By Larry Leech @LarryJLeechII
Life’s greatest opportunities don’t always come wrapped in a big box with a giant bow on top. Sometimes a life-changing situation first appears as a black cloud full of bad news. When those moments arrive, you can curl into a ball and cry for all eternity.
Or … stand up and fight … with all your might.
Of course, we all know where our might comes from. With a heavenly boost, I discovered a depth of fight in me that I didn’t know I had. I don’t like pain and suffering. Unlike the younger me, I no longer take risks or do anything that might cause me to get hurt. Maybe it’s age. Maybe it’s wisdom. Either way, I don’t like being in pain. Or suffering. Or even being uncomfortable.
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It took a few health issues over the years for me to find that fight within me. Now when something “minor” pops up, like slicing a drive off the first tee, I find myself saying, sometimes to a golf partner, “Worse things have happened.”
In finding that fight in me, I also have learned how to not let the little things bother me, like slicing a drive off the second tee when I made an adjustment to fix it.
At times, we need that same attitude in our writing. Spending minutes, maybe even hours, fussing over a word, a sentence, a paragraph can suffocate our creativity, maybe even to the point of throwing in the towel. Maybe not permanently, but possibly for an hour, a week, and worst of all, months.
If God has put a story or a message on your heart, He has plans for it. Might be to become a best-seller. Might be to reach one person. But … He can’t complete His plans if you don’t do your part. And that’s to finish.
So next time you want to throw in the towel, fight with all your might to the finish. Don’t let the enemy or anything else keep you for “doing your part.” The reward of the fight is worth it.
Now to make another adjustment so I don’t slice my third drive.
Writing coach of award-winning novelists, Larry J. Leech II has spent nearly 40 years working with words. After a 23-year journalism career that began in 1981, Larry moved into freelance writing and editing in 2004. He has ghostwritten nearly 30 books and edited more than 250 manuscripts. Larry teaches at numerous conferences nationwide and can be found online on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and his website, www.larryleech.com.
The Conversation
Yes! Yes! Yes! Keep writing. Don’t give up. God has a plan. 🙂
In the fight and pressing on. Thanks, Larry, for your encouragement.
Well said.
Sometimes my writing takes me into the political realm. I fought a battle- mostly in writing – to save my husband’s life after he reported illegal activities in the military and suffered severe, life-threatening retaliation. Result: I saved his life and forced the military to write the Military Whistleblowers Protection Directive of 1995 which now protects our troops.
Recently, I was appalled the president wanted to place Americans between Ukraine & Russia to attempt to stop that war, and as an excuse to gain possession of rare earth minerals. He said the USA had none. I live in Wyoming. I did some research and discovered articles about one discovery of rare earth minerals to the tune or 2.64 billion metric tons. So I emailed the President, Marco Rubio, our senator (Barrasso), and attached the link, saying, “We have 2.64 billion metric tons of rare earth minerals in just one location here in Wyoming. We don’t need Ukraine or China.” To Marco Rubio and Sen. Barrasso, I said, “Please tell the President!” Then I did a media blitz, sending the information to FOX, ABC & NBC. FOX picked it up. During his State of the Union Address, the President said briefly that we would be exploring our own rare earth minerals. (He also abandoned the idea of sending Americans to Ukraine to stand between them and China.) Within a month, the Sec. of the Interior came to Wyoming to open the first rare earth mineral mine we’ve had here in over 30 years. He concluded by saying, “We don’t need Ukraine or China.”
Sometime we as authors can make a huge difference at a national level…if we are brave and not afraid to speak up. And if we’ve learned the media ropes.Sometimes we give our lives away for the sake of others as we write and publish for ministry purposes or to help our nation. But if we keep our hearts open to God’s instructions, we store up treasure in heaven and help protect people with our work. It may be free, but it’s priceless for those who benefit, even if they never know who helped them.
I meant to say the President wanted Americans to stand between Ukraine and RUSSIA. Sorry for not proofing!
How can it be two weeks later, and I’m crying over this piercing word?. Thanks, Larry. 🙂