A Day of Rest by Patty Nicholas

As my wedding day approaches, an endless to do list grows to mountainous proportions, and a deadline is looming ominously. I have felt the Holy Spirit impress upon me the importance of maintaining a day of rest in my schedule. 

Sunday, after church, I had roughly six hours of time where I could have cleaned bathrooms, written on my work in progress, which is due in a few short weeks, or performed any plethora of other tasks that needed attention. 

Photo by Patty Nicholas

Instead of jumping into work, I sat down and prayed. I asked God to show me where to start on my extensive list. The next thing I knew it was two hours later. I had fallen asleep. Several years ago, as a new widow, I found myself on my own, trying to maintaining a home, working a full time job, babysitting my young grandson in the evenings, and starting my writing career. I sat with bible in hand, and prayed a very similar prayer. 

What God showed me then is equally true in my busy schedule of today. I needed to honor a day of rest. The Lord emphasized the importance of a rest in him by repetition. You can find the word Sabbath 146 times in the Old Testament, and 56 times in the New Testament. With a word repeated this many times, I took notice. 

Leviticus 24:8 Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 

Photo by Patty Nicholas

To rest is also a healthy practice. God knew what he was doing when he told us to take a day to honor Him, to reflect on His goodness, and to give our bodies a chance to recover so we can be ready for the next week to come. Let’s face it, we may think we know what our week will look like, but only God has seen tomorrow. 



But what about meeting my deadline, or what about my mile-long list? It is my sincere belief, that when I am in obedience to His will for me, then He will bless my efforts. I trust that everything I have committed to will get done in a timely manner.

God knew what he was doing when he told us to take a day to honor him, to reflect on his goodness and to give our bodies a chance to recover.

What about you? Are you tired, over worked and over committed? How do you rest? 

Multi award winning writer, Patty Nicholas lives in the mountains of North Carolina. She is a busy event planner for the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove, and is a member of the Blue Ridge Writers Group. She is a mother of two grown daughters and grandmother of three. She writes Bible studies and devotionals as well as contemporary romance. Devotions are published in compilations by Lighthouse Bible Studies.

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Should You Quit Your Day Job? by Marie Wells Coutu

When I first got serious about writing fiction, I had a full-time job, so my writing time was limited to evenings and, sometimes, my lunch breaks. It didn’t take long before I started to dream about leaving my job to write full-time. It would be more than five years before I would get to the point where I could retire.

And then reality hit. Not working full-time didn’t necessarily mean I could write full-time. Family, travel, and friends frequently dragged me away from writing. Or rather, I allowed myself to be distracted.

I realized that being a full-time writer isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Marie Wells Cout

I’m fortunate that I don’t have to rely on making an income from writing. Because I reached retirement age, and my husband was already retired, together we have adequate income. My husband retired from the military, so health insurance would not be an issue.

Besides financial considerations, though, there are other factors to think about before you take the leap:

• Are you a self-starter? What kind of writing schedule will you establish?
• Is your work “just a job” or is it part of your identity?
• Will you miss the camaraderie of co-workers, the “water cooler” discussions, and the emotional vibe of working closely with others?
• Will your family, friends, or neighbors assume that you are “not busy” because you work from home? How successful are you at deflecting such interruptions?
• Where does God want you? Are you seeking His will for your career or attempting to strike out on your own?

Obviously, these are only some of the questions you might ask yourself while you’re daydreaming about becoming a full-time writer.

Most importantly, before you make any final decision, think through the possibilities. Talk over the decision with your family and others close to you. Tell them your expectations for your work schedule, and ask what the decision means to them.

Only you can make the decision, with the help of your spouse or a close friend. Just be sure you’ve examined all the angles.

I’ve never regretted retiring when I did, but I sometimes wish I had known what to expect.


If you’re considering cutting the ties, what concerns do you have? For those who already write full-time, what advice can you offer to others?

The Secret Heart
by Marie Wells Coutu

Marie Wells Coutu retired in 2013 from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. She now spends her time writing fiction—when she’s not busy having fun with her husband or with their four grandchildren. She has written three novels for Write Integrity Press, including the award-winning For Such a Moment and Thirsting for More. Her most recent book, The Secret Heart, released in February. She is working on a historical novel set in western Kentucky, near where she grew up.

Marie is a regular contributor to Seriously Write. For more posts by Marie, click here.

When You Marry a Novelist By Patty Froese

My husband thought he knew what he was getting into when he married a writer. He knew I wrote. He loved that I'd been published, but I don't think he had a perfect grasp on what that would mean on a daily basis. I think he thought it would be... prettier. More quill pens and less hammering out a chapter outline before having had a shower.

He thought that I'd happily work another job, and write in the time that was free after working a day job, after spending time with him and before getting a decent night's sleep. What he didn't count on was how much I hated my day jobs, and how much I needed to write, even more than I needed sleep.

He thought that once I got my first book published, it would be an easy life of cashing royalty checks. Nine books later, I still giggle a bit at that one!

He thought I wrote about things entirely fictitious... but when you live with a writer, you run the risk of being included in her work, even subconsciously!

He thought writing was my hobby. He was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Getting the balance can be a bit of a ride for any relationship, but once we did, my husband started to appreciate the benefits of having a full time writer wife. (Yes, I quit the hated day jobs.)

1. I'm here all day, so when he gets home, a meal is on the table and I'm thrilled to see him. (Writing all day doesn't provide a lot of social contact.)

2. When people ask him what his wife does, he gets to brag a little. "No, really. She's a novelist."

3. I'm at home, so I can take care of our son and do all those mom-things that make for a sweet childhood. (Granted, my son will also have plenty of memories of me saying, "Mommy has to write, sweetheart. Go play now.")

4. Whenever he needs to write out something for work, he has an excellent editor on hand to smooth it all out and give it a little pizzazz.

5. I'm happy. Deeply happy. And I know that I'm able to stay home and write full time because he supports me--that gratitude can only mean good things for him!

A great relationship is when both people get to pursue their dreams, and we have that kind of marriage. I'm lucky!

Marriage isn't always rose petals, and sometimes it takes a good amount of work. My newest novel, Legally Wed, is about two marriages--one that was supposed to be perfect, and one that was supposed to be over. Neither marriage ends up being what the partners expect!

But that's life. Marriage is generally a surprise, no matter how prepared you think you are!

When Rich McConaughey comes back to town, divorce papers in hand, he's in for more than he bargained for. Lisa Young, the woman he was married to for six months, hasn't changed a bit. His mother has though... she's gone from matronly to meow, and his father has taken off with the secretary. Does anything last anymore? 

Lisa Young feels chained to the hardware store her family has run for generations. How can she tell her father that she hates the family business? When Rich walks back into her store asking her to finalize a divorce she thought was behind her, she thinks that the answer is to sign on the dotted line and move on. Except, Rich isn't making it so easy... and God has other plans.

For better or for worse, when you're legally wed, things can get complicated.  Buy link

Meet Patty Froese 

I am an inspirational fiction writer with a husband, a child, a quirky sense of humor and a passion for what I do. Give me a pot of tea and some peace and quiet, and I can give you a novel. I’ll also give you blog posts, hilarious internet jokes, pictures of my ridiculously intelligent rabbit and other random things that keep me busy.

You can join the chaos and fun of novel writing by following my daily posts. Come, comment, let me know you’re there. Who said writing has to be solitary?

http://pattyfroese.com/

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