I haven't written in weeks. A blog is supposed to be a stream of consciousness. Right? Blah, blah, blog? Here goes...

I am writing my second book and have been concerned about the cost, among other things. I have battled discouragement to the point of even questioning whether writing was part of God's will for me. I have experienced pain in my body- muscle pain, tension, and arthritic symptoms that included numbness in my fingers. I have been praying about all of this and battling it too. Yesterday, my closest friend revealed that many of these symptoms were present the last time I was really stressed out. I was surprised. I hadn't thought about that..at..all. I am more likely to blame my pillow for pain than stress. Stress, concern, and worry are all friends of the enemy. I was introduced to discouragement when I wrote my first book. I almost quit all together the day I saw the proposed cover- it was not at all what I expected. I can't remember if tears made it to my eyes, but I definitely cried inside. I'm happy to say that with God's help I pushed past the discouragement, found the perfect cover art, and have a beautiful book that I cherish.

Talking through the feelings I have been having about my current project with the Lord first and friends second, really helped me identify what I believe about God, myself, and the enemy. I am constantly asking God to encourage me in this writing thing because it's hard. The actual writing isn't the issue, it's the pursuit of writing as a career- the publishing industry, marketing, etc. Conversely, writing as a hobby, is basically free, is rather small scale, and doesn't require anyone's approval. Exploring the difference further makes me tired, so I'll stop there.

Let's go back to the garden for a minute. The enemy (satan) loves to ask the question, "Did God really say?" It's the question he asked Eve. He has been whispering this question to me lately. Apparently, like Eve, I started listening. The result: discouragement, stress, tension, and pain. Has the enemy ever whispered this question to you? Here is my advice...

Four Things To Do When the Enemy Starts Questioning You:

1. Pray.
2. Remind yourself of God's Word.
3. Remember what God said to you.
4. Remember the victories.

Let's unpack this together. Here's what I do...

1. I pray and tell God how I feel and what I'm thinking. I ask Him to reveal the truth to me. I ask Him to encourage me in this area. I ask Him to help me have His thoughts, His words, and His actions.
2. I remind myself of God's Word by reading it. I search for specific passages about the subject I am dealing with, read them, and follow the instructions. I quote encouraging scriptures that God has highlighted to me.
3. I remember what God said to me by reading words of prophecy that have been spoken over me. I read encouraging cards, letters, or notes I have received in reference to this area of my life.
4. I encourage myself by remembering a time when God gave me victory in this area. I look at completed projects and remember how I felt and what I thought during the time I was working on them. I recognize that if I had given up when I was discouraged, those projects would have never been completed. I spend time thanking God.

The book project I am working on now is a bigger project than my last one. It involves more people and a greater investment of my time, energy, and money. Why am I surprised that the enemy is attacking me? Why am I surprised that he is talking louder and more consistently than before? It sounds trite to say, "new level, new devil," but I am honestly seeing this in my own life right now. As I write this, I finally understand that the things we do as we follow God's will for our lives and live in obedience to Him, need to be covered in prayer BEFORE we do them. Athletes understand this concept. Football players, for instance, know before they ever step on the field, that the opposing team is going to be there to try to stop them from reaching the end zone. Football players know they are going to face pushback. This is why they train, prepare, and practice BEFORE they play. Is it worth it? It is if you love the game. The possibility of a touchdown is real.