It's Never Too Late

By Rachel Hauck

My husband likes to say, "Weight lifting is an old man sport."

Meaning, some things you can do into your old age.

This past weekend at our church one of our worship leaders found a new place and release as a worship leader. In her late '40s, she'd always been part of a duo, singing with her husband.

She didn't know what she had until she led worship by herself.

I love that God released someone into her gifting and calling at "that" stage of her life.

It's never too late to grow in our gifts. Or even step into something new.

Like weight lifting, I think writing can be "an old man's sport."

Life, careers that pay, kids, other passions can hinder a writer from stepping into her gifting.

Sometimes God doesn't unlock the desire or opportunity until we're in our middle years.

Author great Jan Karon worked in advertising for 40 years before writing The Mitford novels, first as a serial story in her local newspaper.

Colleen Coble started writing in her 40s after the sudden death of her brother. She realized how precious life was and if she had a dream, she'd better go for it.

I wanted to write from a young age but between college, work and starting a Yuppie career in the middle '80s, I was busy.

A year after I married in '92,  I felt the Lord told me to quit my job. I said nothing to my husband until he came to me a few days later with the same impression.

I quit my job and for the first time in seventeen years, I wasn't working and going to school. (My first job was at Publix when I was a mere babe of 14!)

The slower life pace enabled me to exhale, think, dream and create.

Christian fiction was in its infancy in the early '90s and I was gobbling it up. I wrote an epic WW 2 love story on our very first home computer which was epically rejected.

But I learned a lot. Started going to conferences and meeting people. Then I took a break from writing, went back to work. But the love of story never left.

I started writing again in '99 and signed my first contract in '02 just after my 42nd birthday.

Its never too late to start writing. If you have a story in your heart, silence the doubt, and get words on paper!

Rachel Hauck lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery pets.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, she worked in the corporate software world before planting her backside in uncomfortable chair to write full time eight years ago.

She’s the author of EPCA and CBA best sellers, RITA and Christy nominated books. 

She also co-authored the critically acclaimed Songbird Novels with platinum selling country music artist Sara Evans. Their novel Softly and Tenderly, was one of Booklists 2011 Top Ten Inspirationals.

Rachel serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, a conference speaker and worship leader.

Rachel writes from her two-story tower in an exceedingly more comfy chair. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan.

Visit her web site: www.rachelhauck.com.