Reinspired

This place is something special. I'm not talking about the castle or the scenic views and wildlife or any of that. There is a peace here and such a blessing that I cannot even begin to know how to describe it properly. I haven't posted in a bit because I've been taking everything in. And I mean everything. The writing workshops, the fellowship, everything. And everything God has been intending to say to me.

I would love for my mom to have come with me and experienced this, but being alone out here has given God a chance to speak to me. I just thank Him so much for all He's done. The blessings in the past day alone are almost innumerable.

I just settled into my room for the night, got ready for bed, and took off my make up. Not that there was much left. I just spent the past few hours talking to a wonderful brother in Christ. He exorted and uplifted me so much not only by his own personal testimony, stories, and opinions, but also through what he ended up saying to me personally. The Holy Spirit had a lot going on tonight in the third floor workshop room. He said that when he walked by and saw me alone with my laptop that he felt in his heart just to come in and say hi. What we talked about has benefitted me so much already.

I thought I'd been feeling closer to God, mostly because I was surrounded by godly people and this amazing setting. But now that I think about it, it was mainly sentiment. This discussion has given me and incredible amount to consider, to pray about, to do, and to relax in.

And I've realized that all writers go through hurt--many of them go through the most heart-rending pain imaginable. We've been advised on how to make our protagonist have a "bleakest moment" and that we should take something we've written that's bad to them and make it worse. And then we need to go at it again. And a third time for good measure. I thought that was extreme, especially in the context of my own story but now I know that God wants us to mirror our own lives through every aspect of what we offer up to Him as our writing and our craft.

I hope that you all know how much God loves you, how tender He is, how He loves being Daddy--Abba. I'm praying continually for the people I've met here, and those I already know and love.

I guess I just want to end this post by saying thank you. You, my friends, have done so much for me. I'll never be able to tell you how much. But I'll try.