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| Jodie Bailey |
Do you think of writing as something creative or therapeutic
to do when you have the time? Or do you view it as a calling and a job? Jodie Bailey shares what happened when
God confronted her on the place he wanted writing to have in her life. ~ Dawn
When
God Makes Your Hobby Your Job
I was reading a friend’s blog yesterday. She was actually my
daughter’s kindergarten teacher, and we bonded, though I’m pretty sure her high
school memories lean more toward the Backstreet Boys than New Kids on the
Block. You hear what I’m saying? (Hint:
I’m old.)
At any rate, we share a bit when it comes to writing. See, I
spent my whole life writing for fun until, one day, God whacked me over the
head and said, “I gave you a gift. What
exactly do you plan to do with it?” Hm. Good question.
She’s facing the same thing. I can remember her, YEARS ago,
saying to me, “I’m not a writer.” And yet… she kept putting words on paper. I’d
have told you the same thing. “I’m not a writer. I just like telling stories.”
So deep in denial was I that, when God told me to make this a career, I tried
to write Bible studies. I struggled for a year until a friend said, “I was
praying for you, and God said to write about a real person.” I immediately
thought, “God wants me to write about Eleanor Roosevelt?” (Why I thought her by
default, I have no idea. Just goes to show how my brain works. It should scare
you.) Then I realized He wanted me to
tell my faith story… through someone else. The instant I turned to my first
love of fiction and started forming a character, the words that hadn’t come for
an entire year flowed. Two books in under six months.
And then I got an agent. And this became work. Guess what?
Writing for fun is not the same as writing for work. It’s not the same at ALL.
Writing for fun is an outlet. Writing for work can make you cry. Like, real
tears.
The truth is, there are days when I pout and whine and try
to bargain with God. “I’ll feed rabid alligators if you’ll let me out of
writing this book.” (That’s my default ugly job.) But He tells me no. And those
days happen less frequently as I follow His lead. I have found that when I start my day asking
Him to guide my fingers on the keyboard, it goes a whole lot better than when I
try to go it alone.
But here’s the thing…
When God makes your hobby your job, well, you’d better find another
hobby so you have something to do for fun.
Oh, writing is fun. I love it. It’s the core of who I am,
and to stop doing it would be to deny myself. But realize… when God calls you,
Satan sometimes tries to answer. You will meet resistance, even from yourself.
But that’s okay. That’s when you know you’re right where you’re supposed to be,
doing what God called you to do. Then, even on those days when the words are a
chore, you walk away fulfilled and yes, maybe even shedding happy tears.
When
Taryn’s grandmother faces a medical crisis, she asks Taryn to sew an heirloom
quilt for her cousin’s wedding. Taryn is
forced to accept the help of Justin Callahan, the man she once loved. The problem is, Taryn still loves him, but
she has a secret that will drive him away forever.
Jodie Bailey
writes novels about freedom and the heroes who fight for it. Her novels include
Freefall and Crossfire, from Love Inspired Suspense, as well as Quilted by Christmas, from Abingdon
Press. Her devotions have appeared in Fighting
Fear: Winning the War at Home and Sweet Freedom with a Slice of Peach Cobbler.
She is convinced a camping trip to the beach with her family, a good cup of
coffee, and a great book can cure all ills. Jodie lives in North Carolina with
her husband, her daughter, and two dogs.
To learn more and connect with Jodie, please visit www.jodiebailey.com
