I hope you don’t mind – I’m copying this from my Dernier Publishing newsletter, because it involves us all:
“Security is a basic human need. We all need to know where our next meal is coming from; that we are safe from the enemy – if we don’t have these things, we are not at peace.
In the very depths of our souls we all long to feel safe and settled. We have jobs so we can provide for our family and locks on our doors to keep out intruders. The idea of ‘living peacefully under our own fig tree and vine’ is more than a bit appealing – we long for this at the very heart of our being and do our best to make it a reality.
As Christians we know that our safety and security lie in knowing Christ, our Rock, rather than relying on our circumstances. Some of us will have been saying it for years, and believing it. But right now, the carpet is being swept from under our collective feet – we are all being tested together.
Where does our security really lie? On what are we really depending? What gives us peace?
All of us have been touched by Covid-19 in one way or another – and it’s unsettling. We don’t know who will be next to succumb to the virus. We don’t know what our long term future will be.
Our children are also in this with us. They are on lockdown, cut off from their friends, not knowing when they will be able to go back to their school, sports, church and groups. They are watching the news. They don’t know who will be the next victim – will it be a loved member of the family?
Even as I write, the dad of a teenage girl in our church is in the high dependency unit of our local hospital. Our hearts ache for them, and for all the thousands of families who are touched by what is for them, more than news on a screen.
We need to find our security in Jesus, because we need to know that He has all things in His hands. That He is our peace. That underneath everything are the everlasting arms of the Almighty.
Our children need to know this every bit as much as we do.“
With all this in mind, may I make two suggestions, if you write for a reason?
1. Write how you honestly feel in a journal, about your own safety and security, and that of your loved ones.
2. Get over the lethargy that comes from uncertainty, and write your novel. Don’t put it off. We all need Jesus – your readers need Jesus. Children need safety and security as much as any of us – if your hope is in God, you can help them find hope, too.
If you have found this helpful, please pass it on.
Yours in Christ,
Janet
P.S. A couple of weeks ago I gave nine tips for overcoming problems with concentration. You can read them here. And here are some ideas how to beat imposter syndrome. If you have been called to write, make sure you don’t bury your talent, my friend. Somebody needs your story.
P.P.S. If you need books children on your heart (while you’re waiting to finish yours!), all Dernier books are currently half price.