Q & A — Take 1

Time to answer your questions. Thank you for asking. Today I will start with Warren Baldwin’s three. After all, he asked first. 🙂

Warren asked: How did you get started writing?

First of all, I never planned on becoming a writer. I feel like the “least of these” with this question. I still struggle with my commas and all after training. But back in 2001, I went through a desert time in my faith. We lived in the high plains desert too then. God has a sense of humor. Such symbolism living among the dust and rodents. Everything felt like a wasteland. Dry around me. Dry inside my heart. Nothing I tried worked. I felt wounded by others. Felt completely alone.

Thankfully, God used this season to bring me closer to Himself. I wouldn’t trade the desert experience for anything. I found God in a deeper way because I felt more desperate than usual. I went begging for fresh living water. As I sought God’s Word and His face for relief, He came near. He gave me lots to drink. It’s like the Bible became alive for the first time. I wrote all over it what I felt God was saying to me personally.

Then I started noticing how His truths were apparent in the ordinary things. Children’s books had deeper spiritual meaning. So did cooking and laundry and yard work and kids’ play and just normal life. So I would type these devotional thoughts down and email them to my family and friends. They responded with encouragement. Now it’s 2002. That spring, we sold our home and moved to back to the city. Soon after I got involved in a small group again. All the while I sensed I wanted to “learn the craft of writing.” Honestly, I felt insecure having others read my words, but the inspiration pushed me to share anyways.

I continued to pray for direction and I told my small group about my desire. One friend in my group told me about a Christian writers’ conference coming to Colorado Springs in February 2003 called Writing for the Soul. She encouraged me to step out and attend. I did with much fear. I ended up getting a partial scholarship for the conference. God spoke clearly during that weekend. This step started my professional writing journey. I met a few amazing friends who still encourage me to this day. I also signed up for a two year Christian Writers Guild Apprenticeship program.

From there, I continued attending this conference for the next five years. I also became a part of a weekly writers group where we critiqued each other’s work which motivated me to write on deadline. We danced over our publishing successes and hugged when rejection letters came.

This year (2009) is the first year since 2003 that I haven’t been actively involved in professional writing. Obviously I’m still writing here. But I’ve paused with freelance work to re-examine my purpose and passion. I have a feeling God’s not done with me yet.

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Question 2. When you first started what were the basic ideas you wanted to communicate? What are the main ideas you want to communicate today?

The first ideas I wanted to blog about were devotional in nature. Pointing others to a spiritual truth. I wanted to share what God was teaching me. My blog today is similar four years later. However I’m learning I love the added gift of photography. Want to learn how to take professional pics. I’m drawn to write about relationship with God. I love to show others how close and real God is. Pointing Him out in the everyday. When they respond because of something I shared, I praise God even more! Friends now tell me they are carrying their camera around more to capture the moment. What joy that is to me. A confirmation I’m on the right track.

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Question 3: What makes you decide what blogs you will spend time reading?

This is a hard question because when I started blogging 4 plus years ago, I told myself (with much pride LOL) I would visit & comment everyone who visited me. A mutual friendly kind of thanks. The right thing to do.

That idea is not so easy to live by anymore. I struggle to visit blogs on a daily or even consistent basis. I have for months now. I have over 100 e-mails in my inbox today and many of them our bloggers’ comments with their link that I hope to visit soon.

I still remember bloggy friends I’ve had over the years. If I really wanted to I could go into my old post comments and start revisiting them again. Wow, that would be work, but would be fun to catch up again. I truly care for people.

Visiting blogs is especially hard on the weeks when I write more myself. I fall behind fast. But am I really behind? What does God ask of me? Am I asking Him daily what His plan is? What if His will is writing a post for the day? Would I accept that? Or would I try to please everyone?

I’m still trying to determine what God wants. Actually this is a hot topic for me right now. A huge stressor that’s probably unnecessary. His yoke is easy, right? So where is His yoke anyway? Mine’s getting heavy. So why the pressure?

In some ways, I feel like I’m already giving by writing a post. Often after writing a post and replying to e-mails, I have little energy, time or desire left to want to continue sitting behind my computer and read more. My eyes tire. My attention wanders. My fingers and shoulders feel cramped. I have dishes to do. Is that selfish? I don’t know.

Bottom line is I’m a relational person so I cannot imagine not having some sense of community here. I appreciate all who stop in and offer me words of kindness. My gratitude makes me want to be kind in return. Plus I love the way blogging has opened up my heart to care for people I’ve never met all over the US and beyond. I have sweet bloggy friends that I email often. Some friends have turned into state to state phone calls to check in. The longer I blog the more contacts I make. It’s amazing. A real gift. But I just can’t do it all.

So why do I feel like I have to?

Is it fear of losing readers?

Sure that’s part of it. I’ve already lost many over the years. I couldn’t keep up with the return visit and comment.

I’ve recently even thought about closing down my comments. This way my posts are an offering to the LORD. To Him alone. God knows who will stop by and read a post and why. Can I trust Him to provide for my ministry if I close my comments for the summer or even for a week? Yes, I can trust Him. But is that what He is asking me to do?

I know of a blogger who keeps her comments closed. I signed up to get her posts via e-mail. Love her reflections. She tells readers to email her if they want to comment. Pretty cool.

I can’t decide what I should do. All I know is this is the part of blogging I don’t like. I feel guilty and stressed about my lack of return comments when I let myself.

Here’s what I do with my blog reading time. First, I try to return visits to those who comment when I can. I also try to visit the bloggers that are my personal friends that are on my mind. But even that lately isn’t happening like it used to.

As far as my preferences, we all have them with blog reading. I prefer blogs with shorter posts. That way I can read quickly, comment and keep moving with my visiting time. (And I break that rule with longer posts like this one.)

As a writer, I prefer shorter paragraphs, a decent size font(not too small), and few if any long, run-on sentences. I also prefer black or dark letters on white or light background. Lighter pages are easier on the eye and recommended.

I love reading personal experiences when I have time. I prefer simple, one or two Bible verses per post versus ten different ones. Not that God’s Word isn’t important, but I don’t use blogs for my Bible “study.” I like books and Bibles to study with instead, that way I can write on and highlight them while I’m comfortable. I’m drawn towards blogs that are real(highs and lows) offer inspiration and truth. I love word pictures, can you tell? I also love a good kick in the pants in God’s direction when needed.

Okay, that’s all folks. Enough of me blabbing. I’d love any wisdom you have about your blog visiting habits. I’m not free in this area yet. Lord, help me. I feel a choke hold coming on again.

Warren, I’m sure that’s more than you were expecting. Are you sorry you asked? Hope not. Thanks for getting me thinking.

Take 2 to follow. Soon.