My Writing Testimony - M. Laycock

I'm following Kimberley's lead. Thanks, Kim! :)

I began writing when quite young, and kept it up under the tutelage and encouragement of several teachers through grade school, high school and on into University. Then my life took a rather wild detour, taking me north to the Yukon. I wrote sporadically while there, finishing a fantasy novel and pages of poetry since lost into the dust of oblivion (some of it litearlly eaten by mice!).

Then God intervened. Our lives were turned upside down by the suicide of two friends, the disappearance of a neighbour's baby and the drowning of a friend's husband. Suddenly we began asking the "big questions," and God slowly and graciously led us to Himself, the true and only answer.

Two years after telling our pastor we had decided to "give Jesus a try," we found ourselves at Briercrest Bible College where my husband enrolled in pastoral studies. Caring for two little girls and taking classes when I could left little time for writing, but in my last year there a friend invited me to go with her to a seminar called Speak Up with Confidence, led by Carol Kent.

I wasn't too keen on going - after all, I'd never be a public speaker! ;) But I went along to keep my friend company.

As she taught about speaking Carol talked a lot about writing. The match was struck and the fire became a passion to write once again.

Shortly after we arrived in small town Alberta to begin pastoring our first church. My husband met with the previous pastor who had been a proverbial "one man show." Spence was feeling somewhat overwhelmed with all the responsibilities when the pastor said, "Oh, and I almost forgot - you have to write a weekly column in the newspaper and it's due tomorrow."

Spence came home and asked if I would put something together. That was the beginning of a twenty year run of my devotional column, The Spur. Then came my first devotional book, The Spur of the Moment, then another, Focused Reflections, then my novel One Smooth Stone won me the Best New Canadian Christian Author Award.

Now the second edition of The Spur of the Moment is going to press and a sequel to One Smooth Stone is in process. In between there have been articles and poems, short stories and full length novels, radio and video scripts, newsletters and even a play or two.

Through it all God has taught me much about myself, others and most importantly, about Him.

I'm excited to see what's around the corner, knowing He is going to bless me and others through the words He gives me to write.

The journey hasn't always been easy but it has always been joyful.