Let There Be WritingSample

Start Where You Are

The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Genesis 1:2 NLT

One of the greatest distractions we face as writers is waiting for a better time or place to begin. We tell ourselves we’ll write when life isn’t so busy, when we’ve learned a little more, when we’ve overcome our struggles, when our healing is complete. But God began creating when “the earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters” (Genesis 1:2 NLT).

I remember sitting in my car outside a coffee shop, laptop bag next to me. I’d just come from an appointment with my doctor to talk about my anxiety and depression symptoms. I sensed God whispering, “Write about this now.”

I told him I would write later when I had it all figured out. I’d be glad to do so from a safe distance, maybe when I could tell an impressive story about how it all turned out. But I didn’t want to do it when this struggle still felt formless and empty, when darkness still covered deep waters in my life.

But the nudge only grew stronger so I went inside the coffee shop, ordered a latte, and started to type. I wrote, “I did a brave, hard thing today.” That line became the beginning of an essay that ended up in one of my books. That was years ago, and I’ve had so many people tell me my words helped them find the courage to do a brave, hard thing for themselves too.

There will never be a perfect time for you to write.

You will never be perfect enough to feel completely ready.

Start from wherever you are today, from the emptiness and darkness, from the busyness and full calendar, from your messy kitchen table or the corner of a crowded coffee shop.

Start where you are because that is where God is too. He is in the struggle and uncertainty, in the self-doubt and second-guessing, in the stories you are living that are not yet finished.

People do not need perfection from you as a writer. They need you to show up as you are and point them to Jesus. You can do that from anywhere. You can do that from everywhere. You can do it in your best moments. You can do it in your worst ones too.

God, when I feel tempted to wait for a better place or time to create, help me show up as I am, where I am, and simply write what I can today. Amen.

What helps you show up as you are, where you are, and simply write?