A Word to the Hurting on Resolutions by Emily Conrad

A new year has begun, but perhaps this start doesn’t feel fresh to you.

Perhaps you’ve experienced a loss or faced a difficult life event. Or maybe, a string of both has you knotted up.

Or rather than hardships, you’ve simply taken on something new. You’ve moved. You’ve started a new job. Perhaps gotten married or had a child. Your priorities have shifted, and you’re still not quite sure how to fit everything in.

Or maybe it's nothing so striking. Battle-weariness can creep up slowly, too, so we might not notice our exhaustion so much until we're presented with the extra challenge of tackling something new, like making a resolution.

The calendar marches on, and everyone talks about fresh starts and resolutions, but the thought of trying to better yourself or launch your writing to new levels could bring tears to your eyes.

On the one hand, I’m imagining what it’s like to feel that way at the start of a new year.

On the other, 2019 held some notable trials for me and my family.

Too overwhelmed by other circumstances, I couldn’t write for weeks. A manuscript I meant to finish took a couple of extra months (thankfully, I'm under only self-imposed deadlines). Blogging became difficult. My reading life changed, too.

God’s timing is not man’s timing. His word tells us there’s a time for everything, but God is certainly not bound by our calendar.

There's a time to pursue things even in the difficult, knowing our God goes before us. In those cases, celebrating New Year's with a resolution might help launch us into exactly what God has for us.

We are to number our days and make the most of them. Writing is an important part of that, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking the next milestone is everything.

God is everything.

And sometimes, our Shepherd leads us to rest beside quiet waters, where we can heal from loss, trauma, transition, and all that effort.

If this new year finds you in the midst of difficult circumstances and you “can’t even,” the most important thing you can do is dig deeper into Christ.

Let the Good Shepherd lead you through the valley, and rest in the assurance that He will restore you and lift you up in His good time. A green pasture is before you. Quiet waters. The Good Shepherd will care for both you and the abilities He's given you. Stay by His side, and you can't go wrong.

In fact, even if you do feel up to setting goals, the most important resolution a Christian writer can make, the one we can strive for no matter what 2019 held or 2020 brings, is to grow ever closer to Jesus.

We are to number our days and make the most of them. #Writing is an important part of that, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking the next milestone is everything. via @emilyrconrad #resolutions #Christianwriter #seriouslywrite

If this #NewYear finds you in the midst of difficult circumstances and you “can’t even,” the most important thing you can do is dig deeper into Christ. @emilyrconrad #writing #resolutions #seriouslywrite

The most important resolution a Christian writer can make, the one we can strive for no matter what 2019 held or 2020 brings, is to grow ever closer to #Jesus. @emilyrconrad #seriouslywrite #NewYear #writing

Photo credits
2020 photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash
January calendar photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

Sheep photo by Millie Olsen on Unsplash

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Emily Conrad writes Christian romance and a blog to encourage women of faith. Her debut novel, Justice, released from Pelican Book Group in 2018. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two rescue dogs. She loves Jesus and enjoys road trips to the mountains, crafting stories, and drinking coffee. (It’s no coincidence Justice is set mostly in a coffee shop!) She offers free short stories on her website and loves to connect with readers on social media.

www.emilyconradauthor.com
Facebook.com/emilyconradauthor
Instagram.com/emilyrconrad
Twitter.com/emilyrconrad

JUSTICE

The love of a lifetime, a quest for justice, and redemption that can only be found by faith.

Jake thought he was meant to marry Brooklyn, but now she's pregnant, and he had nothing to do with it.

Brooklyn can’t bring herself to name the father as she wrestles with questions about what her pregnancy means and how it will affect her relationship with Jake.

If Harold Keen, the man who owns the bookstore across from Jake's coffee shop, has anything to do with it, the baby will ruin them both.

Can Jake and Brooklyn overcome the obstacles thrown in their path, and finally find the truth in God's love and in each other?


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Time for a Direction Check by Carol J. Post

Are your resolutions for 2017 intentions or are you focusing on direction? Author Carol J. Post provides tips for accomplishing your writing goals for this year. -- Sandy

Carol: Happy January! This is the month when thousands of people make resolutions for the new year. They’re going to eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight, get organized, spend more time with family and friends, or (fill in the blank). We all start off gung ho, but by February, most of those resolutions have fallen by the wayside.

On New Year’s Day, I went to church with my sister. Like most of the pastors around the country, hers spoke about resolutions and changes people hope to make in the coming year. During his message, he made a statement that stuck with me: “It’s direction, not intention, that determines destination.”

The problem with so many New Year’s resolutions is that they’re nothing more than intentions. To me, intention focuses on thoughts, whereas direction involves movement. I live in Florida. If I want to go to New England, I’ll get on I-95 and head north. I can leave home intending to arrive in Connecticut the next day, but if my direction is south, I’ll end up in Miami.

Whatever we hope to accomplish in the new year, intentions alone won’t get us there. As writers, most of us want to further our careers during 2017, whether that means finishing the first book, getting published, transitioning to full time or making a list. Whatever the goal, we’re more likely to reach it if we take steps that move us in the right direction.

Hone Your Craft

From newbie to multi-pubbed author, everyone has room for improvement. Workshops and writer’s conferences are great resources. So are many of the craft books available. Jerry Jenkins provides his top 11 picks here: http://www.jerryjenkins.com/best-books-on-writing/. Articles and blog posts on writing abound, too. And don’t limit your reading to craft topics. Reading quality literature inside and outside your genre is bound to improve your writing skills. Lastly, finding a critique partner who really “gets” your writing can be invaluable.

Guard Your Muse

Writing is a solitary activity, and it’s easy to get discouraged. Nothing kills inspiration faster than having someone downplay what you do. Join a writers group. Surround yourself with like-minded people who provide encouragement and understand the difficult road we as writers travel.

Arrange Your Priorities

Reaching one’s goals often involves sacrificing other enjoyable activities. Whether watching TV or cute cat videos, hours can fly by with nothing to show for the time. I like to track my activities using toggl.com, with categories like writing, editing, exercise, email, social media, church-related, recreation, etc. The totals at the end of the week can be telling. Doing sprints with other authors and reporting weekly word counts are great for focus, too.

Reward Yourself

Set goals, and when you reach them, celebrate! Did you get that chapter finished in spite of 1,001 demands on your time? Do a movie night. Did you make it all the way to THE END? Take time to recharge before starting your next project.

What about you? What steps do you take to get yourself headed in the right direction, writing-related or otherwise?

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Carol J. Post lives in sunshiny Central Florida and writes fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense. Her books have been nominated for a RITA® award and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She is also a popular speaker, presenting workshops on a variety of craft topics. Besides writing, she enjoys sailing, hiking, camping--almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of a fat and sassy black cat and a highly spoiled dachshund.

After her broken engagement, Nicki Jackson hoped her move to Cedar Key would give her a fresh start—instead she quickly learns someone's out to destroy her. Are the attacks tied to her mother's recently reopened murder case…or to the nightmares Nicki's beginning to suspect are actually hidden memories? With the threats against her escalating, former soldier Tyler Brant vows to keep Nicki safe. He refuses to lose the woman who's swiftly becoming more than a childhood crush. But when danger circles closer, is Nicki's traumatic past better left forgotten…or are her memories the key to something far more sinister?