I had no trouble getting up this a.m. It wasn’t that my room was so much warmer (the thermometer read 62º instead of yesterday’s 58°), I couldn’t sleep because my mind was flooded with ideas. So here I am at my computer. Which idea should I pursue and which ideas should I reject? Choosing just one idea and sticking with it is difficult. I did pray, asking the Lord for direction, so I will stick with the idea that keeps (like a blinking light) coming back to my mind.
That idea is the desire to start a blog. Why do I want to blog? I want to connect with other writers. I want to encourage other writers and find encouragement from them. I think I will name my blog “Courage to Write.”
What does encouragement look like? One of the best illustrations I know of is the example of Katya Greer. Katya was a fantastic artist and teacher. She was a member of my church until she unexpectedly died three years ago. I still remember the words of one of her students. She said, “Mrs. Greer would look at my work and say, ‘That is beautiful!’ Then she would add, ‘and it could be even better if . . . .”
Encouragement starts with affirmation, by noticing and telling someone what is beautiful, true, compelling, good, reputable or excellent about their writing. Sometimes, when editing my sister, husband, or my own work, I’ve skipped that necessary affirmation and started with the “it could be better” part. That is discouraging.
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