Tag: creating

A Time to Create

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” (Eph. 6:10)

In last week’s blog post, I wrote about the difficulty I’ve had lately with being creative. This past weekend, I attended the virtual Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI) conference. Attending the conference, learning from fellow writers, and mingling (even virtually) is always a boon for my creativity.

This year, the conference coordinators took a chance on me and allowed me to conduct two workshops on self-editing practices. I’ve done a lot of speaking over the years, but this was the largest event where I’ve been invited to speak. Continue reading “A Time to Create” →

Create: My Word for 2021

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers” (Ex 35:35).

I haven’t made New Year’s resolutions in a long time. Instead, I choose a word for the year. I use this word to focus on an area of my life where I believe the Lord wants to make changes or have me grow. I’ve chosen words such as “trust,” “focus,” “compassion,” and “bold.” Last year, my word was “renew.” As 2020 began, I felt burned out. I had no idea how much I would need renewal as the year (and the pandemic) wore on.

This year, God revealed my word to me more slowly than usual. I often have my word for the year in November, or the first week of January at the latest. We were halfway through January before I felt comfortable with the word that kept coming to mind: “create.” Continue reading “Create: My Word for 2021” →

Renewal in the Time of COVID-19

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Ps 90:12 (NIV)

Due to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) around the country, we are faced with continued quarantine and isolation. My calendar, which is usually filled to overflowing, is now clear except for a few work deadlines.

Rather than focusing on the negative, I’m looking for silver linings. I’ve become accustomed to finding lessons in everyday situations in order to write posts for this blog. This situation is so extraordinary that I know God has something for me to learn.

One message I’m hearing loud and clear is that I need to be more selective about how I spend my time. That includes taking better care of myself. My word for the year, renew, comes to mind. Continue reading “Renewal in the Time of COVID-19” →