When you feel like laying it down.
Stick a fork in me, I’m done!
And, so my Tuesday morning rolled on. Tuesday’s are writing days for me but today? I just couldn’t get passed graduation invites, photos, addresses, and pretty postage stamps! Then lunch time came and it dawned on me I did not have a writing plan.
What do you do when that happens? You text your friend and ask her to give you a random topic to write on.
How to continue in your calling when you really want to quit” Being obedient.
Okay, I can do this!
My creative mind went immediately to Moses. Poor pathetic Moses. You know what I mean – there he stood at the talking burning bush – barefooted because the bush just said to him,
Moses, remove your sandals because you are standing on holy ground.
Yes, Lord, as he hid his face. (Exodus 3.1-6)
And, THEN Moses had the audacity to argue with God.
Excuses
They will not listen to me. (Moses)
Does it matter what I write? (me)
They will not believe me. (Moses)
What if people question my words? (me)
LORD, I cannot speak correctly – I stutter and make a mess of words. (Moses)
My readability and SEO aren’t good enough. (me)
Oh my LORD, please send someone else. (Moses)
Lord, not today, I’m tired and weary and… (me)
THEN THE SYMPATHY ANGER OF THE LORD WAS KINDLED AGAINST HIM. (Exodus 4)
I’ll find someone else to do it.
There are plenty of writers writing phenomenal blog posts – but they don’t have the voice God gave me. They don’t have the readers I have. I must be faithful with the gifts and callings He gave me even when I don’t “feel” like it.
Obedience or Sacrifice?
Obedience trumps sacrifice. Every.Single.Time. Just do it. And, if you need a little help from a friend? Ask.
Thank you, Tammy L. Mashburn, for the kick in the britches this morning.
If you like what you read here on Hope Heart Home? You’ll love my email letter each Wednesday, it’s like a letter from home. Things you’ll never read here on the blog and we always share a cuppa and sit a spell. If you’d like to join me? Just do the thing below, follow-through with the confirmation email, and just like that, I’ll land in your inbox on Wednesday mornings!
Just the other day I said to my daughter, I don’t know if I want to blog anymore. It was the day before my monthly writing day. (I find that doing a marathon day of writing the month’s blog posts fosters my creative juices and I am the most productive.) I was paying too much attention to abysmal visits to my individual posts (even though oddly visits to my site and other posts have sky rocketed.)
I rebuked myself and said it isn’t about the numbers, it is about being obedient to the call that the Lord placed on my heart.
And so I wrote yesterday and once again, I was encouraged to keep on keeping on, not because I am an awesome writer, but the Lord continually shows me, He is writing through me, because at the end of a blogging day, I’m always amazed at what I have written down. Like, where did that come from?? All praise to Him!
I appreciated your analogy and how you tied it in with Scripture. Great encouragement. Thanks for sharing.
Karen, thank YOU, for that encouragement. Our dear brother Moses was pretty pathetic arguing with Jehovah God!!! I don’t want to do that. HELP!!!
Amen!
And, all the sistahs said AMEN.
I have to share this with a new blogger friend who feels called, but scared! Thanks for writing. You ARE making an impact!
Share away!!! Thanks for the encouragement.
“I must be faithful with the gifts and callings He gave me even when I don’t “feel” like it.” I. Love. This.
Your wise words are going in my journal! And, Dear Wise Friend and Mentor, when I need a kick in the pants-remind me!!
The pictures from D.C. are beautiful and so is your precious Girlie!
XO
Tam’ the thing is? IF WE AREN’T faithful with our gifts? I believe He will find someone else who will be. The gifts of God are without apology. Food for thought.
Point taken.
Tiny hiney is in gear.
Teacher………xo
“Obedience trumps sacrifice. Every.Single.Time. Just do it.” AMEN! Thanks for this encouragement, Susan. Blessings to you!
Sometimes it’s hard, Gayl!!!
Same. Amen. And thanks to all three: you, Tammy and Moses. xx
PS That head voice: Why bother? So many others.
Amen, right?
Thanks! I WAS feeling discouraged. My stats can really get me down.
But the thing is … I can’t imagine NOT writing.
Jerralea, honest as I can be…I never, ever look at my stats. God is my boss, not those crazy numbers!
Yes – no matter what the results, no matter who, if anyone, is listening, we just need to be faithful and obedient. Easier said than done, but God gives grace.
He most certainly does!
I struggle with these same issues and fears, Susan. Boy, do I ever! In fact, I’ve recently been seriously considering pulling the plug on MM. But a few weeks ago I got hacked (which prompted these questions) and since I had to pay for a clean up and firewall for one year, I plan to blog for at least that long! My dad always taught me to finish everything on my plate! Lol! Thanks for talking so vulnerably and encouraging us to persevere in whatever sphere of influence God calls us to.
I hear you Beth – I can hardly imagine not blogging but I’m sure there will come a day?
I need your friend to give me topics to write about sometimes! 🙂 I have a list of potential topics, but sometimes when I read the list, none of them really speak to me. I usually just find the one I want to do the most and once I begin writing, I’m OK.
I actually think Tammy was telling Noah about the flood. Because she was having a ho-hum day of motivation also! Normally, life itself gives me my topic and I never think too ahead.
YIKES! Tammy certainly gave you a great prompt, didn’t she? And you took it and ran with it, speaking truth and obedience as you always do. I needed this kick in the pants as well, my friend. So thank you for being obedient to write and share.
Shelbz, I was just saying to myself, “Shelby is way too quiet…”
Susan, have you been listening into my thoughts and words? Thank you for reminding me we share common struggles and temptations. May we cheer each other on as you have done today.
Debbie, it seems an epidemic in the writing community – let’s chalk it up to some serious spring fever!
Aww! Thank you for the encouragement! I get all Moses whiney at times, too!
Don’t we all, Anita?
Thank you for your encouragement. I find so many things to do before I can just sit down and write. Oh! excuse me. I think the laundry is calling. What’s for supper rings in my ears and the adult children don’t even live here anymore. I write because He’s called me to. I have to lean in and listen to Him while drowning out the other voices. Again, thanks for the reminder.
Christine, we all do. I’m with you, sister.
Isn’t God’ so merciful?? He found a way to help Moses, even though Moses did not want to obey! A long time ago, God gave me a precious friend who said, “Sometimes God makes it easy to obey, by making it the ONLY way to keep going forward.” And that’s what happens with my writing, even when I don’t want to–it’s like that fire burning in my bones. Thank you for sharing the fire He plants within your bones, Susan!
Bettie, at times I think that “fire” is just old age creeping in on me!!
ithinkmy biggest challenge is just getting busy and doing it. so many distractions. ugh!
THAT is not my excuse, Mandy, but I’m hearing you!!!
Susan, these word hit home! As a single mom sometimes I can’t get to writing but some days? I find all the email/online tasks to do other than writing. I’m hanging onto these words to remember the next time the enemy (or my flesh!) is saying queue up Netflix.
YES, Lisa, message me if you need a swift kick!