Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
I do believe God has called me to write—at least in this season of my life—but the burnout is agonizing. It’s also agonizing to not know when I’ll stop feeling this way. But honestly, that’s why I wrote this post—to remind you (and myself) of a few important things if you're experiencing burnout and don’t know how to move forward.
Easter is this Sunday, so you probably think that this post is going to be about Jesus’ death and/or resurrection. In a way, it is. But I also want to take a step back to examine the reason that He died and rose again.
Today's post is from a blogger friend of mine, Ellie McCracken. She's passionate about inspiring girls to thrive in their relationships with God—as you'll see when you read her post! Enjoy, friends!
When my senior year of college came, I was determined to line up a good job for after graduation. I didn’t want to be unemployed for a second after I walked across the stage and received my diploma on graduation day. Ironically, (1) I didn’t end up starting my first post-college job until two months after graduation and (2) my first job after graduation was the worst job that I’ve ever had (with the exception of my brief employment at a fast-casual restaurant during high school). But I honestly needed both of those challenges in my life to help me truly transition to adulthood. Regardless of what your major is or what kind of job you’d like to have after graduation, here are a couple things that you should know.
A couple weeks ago, I was tasked with a long, tedious assignment at work that has produced much frustration and discouragement in my heart. I’m so done with this assignment, but unfortunately, I can’t actually be done for several more weeks. Staring at a screen all day certainly seems bad for my physical health, but it also seems bad for my mental health. Is data verification what God truly destined for me? I believe that—at least for this season of my life—the answer is yes.
I know that I recently wrote you a letter about accepting your singleness while still being honest about how challenging it is. But there’s something else that’s just as important that I need to share with you: I truly believe that you're single for a reason. So Single Girl, find purpose in whatever you do while you wait to date and get married.
Did I wish that I'd had a guy to sit next to during the fancy meal? Did I feel a little awkward as I danced beside my girlfriends during the slow dance? Did I think about the handsome guy on the dancefloor who was dancing oh-so-closely with his girlfriend? Yes, yes, and yes. But I survived, and you can survive, too. I truly believe that you can still enjoy your life, even without Prince Charming next to you.
Though writer’s block can cause plenty of frustration and anxiety, that's probably not the greatest fear that writers have. I'd probably include writer's block in the list of minor fears that writers have, along with other common fears like "What if I don't win _____ writing contest?" or "What if my writing gets rejected by _____ website or _____ magazine?" The greatest fear of writers is more serious than a bad case of writer's block—our plans and our purpose are at the core of this fear.
I want to earn a degree in marketing. I want to become a published author within five years after I graduate from college. I want to write for Christian magazines or websites. I want to get married by the age of 25 and have kids by the age of 30. I want to maintain a beautiful home that’s close to my parents. I want to have three kids and maybe even a pet. I want to work from home while I take care of my husband and kids. But truth be told, my expectations are probably too high—and I blame you for that.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 