Overcoming Without Being Overcome

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Angie, here. There are times in a writer's life when he or she is overcome by ... well, life. Illness, family drama, financial woes -- all these can cramp up the creativity. I know, I've been dealing with a couple of these myself. In fact, I've even thought I might quite writing. But to quote R. A. Salvatore:

“If you can quit, then quit. If you can't quit, you're a writer.”

I just can't quit. Believe me, I've tried. If this sounds too familiar for comfort, then this post is for you.

Philippians is one of my favorite books in the Bible. It is a compact book so full of deep wisdom and practical direction. One of my favorite verses in this little gem of a book is the last part of the 13 – 14th verses of chapter 3:

“… Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me …” (Philippians 3:13b – 14a, NIV)

Written by Paul around the first century, it still holds truth today. On those days that I can’t move without pain, when I can’t read, write or focus on anything but what must be the most insane sitcoms, I can look at that verse and take comfort.

Did you know that Paul had a chronic illness? His illness was so bad that in his second letter to the church at Corinth, he tells them that he prayed for healing three times, but God told him, “No,” each time.

It was then that Paul, instead of wallowing in self-pity, made a decision to embrace his weakness. In fact, verse 10 of chapter twelve says,

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10, NIV)

By that he meant that he’d reached a point where he couldn’t do anything (you know you’ve been there), that’s when he let God take over. And God always works in mighty ways. That’s the prize that Paul wanted – the life that God created just for him.

And that’s where we’ve got to find our joy when life get’s to be too much. The prize that God planned for us is just over that hill of pain, discouragement, loneliness or grief. Isn’t that great? We’ve just got to keep climbing until we get to the top.

I'm going to leave you with one more verse to think about and that's Jeremiah 29:11 [ESV], "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for [peace]* and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

What verse(s) do you cling to when you're overcome by life? Feel free to share them in the comments below.

*Bible Gateway

Running on Crutches by Tim George

Have you ever found your life interrupted by things you couldn't control? How did you adjust? Did you wonder if life would ever become "normal" again? Tim George talks about adjusting to the curve balls that life sometimes throws at us. As a writer, God has given him the ability and grace to overcome his physical issues and continue to minister. I hope this post inspires you as it did me.

~ Angie

On two occasions in my life I have had the opportunity to learn both to hate and become grateful for crutches. Three weeks before I entered first grade, a German Shepherd and I had a misunderstanding. I climbed a tree because he couldn’t; then he got bored and went off to chase something more interesting. Not to be outdone, I dismounted the tree in a most unsuccessful manner. Then I grew up, had a family, finished college and like many semi-mature men do, I kept right on asking the woman in my life if it was okay to play ball with the guys. Which was fine with her until my illustrious softball career came crashing down during a spectacular double play followed by a compound fracture to my left ankle. Crutches were sort of fun in first grade but not so much as a grown man with children and bills to pay.

There have been plenty of other crippled periods in my life along the way but none that have caused me to examine everything about myself like the last decade. Since 9/11 my wife and I have experienced major changes in career, location, and at times the stability of our marriage. One son has gone off to war three times. The other nearly died due to progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Then three years ago I became a medical oddity as I contracted the same disease at the age of 52. And those were the easy parts.

Over the past four years I have read and reviewed hundreds of novels. Some are masterpieces of literary excellence. Others are fun entertainment that probably won’t stand the test of time but well worth the few hours spent reading them. During that time I have also conducted numerous print, audio, and in-person interviews with other writers. One thing I have learned to discern pretty quickly is this; some are just telling great stories but a special few are giving us something more.  

Author, Robert Liparulo once noted on my web site, “Baring yourself is a major part of what it means to be a writer…or any artist. It’s sort of like self-autopsies while readers watch. Even characters that are very different from us reveal much about who we are.”

I think Bob is talking about the willingness of some authors to bleed on the paper so to speak. Maybe it is intentional or maybe it just happens, but there are those rare stories I have no doubt were birthed in painful personal experience. When I read The Cure by Athol Dickson, I knew here was fellow struggler, dipping into the ink well of his own trials, failures, and personal redemption.  Dickson’s willingness to speak of a darker time earlier in his life during an interview was both refreshing and made the story all the more powerful.

A friend of mine often ends an email with her own personal tag line, “from a pit-dweller”. If life has left you in some pits along the way, don’t waste the experience. You may not be a writer but how you allow God to use those bangs and bruises is story telling none the less. Some of us may be on those crutches the rest of our life. So what? Consider the crutches of life training ground for saying something that matters.  So pick them up and run for the prize.

And how are things for us now? Our youngest son is still at war. Our oldest is much better and preparing to go back to work after six years. My wife and I are looking forward to our 37^th anniversary in a couple of months. And me? Still running on crutches in what I like to call the new normal. But compared to Christ there is no suffering. Every day, every step, and every word He allows me to write is a gift of grace. 

t.e.George, or just Tim to his friends, writes fiction that dares his readers to look beyond the veil and points to a place where hope still lives. Tim is a novelist, freelance writer and fellow-pilgrim in this journey of grace called life. Tim is represented by the Leslie H.Stobbe Literary Agency and is writing fiction as T.E. George.

Be sure to check out Tim's website at http://www.tegeorge.com/Fiction/ for more inspirational and informative posts.

Connect with Tim on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tegeorge and Twitter: twitter.com/tegeorge for more inspiration and encouragement.