Passions

A conversation between two friends via texting:


Her: ...this is so important. Yes, I don't expect an easy route! It's already been hard...it won't get any easier.

Me:  Dontcha love growing?

Her: Yeah, I do. There's no fun in it. But apparently it's good for me. I'd like to have your wisdoms. And to have your knowledge of how to grow and take care of plants...because I kill mine.

Me: Ha!!! MY wisdoms involved me living through h*** for many years! And I used to kill plants too. But right now you focus on your babies and your passions...

Her: Lol. I guess killing plants comes before growing them. You must tell me about your h*** experience. My babies and my passions...so many of them! :)

Me: Well just pick one passion cause you got babies! And that'll be your 'escape'. (note: 'got babies' is a reference to a hip hop song from the early 90's. naughty by nature, maybe?)

Her: What's your passion?

Me: That's the million dollar question, isn't it? Before the boy and while pregnant, I did four plays. When the boy was born, painting with acrylics. When he was older, two published novels. Now it's all about starting an organic vegetable farm.  It's about choosing one passion to focus on that's good for the time being. I love to read - but with the boy being home-schooled and me giving my all when hubby gets home, there's isn't a ton of time.
Music is a huge passion. I love music. Everything. I love analyzing it and making sense of lyrics and comparing how a musician changes over the years...I'm such a hipsters it's pathetic.
A passion is something you do that makes you smile, which in turn, makes God smile because you are happy.  When I sit in my garden and plant something new or pick out dead leaves, I feel God smiling.
What do you do that makes God smile because you are happy?

Her: Music. Am crying right now as I'm playing 'Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus' on the piano. Singing the lyrics. And praying.



Passion is the joy that fills you. What God stirs in your heart to get you so excited that you can't sleep at night because you can't stop thinking about it.
I think when it comes to writing, there are good days and bad days.  But I want to encourage you, that if you are not on a deadline and you are 'not' feeling the passion - stop writing.  I know it's the opposite of what writers tell you, they tell you to write everyday, no matter what.  But have you ever read something and tossed it aside because you know that the author was 'faking it'?  Don't just write a novel for the sake of getting it done.  It makes me so... sad to see authors churn out novels, whether published or not, just for the sake of writing a novel. 

Find that drive inside you, let it build up until it's an inferno of excitement and beautiful words and real, raw emotions...and then write it out.  Let God help you find that passion inside you and let Him help you write it out.
Because God expects our best. Even while writing.

Now go find your passion.

Jenn Kelly is an author who is taking a time-out to deal with other passions in her life, such as gardening.  And she is still waiting for her house to sell so she can begin her next dream of an organic vegetable farm.  But the novel is still brewing inside. Oh yes, always on the backburner until it flames into a novel. You can reach her at www.jennkelly.com, but honestly, she hasn't been there in months because there is nothing to talk about except for gardening and given she writes children's novels, why would they want to read about it?