TIME-OUT

I just went on a short, but leisurely drive. A much-needed drive through a beautiful area of Florida's Panhandle.

Why was this drive needed so much? I needed a re-set. An attitude check. As if God called me into time-out. Not “sent” me into time-out, but called me. Time-out with Him. How cool is that?

I live in Missouri but every November I stay in an amazing condo overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. I come here primarily for the purpose of being near my three, little Florida grand-daughters. But secondarily, I come here to write. I finished my second novel while here a couple of years ago. I am less distracted here than when I'm at my busy home in Missouri.

A lot has happened in the last few months in my pursuit to be published. I've been invited by two publishing companies to submit my novels. I've been working with marketing coaches to build my online platform. I'm about to launch my website and email campaign. Because my life in Missouri is crazy busy, all of my writing career jobs had been put on hold until I could get away to my writing paradise here in Florida.

And now, I'm here. And today is the day I'm supposed to buckle down and start. And I‘m stressed!

Stress to do it all and do it right has been building up to this point. When I'm stressed, all my creativity gurgles down the drain like a waterspout. When I'm stressed, I'm deaf to the Holy Spirit's voice.

So I took that much-needed drive. My time-out with my Creator. And He reminded me again of something vitally important.

A few months ago at a Christian writer's conference, I listened to an author speak. The gist of her message was that if we don't write from a place of intimacy with God, we shouldn't be writing at all. While she spoke, I got a very vivid picture in my mind. It was an image of me bowing in submission before my Savior with His hand laid tenderly and lovingly on my head. God spoke to me as I saw that image. He very simply said, “This is the posture you are always to write from.”

Since then I have allowed myself to be distracted from that posture. My crazy, busy to-do list began to dictate not only my actions, but also my attitude. My writing had quickly gone from pleasure and delight to one of duty and pressure. One publishing company told me that even if all their editors loved my work, their CEO would reject me if my online audience was too small.

So now I'm faced with the formidable task of growing my on-line audience. At one point as I was obsessing about numbers, God stepped in and graciously reminded me to relax. He has called me to write and He will take care of even the numbers. He quietly but clearly told me to minister from the depths of my being, from the deep place where I meet Him. To be in that posture, bowed before Him. In turn, God will bring to me those that He will impact through my writing.

And again today, God has called me aside and graciously reminded me. Ahhh... Sweet surrender...

Is that not the posture that all of God's children are to take? The posture of full surrender? The posture of being loved and blessed by Him? The posture of allowing His Life to flow into us? And in turn, allowing His life to flow from us?

Is your God calling you into time-out with Him? Run to Him now!