When Words Wane: the Sequel - Grit & Grace
What to write when you don’t know what to write.
I’ve been here before. Man, have I been here before.
Writing prompts. Ideas I’ve jotted down over the past week or so. The hope*writers exercise I mentioned a little over a month ago in part 1 of When Words Wane.
Nothing.
It’s Monday evening, and the time I’ve set aside to work on my weekly post is here. Time to just sit and let some words flow. It doesn’t need to be profound. The words don’t need to be especially witty. I mean, I’d like for them to make some sort of sense. But honestly, I just need to write. The magic happens when you just hunker down and do what you’re supposed to do. When no clear topic makes its way from my heart to my head and out through my fingers typing on a keyboard, I am tempted to forget why I’m doing this in the first place.
As I sit here (now on Wednesday morning), I remember the commitment I made. The nudge from God that started as a whisper in my heart, which has turned into shouts from a megaphone on most days. Sharing my journey as I find my way running this race of life, hoping to encourage others along the way. It happens one step at a time. Some days, it’s a grace-filled step, and many other days, it’s a gritty step. I find that most days are a funky combination of both. Grit: the sharp and hard places in life that are designed to make me stronger. Grace: the unmerited kindness from God that strengthens me for the journey in a totally different way, while giving me the opportunity to extend that grace to myself and others, which in turn, helps the grit seem not so gritty. A race filled with grit and grace: it’s not just one or the other as I travel towards the finish line. The race of a lifetime. The race of my lifetime.
“If you give me the words, Lord, I’ll share them.”
These are the words I’ve been given, and so these are the words I’m sharing.
“NO EDITING AS I WRITE.” One of my biggest takeaways from a recent online writing class I attended. Thinking that my words need to be profound holds me back. Thinking about potential response (or lack thereof) holds me back, and influences what words I let flow, and even what I decide to share. Editing as I go, and trying to get the ideas just right holds me back. All of these things stifle the writing process and gets in the way of this precious calling I’ve been given.
Just write, Becky. You can edit after you’re done.
Days have passed, and I still don’t have a clearer picture as to what I’m supposed to write about for this week’s post. I mean, I guess that’s okay.
Writing makes way for more writing, and so my hope is that as I sit here writing the next thing that comes to mind, that an idea will begin to form. Hopefully, an idea that with time will bring forth some clarity and direction.
Not yet.
Not knowing what to write produced over 500 words this time. Imagine what will happen once I know.
Becky is a Miami native, and has lived here all of her life. Married to her husband for over 20 years, they lead a very active lifestyle along with their three teenagers and Riley, their rescue dog. Becky loves to teach, and has had the awesome privilege of home educating her children for over twelve years. When not teaching academics, Becky loves to equip, encourage, and empower women through the teaching of her group fitness classes. Becky and her husband lead various ministries, and their family loves to serve the community through the countless opportunities provided over the past twenty years+ in their local church. She enjoys filling her “free” time with reading, writing, watching movies, and just spending time with the family. Becky has a passion for living her life with grit and grace, and encouraging others to do the same.
