Category Archives: Writer

Break Time

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Last week I took a vacation to write. This week I take a vacation not to write (at least not extensively). See you soon.

Still counting gifts. . .

My One Thousand Gifts List

#631-640
A workshop at Joshua’s school
Not getting upset with my babysitter for being late
My babysitter watching the boys and cleaning my kitchen
Meeting Sharon, another Emerson parent
Ms. Turner giving me great information at the Reading Comprehension and Writing Workshop
Knowing I had a definite way to help Joshua with reading comprehension and essay writing
Invitation to present a poem at the Master’s Bible Chapel’s Mother’s Day event
Getting laundry done
Good fellowship with Taivia
A stellar book proposal critique from a reputable literary agency

Contemplating Sickness & Suicide

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When you come to dark corners and they’re the end in your mind, do you make the end complete by bowing out of projects or consider bowing out of life? I’ve done both when the mantle of strong black womanhood was just too much, when other people’s demands let me know I had not enough to handle what was expected of me.

Erica Kennedy

I’m reflecting on that space today after I learned of the death of a sister-writer, Erica Kennedy, 42, a woman I never met, can’t say I ever read her words, but her life and now her death have impacted me. Her cause of death is not known publicly though various writings intimate suicide, brought on perhaps by depression or mental illness. I’m sad that Erica didn’t have what she needed, be it friends to talk to or medicine to take or something else, to help her cope in this life. Though another precious life is gone, I thank God that Erica’s death has sparked conversation about black women and depression and suicide. And for Christian women, we have the possibility to discuss more freely and without condemnation our struggles and that we need to go deep with Jesus so He leads us to our proper healing (which may include doctors and medicine). And we must always share our eternal hope in Jesus so others may receive salvation on this side of life and forever be with Him after death.

My One Thousand Gifts List

#621-630
The sun shining on my face
The pool of water making waves in the parking lot
Being led to join the A Holy Experience Gratitude Community
Meeting a white mom of an adopted black girl seeking me for guidance
Making great headway with laundry
Eating fruit in the bed with Nate and Justus
Justus and Nate attacking me with love
The boys loving going to the playground
Nate asking me to push him high in the swing while Josh swings himself high and Justus says “wee”
God protecting us at the name of Jesus from a car accident that seemed inevitable

Marvel in Small Things

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Last weekend was fabulous, likely the best personal getaway I have ever had. I went on a writing retreat with my best friend, Nichole. We wrote in a coffee shop, another time in a tea house, but our main writing space was in a certified Wildlife Habitat, the backyard of the place where we stayed. We saw wood chucks and chipmunks scurrying about; heard unfamiliar birds that flew high and perched themselves in branches some 200 feet in the sky; the oversized squirrels jumped from tree to tree; and a dozen or so unknown insects popped up, including one so small and totally amazing to me. This yellow worm-like bug was no bigger than the tip of my ink pen and would curl itself then bounce in whatever direction it wanted to go. How could God put life in something so miniscule, and not just life but an amazing life capable of doing seemingly impossible feats?

When I saw that bug I marveled at the great love our God has for us. We were made just a little lower than the angels, but compared to God, we are tiny. Yet He put it in us to do great things. He gave me a weekend and allowed me to write two 700-word essays and compile other writings into one file for a book. He gave our husbands grace to care for the children alone AND on Father’s Day weekend. God also allowed us to walk miles, drink coffee and tea, eat Indian, Ethiopian and Cuban food, have short talks about big stuff and to enjoy and fully embrace the little time we had in a place only a short stop away.

Nichole returned home to a broken hammock and I to a vomiting toddler, but the small getaway helped us to forgive and nurture in a big way. Only God has the power to bring greatness from the small and I stand in awe of my Jesus (Psalm 136:4).

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith

My One Thousand Gifts List

#101-110
Sweet children sitting at our table at Benihana
A different type of blog post
Picking Joshua up from school on time
Birthday dinner for Renee
Renee saying my “One Thousand Gifts” gift was “prophetic”
Flynn’s willingness to care for the children so I could celebrate with Renee even though he had to study for bible study
Enjoying my children’s laughter
Flynn going to the ATM and getting change for me
A warm coat for Joshua
Xfinity TV on my iPad because of Andrina

Everlasting Talent

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Sometimes I think my talent won’t last. I’ll rise up early, get to the keyboard and my fingers won’t stroke a key. I have nothing to say. My talent has left me, gone on to younger fingers and fresh minds, leaving me in a funnel. I’m history, a part of the “you remember that” crew, that group of people who for a season dazzled us with whatever God-giving amazement they had then vanished. I don’t want people to think about me with has-been terms. “Whatever happened to…?,” “She used to,” and “I used to like” are memory-keeping phrases that I don’t want anyone to have relating to me and my writing. All of these thoughts came to me before I heard: “God is everlasting so my talent is everlasting.” That thought didn’t come from me so I went to the keyboard to relate what my Everlasting Talent was saying.

We put too much emphasis on what we can do, what others will think, how well we can do, and if we can do it again, and it was never us in the first place. If we are connected to the Everlasting One—Jesus Christ Himself—whatever He has for us will last as long as it should; it will be everlasting. This is what we need to focus on. No amount of worry about our ability or what others think will produce what God has given to us to produce. “[I]n him we live and move and have our being…” (Acts 17:28). Whatever lasts remains because God has allowed it to remain. Yes, we must do our part by way of discipline and the route of preparation He has for us, but “…God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn” (Romans 11:29 NLT). Whatever ability and assignment God gives us will always be there. My talent focus might shift but it will still be there, everflowing and giving life to others through God’s enabling. That’s the only way we accomplish anything. We must remember to live “by revelation not by human determination” (Tony Evans in his series “Reclaiming Your Spiritual Authority: The Key to Ruling the World, Part 1).

I am thankful that I produce through God’s revelation not my determination, worry or any other human factor. God provides me a well of thoughts and those are the only ones I should want anyway.

What “inadequacy” have you been wrestling with?

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith

My One Thousand Gifts List

#91-100
Not feeling engorged
Justus sleeping seven hours through the night
Being able to witness to a woman
The woman being receptive to being evangelized
Cooking dinner without feeling stressed
Christen for babysitting
Dinner out with Flynn
Tasty food at Benihana
A loving mother with her four children at Benihana
A loving couple at Benihana

Beyond the Blog

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God’s grace has taken me to some new places lately. Here is a list of a few of my upcoming activities. I would love for you to support me, by reading, listening and especially praying for me and the people God wants to reach.

  • Today, check out my interview with Deanetta Thompson in her Christian Women Lifestyle Xpress magazine about my Christian walk and my new book Daily Guideposts: Your First Year of Motherhood.
  • Wednesday, I will speak with the transitioning women of the L.I.F.T. Women’s Resource Center about “The Power of Motherhood.”
  • Thursday at 3 p.m., I will be live on the Equipped for Life radio broadcast with Pastor Christopher W. Brooks (my pastor) on 1500 AM in Detroit and at www.faithtalk1500.com on the Internet.
  • Friday, I get to fellowship with members of Master’s Bible Chapel, where I will present a poem for their Mothers’ Day gathering.

    • For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.—Psalm 84:11 (NLT).

    I desire that in me His grace and glory will abound, all for His glory.

    Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith