Do you look for a new word on which to focus throughout the year? I started this practice a few years ago, because of a friend and fellow writer, Julie Garmon. This year, my word is "listen".Uh-oh. I'm in trouble. And it's only the beginning of January. Oh, I can listen to a conversation I'm involved in. I can eavesdrop on them, too. As a writer, it's important for me to listen. And I do - to the conversations around me.
But to sit quietly and listen to God? Not so much. I'm A.D.D. My attention span is that of a gnat. I try to empty my mind, which is hard when it's filled with voices telling you their story. But I try. I'll pray, then be silent and wait for God to speak to me.
Within a few seconds of nothing, my mind wanders. It leaves on its own, anxious for the next adventure or something. Pretty soon I realize I've mentally left the room. I don't mean to, but I can't seem to help it.
Which makes this word so difficult for me. I guess God expects me to learn how this year. All I can say is He's going to have to smack me upside the head when my mind starts wandering. I will say, sometimes God has spoken quickly and I've heard Him in my soul. And it's awesome.
Looking back, I realize there have been times when I was noodling on a plot or character, and God has "spoken" by giving me the exact idea I needed to make the story work. And yes, I remember to thank Him.
So this year, I'm going to work on listening more, for both those story ideas and for God to simply share something with me because He loves me. That in itself is a mind-blowing thought!
What are you going to focus on this year?
Ane Mulligan
writes Southern-fried fiction served with a tall, sweet iced tea. She firmly believes
coffee and chocolate are two of the four major food groups. Novelist and
playwright, Ane is the executive director of Players Guild@Sugar Hill, a new community
theater and president of the award-winning literary site, Novel Rocket. She
resides in Sugar Hill, GA, with her artist husband and a dog of Biblical
proportion. You can find Ane at her website, Novel Rocket, Facebook, Twitter,
Pinterest, and Google+ and on her Amazon author page.
