Why This Word Girl Writes (Blog Hop)

Most days I love my cross-cultural life in Turkey, but there are times when I want to pull out my hair and catch the next plane home. Writing helps this home schooling mom and pastor’s wife to maintain her sanity in the face of many demands. I write for myself. I write to connect with God. I write to encourage others. I guess that makes me a word girl.

Today I’m participating in a writer’s blog hop: recently Carmen Horne and Kristine Brown featured me on their blogs.  Now it’s my turn: I’ll respond to three writerly questions, and introduce two friends.

What am I working on?

Primarily I write for this blog! For now blogging is a great way to learn more about writing and improve my craft while I dream of future projects.

My favorite themes are:

• Getting God’s Word into everyday life
• Joy when the going gets tough
• God’s love: receiving it ourselves and reflecting it to others.
• Thankfulness
• Family and Marriage

Why do I write?

Faith Spilling Over is an extension of my vision for women’s ministry. I share what God puts on my heart in hopes that it will encourage others. I want women to realize that God loves and treasures them, and that through His Holy Spirit they have the power they need for everyday life.

How does my writing process work?

Most mornings I set a timer and write for 30 minutes. (It sounds neurotic, I know, but I do many things with a kitchen timer. It helps me to focus for a specific amount of time on tasks ranging from school planning to housework.) Later on in the day, as I have time, I pick up on what I started during that morning half hour. I keep a running list of ideas for future writing.

Two of My Writing Friends

One thing I love about blogging is building community with like-minded women on-line. Many of you encourage me and spur me on to love and good deeds!

Here are two friends whose blogs I love. Lisa Smith and I go way back to when our kids were toddlers in Santa Cruz, California. Katie Reid is a new friend I met on-line:

Columba “Lisa” Smith is a single mom of three wonderful teens. She began homeschooling when her oldest child started Kindergarten, and never looked back. Now he’s in college. What a relief—he made it! One of her children has type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease. Her third child is addicted to Dr. Who and theater. All this gives Lisa abundant blogging material!

Lisa has far too many writing aspirations for one person. For now, she shares her fresh-lived experiences of God’s faithfulness at SingleMomFaith.com, and inches slowly forward on her book, Biblical Encouragement for Single Moms.

 

Katie Reid is the Tightly Wound Woman and a recovering perfectionist who is learning to slow down and breathe deeply while she fumbles to receive and extend grace in everyday moments. Katie delights in her hubby and four children and their life in ministry. Studying God’s Word, singing/songwriting, blogging, photography, and heartfelt conversations are a few of her favorite things. She would love to connect with you over at her blog The Tightly Wound Woman and on Facebook and Twitter. Come and be a part of a community of woman who are wound up tight on the inside and also tightly wound to His side.

 

 

 

A Big THANK YOU!

Lastly, I want to thank you, my readers. Your stopping by here to read my words blesses and encourages me more than I can say.

Gratefully yours, Betsy