There is no need to produce or perform or perfect—simply become a place for God.
Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift
Produce. Perform. Perfect.
Produce your daily word count. Craft your message. Plot your novel. Create content: blog posts, podcast episodes, newsletters, emails. Meet your deadlines. Do it again. Write more. Do more.
Perform your platform building tasks. Measure your likes, your comments, your followers. Daily, hourly, minute-by-minute. Create more content: memes, stories, reels. Dance. Do it again. Create more. Do more.
Perfect your sample chapters. Edit. Edit again. It’s not good enough. Start over. Find a better idea. An original idea. An original, high-concept idea. Edit. It’s not good enough. Start over. Do it again. Edit more. Do more.
Produce. Perform. Perfect.
Aren’t these jobs the duties of a writer—what we’re told to do? Meant to do?
Is there anything wrong with working hard? Is there anything wrong with using the tools of our trade to promote the message we believe God has imparted to us? Is there anything wrong with offering God and our readers our best work?
Perhaps those questions are the wrong ones to ask.
Perhaps the right questions to ask, the imperative questions for you and for me, are…
Am I sitting at the feet of Jesus? Am I practicing stillness with Him? Am I listening?
Is my heart surrendered?
To Him?
Are my heart and hands open?
Toward Him?
Is He enough?
For me?
Words For Writers
Receive your FREE Steps For Success, blog posts, and occasional updates when you subscribe to Words For Writers.
Perfect timing.
Jane, I needed this reminder myself this morning. Glad the timing was also perfect for you.
Beautifully put Ginny and just what I needed. Thank you.
Janet, perhaps this is a message many of us needed right now. When we’re sitting at the feet of Jesus, our work will, I believe, flow out of that time with Him.
Ah…exhale.
Perfect words came at the perfect timing for me.
Thank you.
Michele, God seems intent in offering us moments to exhale, doesn’t He? 🙂
Lovely thoughts for today, Ginny! Many items on my “to-do” list this morning, but first on the agenda is prayer, along with Bible and devotional readings. Even so, sometimes I feel as if I’m clinging to the Lord’s hand as he drags me through the day! 😇
Blessings to you for a peacefully productive day!
Kathy, it seems like letting God drag you through each day is the best way to live! 🙂 By the way, congratulations on your recent award from West Coast Christian Writers!
Thank you, Ginny! The WCCW award was truly a surprise, but so encouraging … just what I needed at that particular time. And thank you for your mentorship also. I’m working toward a St. Patrick’s Day release … 🥴
I was going to write almost exactly what Michele wrote above, including the ‘Ah…’.
Thank you Ginny.
Breathing…
Angela, “Ah…” seems like the response many of us have in the face of grace. That was my response to Ann Voskamp’s quote that inspired this post.
It’s a good thing I read this post twice. First time I read it too fast, and I was exhausted just thinking about produce, perfect, perform! YES!!! My time with the Lord is essential. If my day is busy, I get up a little early so I can plan my day with Him. This weekend in the middle of prayers, God gave me TWO blog posts with concepts fully developed! Now I just have to finesse it this week!
It’s a good thing I read this post twice. First time I read it too fast, and I was exhausted just thinking about produce, perfect, perform! YES!!! My time with the Lord is essential. If my day is busy, I get up a little early so I can plan my day with Him. This weekend in the middle of prayers, God gave me TWO blog posts with concepts fully developed! Now I just have to finesse it this week!
Linda, I’m also glad you read it twice! 🙂
Ginny, This speaks right to where I’m at!! After a season of writing, self-publishing, and trying to craft a message God placed on my heart that took time, I lost the joy I had for writing. It had become more about doing and numbers, and less about the people I am serving. Over the last week, I have begun to change up my routine, take some time off, and pray. As I rest in His presence, the peace in my soul is returning and I am relishing my time with Jesus. Thank you.
Julie, I’m so grateful this post spoke to you. It seems to be a timely message.
You ask some very good questions. Thanks for sharing this.
Such a powerful quote, such a powerful blog. You are so GOOD at encouragement and speaking to the heart. I love and look forward to all of your posts. 🙂
Holly, it’s such a powerful quote! Thank you, again Ann Voskamp for writing words that matter.
Ginny, thank you. This post is so helpful. I wanted to say that your words were timely, but I think if I were to read the “right” questions every day, they would be timely every time. I’m going to give it a try and see.
Great point, Sara. Those questions are always timely.
Thank you. Just what I needed to read, just when I needed to read it. The first three paragraphs made me want to cry, because I find myself in the cycle. But both this and, in Jesus’s perfect timing, my quiet time that included Mary and Martha make me stop and breath. Jesus is why I’m communicating in the first place!
I’m so glad the post resonated, Susan. God’s timing is alway perfect. 🙂
Ginny. I always read you. When I’m rushed, I save you and read you later. When you write, its you and I always know it. Thank you, for doing it so well. You have pushed through the wall of media and writing mechanisms and into peoples actual lives. I REALLY wanted you to know that.
Ginny! What a fantastic post. That was one of the best ones yet! I had to force myself to not jump ahead to the final points. You kept me guessing. So original. I love your wisdom. Thanks for the reminder!
Thank you for the reminder.