Have you heard the phrase that fear paralyzes you?  Yeah, so have I.  Lately I have been wondering why I haven't continued my writing.  I mean, I have some wonderful story ideas.  I have started many of them.  I keeping thinking about ideas that I want to add to some of them.  So why can't I just finish ONE?  Just one.  That's all I want.  Really.  So then what's the answer?  Fear?  I have been thinking about that.  I'm just not so sure anymore.

The last few weeks I have started reading more.  Yes, it's good.  I love losing myself in the lives of those characters in the stories.  Some of the books have locations that I would either like to go to or have been to.  It's been marvelous.  And every time I finish a book I praise the author for such wonderful work.  He or she captures the characters perfectly. Does a wonderful job in pulling the reader in and capturing his/her attention.  I like building up the author.  Although, after I think about it, do they really need to be built up or encouraged?  After all, aren't they they ones who are already published?  

I found myself comparing my writing to theirs.  Silly, I know.  But I do it anyway.  I psych myself out.  Don't judge me.  You probably have your own comparisons you make, don't you?  So here I am, sitting in my recliner, enjoying the fruits of others and not allowing the Lord to use my own fingers and creativity to put to paper the stories He has blessed me with.  Why?  One word - paralyzed.  What?  Yes, I compare my own talent to those I am reading and it paralyzes me to the point I won't even pick up the pen and paper.

Well, I guess you could say it's fear, too.  Fear that I won't be good enough to have anyone read my stories and think that way about me that I think about others.  I've been thinking that as long as I compare myself to others I won't have to actually "do" anything.

Who have you compared yourself to?  What has that caused you to NOT do?  What have you feared?  Do  you trust the Lord to overcome that fear by stepping out in faith and doing what He has gifted you to do?  How about we take each other's hands and take that leap together?  I am going to start writing.  It's my heart.  It's my gift.  It's my "talent" and I don't want my Master to be disappointed in me because I hid it (buried it) instead of taking a chance!  I would rather step out in faith and use the talent to the best of my ability and give God all the glory for the outcome than squander those talents and God be disappointed and I keep giving others the praise that only the Lord deserves.

What say you?

Please leave a comment on this blog.  (You will have to add your name and email, but please take the time to do this.  I want to see how many of you are holding my hand and jumping with me.)