The NaNoWriMo writing challenge has me hyper-focused write now.  A word whirlwind surrounds me.  There are eight days left in this year’s competition.  It is time for “No rules writing.”

Yes, I misspelled the word ‘right.’  It was not intentional, but I left the misspelling because I am consumed by a world of words and writing, at least for the time being.  I do my best to capture the words and put them on the page as fast as possible.  Work words, study words, blog words, story words, and the most important… God’s words.

My plans for writing this novel in November have flown away.  While I am buried in words and plots it is hard to keep up with my regular stuff.  The wild look in my eye as I head for my computer makes the princes in Milly’s Realm scatter.  There are causalities in this challenge.  Here are a few:

• Time with my husband, princes, family, and friends.
• The little chores to make the house nicer.
• Time to savor God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Yes, I still have my devotionals and say my prayers.  What I find I miss is just walking in his presence.
• Plans for the mountain cabin or just plans in general.

I know in my mind all these pieces will weave back into my life.  For now, I miss them and wonder, just what am I doing here?  Doubts crowd in, like a bully they shove at the soul.  Who do you think you are?  You are too weak to pull this off!  There’s a hit to the right shoulder spinning me backward.  There is no way to get 22,273 words by November 30^th.  I feel a shove between the shoulder blades.  It will take a miracle to finish.  Time’s up for you.  The punch lands in the gut.

Spiritually the shots have me on my knees.  This is when the battle cry goes to my Father!  Here is what I prayed last night when I was unable to form words in my exhausted brain:

“God help me get this done.  For your Glory!  Protect me from the fear and stress storms.  Jesus, please help me get up and try again.  I don’t know how you got up when you stumbled but you did.  Help me walk this challenge.  Holy Spirit, guide my fingers and bring the words together for His people.”

The Holy Spirit reminded me of what the Apostle Paul shared to the Philippians:

“Forward in Christ.

¹² It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ [Jesus].  ¹³ Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession.  Just one thing:  forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.  ¹⁵ Let us, then, who are “perfectly mature” adopt this attitude.  And if you have a different attitude, this too God will reveal to you.  ¹⁶ Only, with regard to what we have attained, continue on the same course.”

[Philippians 3:12-16 NABRE]

I just got told to “continue on the same course.”  If Jesus didn’t give up, neither will I in this.  God does all things in His timeframe.  He has a plan for this story.  I do not know what the plan is, but right now I am the fingers on the keyboard trusting God.  Someone has placed a drive to complete a workable draft of this story deep in my soul.

I am no longer working in my world with word count goals or timed writing sessions.  I am now ignoring time management rules.  The word count needed is so high I cannot meet the goal on my own.  I only know one who can; my big Brother who took on sin and death and won!  I will continue the race forward without earthly rules.  No rules…  Just Spirit!

Today I pray this will encourage you to move forward in pursuit toward your goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus for you.  God Bless,

Milly