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.
As I journeyed through anorexia and recovery, I decided to write a book about eating disorder recovery. Honestly, I couldn’t not write a book about that. It was so therapeutic for me to put my thoughts on paper—and watch what God would do from there. Although I didn't know how my random thoughts would become eventually turn into a published book, I knew I had to do something with the fire—the passion—that was burning inside me.
Though I had some preconceived notions about the writers' conference, it turned out to be much different than I had expected. It helped me realize (or re-realize) a few important things about my writing craft and my relationship with God. So whether or not you’re a writer, here are two lessons I learned at my first writers' conference that apply to anyone who belongs to Christ and wants to use his or her talents for His kingdom.
Recently, I’ve been trying to figure out what steps to take next with my second book since I haven’t had success connecting with a literary agent or publisher. In this season of waiting, I’ve reached out to several authors to ask for their advice. I’m grateful for each piece of advice I’ve received from them, but there’s one specific piece of advice that really stood out to me—and I want to share it with you.
Later this week, TTT will turn eight years old. Though each blogiversary post I've written has been a bit different, they normally have a common theme: my writing dreams (i.e., how I hope to achieve them, what God is teaching me through them, etc.). This blogiversary post celebrating eight years of TTT posts follows that theme.
Hi friends! It's been a while since we've had an interview on TTT, so I know you're going to love this new interview with Debbie W. Wilson. She's an author friend of mine who is preparing for the launch of her book, Little Strength, Big God! Keep reading to learn more about her writing journey, as well as her suggestions for growing writers.
But that’s not what this post is about, friends. After all, you can find tons of resources about doing all the things that will potentially lead you to a book deal. But if you want to have a solid foundation for your writing as you embark on this exciting journey, I have a few other suggestions for you.
From movie reviews to poems to personal reflections, I started writing blog posts to encourage people in their relationships with God. Eventually, I began focusing specifically on reaching young women by sharing my struggles and relevant Bible verses. All along, I’ve wanted to bring readers to the place where God's Word meets their messes—as His Word always meets mine.
My pride says, "Grace, your book could encourage so many young women as they recover from their eating disorders." My pride says, "There's so much potential for your book; you'd be famous if people knew about it." My pride says, "Your book could be a bestseller if only people would let you promote it." But as I focus on my book and my platform and my lack of success, I quickly drown in discouragement. Perhaps I need to focus less on my efforts and focus more on God’s will.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 