A peculiar people!?
Happy Easter weekend to you all. What a glorious time of year for those who believe!
Today (and running a little late) let me share some thoughts about this creative life of ours :)
When I married my beloved, he was a primary school teacher. We were nearly 10 years married when the possibility of being a pastor’s wife became a reality. We didn’t come via what I saw as the usual route and so I had many anxieties about it. One of which was the worry that the church might be a bit weirded out by the idea of the pastor married to a writer.
I was delighted to find that the wife of one of the elders is a writer too, so they were used to having a scribbler amongst them. Over time I learnt that the church has another writer, a poet historian. Then I found a photographer who is married to an artist. Then another artist. And just recently another. We’ve got some amazing musicians and singers, and a couple of actors too. Not bad for a little valleys church.
It turns out I live in a very creative corner of the Eastern Valley of Gwent. There is an annual poetry competition, The Poet of Pontypool, there’s a library, a museum, and a recently closed school building is about to be turned into an arts centre.
And there was me worrying I’d be the odd one out! Myself and a friend were so desirous to write 'locally' we started a new writing group ourselves. Afon Llwyd Writers, We named it after our local river, with the strap line #letthewordsflow
Writing can however be a lonely business sometimes. A lot of the time we just need to get our btms in a chair and get the work done. But part of equipping myself to do that means seeking out my tribe for, encouragement and accountably. I feel very blessed to be surrounded by folk in and out of church life with whom I can get my fill of creative encouragement or share the burden of self doubt.
I really appreciate the ACW Facebook page. Sometimes in the busyness of life I don’t interact as much as I should, but I love to see it pop up. To rejoice (and envy a little) the successes of fellow members, to read an inspiring poem or chuckle at an #abitastic update. If you’re a Christian writer with access to Facebook go find our page. You won't just ‘like’ it, you’ll ‘love’ it. :)
Whatever way suits you best – online or face to face – find some people you can share the writer life with. The family of God are called 'a peculiar people', the creatives within that family... well we can often be another level of peculiar :) Let's encourage each other along the way x
Annmarie Miles is from Dublin, Ireland.
She lives with her husband Richard who is a pastor in the Eastern Valley of Gwent, in South Wales. She writes short stories, magazine articles, devotional pieces for Christian radio, and blogs about her faith at www.auntyamo.com Her first collection of short stories published in 2013, is called 'The Long & The Short of it'. Her second collection, 'A Sense of the Sea and other stories,' was published in 2018. She is currently editing a non-fiction book about being an overweight Christian called, 'Have mercy on me O Lord, a slimmer.'
Today (and running a little late) let me share some thoughts about this creative life of ours :)
When I married my beloved, he was a primary school teacher. We were nearly 10 years married when the possibility of being a pastor’s wife became a reality. We didn’t come via what I saw as the usual route and so I had many anxieties about it. One of which was the worry that the church might be a bit weirded out by the idea of the pastor married to a writer.
I was delighted to find that the wife of one of the elders is a writer too, so they were used to having a scribbler amongst them. Over time I learnt that the church has another writer, a poet historian. Then I found a photographer who is married to an artist. Then another artist. And just recently another. We’ve got some amazing musicians and singers, and a couple of actors too. Not bad for a little valleys church.
It turns out I live in a very creative corner of the Eastern Valley of Gwent. There is an annual poetry competition, The Poet of Pontypool, there’s a library, a museum, and a recently closed school building is about to be turned into an arts centre.
And there was me worrying I’d be the odd one out! Myself and a friend were so desirous to write 'locally' we started a new writing group ourselves. Afon Llwyd Writers, We named it after our local river, with the strap line #letthewordsflow
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| The first Afon Llwyd Writers meeting |
I really appreciate the ACW Facebook page. Sometimes in the busyness of life I don’t interact as much as I should, but I love to see it pop up. To rejoice (and envy a little) the successes of fellow members, to read an inspiring poem or chuckle at an #abitastic update. If you’re a Christian writer with access to Facebook go find our page. You won't just ‘like’ it, you’ll ‘love’ it. :)
Whatever way suits you best – online or face to face – find some people you can share the writer life with. The family of God are called 'a peculiar people', the creatives within that family... well we can often be another level of peculiar :) Let's encourage each other along the way x
She lives with her husband Richard who is a pastor in the Eastern Valley of Gwent, in South Wales. She writes short stories, magazine articles, devotional pieces for Christian radio, and blogs about her faith at www.auntyamo.com Her first collection of short stories published in 2013, is called 'The Long & The Short of it'. Her second collection, 'A Sense of the Sea and other stories,' was published in 2018. She is currently editing a non-fiction book about being an overweight Christian called, 'Have mercy on me O Lord, a slimmer.'
This is so true. Thank you and love your journey
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