How Others Bless Me as a Writer

I’ve been writing for a few years now. I thought I’d stop after my first book, but I was hooked. My first publication was a memoir about raising my son with autism. My side of the story, my son had published a few years earlier. And that was that. Or so I thought.

Since then, I’ve written more books and become part of the community of Christian writers. I have so much to be grateful for as I continue this path God has set before me.

Opportunities to learn my craft from seasoned writers through courses and conferences are invaluable—as are calls for submissions to contests, which add to my experience, and invitations to write for anthologies.

I’m grateful for helpful critiques from other writers as I try to improve my skills. And having another writer to brainstorm with me about my stories is priceless.

A dear friend designed a website for me to connect with my readers. I’m abundantly grateful to her because of my lack of knowledge about all things technological. I still text her often to ask her why things aren’t doing what I want them to.

A simple handwritten note of encouragement from a fellow author changed my entire day when I was down-in-the-dumps. She’s sent me many things over the years, all by mail. She inspired me to pay it forward.

It was very rewarding to get my first book sale and my first cheque from Amazon. As I handed my book to someone else and opened my cheque, I felt God’s affirmation of my work.

I’m extremely grateful for my family and friends who encourage me and support my writing. They ask how my new book is coming along and listen as I tell them all my woes of story arcs and “Easter eggs.”

I think the most gratitude I felt as a new writer was hearing from a mother whose child had recently been diagnosed with autism. She told me how my memoir made a difference in her life. Knowing that was so humbling and spurred me on to ask God what else He had for me to write.

So, I’m especially grateful that I have a loving heavenly Father who gives me rich blessings every day to show me I’m on the right track.

^“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1 NIV).