Pursuing Transformation: Becoming a better writer

Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a writer. I loved writing stories for school, sharing memories of my day in my Precious Moments diary and locking it up with the tiniest key, and had big hopes of writing a book someday. Even though my dream got lost in the shuffle a bit growing up, through it all, from a Religion major and a French minor, to a job as a ministry assistant at a church, my heart kept coming back to writing.

Asking myself what I was going to do with my life I've been seeking the Lord continually saying, “okay God – I want to do this, but what do you want me to do? I want to do what you want me to do.”  A couple years ago, I went to the Influence Conference put on by the Influence Network – a community of women who are all about using our influence wherever that may be, to make Jesus known.  At this conference, one of the speakers really spoke into the questions I was asking. She reminded us that God is the one who created us, who blessed us with our giftings – and then pushed us further to think about, if you have this dream in your heart, and you’ve been praying about it and seeking Him and it still remains intact- isn’t it possible that He put it there? That maybe instead of doubting it’s existence so much, maybe just maybe you should pursue it?

That is exactly what I’ve decided to do this year - to reach for my dream to be a writer. Finally, when people ask me what I’m doing – not only am I responding with the housewife title that I struggled with for so long, but now there is tag-on. I am a writer. Owning that title is a big step in and of itself, but now I’m working hard to put feet to that dream.

If you’ve been following along, you know that I am in the middle of a little series about Pursuing Transformation. It started with this proclamation that I made back in January, pinpointing five areas of my life where I want to see growth in 2015 - and now I'm checking in with each area, sharing where I'm at and encouraging you to do the same!

So this week is all about my goal to become a better writer. And I am super excited to share the ways that I have been intentional in this area.

Editing a cookbook:
Being a part of a community group through the Influence Network, I met an amazing woman named Natasha Red. She is the sweetest, loves the Lord, and has a gift for encouraging women in the kitchen. With her blog, and newly opened shop, her mission is all about encouraging women to get into the kitchen – to push past fears and risks that might be holding them back and create memories, traditions, and love on people through the vehicle of food. As a part of this mission to reach women with this message, she decided to write a cookbook. A few conversations sharing our hearts in our community group and the Lord made a connection - I love editing, and Natasha was in need of an editor.

For the past couple months I have had the pleasure of acting as Natasha’s editor. And I am so blessed. It has been a great learning experience for me, being able to exercise my gift with writing and learn how I can be a good support to Natasha and help her use her words for the mission God has placed on her heart. I am so excited to be a part of this project with her and I can’t wait for you to see the finished project. If you don’t know Natasha- please check her out – and stay tuned for when the cookbook comes out! My mouth waters and my stomach growls every time I edit her recipes, and her words have seriously encouraged me to be more courageous in the kitchen. I love it and know you will too.

Blogging more consistently:
This is an area that I am still working on. I am discovering that especially in the summertime, I am struggling with time management. There are so many things I want to do, but I can’t possibly fit them all in unless I make a better schedule. Having this mini-series has been a blessing because it has held me accountable to writing (minus my little hiatus for the holiday weekend), and pushed me to stay consistent. I think I might need to take that into consideration in the future, to plan my blogging out a bit more.

FEATURE IN THRYVE MAGAZINE:
I had to put that one in caps, because I am so excited to share that my first magazine article is coming out in August!!!!!! Thinking about this goal I made in January, I decided it was time to stretch myself, to submit an article to a magazine. It was totally a God-thing how it all happened, as a ‘like’ on Instagram led me to the homepage for Thryve Magazine, a Christian women's magazine whose mission is encouraging women to live fully alive. Instantly finding the “writers” tab, I was greeted by a submission theme that seemed to be the perfect fit for what the Lord had been teaching me at that time. With a few days left before the deadline, I went to work and poured my heart out onto paper, edited, prayed, and sent my first submission off for review.

Expecting to hear back in 3-5 weeks as described in the guidelines, I was shocked to receive an email a day after the deadline from the editing team. And even more shocked, and elated when they said, “Without a doubt, we’d like to use this article in our summer issue of Thryve.” I could not believe it. Immediately, I called my husband, my mom, my sister, anyone who knew I had submitted an article and shared the exciting news! My first article, my first publication, my first magazine feature! As small as it may seem, this was a huge step for me, and a huge affirmation from the Lord that for right now- this is what He wants me to be doing.

Working with an editing team, making changes to my article, and working with a photographer for the spread to go along with my words – this process has been challenging, growing, and so exciting. I can’t wait to see the final product in Thryve Magazine with my words, and the beautiful images captured by the fabulous Roost Photography. It's coming out sometime in August, so if you want to snag a copy - stay tuned to Thryve's website!!

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I'm really excited about the steps that I am making in this area of transformation.  Even if my future doesn't end up the way that I might be envisioning at the moment, this process of pressing forward, reaching for the stars and dreaming big is so rewarding.

If there is a dream in your heart that you keep pushing aside thinking it’s not practical or asking yourself how it could possibly come to be, I want to encourage you to ask God about it, and entertain the idea that He might possibly be the one who placed it there. God calls us to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:8) So don't just sit idle.  Think about it, pray about it, and be brave - press forward - pursue it.

Praying for you and whatever His dream is for your life – chances are it’s way better than you could ever imagine.

Xo

-- Image by Roost Photography --