Word fast
I've asked Prudence Landis to write today about a challenge she's discovered with writing and how she found a way to overcome it. Though our families haven't met in person, I count her a true friend and genuine soul. Her blog can be found at: http://www.prudychick.com/. I hope you'll spend some time getting to know her. Here's her post: I'm going to be a little honest. I'm finding it almost comical that I'm writing a post on writing, when my heart's words have been so silent lately. It seems to be a reoccurring theme in my life the past year. Because when I write, I write my heart; and sometimes what a heart has to say is a secret. Sometimes, though, you have to force yourself to write. Force yourself to peel back the layers of what your heart wants to hide and reveal what it wants to say. I find the times when the layers are more easily pulled back is when all is silent. When the the noise of the day dies away and the only sound is the thrushing of the ceiling fan. Here in the quiet of the dark my brain awakens. Words come and I sort through them. This can often lead to nights of insomnia. The whirring my synapses firing and ideas writing themselves out. There are the occasions I'll drag my weary body & vibrant mind out of bed and make my way down nightlight illumined stairs and spell out these short songs my heart weaves. And more often the nights when I choose to toss and pray that these words will not fade into the night, forgotten in the rising of the sun. This scenario rarely works. ;) I'm learning, however, that word fasts aren't a bad thing. My friend Elora, shares with me that she's come to realize that her words aren't her own...they're God's, and so she waits to hear what He wants to say. And I agree with her. I never want to drum up words for the sheer purpose of publishing content. And I've noticed when I seek Him and ask Him to give me words, He is often faithful to do so. I'm learning and I want to emphasize there is peace in the word fasts. I like what Amber Haines says in this post, she writes: "Sometimes silence is the best thing for our souls, and ultimately what is good for our souls is what’s good for our writing. It all works together." Silence, whether that of our hearts or that of the night can be nourishing. Writing isn't always easy. My encouragement is that you would cherish the silent moments. Allow the rest & the fast to speak to you, to refine your creative voice. And when your heart sings write her songs.
