O)

Nancy said...

I hear you.
That's all we can do is trust Him and it's everything.

Clementine said...

Ya know, I've learned something else this past year. When it isn't His timing, it doesn't matter how many ideas I have. I thought I learned that lesson. It is one of those scriptures I memorized as a child. But memorizing and applying are two different things! And He had to hit me with a 2x4 this week to remind me. I'm so glad He loves me anyway! BTW, I got in the Chicken Soup for the Soul NASCAR! And I had no idea until UPS delivered the book to my door. You were so right!
As with your job, I'm keeping that at the top of the prayer list. You're living so much life right now, it's a wonder you have any extra time! I wish we lived closer. I'd take you out for chocolate!

Andrea said...

Why can't we just do what we know is right in our heart?: TRUST HIM!


Blessings and prayers,
andrea

Amy DeTrempe said...

I'll continue to keep you in my prayers. I've found life is easier, even if the problems don't disappear, when I pray more.

Janna Leadbetter said...

It really makes such a difference, no matter the area of life.

Warren Baldwin said...

Amazing how you wrote a whole blog post on not knowing what to write. Is there a novel here? Your creative juices are working even when you aren't aware of it! Good post.

Kathleen said...

"Trust" is huge! Without it, I dare say we can't have faith, or peace, or even joy.

What a good God have we; so faithful & loving; fair & righteous. I cannot imagine doing life apart from His involvement. I pray for a lot of things, but what is wrought by His hand is always what I really, really wanted.

Praying for a relaxing wait. I'm so-o-o excited for you.

Kathleen

Krista Phillips said...

Such GREAT GREAT advice! I'm praying that God's will WILL be done in your job situation...

And wow.. I needed the reminder to pray continually and trust God to give me the words!

Nikki (Sarah) said...

asking, trusting,resting...hmmm. I need to remember this. Stay strong Terri...He won't let you down.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Yes, I want to put everything big and small in His hands to take care of and...not take it back.

Karen Lange said...

You know, that's what my husband says too. We should listen to them:) I know my words flow better when I write that way.

Have a good weekend, all!

Jessica Nelson said...

Not always. I should pray more, trust more. Sometimes I forget to.
You want to hear a cool story? The other day I was thinking about our savings and about how slow real estate is. Then I thought, I should ask God to help Jimmy sell a million dollar house. And then I thought, hmm, it doesn't feel right. I was at the gym and kind of dismissed the whole thing from mind. Foolish girl.
The great thing is, God heard my heart and even though I didn't ask, he gave to us anyway. The next day someone called and Jimmy sold a house. Not a million dollar one, LOL, but one that brings in a little money. It was SO amazing to me.
Absolutely amazing.
Anyway, all that to say, God's got your back. :-)

Christine said...

I was going to write that I'll pray about you getting that job, and then I realized.....what if a better job--a simply amazing one--is around the corner?

So, I'll pray instead that you'll find peace and joy as you walk with God today. And that you'll rest in his divine plan, even though you aren't privy to the details.

Doing our best is wonderful, but even more wonderful is resting in Him--after we've done our part.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
Christine

Anonymous said...

I don't have a problem with writing unless I feel moved. Editing is a different story! Ugh!

Exciting about the job interviews!

-Alisa Hope
First Friday Fiction

Keli Gwyn said...

May the Lord lead you to just the job He has for you, one for which you're well-suited and will enjoy.

Carmen said...

Good post, Terri! I admit it...sometimes I toss and turn in that "rest" too!

Janet said...

Good luck with the job! Good advice, too, about our writing. I've always asked Him to help me with my writing, to give me the stories and the skill needed to become a better writer. Also, I just noticed that you have a story in Christmas Traditions, so do I. I enjoyed reading your story, mine is The Old Santa Hat.

BeckyJoie said...

Yay! Me too.

Daniel Dragomirescu said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Linda Glaz said...

There's just nobody else you can trust...Linda

Anonymous said...

Stop and think about what you are praying for.

God already gave you the skills and talents you have and you want more?

Ginger said...

Hi there! Hope you're doing well too. Best of luck with you job. I'll be thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers.

Greg C said...

Wow I am late of commenting. By now the phone may be ringing with that job offer. I am praying anyway.

Susan R. Mills said...

Thanks for this. I needed the reminder today.

LisaShaw said...

Thanks for sharing Sis. You're always an encouragement. I continue to pray for you because I know without a doubt that you are SO special and loved by the LORD and His plan is ever unfolding for your life.

Love you much.

4 Life said...

Praying is the only way to get through the day. Usually, my first prayers go out as I'm just waking...I start praying that God take care of my family that day.

I have to say, I haven't thought about asking God to help me with my writing - hmmmm.....

Very best of luck with the interview!

Julie Gillies said...

Oh Terri, I'm trusting God with you, my friend. I feel the blog pressure and am asking the Lord some serious questions. Trusting He'll give me the answers.

I hope your job interview went well. Hang in there, girl.

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Terri -

I know the feeling of both hope and nervousness when going to an interview. Praying you get the right job that will meet your needs.

Blessings,
Susan :)

Anonymous said...

Wishing you the best!!! I'm new to your blog, and I like the way you think!

When I write on my blog, I simply cannot force the words. God has to give me an inspiration, even if it is ever so slight. Some jumping off point. And another weird thing, I can't write on a computer.

I know, right? Weird! I just need a good old fashioned pen and paper, and of course my Bible and Coffee!

Tamika: said...

Excellent balm for my writing spirit today- thank you!

Edie said...

He is El Shaddai, the All Sufficient One. He is the God for whom nothing is impossible.

This is an excellent post Terri. I have to totally rely on Him to design through me too.

I recently had to write a post for the blog I am a contributor at and I had nothing. I prayed and prayed as I wrote. The message went in a completely different direction than I had planned and when I was finished, I still felt like it came up short. I continued to pray that those who read would hear Him in that post and not me. I was so surprised by the number of comments that said it was just what they needed to hear.

He is in all the details even when it doesn't feel like it to us.

Praying for you!