I’m participating in Five Minute Friday. For details and the link up, head over to Kate Motaung’s blog here. The challenge is to free write for five minutes on the week’s one-word prompt: easy.
Here goes!
The thought came to me fully formed: it would be easier if I were working full-time instead of writing.
Expenses wouldn’t be as daunting. I wouldn’t have to be so concerned with the extra expenses of moving and fixing our new home. We could take more vacations. I could shop more. That kind of easy.
But the truth is, life would be harder, too. I would go through each day knowing I’d deliberately passed on the opportunity I have been claiming to want since high school: to focus on writing as my only job.
And more than that, I would be turning my back on the opportunity I believe God went to great lengths to give me. He promoted me at work time after time, and He gave me just what I said I always wanted, that one position.
The job I dreamed of was torture in more ways than it was easy. Long hours, out-of-balance schedules, un-walked dog, untouched keyboard. My stories sat on hold, my blog dropped off, I cried a lot, I started having health issues–some of which still haunt me.
Lord, never let me forget that you’ve brought me here and that there is nothing easy about being outside of Your will.
Time’s up, but can I just add that I’m so grateful I get to spend my days writing? What a gift! The harder aspects of it are absolutely worth the privilege.
What have you decided to do despite sometimes thinking it’d be easier not to?
Push through. As you say, you know it will all work out in the end. Helen {A FMF friend; at spot 9}
Emily, our hearts were in similar places tonight. 🙂 I LOVE what you said aobut how this is nothing easy about being outside God's will. May we always remember that truth. In the center of His will may feel hard, but it's the much better place to be. May He give you words, time and His inspiration as you write.
So glad we're neighbors this weekend!
Emily, you hang in there. You have a gift; it shows in this post.
And you have a namesake you never met, my beloved Heeler, Emily, who was stone-deaf…and learned ASL. It was hard for her, too. She wanted to chase sticks and birds, but she paid attention to me instead.
And she had a vocabulary of about 200 signs. Pretty good for a stubborn little beer-keg of a dog.
#1 at FMF this week.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2016/04/your-dying-spouse-143-only-easy-day-fmf.html
Great post! That I guess is a question every writer has to deal with every now and then. It seems more comfortable and easier to just let go. But then you'll also let go of the reward that comes from writing. Keep going!
Thanks! Yes, pushing through for sure. Thanks for stopping by from FMF!
Me, too, Jeanne! We certainly were on the same wavelength 🙂 Praying for words and inspiration for you in your writing, too!
Thanks, Andrew! That sounds like an amazing training feat! I'm definitely hanging in there; it helped that almost as soon as I had the thought, I realized the truth–it wouldn't be easier! 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement, Katha! Appreciate you stopping by!
God gives us the desire of our heart and then we whine (a little) – Now, don't get defensive because I know what I'm talking about!!! I prayed for years He would give me an at-home job where I actually made "real" money – I've been doing it now for ten years. A couple of years ago I went through a season of discontentment – He sure did rebuke me but I needed it!!! Great post on EASY! I'm #26 today at Kate's.
Yes, so glad He chased the lie from my mind–right away, in this case. I'm so grateful to get to work at this full time. Though, of course, I'm still learning contentment, too 🙂
Emily, I love hearing more of your story and how you struggle through this writing life. Praying for your health and your words this morning! And thanks for doing it with me, sister!
Thanks, Christina! I so enjoy getting to walk this writing path with you, too.
Hi Emily, the grass isn't always greener. I work full-time and vacays are STILL sporadic. Press in to your calling. Funny how what we dream of actually becomes a nightmare. Onward, Christian soldier with a "pen" in her hand…
That's true. When I got the job title I wanted, it encroached on my life outside the office like never before, something to remember when I'm tempted to only look at the bright side of those "good old days." They were good–God has used them–but I'm happy to be pursuing writing now 🙂 Hoping you get the writing (and vacay!) time you need, too! 🙂
Way to go for pursuing your dream! That's amazing! I can't wait to read your books!
Thanks, Marie! I appreciate you stopping by!
Although I was nowhere near giving up, this still came at a good time for me. Expectations can be killers. Sometimes mine completely ignore the virtue of patience and forget how little I know in the grand scheme of things.
Glad it came at a good time, Jeff! Thanks for reading!