I Almost Stopped Blogging!

Yes, it's true.

I almost quit blogging.

As we turned over the calendar to a new year - 2013 - I was deeply entrenched in writer's block. That dreaded feeling where you want to write, you need to write, but no matter what you write - if you can find even one word worthy of writing - it sounds forced, shallow, and completely uninspiring.

I would sit here for hours with this blank blog template staring back at me as if mocking me....taunting me with it's blank, white nothingness.

I would get up and clean while desperately searching for that brilliant first sentence that would usually cause the rest of the words come tumbling out like beads on a string.

Nothing.

I would make myself a hot cup of fragrant herb tea and light a candle - my inspiration inducers.

Nothing.

One glance at my posts from last January only offer further proof of the fact that I had exhausted my store of inspiration and was scraping the bottom of the barrel.

So I took a break.

It was during this time that I considered closing the doors on A Little R & R.

I was done.

Empty.

Void of ideas.


But the thought came to me: Would I still write? If I had a blog or not...would I still write?

The answer to that was simple: Yes! A thousand times yes! This is the girl who would open up Word documents and pour out thought after thought to no one but herself. Oh - yes, I wrote in my pre-blog days. I have dozens of files that no one has yet to see.


Then one day in prayer the Lord prompted me to write about 1 Corinthians 13.  My first thoughts were: Trite. Overdone. Worn out. Not unique. 

But what came out of that experience not only changed me , but it changed the entire course of my blogging.

As I started the first post in that 14-day journey of blogging everyday - an undertaking I have never done before or since - I decided to allow the Lord to speak through me - write through me - as never before. The outcome was a look at 1 Corinthians 13 that I have never seen or heard before: a look at the chapter from the perspective of the church, not marriage or romance.

And it was like a dam exploded in me.


2013 brought me experiences I never dreamed possible:

1. I published my first book

2. I joined the Missional Women contributor team

3. I started Missional Call - a resource and fellowship center for missionaries

4. I was asked to become a content partner for SpiritLed Woman eMagazine - a division of Charisma Magazine.

I launched 5 series this year.  Besides 14 Days of Agape , which became an ebook, I blogged about the cross for Easter, then I began to delve into topics Beyond the Grave - perhaps one day I will finish this. As we moved into summer, I felt the Lord prompting me to blog through Titus 2:4-5, and that took me to my fall missions series: Answer the Call.

2014 will bring some needed changes around here First of all, I'm sure you've noticed the new look. Do you like it?
There is still some construction to do. I will be redoing the pages and buttons. But that's not all.
A Little R & R (formerly known as "Random Thoughts of a Missionary Mom....Musings of a Work-at-Home Missionary Mom....and at least a few other titles), started off as a mommy-blog, mainly to rave and brag about my firstborn, who was quickly joined by my second born. I really did jump on about every mom blogger bandwagon there was: from blogging about our cloth diapers and home remedies, to our preschool activities and "Wordless Wednesday" (where I tried out my creative skills with my point-and-shoot, until every picture turned blurry because my sons are seriously the most active kids on planet earth and never stand still....ever.).
But I discovered that my passion for writing just doesn't flow along those lines. I am a faith blogger at heart. So, I will be doing a lot of housekeeping around here in the months to come. I will be blowing the dust off and polishing up old content, writing some new stuff, and adding some giveaways. 

I have also joined the contributor team for Marriage, Motherhood, and Missions (formerly Simply Helping Him). My first post is up: "Raising Functioning Families in Ministry".
I want to leave you with this bit of encouragement:

Have you reached a level of emptiness in your writing? Do you feel you lack the inspiration you need to go on? Do you feel like you are scraping the bottom of the barrel?  Are you tempted to close the door on your blog?

Ask yourself: If you didn't have a blog, would you still write? When the writer's block is over, and you feel that exciting surge of inspiration, will you write? Would you still open a Word document and spill your thoughts out on page?

If your answer is "yes" to these questions, keep going.

Then, get down on your knees and seek the source of all inspiration! Seek the Lord's face! 

Perhaps you're not a faith blogger, as I am. He can still give you inspiration and direction for blogging about mommy-ness, recipes, crafts, or whatever it is you blog about! He is an unending store of inspiration for every topic! If you don't believe me - look at creation!

Let Him speak through you and write through you.

You never know where it will lead!

And with great anticipation I look forward to what 2014 will bring!   Click HERE to find out how you can receive a copy of my book 14 Days of Agape for free and purchase Worship the Father and Discovering True Identity .