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In college, I clearly remember the first research paper I turned in. I received an A+, and what stood out wasn’t just the grade—it was how I used a turn of phrase in my summary to make my final point. Words mattered. They still do.

When my husband was taking a college course, I wrote his papers at home. Later, I met his English teacher, and she told me to keep writing because I was good at it. I asked her how she knew. She smiled and said she could tell the difference between what he wrote in class and what he turned in from home.

I helped my children with essays through school. I couldn’t help myself. I wrote Sunday School lessons for children, then lessons for an adult class. I wrote skits for kids, missionary promotions, and holiday church plays. Sometimes I wonder if folks were just glad I was busy writing instead of talking out loud at the moment.

Eventually, I joined a small writers group at my local library and kept winning the pot most months for best writing. But even then, I didn’t see it as a calling. It was just part of who I was.

I was too busy being a wife, a mother, a Sunday School teacher, and living life to think God was calling me to write. People told me it was a natural ability. Then my grandmother told me it was a gift from God. That stopped me in my tracks. It got me praying and wondering.

It wasn’t until the internet came along that I realized I could do what God might be calling me to do right from my own home. I turned pieces of my devotional journals into emails to friends. Then my daughter introduced me to Facebook—and I was off.

Still, I wondered. Was this just a hobby? Or was it something more? Too many people had told me I had the “gift of gab” for me not to take that as affirmation from the Lord. 😊 So I began learning how to be a writer—and I’m still learning.

Do I ever want to give up? All the time.

Recently, I had a very difficult season with my writing. I told the Lord this wasn’t for me. I told Him I quit. The very next day, I saw a sign in a store that read: “Your story isn’t finished. God’s the author. Quit trying to steal the pen.”

Yes, I bought it. It hangs where I can see it when I’m plotting, planning, and writing. It was a SIGN from God.

That’s when I truly understood this truth: if you are meant to be a writer, you can’t quit.

For many writers, the journey begins innocently enough. You jot down ideas in a notebook. You write stories for fun. You tell yourself it’s just a hobby. But over time, something shifts. Writing starts to feel less like a pastime and more like a tug on your heart—one that won’t let go.

That tug may be a calling.

A hobby is something you do when it’s convenient. A calling is something you return to even when it’s inconvenient. It’s not about occupation or income. It’s about obedience.

If you keep returning to the page… if the words won’t leave you alone… if you feel peace when you write and restless when you don’t—pause and consider this. It may be more than a hobby.

It may be a calling worth honoring.

A Closing Prayer

Lord,
Thank You for the gifts You place within us long before we recognize them as gifts. Thank You for patience as we grow, learn, doubt, and begin again. When writing feels small or uncertain, remind us that obedience matters more than outcomes. Help us release control of the story and trust You with the pen. Give us courage to keep showing up, humility to keep learning, and peace in knowing You are still at work—both in us and through our words.
Amen.

Each post builds on the one before it, forming a picture of calling that is lived out over time—through learning, patience, community, redirection, and grace. I will post a new post each week following the outline above, until the series is complete.

Click here to go to the series introduction: Faith & Calling

Click here to go to the next post: When God Calls the Unqualified—and Leaves Them That Way – to be posted January 12.

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Scripture

“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 1:6

I share this verse with you this week, as it is my life verse. God will never leave us on our journey in life, no matter our calling, our mountain tops, or our valleys. He is faithful.

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If you haven’t already joined my Reader’s Circle, please do so. Right away, you’ll receive a short story exclusive to my subscribers. You’ll also discover more editing and writing tips. Come join me in my journey as an author. If you subscribe you will receive a weekly update on the posts I am creating for that week.

Click here to go to the introduction to this series:

Click here to go to the next post: in the Faith & Calling Series: When God Calls the Unqualified—and Leaves Them That Way

Thank you for visiting my page. Please feel welcome to tell me about your writing journey.