Time to Cut Loose the Anchors by Sandy Kirby Quandt

Relentless attacks, hijacks, and a temporary shutdown by the host of my blog this past spring, coupled with the rejection of two manuscripts under consideration for nine months, and losing a writing contest by 0.5 points caused me to re-evaluate whether I had what it took to continue writing. Fear and discouragement pushed out trust and hope.

I told God I quit. I couldn’t do it anymore. I was done writing. I threw out my anchor and refused to type one more word. For a time at least.

While I wrestled with God over the future of my writing, I re-read the story in Acts 27 of the Apostle Paul’s shipwreck. While on his way to Rome as a prisoner, Paul’s ship ran into a life-threatening storm. Fear consumed the passengers but it didn’t consume Paul. Knowing there was little they could do about the storm, he encouraged his fellow shipmates to put their trust in the ability of the One who created the wind and the waves to keep them safe.

During the storm’s worst, the men threw out the ship’s anchors. They tied ropes around the rudders to keep the ship immobile. They lowered the sail, and stayed put to wait out the storm.

Two weeks later, daylight came. With land in sight, the men cut loose the anchors which kept them from moving forward and abandoned them in the sea. They untied the ropes which held the rudders in place. They hoisted the foresail to the wind, hung on, and headed to shore.

How many times in the middle of our storms have we thrown out the anchor, tied down the rudder, lowered the sail, and refused to move forward? We see the storm before us, whatever our storm might be, look at our inability to control it, and throw our hands in the air. We forget the one who created the storm placed it in front of us for a reason. To grow our trust and prove he is able.
When we reach the point where we allow our faith to beat out our fears, and hope to defeat discouragement then we’re willing to cut loose the anchors, untie the rudders, hoist the sail, and hang on for the ride. We’re committed. We've released our life into the All-Powerful hand of the One who controls the winds and the seas to carry us safely to shore.
In the midst of my struggle I forgot something important. I believed in my inability more than I believed in God’s ability. I’m not sure if my refusal-to-write storm lasted two weeks like the storm in Acts 27, but after I pouted a while, I knew it was time to cut loose the anchors and get back to writing.

In the midst of my struggle I forgot something important. I believed in my inability more than I believed in God’s ability. - Time to Cut Loose the Anchors by @SandyKQuandt #seriouslywrite #writetip

Sandy Kirby Quandt is a freelance writer and follower of Jesus with a passion for history and travel. Passions that often weave their way into her stories and articles. She writes numerous articles, devotions, and stories for adult and children publications both print and online including Christian Devotions and Inspire a Fire. Her devotions appear in two Worthy Publishing compilation books; So God Made a Dog and Let the Earth Rejoice. Sandy won several awards for writing including the 85th and 86th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition in the Young Adult category, First Place in the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Children’s Literature 2016 Foundation Awards, First Place in the 2017 Foundation Awards in the Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Flash Fiction categories. Looking for words of encouragement or gluten-free recipes? Then check out her blog, Woven and Spun.
twitter.com/SandyKQuandt

When You Don't Think You're Good Enough by Robin E. Mason

Every writer, truly every artist, at some time or another, feels unworthy. That their work falls short of some standard. And perhaps, sometimes it does.

But I’ve learned something—perfection is a cruel and impossible taskmaster, excellence a kinder, more forgiving goal. We all have them, those days we can conquer anything. And we do. We tick off those items on our never-ending to-do list, and settle with a good cuppa to enjoy the fruit of our labors. Other days, though, our 112% barely grazes one or two of those bits. Bits that have become insurmountable.

I don’t know about you, but those days crush me. Or, they used to. And when I was striving for the elusive and impossible perfection, those days were EVERY day.

But two things happened. Or, rather, one thing precipitated the other—God’s grace relieved me of an impossible burden, and with that, the freedom to grow and excel in my writing. Still, those days creep in sometimes. And what are we to do when that happens?

I offer you what I used to tell my kids when somebody said something about them; ask yourself one question: “Is it true?” When those niggling doubts creep in—“Your writing is abominable.” “This story is stupid.” “That character just isn’t believable.” “No one wants to read this!—ask yourself if it’s true.”

Does no one really want to read this? Ah! This is the question, isn’t it? To me, this is the heart of why we write. Whether “just” for entertainment or with deep spiritual meaning, do we not write for others to read? I know I do. Of course I’d love to be a New York Times bestseller. Why wouldn’t I want my stories made into movies?

But even if that never happens, even if I never sold another book—HUSH MY MOUTH!—I know I have an Audience who will never disparage or belittle my writing. Coach me, yes. Encourage me, certainly. But never will He shred my efforts, no matter how weak.

I write, we all write, ultimately for an Audience of One. One who has instilled in us our love of and passion for, and dare I say, skill with words. And when He is pleased with our efforts, if not our finesse, then who are we to argue?

Do we stop striving to our best? Not at all. Does this mean we can be lazy and sloppy? Certainly not. We offer our very best to Him. And He is pleased with that.

I saw a quote the other day, attributed to Priscilla Shirer:

And that’s exactly it.

The next time you feel you don’t measure up—and there will be a next time—remember Who holds the measuring stick. And gauge yourself by His measure.

“Maybe you have to know the darkness to truly appreciate the light.” —Madeline L’Engle

 Robin E. Mason writes stories of identity conflict. Her characters encounter situations that force the question, “Who am I really?” For all who have ever wondered who you are or why you’re here, her stories will touch you in a very real—maybe too real—and very deep way. “I know, I write from experience.”

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