I am enjoying these two classes so far! I turned in my first ever creative NONfiction piece yesterday! I’m doing well so far! I mean, we’re already 3 weeks in. It’s flying by! In my English Lit class, we are studying poetry. It’s…a little daunting but I know I can do it!
I just wanted to update you all! I may not do a lot of posting for a few weeks what with the course work becoming more intense but I will get on here from time to time just to say hey and to update you all. đ
I am so very much consistent…at being inconsistent. It’s who I am but I’m going to try very hard to stop.
(I am also predictably unpredictable. So there’s that…)
I say that to say this: I’m a couple weeks into my two classes and so that’s going to be taking up a huge chunk of my time.
I’ve always been consistently inconsistent. That’s just the way it’s always been. But I know I need to work on my consistency when posting on here.
I am going to try to post on here at least 1-2 days a week. We’ll see!
In my creative writing class we have to draft two pieces writing in the creative nonfiction genre. This has been hard because I’ve never written this genre before…(wait, do blog posts count as creative nonfiction? Hmm…I suppose they could!)
Anyway, the two topics I chose to write about are my battle with my inner demons (mental illness: ADHD, bipolar, etc) The second piece is definitely more lighthearted. I chose to document the time I was an extra on my favorite TV show, One Tree Hill.
These pieces are due on the 26th so I have plenty of time to go back and make last-minute revisions.
In other news…we’re expecting snow this weekend! If you know me, you know how excited I am! It snows (significantly) once every few years. I think our last big storm was in 2018. So I’m ready for the snow, bring it on!
My dad lives in TN and they had 3 storms with significant accumulation. I kept telling him he was being selfish by having all that snow and not sending some my way. And then the weather team forecast we were going to get a good snowfall. HAHA!
I am going to leave you all with this Scripture. As I pursue this writing career I feel very strongly that the Lord gave me a talent for writing and that I’m to use my writing to bring others to know Christ as their Savior.
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, âWhom shall I send, and who will go for cus?â Then I said, âHere I am! Send me.â
People say I’m strange, does it make me a stranger That my best friend was born in a manger?
DC Talk
What will people think When they hear that I’m a Jesus freak What will people do when they find that it’s true I don’t really care if they label me a Jesus freak There ain’t no disguising the truth
These are lyrics to the song by DC Talk, “Jesus Freak” It’s a really good song and it’s packed full of truth.
Some may have a problem being called a Jesus Freak just because of the title mentioning “freak” but I’m a Jesus Freak and I’m proud of it.
Rachel Joy Scott wasn’t afraid of being a witness..a light to the world. She earnestly reached out to others and genuinely cared for them.
So…would you rather be normal like the rest of the world or do you want to be strange and be like Jesus?
Classes started this past Monday. I’m still nervous but I know that these two online classes are going to help me focus because it’s going to teach me discipline. (grrr, ADHD for fighting me on this. I hate you. )
I’ve already turned in a couple of assignments!
I know that both these classes, Creative Writing and English Literature are going to help hone my skills as a writer. Is it going to be hard? Well sure! Nothing in this life comes easy. However, it’s in those moments that one realizes that it’s worth it in the end.
Have I thought about withdrawing from these classes? Yes. Why? Because I have a nagging voice (Satan) whispering in my ear telling me I’m not good enough. That I don’t have what it takes.
Well, the joke is on you, Satan. I am going to fight you on this. These two classes, however hard they may become, are going to shape my career as a writer.
Jeremiah 29:11 tells us this:
For I know the plans I have for you,â says the Lord. âThey are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
This is the path the Lord has guided me onto. This is the path I am following. I have a passion for writing and this is my talent. It’s the only thing I feel like I’m fairly good at.
If you want to write, you can Fear stops most people from writing, not lack of talent. Who am I? What right have I to speak? Who will listen to me? You are a human being with a unique story to tell. You have every right.
Richard Rhodes
Why do I write? Because it’s therapeutic. It helps me release these feelings I have that I can’t say out loud. Writing helps me Writing shapes who I am and who I want to be.
âI can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.â
Life has a way of throwing us curveballs. One second you’re standing tall, the next you’re flat on your back.
“Not today, Satan. Not today.” That’s the phrase that runs through my mind whenever I’m feeling the frustrations of life. Satan sure does know how to weasel his way in. He sees us at our most vulnerable and attacks.
1 Peter 5:8 tells us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
We must cling to the Lord always but especially through extremely hard times. Our faith is tested through these periods and we must remember that God hasn’t left us though it may feel like He has.
It is through these times that our faith is given a chance to persevere.
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing
James 1:2-4
It is through these times that we also need to find the good. We need to always find the good through the painful circumstances.
God is good all the time.
All the time God is good.
Just remember….God is good. He’ll always be the good.
Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widowsâ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the [âŚ]
Another thing I will be focusing on in 2022 is losing weight. It’s a struggle I’ve been dealing with for quite some time. I start out and then get discouraged when I don’t see results so I quit.
That’s going to change…..and for 2022 I’m going to work harder. It’s time to stop reading books and trying stupid fad diets (they may work for others just not me)….this time I’m going to just watch what I eat and exercise. I’m going to cut my portion control and lean on God to get through the cravings.
My mom and I are having a little competition of who can lose the most weight. Each Sunday we weigh in and put .50 cents in a jar and whoever loses the most at the end of our competition wins the jar full of money.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
One week from tomorrow my two classes start! I’m ready! Let’s go!
I have multiple ideas (sort of) that I think I will be able to expand on. I just need to get past the lack of confidence. God gave me this talent for writing and I’m finally ready to utilize it!
Writing is the only real thing I’ve known. It’s the only thing that I truly know how to do even when my brain loses the words as I’m typing (like it literally did just now, LOL)
By not using this talent I was reminded of the parable of the three servants and what was entrusted to them while the servant’s master was away.
I never truly understood this parable. I mean, yes I understood it but I never applied it to my life. I never really thought about my talent for writing.
Parable of the Three Servants
14 âAgain, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver[a] to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the lastâdividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
16 âThe servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the masterâs money.
19 âAfter a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, âMaster, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.â
21 âThe master was full of praise. âWell done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Letâs celebrate together![b]â
22 âThe servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, âMaster, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.â
23 âThe master said, âWell done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Letâs celebrate together!â
24 âThen the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, âMaster, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didnât plant and gathering crops you didnât cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.â
26 âBut the master replied, âYou wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didnât plant and gathered crops I didnât cultivate, 27 why didnât you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.â
28 âThen he ordered, âTake the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
“If there is a book that you want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
Proverbs 4:25
I searched for some Scripture on the word focus and came across several but this particular one is one that stood out to me.
As someone who suffers from ADHD and bipolar disorder I struggle sometimes (okay a LOT of the time) with focusing. I could have chosen a lot of other words as my “word of the year” but I purposely chose “focus” because I am determined to fight through the distractibility and through my struggle with inattentiveness.
2022 is going to be a great year. As long as I keep my attention on the Lord I know that I will find the ability to get through the annoyance of being unable to focus.
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On another note, I received my booster shot yesterday and man did it knock me down. My arm is in pain, my fibromyalgia is flaring up and I have a slight headache and chills. Man!!
“fo¡cus”: an act of concentrating interest or activity on something.
I’m choosing, as I mentioned in my last post, to focus. I’m focusing on the Lord and I’m focusing on the two classes I’m taking. I’m also choosing to focus on my book project. The two classes I’m taking will definitely help with my book, as I was reminded by some really sweet people in my last post.
Writing has always been an outlet for me. I remember in the fourth grade being asked to write about what we wanted to be when we grew up. And while I can’t remember what I wrote about, I DO remember that I loved putting pencil/pen to paper. Telling stories was something I felt I was good at.
I hit some roadblocks throughout the years (including writer’s block) but the writing never truly left me. It was ME who left IT!
However, I’ve recently returned to my first love and cant wait to see where 2022 takes me. in terms of my writing.
All You Need is Jesus 
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