Monday, July 13, 2015

Oh Deer

You've heard me talk about this topic before. If it bores you, you're welcome to move on. But if it's something that interests you, or something you really would like to know more about, I hope you'll stick around for a short while.

Deer in the Headlights



Deer in the headlights (or "seat of your pants") writers don't outline. We write as we go, so everything's a surprise. Unlike outlining, where writers tend to know what's going to happen when.

Like I said, you've heard me talk about this before. Specifically last year, when Deanna Leah and I swapped blogs every Friday. She's an outliner, and I'm a deer in the headlights.

My way is better, Deanna! *wink*

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) - Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

It's all about trust, really.

That's what deer in the headlights writing is. It's learning to trust in the Spirit, and in your own ability to follow.

1. If you don't trust Him... 


You'll be the deer squashed by the front of a semi.

Trust me.

If you want to be a deer in the headlights writer, and you want to write the story that the Holy Spirit has in mind for you, then you have to trust Him. Because if you don't trust Him, you might as well not even try to begin with.

You have to trust Him, in the story He has, and believe that it's better than anything you could come up with on our own (*ahem* or by outlining, Deanna).

2. If you don't trust you...


You'll end up like the deer thrown to the side of the road in a heaping pile of broken bones.

Trust me on this one too.

There's more to being a deer in the headlights writer than just following what the Spirit tells you to write. You also have to trust in yourself, that you'll be able to hear Him when you're deep in thought and working on your story. And you have to trust that even when it looks like something isn't going to work out well for the story, He'll get you out, and you'll be strong enough to follow. 

3. If you trust Him and trust you...


Then you'll be the deer who stands in the middle of the road and stares down that vehicle until it stops two inches from your nose.

It might be scary.

It will be worth it.

If you can master the art of trust, of allowing the Lord to take over your steps and show you the way in which you should go, He'll take you places you've never even dreamed. Yeah, sometimes it might be scary. Sometimes it might look like things aren't going to work out right. But I've read the Bible cover to cover, and never does it say God will lead you halfway through the darkness and abandon you to see if you can get out on your own.

He's with you every step of the way. All you have to do is trust Him, and trust yourself to follow.


And stop outlining. *cough* Deanna. 


[love]

{RD}

No comments:

Post a Comment