I’m so happy to be back today after my intentional time away. I had about four exceptional weeks completely unplugged from social media, writing, and blogging. That time was wisely spent focused on my precious family, spending two of those weeks together in beautiful Hawaii, which I plan to share more about very soon.
While away, I reflected a great deal on why I’m writing in order to make sure I’m using my time wisely. I read a fantastic book called Why We Write by Meredith Maran. She shares the reasons of twenty established authors. They really helped me realize I’m doing exactly what I’m intended to.
I can’t agree more with the words of Pulitzer Prize winning writer, Jennifer Egan. She states exactly how I’ve been feeling over the past few weeks:
“When I’m not writing I feel an awareness that something is missing. If I go a long time, it becomes worse. I become depressed. There’s something vital that’s not happening. A certain slow damage starts to occur. I can coast along awhile without it, but then my limbs go numb. Something bad is happening to me, and I know it. The longer I wait, the harder it is to start again.”
Many people may find this a bit dramatic, but I get it. I really do, especially the final sentence. I’m there right now, struggling to return.
But I know deep in my heart, returning to writing and sharing my story is absolutely necessary. I truly felt God leading me back to this space. It’s imperative to continue sharing Him, including all He’s done for me, with others.
One of my favorite authors, Mary Karr, discusses that same thought. She felt like no one would be interested in hearing about Jesus and “spiritual matters in a secular world.” The response pleasantly surprised her:
“A lot of reviewers seemed to like those sections. To me that was a triumph. I don’t think I converted anybody, but that wasn’t my goal. My goal was to describe what a spiritual experience feels like, to re-create the emotional experience of awe when you’re not accustomed to it.”
What a beautiful and important goal! I want to bless people with that awe. The awe of Jesus. Of grace. Of unconditional love, acceptance, and forgiveness.
Life can be so dark. My past, filled with addiction, comes back to haunt me far too often. Writing can help us to understand those difficult times of our lives.
Author Kathryn Harrison sums this up so eloquently:
“When you write, endless possibility exists before you. The unwritten sentence—perhaps that will be the one that makes life comprehensible, the one that reveals the beauty and order under what can sometimes seem like a landscape of chaos and cruelty.”
Many of those sentences have emerged for me in the past almost 2 years of writing. They have helped me to understand all that I’ve been through and strengthened my faith in ways I never imagined possible.
Sharing our stories is incredibly hard work, but I think we gain far more than we give. I’m feeling immensely blessed to be back in this online space with you today. As always, thanks for joining me on this wonderful, and sometimes overwhelming, journey.
If you would like to purchase Why We Write by Meredith Maran, you can find it here (affiliate link, Disclosure):
If you have time today, check out the rest of my to be read pile for 2015:
Good to read your words again, Candace. So glad you had a blessed time of being disconnected. I look forward to hearing more about Hawaii!
Such good words here. You shared some fabulous quotes that I too can to relate to. While I’ve been writing less frequently and at times wonder if it’s time to step away, God keeps bringing me back. I feel that same sense of something missing when I’m not writing. There are still ups and downs in the emotions that come with writing and I’m still figuring some of that out but your words are helpful to reflect on and ponder.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Blessings.
xoxo
Hi Beth! I’m hoping to post about Hawaii in the next couple of weeks. I’ve decided to return slowly in order to maintain a little bit of balance :). I can completely relate to the ups and downs in emotions. It can be crazy sometimes, while so fulfilling at others. Blessings to you, my friend!
So many of these words resonate with me! : ) Thank you for sharing and writing -even when it’s hard to pick up and keep going. You blessed at least one reader today!!
#RaRaLinkup
Thanks for the encouragement, Bethany! It can be so hard to keep going sometimes. Breaks are wonderful for that. I really needed this one. It’s great to see you :).
Candace, I haven’t seen that book before, I’ll have to look for it. Thanks for the review. 🙂
I so agree with your statement: “I want to bless people with that awe. The awe of Jesus. Of grace.”
Hope your time away has refreshed your heart and mind.
Lovely post, thanks for sharing. 🙂
My time away was very refreshing, Brenda. I’m thinking of making it a bi-yearly gift to myself. The book is wonderful. It tells a little about each author and gives reasons and methods associated with each of their writing. I got a lot out of it.
Thanks for sharing this book with us…I’ve seen it before and you’ve peaked my interest again. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed your time away! Thanks for the encouragement at #RaRaLinkup today!
It’s definitely worth the reading time, Angela! I’ve had it for a while, but just got around to reading it. I do that a lot with books :). I have stacks everywhere. I’m so thankful I threw it in my suitcase for vacation. Thanks for hosting the linkup today!
Wow, Candace! I loved this and needed it. I am so with you here. I really connect with Jennifer Egan’s quote, too. And I, too, long to bless people with that awe. Welcome back! It’s so good to “see” you again!
Hi Trudy! It’s so good to see you again too. My time away was beautiful and much needed, but I missed our sweet online community a great deal. I loved that quote from Jennifer Egan! It’s dramatic but so true.
Candace—-
love this. Sounds like a book I’d benefit from !!
Great post. I look fwd to more of your writing and I’m loving that you’ll be back in the groove….missed you!
xoxoxoxo
I missed you too, Chris! It’s much harder to get back in the groove than I thought it would be. I’m really quite lazy in my natural form :). I think you would probably like this book. All writers could benefit from the encouragement and inspiration the authors share.
I get it too, Candace. Sounds like a great book that I need to check out, but that pull of words, that draw to the page, are something I most definitely feel tangibly. I love that God pursues us with His calling on our lives – He doesn’t want us to miss the work that He wants to do in and through us. After my own intentional break, I’m grateful to find a sense of home nestled into the words – He is so sweet to do that! Thank you for sharing your heart, in your words, with us. #tellhisstory.
It’s a great book, Tiffany. So encouraging! That “draw to the page” is really what keeps us coming back opening our hearts up wide and far. I’m struggling to get back in full force, trying to re-enter slowly :). Thanks for visiting from Tell His Story!
I’m so happy to hear that you had a blessed break with family, but I’m glad that you are back, Candace.
It’s so interesting to me to read that other writers feel the same way I do. It’s as though God has put something in us that needs to come out. When it doesn’t, it feels almost as though we are aren’t whole. I’m not surrounded by many who can relate to me in this area, but I am encouraged that you get it.
Thanks for sharing about the book. It sounds like an excellent read. Welcome back!
Thanks, Heather! It was a fantastic break. I still haven’t fully come back to work :). I’m thinking if I take it slow, I won’t have those balance issues resurface. Although as we all know, they will be back sooner or later. I completely get what you are saying about not feeling whole though. I’m struggling with that as I slowly reenter the writing world. It’s great to see you again!
Wow, I can’t even say how much I needed this TODAY! I was on the phone with one of my best friends this morning in near tears because I wasn’t sure why I spent time writing/blogging. Between her encouragement and your words here, you both have reminded me it’s all about Jesus. My words are for His glory and His purpose! So thankful to have Jesus girls remind of His truth and reveal the lies of the enemy! Beyond blessed to be visiting from #tellhisstory
I can so relate to you, Winter! I have shed many tears over this space, wondering if I was where I should be. We can’t go wrong if we’re using our time sharing Him. I’m so thankful this helped you today!
Candace, God has blessed you with the ability to bless others. Your written words speak to my heart. So grateful that you open your heart and experiences to your readers – all broken in some way – you lift us up, we relate in our own brokenness, and God’s work is being done. God bless you!
Thank you so much for your sweet encouragement, Staci. You are greatly appreciated! I’m having a hard time getting back on schedule. It’s amazing how hard ending a vacation can be :). Many blessings to you!
Hi Candace!! Welcome back to blog-land! I’m going to write down all the authors/writers you mentioned here. I don’t know any of them.
You spent two weeks in Hawaii??? That’s totally on my bucket list. Someday…
I really understand the writing thing. I never thought I’d be writing, my background is in nursing. But now that I’ve started, I do get a tug on my heart if I lapse. And it really is ‘oh so hard’ to get started up again. I find that I lose my confidence to make sense, or even make a point. I wonder if you ever feel that way?
Anyway, good to see you my friend. Hope you are rested and ready for whatever God has planned for you 🙂
Ceil
Hi Ceil! Hawaii was amazing! I hope you definitely make it there soon. I’ll be sharing more about my trip in the next couple of weeks. I’m having a hard time getting back here :). I know exactly what you mean about losing that confidence when trying to return to writing. My degree is in Computer Science, so I’m always a little shocked that I’ve ended up as a writer. I sometimes feel far out of my element.
I was surprised at how few of the authors I knew out of the book. I’m definitely planning on checking several of them out. Great to see you again too, my friend!
The quote about how writers feel about writing really spoke to me. I’ve never really heard it described in that way but can relate to the feeling of something being missing when I am not writing. Sounds like a great book that will have to wait for now but hopefully can look into at another time. So good to have you back friend!
It’s great to be back, Mary! It’s definitely a slow process though. I’ve been a little under the weather the past few days. I found it odd that as soon as I got back here, my body shut down a little. God really does speak to us, doesn’t He :)?
You are welcome to borrow the book from me if you would like. It’s a really quick read. Hope to see you soon!
Candace, just confirms what I have told you, WRITE! You are so good at it! Love you!
I just love you so much, Mary! Thank you for your encouragement and friendship. You are so needed and appreciated :). Hope you are healing up well!
Welcome back, friend! You’ve sure been missed! A month off from being online is a wonderful gift to give oneself, isn’t it!
Thanks for sharing this book. I’m starting to pull together a little stack of recommendations and will be adding this to the pile for sure.
I’m resonating with her words … and yours, too!
Hugs.
Hugs to you, Linda! You were certainly missed as well. I think I’ve decided a month off is a necessary yearly gift to myself, perhaps always at the beginning of summer. The difficult part is finding the way back. I’ve struggled this week to fully return. I think it’s been God’s way of keeping me at a slow and steady pace.
The book is fabulous. I really got a lot out of it. There are many dog-eared pages :).
It’s truly great to see you, my friend!
Welcome back, Candace! So glad you had a wonderful break. I’m looking forward to hearing more as you catch up with stories here. Speaking of stories, that sounds like a good book. Thanks for linking up at #ThreeWordWednesday.
It was great to come back to Three Word Wednesday, Kristin! You, your words, and the wonderful writers you share are always a pleasure to visit with, my friend. I’m excited to tell more about my time away, but it seems to be slow coming :).
I’m glad you are back. I can’t wait to hear about your trip to Hawaii. I would love to go to Hawaii one day when my kids are older.
Hi Sonya! I’m hoping to share more later this week about Hawaii, but it may be next week. There are about 1500 pictures to go through! We had a blast though. I really hope you get the chance to go with your family. My kids loved it!
Its so wonderful to see you back!! I Hope your vaca was wonderful and relaxing. Can wait to hear about your vacation.
Thanks, Tammy! I’m hoping to share more about it soon. I can’t believe how many pictures we took. My hubby, mother-in-law, and I started watching them all as a slideshow and finally had to stop it after 2 hours, still unfinished. Maybe I can go through the rest this week :). It’s so great to see you again!
Oh, how I love that you took a good break to discover the affirmation you needed in your writing mission Candace!! That book, and all those quotes hit my heart hard. Such an encouragement and inspiration for me as well!!
I’m so glad those quotes touched you as well, Chris! It was hard to pick out which ones to share. There are so many fantastic thoughts throughout the book. I was really surprised at how few of the authors I had ever heard of. Needless to say, my to-be-read list has grown tremendously :).
Glad you are back! I am taking my first week away from blogging later this month. I will bring a notebook to the beach though, because I know words will need to flow!
A notebook is a great idea, Sarah. I have a writing app on my iPad I planned to use, but never quite got to it. I think it’s so important to step away from our blogs every now and then. I hope you have an amazing week at the beach!
I think having or gaining awareness through writing is the biggest thing for me. The ability to reflect, step back and try to see the bigger picture!
I so agree with you, Roaen! That is a huge reason for me as well. I learn so much about a situation from writing about it. It’s great to see you again!
Sounds like a wonderful book! Glad you had a good break 🙂
It was an awesome book and break, Akaleistar :). I’m hoping she will do a sequel with 20 new authors. I would never tire of reading that series.