Are You Sitting Comfortably? - Meryl McKean

 

  

 Are you sitting comfortably? Those words are connected in my memory to a story time on the radio when I was a child (maybe I’m showing my age here)!
When my children were young the bedtime routine would include reading a story or a chapter of a book: a relaxing way of unwinding and preparing for sleep – hopefully. Story reading can create such an atmosphere of comfort and togetherness.
     A story has the power to transport us from our own world into another, we get to see the world through the eyes of another. We can leave behind our own issues and safely lose ourselves in someone else’s’ story.
    After a long day at work that I often find myself dreaming of comfort: maybe sitting down with a cup of tea and a good book in a favourite spot or watching a TV show or eating a delicious meal. I realise, though, that when it comes to writing it is often discomfort that serves to move me forward. Life flies by and it can be all too easy to get used to producing the same sort of thing or settling for less. My days are busy, work challenging, and I can use any number of excuses.  Last year though I realised that  I needed to become proactive if wanted to develop this gift. My first step was to become a paid-up member of ACW. Then, at the beginning of this year I joined the ACW genre group Hopefully Devoted to meet regularly with others who have a similar interest in devotional writing. It has been good to respond to prompts, to write and to regularly share my writing. It can feel quite risky, but it has led me forward.
    Then recently I received an invitation to contribute to this blog. I felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension. For me this is a step of faith, a door that God has opened into a new aspect of writing and I’m trusting that he will inspire me with ideas that will take me further. So, I’m embracing the world of blogs, learning to navigate my way around and I’ve set aside a new notebook to jot down ideas. I look forward to seeing how month by month my notebook will be filled and trust that I will grow with the challenge even if it is a little uncomfortable.

Meryl McKean loves writing devotionals and poems and has had a few articles published over the years as well as using her writing in her work. She wants her writing to be a tool which helps others draw closer to God. She is married to Andy and lives in Bedford where she loves exploring the countryside with her camera in hand. Her day job as a member of her church staff leadership team is full of challenges and opportunities.