Lovable Labels BlogHer’ 11 Getaway Contest: My Greatest Accomplishment

All throughout my high school years, I dreamed of becoming an author of some great piece of literature. Creative writing was my favorite subject, and I had great plans to head off to college right after graduation to pursue a degree in English Literature. I could imagine myself in the future looking at my book on a shelf in a book store with people gathered around waiting to purchase it, because it was one of those books that was on the “must read” list of classic works. Much to my surprise, that was not the path in which God led me.

A few weeks before my high school graduation was to take place, God showed me that His plan for my future was not to include college, but that He wanted me to get a job and prepare for the day when I would have children of my own. He showed me that His plan was for me to have the greatest job in the world – that of a stay-at-home mom. So when high school was no more, I passed up my dream of becoming a writer and I went to work.

Soon, I met a guy who thought I was pretty great, and I thought the same of him, so we married. A few years later, I became pregnant with our first baby, so, following the plan God gave me years before, I quit my job and planned to stay home with this new little one. Little did I realize that this was to be the hardest job I had ever tried to tackle.

Four babies later, our house is full to the brim. Being a stay-at-home mom is still the hardest job I have ever worked. Add to that the fact that God told me that I was to homeschool my kiddos, and my days are non-stop, go, go, go. We stay busy doing all sorts of great things together, and I wouldn’t trade my life for anything. Still, I have never forgotten my love for writing.

Two years ago, being very upset after working in my garden and finding my tomatoes had nearly all been eaten by a green-horned tomato worm, I started my blog simply because I needed a place to rant over this horrible creature that was destroying my hard work. From that rant, I started writing every few days, and I soon remembered how much I enjoyed sitting down with just my thoughts. I began writing more and more, and, with every blog post I typed, my creative juices began flowing faster and faster.

So last year, on a whim really, I decided to take a chance and send in one of my blog posts to a magazine and just see where it took me. Much to my absolute surprise, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine wrote me back the next day to tell me they would like to publish my work. I was thrilled! So I began sending in more articles to different magazines, many of which have accepted my work. And just last week, The Homeschool Handbook Magazine printed my article first in their magazine! It has been a steady stream of things I have written being accepted for print in some really great magazines!

What occurred to me is this. All those years ago, when God told me to stay home with my children and be a great mommy to them, I thought I was giving up my dream of writing. For nearly ten years, I faithfully obeyed what He had called me to do. And now, not only do I have four great kids that I love being home with, God has brought me back around to my other love. He has allowed me to have back the dream I once held. And not only has He given me back the dream He had once asked of me, He has blessed my writing and allowed it to reach many, many people.

What I have learned is that, every time I am faithful in the things God asks of me, He returns it to me one-hundred fold. During this last year, God has closed doors I thought would always be open, and He has opened more doors that I ever could have imagined. I have no education beyond high-school. I have no degrees or any other schooling. But I have what God has given me. He has given me something to say, and I say it. He gives me words, and I speak them. I speak them loud. I speak them boldly. And through my writing, I am accomplishing great things for His sake. 

~ This blog post was written as part of a contest through Lovable Labels. Be sure to go and check them out!