R is for Routine ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

I fell out of my morning writing routine when I realized an old goal I was aiming for appeared unreachable. Words said to me unraveled my self-esteem as a writer and person. The words left me feeling like a misfit in a community I longed to feel safe in.  

One of my attributes is tenacity. It came to my rescue. Thankfully I didn’t pause my quiet times. I continued to write each morning in my junk journal and create a poem for each verse of the day that I chose. 

A simple routine can be a writer’s bestie.  

In the meantime, I allowed myself time to grieve and heal. Then I made new plans. Plans to prosper in whatever way God was directing me to. Something I was wondering about repeatedly bubbled to the surface. And since God seemed to be prompting me to investigate the topic, I did. My research brought me closer to answering a question I’ve had for over a decade. In a broader sense, it’s a question I’ve had since childhood.

Whatever the answer turns out to be, I’ve invited routine to be my writing bestie again so that I will be prepared for the next writing venture. I have a new target audience. It’s not kingdom people who fit in. It’s misfits of the kingdom and those who love them.

As a writer who now plans to self-publish, I don’t need to worry if my target audience is small. Nor do I need to worry if my plans won’t work in the traditional publishing world. I can write the book I wished was there for me and for people like me. I can love on the misfits with the love God has lavished on me. Routine will help me get there because it’s a bestie we can rely on.

Routines are reliable friends who help us show up so words can be downloaded from a heart that longs to meet the needs of its readers.

The simpler a routine, the better. I wrote the first draft of this blog post as my first step in stepping back into my preferred routine. My husband is at work, my cats have been tended to, and I’ve already had quiet time and breakfast. 

Now that I’ve already crafted my working title for the devotional that I’ve been saving all my unpublished poetry for (A Messiah for the Misfits), I’m invested. My routine of sharing a poem once a week on my Facebook page has acquired a following who appreciate them. I’ve learned what blesses my target audience the most. (Let’s not underestimate the helpful lessons we learn through engagement on social media.)  And my quiet time routine of choosing a Bible verse of the day and writing a poem to go with it has granted me a lengthy list to work with. 

A simple routine girded with faith is a firm foundation for godly grace.

Great works start with a humble routine.

What simple step could you take to help routine be your writing bestie? 

Blessings.  

We're the Messiah's misfits. You might be sure of yourselves, but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties. You might be well-thought-of by others, but we're mostly kicked around.

1 Corinthians 4:10 MSG

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and YouTuber who loves photographing nature on Vancouver Island. Her happy place is making junk journals to sell in her Etsy shop. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”

P.S. God’s orderliness is clearly seen in creation. He understands our need for the steady hand of a reasonably predictable routine. God is also the God of miracles. Sometimes the unexpected upheavals that happen in our lives and routines are necessary roads to a deeper relationship with Christ.