Blogger: Rachel Kent
I know writers are always pressing hard to keep moving forward. The books have to be done on time. The proposals have to be submitted for the next contracts. The marketing is never-ending. And let’s not forget to mention the day-to-day work around the house. A lot of this stuff is fun! (Okay, not the housework, but the other stuff.) We have all been in the place of hoping and dreaming for the opportunities that are now before us. The chance to write a book. The chance to pitch a book. The chance to publish and promote that book. The interactions with readers. All of these things are good and exciting, but at times it can be overwhelming. Before the fun and excitement is gone and before you are bordering on burn-out, please remember it’s okay to take a break! Schedule them in! Make sure you are allowing yourself time off.
Many of us are Christian writers and we have Christ as an example of someone who took time off. Jesus often went off by himself to pray. He took time out from ministry and his day-to-day life to spend alone with God. He filled himself up spiritually, during those times off, for his future ministry activities. It’s important for each of us to take time to fill ourselves up spiritually, too. If we are frazzled and spiritually dried out, then we will have very little to offer to those who are looking to us for direction through our writing ministries. Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, God has put you in a place where you are a voice in others’ lives. It’s important to take care of yourself so you can be a good, strong, God-focused voice during your times to “speak” through your writing opportunities.
I hope you will all take the time to rest and refresh! Make it a habit to take a little time each day–a devotional time or a prayer-walk maybe? And also try to take a day off each week. God did during creation and encourages us to have a Sabbath day–it’s one of the 10 Commandments. Sabbath means “to rest.”
May you all rest so you can be energized to continue your work with joy!
Five Tips for Writing Zinger Dialogue
Some Mary moments in our Martha days, a Mary day in our Martha week, a Mary season in our Martha year.
So true. ❤️ And so easy to forget if we’re not being intentional.
This is a truth that likely hits the core of everyone who frequents this blog. For some of us it is not housework, but working for “the man.” My wife has opined, “It’s like you’re working three jobs.” So I need to make/take time for rest, and also for relatiionships.
Jupiter gleams in the gegenschein,
a lighthouse for my soul.
His majesty seems mine alone.
for nothing stirs in the whole
immensity of my desert home.
Cancer’s spear bade me rise,
and through the night I roam
and find a closure in the skies.
Is Kipling right, are we granted a star
by a God who delights in our work?
When our last word-pictures are
painted, do we break out of our cirque?
Do we see the meaning behind the yearning,
find God’s purpose for us in the night sky’s turning?
Andrew, you are already a star in my firmament. I can’t see how God wouldn’t delight in your work.
Elissa, gosh…I am so honoured! You jus lifted the weight of a very hard, painful morning with these gracious words.
Andrew, you will never have a last word picture. Oh, well maybe here in this bit of life, but when you enter the gates of heaven and get your glorified pain free body, you will have vistas unending, moments miraculous, and faces and people finally seen by your eyes, and Jesus, and all the angelic beings. Your words will never be done. In fact, I believe that gift and passion will have a special place in heaven.
Rachel, rest is truly important. After coming off of a 5-week stress stint, my body rebelled. I came down with the worst cold I’ve had in years. The stress, combined with the lack of enough sleep and no rest wore me down. Now, with much of the stress alleviated, and enforced sleep and rest, I am on the mend, and finding the time to recalibrate and learn a slower rhythm for this new year.
I hope that you find rest times for yourself in all you’re doing as a wife, a mom, and and agent! Thanks for sharing this wisdom here today.
So important. Our family is in full time camping ministry and it is vital to grab some time where we focus on being with our family and not just everyone else’s kiddos. Perhaps as a writer, even taking time to just write between you and God.
Rachel, I needed this. I was just told, “You need to take care of yourself first.” This by one of the other women in my Zumba class. They hadn’t seen me in almost two months due to taking a very busy seasonal job in a clothing retail outlet store. Busy is kind of an understatement. Anyway, I also had personal writing goals for Facebook and future podcasting.
I’m such a goal oriented person, and really hate to let people down. Add the almost full-time hours of work to the hours it took for seasonal preparations and celebrations of Christmas, I ended up very sick. Three antibiotics, a round of steroids and then a medicine to stop the horrible relux/heartburn–which I am still on–I’m finally almost better. This was the result of my pushing through, especially work, with a smile on my face until heading home after my shift on December 26th exhausted. I struggled with not falling asleep the thirty minutes it took me to get home. I realized, with my husband’s help, I could no longer push myself without possible long term consequences.
It was a very big lesson to both my employer and myself. My four managers wanted me to stay on beyond the Christmas season at whatever amount of hours I can do safely. For me, that’s four hour shifts, three shifts per week. This is still a temporary position in my husband’s and my eyes. Eventually it will end, but for now it’s great training ground for several things, and one of those is how to get my writing and podcasting done, with my life and home responsibilities-and stay healthy and rested.
I’m going out to a beautiful local Asian restaurant for a treat today and will take a twenty minute nap later when I’ve accomplished some things on my list. Can’t give up my lists. Just moving things to the next day if needed.
Thanks for this post Rachel. Another good reminder for me.
We were just talking about this the other day. How Jesus was very involved, but He realized the important of taking time to rest and pray. Thank you for this wonderful reminder. We aren’t robots. We need time to rest, reflect, and pray.
Thank you. Today, I will make time to walk outside and enjoy God’s blessings. 🙂 My WIP will be there when I return and I will be refreshed and renewed with His love.
Andrew, I don’t know how you keep writing day after day in the midst of your pain and illness. I strive to make my writing touch people as your wordsdo and definitely did today. Thank you, dear brother, for being my inspiration in so many ways.
If you were a planet, Andrew, you’d be in my solar system. Your efforts certainly mario games seem to please God.