To My Blogging Friends: What Drives You to Write? UPDATED 8/7/15

It's Random Journal Day!

View from My Open Window

Today is "Random Journal Day"...the first Friday of the month...and some of us brave folks open up old journals or other writings and dare to share them with the world.  Here is my offering for this month...something I wrote several years ago in my early blogging days...and I think it may be appropriate for today.  I still haven't written that book...but I've added quite a few blog posts to this site over the past several years...actually I am in my 6th year of blogging now!  Perhaps one day I will compile some of these "chapters" for a real book...but in the meantime...please feel free to peruse these pages and hopefully enjoy!  When you've finished with this page...you can go over to http://enthusiasticallydawn.com/2015/08/07/random-journal-day-53-with-debbie-anne-parent/#more-3846 to see what others are sharing today!



Original Post 6/6/2012

I've been wondering about something for a while, and kept meaning to sit down and write about it, but it keeps getting put on the "back burner" as other projects and thoughts come to the "front burner" of my mind.  However, since I haven't had too many new thoughts to share lately, I thought perhaps now would be a good time to approach this subject.  This is primarily directed toward my other writing/blogging friends...but perhaps there are a few of you who are "closet writers"...who still haven't gotten up your courage to put your thoughts out here in front for the whole world to see...and maybe you need a little extra push to get started.  That's what I needed...

To share a little history with you...I began writing this blog a couple of years ago while I was in between jobs... "unemployed".  After months of searching, interviewing, praying, sending out more resumes', and feeling a sense of rejection time after time as one door after another slammed shut in my face, I decided it was time to do something constructive with my time.  I began to look for a way to turn my "closed door" into an "open window" of opportunity.  (Link to "Closed Doors, Open Windows, The Beginning"

I have always wanted to write...and have kept a personal journal over most of my adult years, although it was sporadic and not very consistent.  As a pastor's wife (although not currently actively in pastoral ministry), my goal had been for a very long time to write a book for other pastor's wives...a devotional book or a guide for wives in ministry written from my own experiences to hopefully encourage, teach, and minister to my sisters in the parsonage.  But when my husband was no longer serving in a pastoral position, I felt that I was no longer "qualified" to write such a book. Who would want to hear from some one who had been there, but didn't stay there? (Although we did stay there almost 30 years). Besides, who was I to think that anyone would want to read anything that I had to write? We weren't famous, I wasn't "educated", and quite frankly I wasn't too sure that what I had to say would be all that helpful...after all, a lot of our experiences weren't exactly positive.  We had been through some very difficult places and times, leaving us feeling emotionally and spiritually burned out and wounded. If what I had to say couldn't uplift and inspire and comfort other women in similar circumstances, then it would probably be better that I kept quiet.  (Link to "Waiting"...one of my early posts)

One day I started playing around with my computer and discovered this "Blogger" program.  The more I delved into it, the more I found that it was actually pretty simple, and it was a way to start putting some of my thoughts down into a format that could be shared with an unknown audience....a way to test the waters and see if there was any response. (Link to "New Beginnings") During this time I also attended a Christian Writers's Conference thinking that they would jump at the chance to publish my book.  Boy, was I in for a rude awakening...but that's another story.(Link to Psalm 19:14 thoughts) What I did learn was that this blogging idea just might be the outlet I needed...and that instead of wasting my time trying to write a book that most likely would never get published...I could be "published" right away by writing this blog.  Sure, it wasn't going to make me rich or gain any fame...but it was a way to help hone my skills and get some feedback...which is exactly what it has done.

So my question is this:  Why do YOU write your blog, or a book, or poetry, or whatever it is that you are writing?  What are your goals?  Who is your intended audience? What drives you to continue...even when you may not feel like you are making much progress or getting much feedback?  I have had times of discouragement and frustration...(Link to "When Is the Cavalry Ever Going to Get Here?")  but the driving force behind me is a desire to share what the Lord has done in my life...in the simple things, and the complex things...in the good times and the bad times...with the hope and prayer that something may touch someone out there who needs that word of hope, comfort, encouragement or blessing.  That perhaps there may be one little word that breaks through the darkness and brings a hurting soul to the Light...

That is why I keep writing.  Some days are silly and fun, and other days may be filled with my own fears or tears...but through it all there is this hope and prayer:

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."  Psalm 19:14

As long as I keep that thought in my heart as I write, I don't really need to worry about the outcome.  God will do all the rest.

Thank you for taking the time to read this offering. 

"The Lord bless you and keep you...The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;  The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace."  Numbers 6:24-26     Amen.