Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Working Through Dry Times by Jodie Wolfe

Up until a little over a year ago, I'd always heard about the infamous 'writer's block' although I'd never truly experienced it. I was used to sitting down and for the most part, the words flowed freely. But then… I got hit with multiple waves of stress levels coming from several different areas in my life. It was the kind of stress that didn't let up throughout that time period. Each day I could feel the chipping away at my confidence level concerning my writing ability. Doubts flooded in making it difficult to move forward. I felt as dry spiritually, physically, emotionally, and creatively as someone who crossed the Sahara Dessert with only a trickle of water to sustain them each day.

What got me through this difficult time? At first I just squared my shoulders to take the situations head-on, but when I got slammed with continual blasts of stress and criticism I found that wasn't enough. I prayed but didn't seem to be making any headway. I no sooner felt like I was making progress only to get punched again from a different direction. To be honest, I could identify with the man that Jesus mentioned in the story of the Good Samaritan.

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. - Luke 10:30 (HCSB)

I was bruised and wounded.

What got me out of the slump? Continuing to pray and placing everything in God's hands over and over again. I humbled myself and asked others to pray for me. I didn't always give them details of the situations but simply mentioned my need to be covered in prayer. My husband stood by me throughout the whole ordeal offering encouragement and prayer support. I delved into a Bible study and scheduled time away. I made a specific choice to let go of bitterness and not allow hurt to rob me of God's joy. I determined not to stress about the lack of words but instead trust that when it was time to write again, the Lord would provide.

It's taken a long while, but I'm finally on the 'other' side. I honestly don't know why God had me go through all the stress of this past year. But I rely on the fact that I can trust Him. I choose to walk in His joy, not in bitterness… and the words are beginning to flow again.

What do you do when you're faced with times of writer's block? How do you work through it?


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Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA) and has been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. She's a contributor for Putting on the New and Stitches Thru Time blogs. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.


To Claim Her Heart
 
In 1893, on the eve of the great race for land, Benjamin David prays for God to guide him to his 'Promised Land. Finding property and preaching to the lost are his only ways of honoring his deceased fiancée. He hasn't counted on Elmer (Elsie) Smith claiming the same plot and refusing to leave. Not only is she a burr in his side, but she is full of the homesteading know-how he is sadly lacking.

Obtaining a claim in the Cherokee Strip Land Run is Elsie Smith's only hope for survival, and not just any plot, she has a specific one in mind. The land's not only a way to honor her pa and his life, but also to provide a livelihood for herself. She's willing to put in whatever it takes to get that piece of property, and Elsie's determined to keep it.

Her bitterness is what protects her, and she has no intentions of allowing that preacher to lay claim to her land . . . or her heart.

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15220520.Jodie_Wolfe