I’ve Had Little Time to Rest Lately, but I’m More Excited than Ever

I’ve been diligent these past three weeks, so much so that I’ve forgotten to rest and reset when I need to.

Work, work, and more work have been the names of the game for many days.

Since I missed a chance to reset a bit this week, I must make up for it by going to bed at a decent hour and keeping myself available for rest.

Sometimes we need to pause a bit and reflect on taking care of ourselves.

God created us to work six days and have a day of rest.

And being laid back is fine sometimes, but there must be a balancing act between the two for the best results.

You can’t use your gifts to the best of your own ability if you’re running yourself down to the ground.

Those quiet moments mean so much when they’re fit in between working hard.

It’s in those silent moments where God speaks to us the loudest.

An opportune time to align yourself with the Maker of Worlds and quiet the human spirit to listen to THE Spirit.

These past few weeks have taught me a lot.

Free time feels so much freer when you don’t have as much of it.

To feel the coolness of the water on my tongue is a grander experience when I’ve worked enough to diminish it completely.

The night air is crisp and alive when you’re winding down after keeping at something for hours on end.

God designed the world and human experience like this on purpose.

There’s a balance to all things—duality, and contrast.

I love it.

You cannot fully know rest without work, and you cannot fully know work without rest.

Don’t be afraid to take a breather, but don’t shirk away from hard work, either.

These past few weeks, I’ve thought hard about how much work it’s going to take to make things happen.

I stumbled upon some feedback for one of my novels, which, while disheartening in some ways, made me realize some people don’t click with your work. Which I’m fine with, truly.

If they had criticized my writing ability itself, it might be different, but the story didn’t work for them and that’s cool

I don’t mind if people don’t like what I do. But I worked hard on Auminous, and my books are like my children in that way. I raised them up to full maturity. The hard work and seed had been planted, and I watered that novel daily for a long time, rewriting at least 30 times over the course of three years.

I won’t be taking three years to write my novels now, because I feel three to four months is plenty of time.

My work ethic has only increased in the sense that I find having free time isn’t as fulfilling as making something.

I could sit and read another author’s book (which I am doing now for a few different authors and illustrators, too) or I can write my own novels, or edit something until it is refined enough to shine.

Plus, I’m always afraid if I read too much of other authors’ work, some subconscious aspect of those works will get into my writing, and I want to avoid that at all costs.

But I’m reinvigorating that initial creative spark, finding that I want to work harder on everything, to serve the LORD with all my heart.

I didn’t outline this post, so if it’s a bit of a stream-of-consciousness style and all over the place, it is what it is.

I know God has plans for my writing. If even one person is affected by what I write, then I’m happy.

And I think not putting in 100% effort isn’t living out what it means to be a believer.

I want to put 100% into my professional life and my personal life.

That thing I truly want more than anything is right around the corner. I can feel it.

Working hard is a form of worship, after all.

That goes for many things in our lives.

These things take time, of course—time which is so precious, and we never get back.

You’ve got to hold each moment as important, even the times when it seems like nothing is happening behind the scenes.

God is always lining things up perfectly, and He isn’t silent.

You’ve got to be still enough to listen.

Being exhausted is one way of doing that, I think.

I want to work hard enough that my King tells me, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

But I want to still myself enough to hear Him say, “You worshiped Me even when it was difficult, stopped the cares of this life to truly know Me, enter your Master’s joy.”

There’s something wonderful coming around the corner and I’m excited. It just takes a bit more time to find yourself in those things you’re asking God for.

So, work harder, rest better, and you’ll meet with your intended destiny soon.

And the Father’s will for your life? That’s where you want to be.