Wednesday in the Word: Unbroken

Ecclesiastes 4:12 NASB “And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three stands is not quickly torn apart.”

The 2nd Annual Once Upon A Page Writers Retreat was held last week. I love getting together with Amy and Erin when we do our videos, and the retreat is an extra special time of camaraderie. This year, eleven other writers joined us for lessons, food, games, and a quiet place with plenty of time devoted to writing. That was fourteen people coming together to encourage each other in their writing!

There were a lot of laughs shared. We helped each other brainstorm problem areas in our stories. We even had a couple of impromptu story times as a couple authors shared what they’re working on. It was

a great time.

The best thing about writing retreats and conferences is coming away energized. I don’t think it matters if you’re an introvert or an extrovert. Though, if you’re an introvert like me, you might experience a deeper exhaustion physically after the event. But even with the need to take a nap and enjoy the silence driving me for a couple days after I return home, I still have a renewed energy for writing. The excitement for this ministry buoys inside me.

 

That’s the strength of connecting with other writers. Alone in my office, discouragement is hard to face. The bad review, the interrupted writing time, and even the occasional writer’s block (along with a myriad of other happenings) can cause my passion to wane.

When I add in my writing friends, discouragement cannot resist our combined defense. Together, we build
each other up. As a team united in our love of writing, we push each other to greater success, growth, and keeping a positive attitude.

But we have a third cord to strengthen us even more. We have faith. Our love of what we do unites us. So does our love of God and living the lives He has called us to. With the cord of faith tying us together, we don’t have to worry about our differences. Our passion for and call to write has come from Him, and that is a hard truth to defeat. When the enemy starts to steal our joy, we don’t simply remind each other that we love what we do. We tell each other to remember Who called us and that He is going to make our writing exactly what He wants it to be if we give it to Him.

Coming together in faith and in our love of writing, we help make each other unbreakable in the face of discouragement. Have you found a group like that in the ministries you work in?