Ideas to fuel your creativity through visual arts and creative writing, and sharing ways to keep a diary or journal to create a sacred space to write honestly about our life and faith.
This is my safe outlet where I write things that are personal in nature. My journey through life as a single, introverted Christian woman.
But what started as my personal blog became a place to show off my writing. And because I was showing off, I pressured myself to only publish perfect writing.
Perfect writing eluded me. But mostly because I didn’t know what that’s supposed to look like for me. I agonised over every word, every sentence. I wrote paragraphs and would delete them because I was afraid that people wouldn’t like what I’d written, how I wrote them, my structure, format, whatever.
Most times I forced myself to click on ‘Publish’ and not care whether anyone read what I wrote or not. But I cared. In secret, I cared, and I wanted my writing to be good. So good that people liked to read what I write and to come back for more, and subscribe. Yes, subscribe, because that’s what all the how-to-blog articles say – get subscribers, grow your email list, give your readers a reason to return, send out newsletters.
Things to be done, but take up time away from writing. Things that started to replace writing. I got distracted worrying about getting more readers, more subscribers, that I hardly had enough time to write.
Turning fifty got me thinking about things I’ve always wanted to do, to be. About my purpose. About why I wanted a website in the first place. Why I wanted a blog. Why I wanted to write.
Now I’m determined to focus on my original purpose: to write to know what I know about my faith. To understand what I’ve learned.
There is no such thing as writer’s block. Not when we have writing prompts in our armoury.
Pick a prompt or one of the beginnings, set your timer for five minutes and free-write about each one.
Five minutes works for me to get my first thoughts down on paper; you can always expand on your writing and use it as an essay, diary entry, letter to a friend, a poem or blog post.
Begin a sentence
The scent of vanilla reminds me of… (substitute vanilla with your favourite scent).
Describe in colourful detail where you’re sitting right now.
Describe your dream writing desk; from the desk to your writing instruments, pen, typewriter, computer, paper, blotter, trays; describe the shapes and colours.
Imagine you’re the servant King David appoints to look after Bathsheba whenever she’s visiting the palace while Uriah is away at war. Describe your moral turmoil knowing the sin they were committing.
Where is the way where light dwellerth? Read Job 38:19 KJV. Imagine that God told you the location. Describe it in vivid detail.
Imagine that wisdom is a real person. Describe her.
Maintaining Writing Momentum
Develop your writing habits by keeping a regular writing schedule that helps you maintain your writing momentum. Remember, your first draft isn’t your final draft.
Write the way that works for you. Just keep writing.
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Singular Faith is where I openly share my journey (and struggles) of faith, insights I’ve learned on living as an introverted Christian (Christian introvert?), and reflections on embracing spinsterhood with grace.
Spiritual Journey During Challenging Times
The coronavirus pandemic showed and tested the depth and strength of my faith in God. In a way, it was a lens through which I saw how we each respond to crisis. Most of the people I knew were Christians, struggled with the circumstances they found themselves in. They suddenly found themselves unemployed, confined at home with their families, and were overwhelmed with uncertainty about the future. While it reminded me to be more understanding, it also made me realise that if we don’t have a deep relationship with God, our response to crisis will always be driven by fear and uncertainty.
I realised I could no longer depend on others to bolster my faith or direct my decisions and life. I had to step out in faith and be honest with God. The challenges of the pandemic made me realise my need to deepen my relationship and intimacy with God.
For a long time, I used my introversion as a stick to beat myself down and as a way to ‘get by’ in my relationship with God. I would approach God like a slave approaching a heartless taskmaster. I viewed my introversion as a barrier, and not as a potential for spiritual growth through quiet contemplation. My prayers were selfish, shallow, and full of self-pity, a mark of a shallow faith rather than an intimate connection with Jesus Christ. I read the Bible only when I thought of it. I never thought about getting to know God for who He is—the One who inspired not only the writers but also the very words contained in the Bible.
The global shutdown forced me to confront the weakness in my spiritual foundation, and I knew that I had to find faith through the difficult times. The pandemic looked like the end-of-the-world scenario described in the Bible – like the Book of Revelation was real, so I decided to take the Bible at its word.
It was then that I truly began exploring and trying to understand Bible prophecy through the Book of Revelation and the Book of Daniel, among others. The words helped me to pray God’s promises over me and my family. The Holy Spirit guided me through what my relationship with God should look like. My faith brought me through some difficult times, including the passing of loved ones – hard times taught me that being a Christian is being in an intimate relationship with God and with Yeshua – Jesus Christ, His Son, whom He sent to save us because of His love, mercy and grace.
Starting A Christian Blog (or Ministry)
God showed me that my introversion is a strength because He made me this way. My quiet nature is part of the gifts and talents He has placed in me. It takes me into a serene place where I meditate on my life – a safe place to write out my thoughts and feelings. My writing practice includes keeping a diary, journaling, and now blogging.
As I searched for a way to create my website, the Lord led me to Bula Host—a local company that allowed me to purchase a domain and web hosting in Fijian dollars. This was a blessing, as I don’t have a credit card or foreign currency accounts, making it difficult to pay international providers..
My Writing and Blogging Dreams
I hope that sharing my journey helps you embark on your adventures with God and builds an intimacy with Him that strengthens and deepens over time.
English is my second language, and I struggle with it, with finding the right words, the correct grammar and saying what I mean. I struggle to find the right words and sentences to convey my meaning. I hope that continuing to write here helps improve my writing and my grasp of the English language.
If you have your own online space where you share your faith, please share the name and link in the comments section below.
May the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be with you always!
Disclosure: As an affiliate of Bula Host, I may receive a commission for qualifying purchases made through affiliate links in this content. This comes at no additional cost to you.
Tai Joe, my outgoing grandfather, greeted the New Zealand family. Like us, they were enjoying a picnic at Wailoaloa Beach. He offered them drinks from our coconut and swapped stories with the family’s father, Alan. A lifelong friendship was born.
Until their passing, years apart, Tai Joe and Alan remained friends. Alan and his family spent their school holidays with us at our small village house. We ate together and played together. And every Sunday, we’d march off to church.
Diane, Alan’s widow, celebrated her 80th birthday this February. We still write to each other. Diane’s monthly newsletters recount her trips, gardening mishaps and craft projects. She types them up, prints them and mails them to me. Each quarter, she sends me a copy of The Word For Today, a devotional.
She remembers my birthday and always sends me a gift accompanied by her lovely, handmade cards. She’s gifted me Oswald Chambers’s ‘My Utmost For His Highest’ and embroidered bookmarks.
The greatest gift is her friendship. A friendship first forged by two loving family men. A friendship that endures beyond their lifetime.
As someone who enjoys writing and posting letters, cards and postcards, I always buy letter-writing stationery whenever I find it in second-hand shops.
But how do I find the motivation I need every day, as I face the blank page? How can I justify spending so much time writing without clear knowledge of the usefulness or worth of my work? While Rome burns, will I just fiddle with words? And then the big question: Is this really what God wants me to do with my life?
I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember.
Reading Rottman’s words, however, filled me with doubts. I thought that if a true writer (in my mind, a published writer) like Rottman doubted her ability and capacity to write, what chance did I have?
But my dream to be a published writer didn’t stop or ease. It simply changed from getting published in magazines to writing for myself. Ta da! I registered and bought my domain name and web hosting with Bula Host. I got my website on this day in 2022.
Only, it goes deeper than that. It’s more like a cliff with a sheer drop. I still struggle to write, compounded by my introverted nature.
My words may not be perfect—English is my second language, and they might not even be ‘good.’ But they are all I have to offer right now. I’m growing as a writer and, more importantly, as a Christian woman sharing what God is doing in my life and the lessons I’m learning.
Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation say continually,
“The LORD be magnified!”
Psalm 40:16
Motivation
At its core, our purpose as Christians is to know and worship the LORD God. And to tell others about Him.
Hasn’t the LORD God given us gifts and talents to do that, even us older introverted spinsters?
That motivates me to keep writing, knowing that others like us are searching for our place in the world and striving to belong in the church.
For in You, O LORD, I hope;
You will hear, O Lord my God.
Psalm 38:15
Usefulness
I write to connect with and help older introverted Christian spinsters.
I pray I continue to write and remain faithful to the Holy Spirit’s direction. I pray that He brings the right people to read what they need to know.
And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.
Psalm 39:7
Calling
For better or for worse, the world is changing. But our needs remain the same: to be known, seen, heard, and loved, to know that we matter.
And we do matter. You and I matter. We matter to the One who made us, shaped each intricate part of us and placed us where we are.
God knows us. He sees each part of us. Knows all our weaknesses and our strengths. He hears our silent pleas for help. He loves us.
He calls us.
Your Turn
Do you feel led by God to be a writer, to write or blog to share your faith?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
May God bless your writing. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and affiliate of Bula Host, I earn from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links in this content. This comes at no additional cost to you. When you buy through my affiliate links, you’re not just buying something you need—you’re also directly supporting my work and helping keep this website running. Thank you for being a part of it!
Do you remember looking through leather-bound encyclopedias to read more on a subject?
Perhaps you still do. So do I, sometimes.
I admit, however, that the World Wide Web has made researching things so much easier for me, particularly when searching for advice and tips on blogging and writing, and things that interest me, like photography, books and more.
I’m listing below some of the good ones that have helped me and inspired me to start a blog, keep a blog, and how to blog, and those that give good advice on photography, books and more. I haven’t followed all their advice. I’m working on that.
Blogs and blogging
The task of the Christian blogger is different but the same. He, too, needs to do a lot of living that will never turn into tweets or blog posts. She, too, must first cultivate relationships with her Savior and her family. He, too, must be constantly learning and growing through the Word. She, too, must put aside desires for other visions of success in favor of the simple joy of helping others understand how to follow Jesus. And what a joy that is! And what a blessing that blogs make it possible.
Tim Challiesis a Christian and a blogger (or a Christian blogger). I first came across his website last year, or it could have been back in 2022, when I was first looking for tips and advice on how to start a blog.
I visit his website now and then and I recommend his articles on blogging and writing if you’re looking to start your own blog or if you simply want advice on writing from a Christian perspective.
‘Start with the customer – find out what they want and give it to them.’
This is a good lesson for bloggers also.
While I would also recommend that you start with yourself as a blogger and blog out of your own passions, experiences and knowledge – it is essential that you are aware of your reader and that you create content that will add something to their lives. Give them something useful.
Darren Rowse offers extensive resources for anyone and everyone who wants to start a website, a blog, and tips and advice on creating content and so much more.
I recommend Problogger to you if you’re starting out with your website, or if you want to know how to earn money blogging, it’s all there.
Photo by Skitterphoto from Pexels
Photography
Don’t allow Imposter’s Syndrome to cloud your faith in yourself. Push past your doubts and trust in your gifts. You might be the new kid on the block right now, but you have the capabilities to learn your way around the neighborhood.
There’s something about Chanel G’s website that draws you in and invites you to browse. I can’t quite put my finger on it but it’s a beautiful combination of her use of colours, post styles and of course, her photographs.
I especially like her artistic portraiture where she’s somehow captured the true ‘sense’ of her subjects and her self-portraiture. It looks like she hasn’t posted anything new for a while now but I do enjoy reading and re-reading her blog.
Once you articulate a dream, yes, your mind holds you accountable if you’re not living it. That can make you miserable. It can also give you powerful motivation to move forward.
Jenika does far more than simply combining psychology and photography. She offers insights that benefits all creatives.
I particularly like her thoughts on how to post as a private person, especially since I’m an introvert sharing my personal thoughts and stories to the world and you. Her post on articulating our dream lives is helping me to articulate mine.
Books and Book Reviews
To examine life is to connect to our humanity and the humanity in others.
I came across The Examined Life quite by accident. I don’t recall what I was looking for, but I’m glad I clicked on the link and visited the site.
Vrana’s articles are interesting in that she examines an idea, an emotion, or a life event through the works of authors and books she’s read. These are not Amazon or Goodreads reviews, no, these are deeper analyses and reflections on the writer’s view on life. They are worth reading.
The Amazon.com Books homepage helps you explore Earth’s Biggest Bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch.
I still prefer physical books over e-books, but I’ve included Amazon here because I love that you can read free excerpts before deciding to buy.
Good books are hard to find here. You see, my hometown, Nadi, doesn’t have a bookshop. What it does have are stationery shops that sell questionable and high-priced novels. There’s a variety shop in Nadi town called Bargain Box where I often buy second-hand books. I’ve found some great reads there by authors like Agatha Christie, Ellis Peters, and Philip Yancey.
So when I hear or read about a book that I know wouldn’t be readily available here, I look it up on Amazon and read the free sample. I know, it’s not the same as reading the entire book, but at least I get an idea of what it’s about and whether I should include it in my wish-to-read list.
I prefer physical books over e-books any time.
Your Turn
I hope you find something helpful or interesting among these websites and blogs I’ve shared. Do you have any favourites of your own? Maybe you’ve even put together a list on your blog or website—if so, I’d love to see it! Feel free to drop the link in the comments below.
Editorial disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are mine alone and are not those of the bloggers, blogs, websites featured in this article, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
