Writing is a Burden . . .

By Kelly Bridgewater

Have you had those days, weeks, or even, months where the troubles just keep piling up and you don't know what to do? Come on, be honest! I'm raising my flag wide and high in the back corner.

www.christart.com

In 2015, I lost three people who were near and dear to me. I still find myself glancing at the picture of my Daddy and me when I graduated with my Bachelor's degree and talking to it. (Strange. I know.) My Daddy was my biggest supporter, and the person who I would call about all my writing ideas or a new book I read (I dedicated a post to him back in April. Feel free to read myheart about this issue.)

My husband and I don't want our kids to remain in the school district that our house sits in. We don't like the city of Terre Haute, Indiana, so we want to move. Our house has been on the market for the past nine months. We have had a lot of people come to look at the house. 

Many are impressed with how nice it is, but they say it is too big for them. Frustrating to say the least. We NEED to move. It isn't even an option to stay past August.

I don't have a job, even though staying at home and taking care of the kids and the house while working on improving my writing is a HUGE job, I don't have an outside job. I have wanted to work in book publishing or be a published author. Publishing companies want experience, which I don't have. Working at the local bank or grocery store, I have too much education, so they don't hire me.

My husband and I have spent a lot of time praying for God's direction for our life. Right now, we have no debt to anyone, but our house. If that sells, we can move anywhere we want, but where?

But another burden that only bothers me is my writing. I know, you're saying, how is that a burden? Well . . . let me tell you. I joined ACFW to get better. I am active in the Indiana chapter of ACFW. I have read and own practically every writing book others have suggested. I still don't understand how to write in Deep POV, so I doubt my writing ability ALL THE TIME. I tons of ideas, and I love sitting down and writing those ideas, but I know my writing is not where it should be to be published. I keep praying for God to either bring a mentor into my writing life or take this desire away, but he hasn't done either, so I keep writing and sinking into bouts of depression.

My word for the year is COMFORT. Comfort in God's arms. Comfort that God has a plan for my life instead of sitting in a house that we don't want, in a school district we need to leave, and a writing career that I want to see blossom.

www.rpmministries.org

As I was reading verses in 2 Corinthians, Paul's words jumped out at me, "The troubles we faced were nearly more than we could handle. The burdens we bore nearly crushed us. Our strength dwindle to nothing. For a while, we weren't sure we would make it through the whole ordeal" (verse 8).  This verse brought tears to my eyes, a smile to my face, and lifted my spirit. Even Paul struggled. I wasn't alone. But his advice to solve his burdens is priceless and a lesson we all need to seek more often, "We realized we could no longer rely on ourselves and we must trust solely in God" (9). I know God has a purpose in life. I just need to keep trusting, even through my dark days, which appear to be a lot lately.

Paul asked,"Lend us a hand through prayer "(11). I'm asking the same thing. Would you mind praying for direction for my family and me? We have asked our fellow members of our Sunday School class, but where two or more are gathered . . .

Do you ever feel like this desire to write that God has gifted us with is a burden? Why or Why not?

*Bible verses come from the The Voice: New Testament Bible.*