Rocks and floods

...and the rain came down and the floods came up...

My kids love music and singing, so whenever we travel or I do stuff in the kitchen, there will be music. They love Bible songs especially, so whilst howling along with some songs the other day, it made me think when I sang about the floods coming up and the rain coming down.

One of the worst affected small towns in the recent floods in Germany is called Schuld. I immediately thought of the Bible question about the fifteen on who the tower of Siloam fell, as Schuld means Guilt. Were the people in Guilty more guilty than those living in places like Glückstadt, Lucky City?

Singing along with the wise builder, it suddenly struck me that the circumstances were the same for both builders. They both had floods coming up, rain coming down on what might well have been similar-looking houses. I always imagined the sandy builder to be rather smug, knowing he had cut corners but probably saved himself a lot of money and time.

How do we write and what is our writing based on? It made me think of all those manuscripts being sent off to publishers. What difference does it make to us if we’re building our lives on the Rock? Will it make our manuscript look different? Maybe not. Maybe it’s only the foundation that is different. Is it harder to write as a Christian? If we do everything “as unto the Lord” does that mean it will be more taxing on us as Christians? I feel there is a certain pressure on me, as I don’t want to disappoint or mess up.

It's so easy to let the floods and storms take over our minds and hearts.

The drenching, cold rain is a good image of a rejection letter from a publisher. Sometimes those rain showers might seem never-ending. They will flood our minds and hearts if we’re not careful. They happen to all writers though, not just Christian ones. There are other rejections and doubts, even if you self-publish, escaping the rejection letter route.

I suddenly found myself smiling in my kitchen as I thought about the Rock. Knowing that I serve a loving God, that I am loved by Him unconditionally, makes my writing journey feel so much better. Of course, if a publisher would beg to publish my books traditionally, I would be thrilled. But I am already blessed. I am safe from destruction in storms.

As you might have gathered on Monday, I went camping with my kids. A tent is so vulnerable! The slightest bit of wind causes all loose canvas to flap like mad. Rain, even drizzle, sounds too close for comfort and you’re aware of small holes and gaps. Our lives, our earthly tabernacles, are definitely tent-like once you’re past 40, with gaps becoming more obvious every day. Don’t be overwhelmed by the rain, don’t let the storm steal your joy. Your anchor is safely hooked into the Rock. Write that book, poem or story, knowing God is your foundation. And get an umbrella for the rain.

Maressa Mortimer is Dutch but lives in the beautiful Cotswolds, England with her husband and four (adopted) children. Maressa is a homeschool mum as well as a pastor’s wife, so her writing has to be done in the evening when peace and quiet descend on the house once more. She loves writing Christian fiction, as it’s a great way to explore faith in daily life.

Her debut novel, Sapphire Beach, was published in December 2019, and her first self published novel, Walled City, came out in December 2020, followed by Viking Ferry, a novella. Beyond the Hills is the second book in the Elabi Chronicles, and was released on June 18^th 2021. All of Maressa’s books are available from her website, www.vicarioushome.com, Amazon or local bookshops.