When I’m not writing I can be found reading, thinking, learning, or travelling. My life is filled with spontaneous travel and spontaneous events. It wasn’t always like that and, I must admit, I found it easier to write when the discipline of a set schedule compelled me to keep working.
When I began travelling more, my scheduled life unraveled and I found both benefits and drawbacks.
A set schedule gave me the structure I needed to fit things in, and a random life led to the development of the ‘later virus’.
The biggest benefit of living without a set schedule is that my internal supply is refilled by new experiences and spontaneous trips to unexpected destinations.
In order to write you need something inside to write about. What do you draw on that informs your writing?
I’ve developed a flow in my life that might not look like yours.
I travel for around three months every year. I book in for some sort of training, conference every year. I attend a writing group. I belong to a collective.
I pray. Meditate. Go to church. Listen to inspiring messages. Worship.
I read widely. I view widely. I listen widely.
Stuff swirls around in my head and, somehow, it is translated into writing. So when I’m not writing, I’m building my internal supply.
Despite this, my internal supply has been sucked dry. It’s been a big year and a couple of weeks ago I crashed—big time. Somehow my internal supply was dry. The travel, the reading, the inspiration factory of life, wasn’t filling the tank like I thought it should.
So, I retreated. I got quiet. I nestled into God and took some time to reconnect with Him.
I’ve been reminded that if my internal supply isn’t filled with God, then all the other things I try and fill it with are in vain.
This weekend I’m at the Omega Writers Conference in Sydney, as will a lot of you. As we fill up our internal supply with inspiration from speakers, worship, prayer, being still and having time away from regular responsibilities, I pray you too will have your internal supply restored, or at least topped-up.
He who kneels the most, stands the best. D.L. Moody
Thanks Elaine for a lovely post. It resonated deeply with me. I love the truth you've presented to us. That sometimes all the other means of internal supply aren't enough. We need the Source of life and the Source of in fact everything, to top us up. I can well identify with all you do in order to feed your writing life. A book by 'Gordon Macdonald' - 'Ordering your private world' got my attention this year - he talks of the importance of regularly filling our tank with God - in order to serve Him better. I read it, then studied it using its study guide and it blessed me greatly. I hope the conference topped your tank and every blessing as you continue to retreat and advance for the Kingdom.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anusha. It was so lovely to spend time with you Over he weekend. I'll look up the book you mentioned and continue to pray for you as you continue your journey. Xx
DeleteAmen! That sounds exactly like how I feel. Loads of information from all the mentioned sources, but without the time with God, it all becomes a jumbled mess of ideas, feelings and emotions. Thank you Lord for your Grace so that when we do finally stop and re-fill from his heart, he doesn't turn us away.
ReplyDeleteGod's grace is what sustains us. When we think we're at the end of our rope, he supplies what we need.
DeleteThanks, Meredith. It was so lovely to see you at the conference. I'm continuing the retreat and looking to God for His supply.
ReplyDeleteThank you Elaine I was sad not to get to the conference on the weekend. Having your own business has some drawbacks, I was at a Motorcycle Show!
ReplyDeleteLike you, it has been important for me to have a schedule but a change of address has turned my usual life and schedule upside down. Though I am thankful to find fruitful God and me alone time.
In hope your 'tank' is topped up after the Omega conference and your alone time with God in the days ahead is a blessing.
Motorcycle Show! Interesting. My husband loves motorbikes and is currently in the US riding for Ducati. The conference was great and I was very blessed to be there.
DeleteHi Elaine - thanks for the reminder that without the source - God himself - the other wells of creativity will run dry.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the book yet, but it's on my 'to buy' list now. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteFor sure, Jeanette.
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