If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, then you already know all about
the writing conference, Write About Jesus and how much it has changed my
life.

I will also try to copy the link so you can check her blog out for yourself.  And one
of these days i’m going to learn how to put the real link in here so all you have to do
is click on a word like “here” and it will take to you to where you need to go!

Per Sue…..

How do you write when you are worried, upset, stressed, overwhelmed, and somewhat depressed? Can you? Can you channel the yukky things in your life and make something useful out of them?

It’s something every writer has to face sooner or late because you will have to write that way. You’ll feel like you’ve been beaten up and beaten down, and then you will have to go into a room with someone you’ve never met and in 15 minutes open up your heart and be vulnerable.

I’ve had that kind of week. I mention it not to have people feel sorry for me. I’m not dealing with anything more than every other writer does at one time or another. I’m not dealing with as much as many of my friends have had to face or are facing now. But I have been dealing with a lot of “stuff.” And if you write, you’ll have to do the same.

So how do I try to maintain?

I call John. That’s always step one. Whenever I tell anyone about why I fell in love with John, I always tell them it was because I was a songwriters and he was a counselor and I needed the free counseling. Frankly, it is true… among other reasons, of course.

I will say that writing almost always helps.

So Monday I wrote a song with Twila. Yesterday morning I wrote a song with Gwen over i-Sight. Today… the hardest part of the week so far, I wrote with a new co-writer, Adina. We had a wonderful time and wrote a song I truly believe in.

This afternoon I drove out to Hendersonville and wrote with David and Jason. Usually when David and I write it is quite slow and painstaking. It’s just the way we work. But for some crazy reason, when you add Jason into the room, we are like a high school drag race. We wrote two songs in the space of three hours! It is crazy.

Here’s the thing… writing helps because whatever I’m writing, I’m being reminded of the truth of God’s Word. That reminds me that He is faithful and He is sovereign. Developing ideas that testify to some spiritual truth and dealing with words like faith, mercy, love, worship, glory, the cross, redemption, forgiveness… well really, how could you possibly stay down in the dumps?

Doesn’t that sound like great advice?  You don’t have to be a songwriter
to appreciat it.  We all face trials and adversities and need to be reminded
of God’s faithfulness. 

I will not let this day go by before i sit down and start writing….it may
not be a song or even a coherent thought, but i will write what is real and
what is today and let it pour out.  My own personal Psalm to God and i have
a feeling that in there somewhere, his faithfulness will find me.