More than Writers

For this introductory blog post, I’ve been reflecting on the words we use about ourselves—especially the ones that hold us back. Whether in faith, creativity, or everyday life, our inner narrative shapes far more than we realise. In my various roles, I’ve seen how quickly self-doubt can silence a unique voice—and, conversely, how beautifully confidence grows when we dare to share our words. How often have you heard statements like these? “I can’t draw” “I’m rubbish at baking” “I’m useless at writing”. It is fair to say that these indicate a sense of self-sabotage that is both negative and damaging. It is sad that our inner critic’s voice is the one we hear the loudest, and life should most definitely not be like that. These statements often come from old comments, and they become so familiar and convincing that we believe them. But they are echoes of old moments, not truths. One of my great joys in life is to run a local writing group in Bampton, Devon, where I live. We are ...

  How are you doing? My day started badly. Tears of indignation flowed at the airport this morning while surrendering a sewing needle which should never have been taken. Not the most pressing issue I’ll grant you, but it triggered a realisation that God and I needed to do business about a whole lot of things I have been burying and not acknowledging. My writing suffers when I bottle issues, so I am now sitting on a plane doing essential audit and maintenance with the On High. I am coming to terms with a few post 60yr old disintegration issues, and I am sorry about quite a few things I haven’t previously admitted to. Of late, life has felt like a mini course on waiting on God, which Psalm 25 pointed out and my grandson’s slippers became a useful tool of explanation. As winter’s chills approached, I needed to sort Timmy’s slippers out. One had been lost over the summer and happily after a serious clear out, came to light. Carefully I placed them in the cupboard under the stairs. Thu...

Time truly flies. On 11 December 2022, I began my journey on the More Than Writers blog. It was a bittersweet time, as I had just lost my mother and was navigating the depths of grief. Writing became a therapeutic outlet that allowed me to reflect and heal, so I could do a memoir and start on the blog. Now, as I look back, it’s hard to believe that three years have passed. These three years have been a profound and rewarding experience. I’ve learned so much, not only about myself as a writer but also about the incredible community surrounding me. I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who engaged with my posts in countless ways. Your contributions, comments, and feedback were always insightful and deeply appreciated. I am equally grateful to the ACW committee members for entrusting me with this meaningful role. Being part of this platform has been a privilege, and I’ve cherished the opportunity to contribute to our community while also growing along...

I know this blog is called ‘ More  than Writers,’ but I hope I will be excused this once for writing about my Book Launch. Of course, by the time you read this, the event will be over – but, as it was my first, I was more than a little nervous. Even though it was happening in my own church: Lichfield Methodist. My first book launch, but my second book: how did that happen? Because, last March, when ‘Warrior Princess, Errant Page’ was launched on an unsuspecting world, I was also in the middle of moving house. This time, I was nearly in the middle of having building work done, but that was (thankfully) put off until next year – so you will have to hear all about that, another time. My friend and I got 6 boxes of books (around 50 of book 1 and 70 of book 2) and all sorts of other assorted stuff into the car at 8:45, and got ready for a 10a.m. start in church. Having spent all week going backwards and forwards worrying about whether I had got everything in place, of course I ended up ...

  Photo by   Kira auf der Heide   on   Unsplash         In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1).  A verse that we will hear again and again over Christmas, and rightly so. It's also a verse that I have a new appreciation for as it's God's word that I've being studying and seeing afresh over the past few months of this year and its reawakened my appreciation of the Bible. In April 2024, I went back to studying. I started with a chaplaincy course during my sabbatical, and this was part of my graduate diploma in Mission, ministry and Theology. My latest module has been on the Bible in Context, and I've learnt so much, mainly on how to go beyond the surface level of Scripture.  And the main reason for my blog post - which I'm afraid will be a very short one, as I am spinning a lot of plates right now - is that our core text book for the module was Grasping God's Word by J. Scott Duvall and ...

  As Advent marks the start of the Christian year, I love re-visiting those treasured gospel stories of anticipation and challenge, remembering Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, and John the Baptist. I think again about my own new beginnings, including in writing.   Sometimes, however firm our resolve, we find ourselves stuck. This could be when we’re first thinking about starting to write, or much later.   Sometimes finishing a long-term project can leave us feeling lost, not sure what to do next. Or life events can take over and writing is relegated to the backburner. Writing was a childhood ambition for me. I took the plunge in my early forties, partly prompted by a letter in a writing magazine. The writer had met someone at a party and introduced themselves as a writer. The new acquaintance said they planned to write in retirement. The writer challenged readers to start now , not to wait. That letter gave me the jolt to begin. Wondering where to start, I...

Episode 1’s title, ‘Four Crowns, One King,’ is a gift for preachers, and Paul, the minister at Cheddar Baptist, pounced as any hungry predator would. Amongst the various theological points, he pointed out that the studio floor was no doubt awash with unused, edited out, material. Five years of filming, submitted to the editorial team. The final version broadcast contains only the footage that f its the narrative ; the rest was discarded, never to be seen. A process, as writers, we know all too well. Writing has its solitary side, but once the pen is down, a whole team of editors goes to work. Beta readers, Grammarly, structural and line editors, re-drafting…eventually something emerges that fits the narrative , the rest lies in the bin. My apologies to Paul, but the rest of his sermon suffered from my editorial mind, which had drifted to an ‘Aha!’ moment. God is our editor. If we have submitted our lives to Christ and if we are His workmanship, His letter, and His poem, we have submit...

Image by MusikschuleMOI from Pixabay It's my habit to have several Advent books on the go. Here's this year's list: • Donkey Roads and Camel Treks by Gemma Simmonds • Beginnings and Endings by Maggi Dawn • Christ Illuminated by Joy Margetts, fellow ACW writer • O Come Emmanuel, a beautiful little anthology on the Advent antiphons (look them up!), delicately illustrated by Korean artist SunYoung Kim. The contributors include Tanya Marlow, who will be well known to many ACW members, and whose own Advent book, Those Who Wait , is also on my reading list. • Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ by Episcopal priest Fleming Rutledge, a collection of her excellent Advent sermons over some 20 years. It’s a big, fat book but not difficult to read, I just dip in and find something juicy to get my teeth into. Advent is such a rich season, biblically and liturgically. As I often remind people in my own sermons, Advent is as much about our Lord’s Secon...

                                                                      Picture credit: The New York Times  In this community, I feel I can safely confess an addiction. I’m sure I’m among friends and that some of you are fellow addicts. Yes, I’m hopelessly dependent on... Wordle . My day just isn’t the same if I miss it. A few years ago, my dealer, in the sweet and innocent form of my youngest daughter, lured me into having a go on her phone. She knew what she was doing. With one free sample, I was hooked. That’s how it works, folks. Now I must secure my fix every day. Preying on my weaknesses, the same dealer ruthlessly introduced me to Connections , and I fell for it again, so now I have two addictions. I’ve resisted her wicked insistence that I try Spelling Bee. I don’t kno...

  Before writing my blog for this month, I was thinking about a documentary that was on television some years ago in the 1960’s/70’s (showing my age now), that was called “7 Up” which followed a group of children from the age of 7, and then every 7 years after throughout their lives. I highly recommend it if you can get to watch it. I think the last series was “63 Up”.    It was apparently inspired by the quote which is said to be attributed to both Aristotle and St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order (also known as The Society of Jesus) - “Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man”.   The quote also reminds me of a lovely, very powerful Bible verse that I pray as a blessing for my son, and have done so from the day he was born, and now also for my grandchildren: “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it”. Proverbs 22:6. While searching for the series “7 Up” I came across an article tit...