Creating the Impossible

By Kelly Bridgewater

There is a story that everyone is familiar with, especially around this time of year. A story of a young teenage girl who was betrothed to marry a man she barely knew. Being a good, responsible young lady, she agreed to her father’s wishes, even though she didn’t even know the young man who would become her husband. But she trusted her father and nodded in agreement. Not long after the agreement was completed, she was visited by an angel of God who informed her that she would be having a child.

This young woman, who you probably guessed by now is named Mary, was confused. She had never been with a man. How could this be? The Angel of the Lord comforted her by saying that, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you. The Most High will overshadow you. That’s why this holy child will be known-as not just your son but also as the Son of God. It sounds impossible but listen-you know your relative Elizabeth has been unable to bear children and is now far too old to be a mother. Yet, she has become pregnant, as God willed it. Yes, in three months, she will have a son. So the impossible is possible with God.” Luke 1: 35-37. Mary believed and went off to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Of course, the rest of the story is very familiar to the majority of us. She gave birth to baby Jesus in a manager with a star guiding the shepherds and the wise men while King Herod slaughters babies all over his kingdom.

But the comforting Christmas story isn’t what I have been urged to write, I want to draw attention to how God allows us, writers, to take images, either of characters or plot points and turn them into a story on the page that influences our readers. If God can create a child inside a teenage woman who never had been with a man, then why can’t he take our ideas and make a heart wrenching story?

I have been struggling with my chosen career path for the past three years. I keep writing, but I haven't gotten published yet. I don’t have a writing mentor who is willing to come along side me and coach me into better writing. I start every day with worship songs and reading God’s word, begging for his touch as I write, but I still don’t have it. When I enter contests, I receive three’s on my score sheets. How do I make this writing better? I read writing instruction books. I read and review books for a number of publishing companies. But I can’t get any better when I sit down to write. I know a million rules to writing. The inciting incident. The characters. Know their lies. Keep pushing your characters till they feel so trapped, they beg you to stop torturing them. But when I write, my hands don’t type a well-written story. It is a plot line, but my words and Deep Point of View don’t whistle off the page, like published writers.

“So the impossible is possible with God.” Luke 1:37. Being able to craft a compelling story, which will get published seems like the impossible dream for me. When you read published writers thank you in the back of the book, they thank their critique partners. Usually one of their critique partners is someone who is already published. I don’t have someone like that who is willing to hold my hand and help mentor me to publication. Being a stay-at-home mother, we doesn’t have a lot of spare money, but my husband and I have chosen to allow me to stay at home and create while raising our boys. We sacrificed having a lot of money, so I could pursue my dreams, but I keep thinking, it would be better to give up on this writing dream and return to work. At least, we would have more money.

I keep waiting for God to “create the impossible” story in me that will be published, even if it doesn’t happen when I’m alive. I pray for the faith of Mary who accepted God’s word with comfort and allowed the impossible to grow inside of her. I will keep praying for encouragement for God to create the impossible and make my dreams of becoming a published writer a possibility.

Are you struggling with God who tries to create the impossible in you? Are you struggling with putting the words on the page to paint a story that the readers will devour? Any words of advice to help this struggling writer not feel so depressed and ready to call it quits, please share them.