Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Discouragement in Writing by Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar

This Writer’s Journey Wednesday, please welcome author, speaker, and certified Christian life coach, Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar.

Discouragement in Writing:
How a Christian life coach can help

Discouragement: It’s the state of being discouraged, deprived of confidence and courage. Like an ugly weed in a beautiful flower garden, discouragement can creep into our lives and choke off our happiness.


It can also keep us from writing.

But a Christian life coach can help in the following ways.

1) Faith, Hope, & Love

A Christian coach can and will encourage you in your faith and help you regain a focus on Jesus Christ and take your eyes off yourself and your situation. What are we doing under the circumstances anyway? As Christian authors, we need to be continually looking up. Even the most impossible deadline isn’t too impossible for God.

In essence, a life coach can help you turn your thinking around, from yourself to God.

2) Purpose

I don’t agree with everything author, Rick Warren writes; however, I do agree with this quote from his book The Purpose Driven Life:

"It’s not about you. The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.”

A Christian life coach can help you realize your own purpose.

3) Goal setting

Once you realize what your purpose is, you can begin to set goals. A life coach can help you determine whether those goals are realistic.

Many times setting unrealistic goals and not meeting them can bring discouragement.

4) Accountability

Weekly phone calls and intermittent emails to your life coach will help you stay on track and accomplish your goals.

5) Setting boundaries

As Christians we want to serve God by helping others and being a blessing to them. However, many people will take advantage of that “goodness” we feel inside and then relationships can becomes toxic and energy draining. It especially hurts when those relationships involve people we love and/or family members. They play upon our obligatory senses and when these relationships take root in our lives, they eat away our God time, family time…and writing time. Suddenly we can feel stressed and overwhelmed.

A life coach can help you gain renewed awareness of these toxic relationships and energy drainers by helping you set boundaries.
Remember, God can heal any and all broken things, including relationships, but sometimes He wants us to get out of His way so He can work in both our hearts and the other person(s) who are involved.

Discouragement. We’ve all experienced it at one time or another. But it doesn’t have to take root, causing depression, bitterness, and even envy. Hiring a Christian life coach can help you take important steps to eradicate discouragement right where it grows: In our hearts!


In 1994, Andrea Boeshaar's first novel was published. Since then she's written numerous articles and devotionals. Andrea has also published inspiration romance novels, women's fiction, and novellas. In the year 2000, Andrea cofounded the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). She served as its vice president and then, later, its CEO. In 2003, Andrea joined the Hartline Literary Agency and worked as a literary agent. She saw much success. But then in 2007, Andrea realized she was more of a teacher/encourager than a sales person. She left the agency and became a certified Christian life coach. Now, in addition to her writing, Andrea enjoys encouraging others to use their God-given talents and gifts to their fullest. Her next novel, Unwilling Warrior, will be released in May 2010. Find out more at http://www.andreaboeshaar.com/