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Step Two – “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore our writing to sanity”

Now that we have taken a good look at giving our writing to God, let’s take a good look at ourselves. Can we turn our writing over to God without turning ourselves over? Can we separate our professional life from our home life? Is it possible to have an independent emotional life and a spiritual life that is surrendered to God? This seems to be the struggle that all people, but especially artists, face. Do we think we can be like Superman, hiding ourselves as a mild mannered reporter and only putting on the cape when we are writing? Or perhaps we see ourselves as Batman, hiding as a well-to-do playboy until we run with Robin to the Bat Cave and rush to capture the Joker.

These are extreme examples but writers, authors and Christians living in the secular world tend to separate the different parts of ourselves. We compartmentalize the different aspects of our personality, character and image. In our home we tend to be relaxed and be who we truly are. I once heard it said that if you want to know the truth about a person ask their spouse. What would your spouse say about you? Do you present yourself as a gentle professional while you nag your husband each day? Do you give generously to other writers, supporting them with charitable book reviews, but hold tightly to your purse when the basket is passed in church? Do you always take the time to give your publisher whatever they ask for, while ignoring the needs of your family?

You can’t give God your writing without giving Him all of yourself. You may think that you have. You may be sure that you have turned over every part of yourself to Him. If you think this we should all follow you to Rome for your canonization or perhaps you should go into prayer and ask Him what part of life you have not given freely to Him. This is something that requires deep meditation and prayer. It is a day by day thing for me as I tend to play a tug of war game with God. I’ll give him my writing, but leave my political views alone, thank you! I’ll give up something for Lent but it won’t be trying to control my children. My point is that it is impossible to give God just your writing. We want to do His Will, follow His Lead and surrender ourselves completely, but as flawed humans we rarely do. As artists we do not have the luxury that others do. We cannot hope to bring others to Jesus with our work when we cheat on our taxes or spend the day telling ‘white’ lies. To coordinate all the different aspects of our life requires insight from the Holy Spirit, continuous spiritual guidance and humility.

Today, I will tackle just a simple (or is it simple?) aspect of being a writer. How do you dress? I can start writing in the morning in my pajamas and startle in the afternoon when the doorbell rings and I am still in slippers and robe. I can look up from my laptop which I opened at 6 a.m. and realize it is noon and I have missed Mass. My husband can come in for dinner and find me without a trace of make-up, and sporting uncombed hair above the coffee stains on my tee shirt. I can become so embroiled in my alternate reality that his dinner can still be in the freezer and my hand on a takeout menu from the local pizza parlor. After all, I think, I am too busy doing God’s Will to take the time to shower and dress. Isn’t it a bit vain to worry about your appearance when your work awaits? It is when I start to ignore my appearance that I remember what I read somewhere – “Just for today, I will look as good as I can, dress becomingly…just for today!”

Does that seem silly and unimportant? Well, it is not. I find that when I take the time to dress appropriately, do my hair and put on make-up, I feel better, more professional, and take my work more seriously. When I dress as if I am going to an office, I give respect and validation to my work. More importantly I have turned my appearance over to God along with my writing.

When I am home, that may just be jeans with spotlessly clean sneakers and a pressed tee shirt. When I am meeting with an editor or publisher it means a crisp pants suit or pressed dress. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen writers go in to pitch to an editor in sloppy clothes and with unkempt hair. I think they imagine that they look the part of a bohemian artist. Instead, they appear as if they don’t respect the person they are meeting. It also looks as if they don’t respect themselves or their position. Turn just this little aspect of your life over to God. Give him your appearance. You represent Him in the way you present yourself to the world. And a strange thing happens when you take the time to dress professionally. You will start to feel professional and your writing will reflect that. You meet your deadlines and edit your work better because you feel more qualified. Your work takes on more authority because you appear qualified. Take this little part of your life and turn it over to God. Be who you are, and don’t segregate yourself into different compartments. If you are a professional writer, dress like one. It is all about attitude and knowing who you are in Christ. Dress as if you are going to work and you will be surprised by how much more your work flows. Dress with respect for others and you will garner respect for yourself. It may be just image but it is your image. And after all aren’t you trying to lead others to the Image of Christ?

Take a chance and try it. Turn your image over to Him and let Him restore your image to sanity. The results may just surprise you.

Karen Kelly Boyce is a mother of two and grandmother of two who lives on a farm in N.J. with her retired husband. She and her husband love to camp and take ‘road trips’ around the country. She has published four novels and three children’s books. Her website is www.karenkellyboyce.com

 

 

 

 

Karen Kelly Boyce lives on a farm in N.J. with her retired husband. She is a mother and grandmother. She is the author of “The Sisters of the Last Straw” series published by Tan Books. You can see her work and learn more about her on her website: www,kkboyce.com