This one's for all you online aficionados.
The steady writers, brilliant creative types, the movers and shakers, faithful encouragers and nurturers, those on the ball weekly link-up-ers, you devoted commenters.
There are weeks when urgent writings spring forth from a heart crammed with good things that simply must be shared.
You awake early and hit the ground running because a persistent thread has woven itself into something warmly substantial through the darkest hours and just begs to be offered when light dawns.
Or a song, a word, an observation plays a winsome tune over and over and invites itself to be penned. A flash of insight comes out of left field and you just can't wait to put fingers to keyboard. Or perhaps God repeatedly whispers a persistent message and it calls to be placed on the table with awe and reverence.
Posts stack up in the queue, ripe for publishing.
Fingers are still, minds and hearts rest gently idle. There are no productive musings coming to call, no wisps of brilliance that await, nor any profound words of wisdom that are worth sharing.
And that, my friends, is as it should be.
A needed lesson pushes its way to the forefront, patiently waiting to be heeded.
And once again we are reminded that we are not defined by our productivity, our creativity, or our accomplishments. We are defined by our Savior.
And He whispers, 'peace, be still.'
Linda
Dear Blogging Compatriot - are you feeling vibrantly productive? Or maybe a bit tapped out and longing for a break from your weekly online rhythms? Eagerly gearing up to give birth to something yet fully known? Or ready to throw in the towel?
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visiting
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Linda, I've found in my years of blogging that sticking to a schedule (post on Tuesday and Friday) has prompted me to ever be on the lookout for inspiration and truth, even in the smallest, most insignificant of things. With few exceptions, I've been delighted that God always provides the ideas I need to keep going. Now, have I ever taken a break? You bet! Will I in the future? You can bet twice! It is good at times to let the soil lay fallow.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, my friend!
Martha, hi! I love that image of the soil laying fallow, resting, replenishing, rejuvenating.
DeleteAnd in that process, it (and we) become richer, deeper, and more of productive use to our Creator.
Well said and beautifully written. Just as God leads bloggers what/when to write, He also leads readers to the sites they need to learn from. Bloggers shouldn't be stuck on numbers, it is the growth of the readers that is important.
ReplyDeleteOh that's an important truth, Marilyn, that God leads all of us to where we most need to be to be enlivened and restored.
DeleteOnline ... and off.
I find that I am circling
ReplyDeletein words, a large important thing
even as I'm hurtling
down the sky with broken wing.
Something in these awful days
must (I hope) obtain a proof
for a reader, sick of praise,
sick at heart, demanding truth:
Is there a God who really cares,
and if He does, well, what 'bout me?
Does He weep at my despairs,
or does He just plain fail to see?
And thus, the words for which I'm tryin',
that rain today is YOUR God, cryin'.
The image of rainfall as God's tears was suggested by one of my blog readers, Mary H.
God's tears, rainfall. Yes, yes, friend, I see that picture.
DeletePraying for you and Barbara right this minute.
Oh, Linda, so much what I needed to read today. Especially the reminder that I'm defined by my Savior. How often I try to let other things. be the substitute but nothing else satisfies other than the Lover of my soul. Thank you, friend!
ReplyDeleteYes, dear friend, truth be told most of us have looked to others or our achievements or some earthly thing to meet our deepest longs for value or affirmation or affection.
DeleteWe always end up disappointed. Always.
Only Jesus. Only Jesus.
ReplyDelete“And once again we are reminded that we are not defined by our productivity, our creativity, or our accomplishments. We are defined by our Savior.” True. Thanks for sharing. Gail
I'm glad you're here, Gail ...
DeleteThank you Linda. This is perfect for me to read. Have a blessed day!
ReplyDeleteRegina, I'm happy something spoke to you today ...
DeleteDefinitely not ready to throw in the towel - until God tells me to! My keyboard is the pen of a ready writer!!!
ReplyDeleteYour joyful enthusiasm is contagious, Susan!
DeleteI've been blogging twelve years now. Most of the time there is always ideas flowing; but sometimes life is too much. For instance, the month after our house was flooded, the blog was mainly silent. This week ... I've no words yet to finish out the week. Monday's offering may have to be it. I feel anything I might say would be hollow.
ReplyDeleteTime for some soul rest!
I'm absolutely hearing about the no words, the hollow, Jerralea ... and oh yes, the need to create space for our soul's yearning for rest.
DeleteSo well spoken, friend ...
Yes, I am defined by my Savior. Thank you L8nda!
ReplyDeleteSo grateful with you, Pam ...
DeleteHe is more than enough.
Linda,
ReplyDeleteI don't hem myself in by having to post weekly for the reasons you outlined. Sometimes, God lays a lot on my heart to share and other times He is silent which is my cue to be silent as well. Forcing something written comes across as exactly that - forced writing.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Absolutely amen to your perceptive observation, friend --> 'Forcing something written comes across as exactly that - forced writing.'
DeleteProductivity can quickly become an idol for me. I'm grateful that the words come and flow freely these days, but I'm also mindful of the need to step back and recharge. It's been a while...
ReplyDeleteYeah, there are those quiet idols lurking in the corners of what we do.
DeleteThanks for shining a light on their sometimes looming presence, Michele ...
such a good reminder that we are not defined by our productivity. Often I do feel that way ( I am a 3 on the enneagram) Yes these can be idols. Yes can take my focus off God too. I do find though when I sit down to write a blog post and often not sure where it is going, a new truth or insight is revealed God is so good!!
ReplyDeleteI know, aren't those some of the best posts where we're honest with our readers that we have nothing to write but then we end up offering some kind of unexpected manna or grace or encouragement.
DeleteThat's God!
So far, I often have more ideas than time to write them out. I agree, it's more important to write as the Spirit moves and not according to a feeling of "have to."
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Barbara. 'Have to' is such a drag, isn't it ...
DeleteAnd it shows.
I'm doing far less have tos in this season compared to a decade ago. Many bloggers are tossing those must-dos-to-be-successful to the wind and listening to the Spirit's nudging instead.
So good!
Thanks for this encouragement, Linda! I have not felt inspired very much over the last few months. What used to feel like a joy often feels like such an effort. I'm definitely not giving up on writing but I've had to accept that I just can't keep up the pace I used to just now.
ReplyDeleteDon't you love being honest with yourself and with God and with your community? It's so freeing and refreshing.
DeleteI'm guessing your honest words will give permission to other bloggers to ease up on themselves and to understand that much of our energy is temporarily elsewhere.
Thank you, Lesley!
I appreciate this so much, Linda ... especially this week. Honestly, depending on the time of day or day of the week, I might be feeling any of the four possibilities you asked about at the end. I'm not sensing the need to stop or make any big changes, though, just steady promptings to keep writing. Your words remind me to be patient, give myself grace, and trust that God will direct my path. (By the way, I was happy to see that your pandemic post made such an impact at Grace & Truth last month. It gave me the nudge I needed to take a hiatus from Twitter ... I post my blog there once a week now and that's it. And yes, it has definitely made a difference.)
ReplyDeleteOh that's so cool about Twitter, Lois! I'm so glad that there was a bit of a nudge in that direction for you. I think many of us feel that leading to pull back and realign in all kinds of areas of our lives.
DeleteI'm all about taking a hiatus ... or 2!
;-}
Have a lovely weekend, friend.
Dormancy. Still living - quietly, patiently, still, even knowing. Words come when they’re ready. Listening for them is writing too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for a lovely, gentle, kind post.
Barbara
Oh now, this is brilliant right here, Barbara --> 'Words come when they’re ready. Listening for them is writing too.'
DeleteLet's hear it for being quiet, staying still, and listening well.
What a calming invitation in this time of great upheaval in our country. Most of us could do far better in carefully listening to other souls in their pain, frustration, and torment.
And being fully present enough to go there with them without saying a word.
God, help us.
I come and go with my words. I usually have more words than I have time to type up. But when I don't type them up, as time goes on, I realize I didn't really need to say them anyway. :)
ReplyDeleteYour last line made me smile, friend ...
Delete;-)
Thanks so much for this encouragement. Many blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteYou're kind!
DeleteThis is beautiful and encouraging. We speak in frustration of dry periods and writer's block, but maybe these are the seasons God planned in advance for us to just be still. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIt's in those seasons of stillness that God often speaks to our deepest needs, refills our spiritual wells, and offers us something of value to share with others.
DeleteThanks for being here, Valerie ...