Continuous Growth - Writing Update Month 3

Today marks 3 months into writing. I've been able to post every single week, except Thanksgiving. (Note to self: When holiday's approach, make sure to have an extra post ready to go ahead of time, even if you think you'll have time to do it during the busy week. You probably won't.)

I'm finally starting to feel like I'm hitting a groove with writing. Notice I did not say anything about being a "perfect writer" or feeling like I've finally found my voice. I think the whole "finding your voice" thing is a constant work in progress. Something to continually strive for.

Anyway, this past month has brought out a lot of interesting lessons for me on the writing path:

Keeping it God-focused and less me-focused. 

I believe that as sinful humans, we're selfish by nature. It's easy to want to take all the glory and boost our own egos. But I'm 99.9% positive, that's not the reason God has put this calling on my heart to write.

I believe God wants me to use my writing to point readers back to him. So that's the goal I need to keep in mind when I sit down at my laptop.

It's definitely nerve-wracking to have this thought process, I'll be completely honest. I feel like the last person in the world to be doing anything that points others toward Him. I feel like I'm just as lost and need just as much help as the reader. But another thing I've learned this month is that I need to...

Trust God with My Dreams

This was something I read in Chip and Joanna Gaines' book, Magnolia recently. Some of the struggles they endured that God brought them through are just miraculous. There's no other word for it. They were multiple times that they weren't sure they were doing the right thing, they just trusted that God would bring them through this dream by continually doing what he asked them to do. Day in and day out. 

Doing what God has asked me to do day in and day out is how I feel about writing. I have no idea if anyone will ever read this. I have no idea if building an engaging blog will ever be what I finally end up doing. 

But I have hope. I have faith. I trust that God sees these dreams in my heart and that He'll one day (in His own timing) bring everything to fruition. 

Just be Me 

This is also something that's been a constant work in progress over the past 3 months so far. It's easy to look at what everyone else is doing and to compare my writing style with other author's I love. But... 

This is something I'm going to work on the in the next month before I post another update. I'm going to work on just writing the way I write and going for it. Letting God take the keyboard and letting Hi do His thing while I do mine. 

Jeff Goins recently sent out a blog post and it was entitled Run Your Own Race. What fitting words for me at this point in my life. It's so easy for me to go down the road that leads to the comparison trap, but all that does is leave me exhausted and questioning myself and my abilities. I need to focus on my writing and my style. And trust that no one has voice quite like mine.

Looks like it's time to wrap this up and work on the next month ahead. Side note: My due date with Baby Larson #3 is this upcoming Thursday. I've already told myself that after the baby is born, I'll take the next 2 weeks off while I enjoy baby snuggles with the new little one. But then it's back to it! I don't want to get out of my habit of weekly posts.

As always: Onward and upward!