grace – Almost An Author

How to Quit Striving and Work by Grace

If you’re like me, you often feel overwhelmed by all the things an author should do to succeed. Social media, interviews, guest posts, newsletters, running ads, and on and on. How are we supposed to accomplish all this platform and promotion stuff and still have time to write?

And is it possible to do it without losing the joy of writing?

Yes.

But it takes a mindset shift. And Grace over Grind by Shae Bynes has helped me move from frantic, guilt-ridden striving to a more confident, calm, and steady writer’s life. Does that sound like something you’d like, too? Then read on.

These quotes summarize the focus of this book:

“You don’t have to strive endlessly to make things happen with the dream God placed in your heart for your business. You simply need God’s empowering presence, and everything else is going to flow from there. … [Grace] enables you to successfully do what God has called you to do, and to do what you could never do on your own.”
Shae Bynes

“If you grind long and hard enough, you will get results in your business. You can absolutely achieve business success by the world’s standards in your own strength, requiring exertion and excessive hard work. … Alternatively, you can embrace the invitation laid before you to embrace a new standard, one that seeks God’s best, testifies of His amazing grace, and ultimately has greater Kingdom impact.”
Shae Bynes

The trouble with working from a grind mentality

As the author points out, you can be successful through grinding and hard work. But I’ve heard several accounts lately of good Christian men and women that were caught in a grind mindset of overwork and overachievement—until something in their lives crashed. Their body gave out or some unforeseen trial arose that left them helpless. And in that place of helplessness, they realized they’d been working by grind instead of grace.

Once they shifted their mindset, the Lord led them to new ministries that impact the world more effectively while enabling them to live a more intentional, non-striving life.

You and I can make this mindset shift now, before we hit burnout!

Grace Over Grind lists several indications that you may be grinding instead of abiding in God’s all-sufficient grace and power.

Financial anxiety
Prayerlessness
Lack of sleep
Analysis paralysis
No boundaries
No joy or peace

If these sound familiar and you’re ready for a change, embrace the freedom of working in the unforced rhythms of grace instead of the relentless striving of the world’s grind mentality.

How to choose grace over grind

This slim volume will point you toward seeking God first and appointing him as your business partner. With biblical examples and real-life stories, it illustrates how to run a business through faith and god-honoring principles instead of doing it all in our own strength and scrabbling after opportunities and connections.

This is not a book of answers. It is a book of biblical principles with questions to help you ponder these truths and figure out how to apply them to your writing life. I urge you to take your time and work through all the questions as you read.

If you are willing to surrender every part of your dream, your business, and your life to God, this book will lead you to a lower-stress, more confident way of pursuing your writing dreams.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and unconventional soul. She inspires others to become their best selves, living with authenticity, and purpose, and she infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her Livia Aemilia Mysteries, set in first-century Rome, have won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021).

She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in her novels. Lisa directs church dramas, hikes the beautiful Pennsylvania woods, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit www.lisaebetz.com.

The Benefits of Oatmeal Brain

I don’t know if this happens to you, but when stress piles up in my life, my body starts to shut down. Sleepiness and a lack of energy takes over. I forget simple things. I forget complicated things. My body and brain dissolve into a pile of mush.

When Covid-19 swept through our lives, I think it’s safe to say it brought a fair degree of stress along for the ride. All of us wrestled with questions we didn’t expect to face. How do we manage work? School? Bills? Groceries? Our routines are not only upside down, but planning for the future is next to impossible when no one has any answers. That’s when stress threatens to take over and the oatmeal brain kicks in.

As it turns out, oatmeal brain is a blessing. It’s my body’s reaction to confinement, and even though it took me a while to view it this way, it’s a good thing. Here’s why:

It’s a signal. Oatmeal brain tells me it’s time to make a different choice. It says, “hey, instead of focusing on the things you can’t control, why don’t you take a breather? Why don’t you write?”

When real life shuts doors and has no answers, I can turn to my WIP and write about possibilities. I can throw myself into hopeful, joyous, strangely-flawed characters and explore a world built from imagination.

Dealing with oatmeal brain. Writing as therapy.

When my thoughts feel itchy and uncomfortable, I can write them out, turn them loose, and follow where they lead.

There have been days when all I’ve needed to get back on track was five minutes staring out the window and imagining what other people are thinking.

There have been days when I’ve felt so overwhelmed all I could do was look forward to a new day. That’s okay, too.

Here’s to looking for the possibilities in each new morning, and to giving ourselves grace as we find ways to move forward.

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.