“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” ~ Psalm 25:4-5

“Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.” ~ Proverbs 16:3

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” ~ Isaiah 43:19

Are you feeling dry? Uninspired? Blocked? I go through similar cycles so I totally get it. Dry spells are common to every writer and artist. But as believers, we can call on the Holy Spirit for inspiration. Then we just wait, expectantly.

I’m praying this weekend will be fruitful for me in a writerly way. How about you?

“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ~James 1:2-4 (NIV)

“Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.” ~ Samuel Johnson

“The covers of this book are too far apart.” ~ Ambrose Bierce

“I think I did pretty well, considering I started out with nothing but a bunch of blank paper.” ~ Steve Martin

“Write without pay until someone offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this as a sign that sawing wood is what he was intended for.” ~ Mark Twain

“Everywhere I go I’m asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don’t stifle enough of them. ~ Flannery O’Connor

“For I am full of words, and the spirit within me compels me; I am like bottled-up wine, like new wineskins ready to burst. I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and reply.” ~ Job 32:18-20

What lies beneath the surface of your writing life? Are you feeling restless? Frustrated? Unable to pursue the creative outlets you once desired?

One author says our gifts aren’t from God to us, but from Him to the world. I never thought of that before. All I know is, when I’m not writing, a restlessness stirs that I can’t overcome, except to dwell in His Word. So far, He’s always led me back to writing.

The more I know Him, the more my words are ready to burst.

“If you are very structured, you may have trouble getting relaxed enough to let the creative ideas flow through you. There is a misconception, however, that all creative people are disorganized and random.” ~ Janice Elsheimer, The Creative Calling

Are you a divergent or convergent thinker?

According to Janice Elsheimer, writers or artists with divergent thinking skills may strike us as random, disorganized, or even spacey - shifting from project to project. They get distracted, but they’re good at processing several things at once. To stop writing and weed the garden for awhile might very well be an ‘energy-yielding’ activity for these kinds of folks. Taking a phone call from a friend in the middle of a project might boost their creativity for the rest of the afternoon.

Not so with the convergent thinker. She manages her time entirely different, not caring much for interruption. Before she can move to a new task, she has to finish what she started. The convergent thinker needs a bit more structure in her day to feel productive.

Whatever describes us, one thing is true. It’s good to know what works for us so we can best express our creative gifts. ♥

“Make a place and schedule a time for your artistic activity every day. Pay attention to your own biological highs and lows. Work on your art when you’re the most energetic.” ~ Marshall Cook

“I believe that catching a vision for simplicity is the vital prerequisite for dealing with the storms of life, for exiting the fast lane and for changing our lives for the better.” ~ Thomas Kinkade

“If we have not quiet in our minds, outward comfort will do no more for us than a golden slipper on a gouty foot.” ~ John Bunyan

“If you wish to travel far, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears.” ~ Glenn Clark

“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:7

My friends Carrie and BJ inspired me with this fun meme. Consider yourself tagged:

Where is your cell phone…..purse
Your hair……….graying
Your father…………….Joseph
Your favorite thing………..books
Your dream last night………vivid
Your favorite drink………coffee
Your dream/goal……..fruitfulness
The room you are in…….kitchen
Your fear………..flying
Where do you want to be in 6 years….writing
Muffins………….blueberry
One of your wish list items…..getaway!
Where you grew up………Georgia
The last thing you did…………sleep
What are you wearing……….jeans
Your TV………………waste
Your pets…………….none
Your computer………..necessity
Your life……………obscure
Your mood………reflective
Missing someone…….granddaughters
Your car………..Altima
Favorite store…….Amazon.com
Your summer……….dreaded
Your favorite color……..red
When is the last time you laughed…..yesterday
Last time you cried……….painful
Three people who email me…….Carrie, Cheryl, Kris
Three of my favorite foods……..pizza, salad, salmon
Three places I would rather be right now…..beach, mountains, Charleston
Three people I think will respond…….?
Book reading right now…….The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis