Groupie Hubbies

Today I got to thinking about something. Hubbies. You know those male humans we are married to. Groupie Hubbies are the husbands married to artist wives. The painter, singer, writer etc. They are the behind-the-scene support to the women up front. Like Sarah Palin's hubby, Todd.

These hubbies get very little credit and almost no publicity. Yet they stand tirelessly behind-the-scenes lifting the wife to the heights for which her career demands. For this reason I would like to say "Thank you," to you wonderful spouses who make our unusual lives possible.

I thank God for my hubby, Patrick who when asked if I can attend a conference or retreat, says "Yes, go ahead. I'll drive you."

I think it takes a special man to be married to a writer wife. After all, it can take several years to write and sell a book. And most of that between time is filled with rejection and supposed proof that you're not a writer...at least to the untrained eye.

The statistics say that from a time a writer begins to truly take their writing seriously, to publication there is a span of twelve years and a drawer full of rejection slips.

Now those of you who just got discouraged, DON'T! Just understand that your career, like most career's is a journey. One in which you have the privilege to share with someone who supports you.

Remember, this post is about hubbies.


So let's be thankful for all of our hubbies who actually get it and the hubbies who are learning to get it. Because that takes time too.

Do you have a Groupie Hubby?

That's a Big Mountain!

So I sat in again on another one of those online forum discussions. You know the kind, where a professional author come's on and tells you how they made it to the top.

Yeah, I hate those too. They end up making me see more of the mountains I have to climb.

Then why do I participate in them?

Knowledge.

When it comes to the journey towards publication, not everyone likes to know about the mountains. Some people like it when the mountain sneaks up on them. That way if they mess up, it's the mountain's fault right?

When you think about all the mountains out there in the writing world you just want to quit. You think I don't want to face another mountain.

As for me, I look at the mountain sometimes and say, "Lord, how much longer do I have to look at that thing?"

Then of course the Lord says, "You're not suppose to look at it, you're suppose to climb it."

I have to admit, I wish I were more like Caleb who said, "Now therefore, give me this mountain!" (Joshua 14:6-14)

Hmm. Thinking. Climb the mountain. Where do I start?

You start right where you're at! That's the great thing about mountain climbing.

• If you want to write, but haven't had much experience yet, you take classes, go to writer's conferences, join a critique group, forums, social networks and read a lot of books!

• If your submissions, queries, manuscripts etc. are always getting rejected, you take classes, go to writer's conferences, join a critique group, forums, social networks and read a lot of books!

• Then when you get more and more positive feed back...you blog!
  

You get the idea?


I say it so much on this blog but it bears repeating. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. Writing is hard work and there are Philistines out there waiting to dis, crush and otherwise destroy your dreams. You can't let them.

If you do nothing else today do this: pray, "God, I submit my writing to you today, it's Yours. Lead me along straight paths and let me bring glory to Your name. I give it up. I give it to You. Take it and lead me." Mean it! Now do one last thing...

...Just take one more step. Tomorrow's mountain will wait.

A Ten Foot Pole

Discouragement--The act of disheartening, or depriving of courage; the act of deterring or dissuading from an undertaking; the act of depressing confidence--Websters 1820 Dictionary

There's a voice in each of us that slanders our gifting or call. It tells us we'll never make it or the mountain is too high. It's a well honed voice crafted to such perfection that it's wielding never misses. It's called Discouragement.

It comes on the wings of a rejection letter or harsh critique from a trusted co-laborer. Or it comes slithering up from our own vain imaginations to keep us from taking the chance once again and putting ourselves out there.

From time to time this beast will wrap itself so tightly around our courage that we can't seem to function in even the most routine and mundane situations. And that's when we begin to question our gift.

The enemy of your soul would love nothing better than to neutralize you where you stand. To nullify your God-given calling. To strip you of everything God intended you to be.

Don't fall for it!

Sometimes you need to beat discouragement off with more than a large stick. Sometimes you need a ten foot pole, which is the only kind of stick I would touch it with.

2Corinthians 10:5 NIV Has this to say about our thought life.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Take those thoughts, that tell you things contrary to what God has already said about you, captive.

You have been called to a holy calling. You have gotten this far. Take a look behind you. Remember when writing was only a dream? Now here you are, putting words onto paper electronically or otherwise. Some of you have attended conferences, joined critique groups, received rejection letters.

Praise God, you climbed a mountain!

Writing is hard and anyone who tells you different doesn't write for a living. It's just as hard for writers to write as it is for mechanics to fix cars, doctors to diagnose patients and teachers to teach a classroom of kids. It's work and nothing less.

James 4:7 tells us this:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

So beat down that Discouragement, stop your whining and get back to work...YOU CAN DO IT!!! Because you refuse to give up.

Jealous...Me?

When you spend enough time on twitter or any other forum frequented by writers...blogger for instance, you'll read entries enough to spark all levels of magnitude of thoughts. Jealousy for one.

Many writers, myself included, like to share what's new on their writing journey. Sometimes that sharing edges on bragging and sometimes it's simply excitement from an overflowing heart. Whatever nudges a writer to share, one of the most unavoidable outcomes in readers hearts will be jealousy.

It's hard to be a struggling author and even harder at times to see everyone else around you receive some measure of success. We forget sometimes that we are writing for the glory of God. We feel that the Lord has forgotten us and that somehow, without our knowing how, we have messed up. Just like in our old school days, we've lost our place in the writing line of success and now must move to the back and wait our turn once again.

If you are a writer feeling these things, please don't be discouraged. The Lord has not forgotten you or the call He has placed on your life. This is, however a perfect time to examine your own heart and ask the Lord to:


Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 NIV


After that, though, relax. Keep writing, keep blogging and submitting to all kinds of writing venues. Eventually you will reap if you faint not:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 NIV

And it will be at just the right time.