Why I write
I made a confession recently on Facebook (btw, why do we all feel the need to confess things on social media?), anyway, back to my confession. As an older child and middle-schooler, I struggled with anger management. If you know me today, you'd be shocked. If you knew me then, you're just nodding your head.
In the midst of my anger was my deep desire to tell off anyone who hurt my feelings. It took me a while to catch on, but I finally began to see that every time I told someone off I usually ended up apologizing for my words. Humility wasn't a strong point for me either so having to apologize was hard.
Somewhere around junior high, I began to write out my anger. Instead of yelling those words to other pre-teen girls, I wrote them--often vigorously. Then I tore the paper up and threw it away. I felt better. My feelings and words were expressed. I gave myself the time needed to cool down. And I saved a little face too.
I can trace back my writing to those days. God allowed me writing as an exercise in patience. As my maturity grew and people's actions bothered me less, my writing changed into a creative venue. I loved the way words flowed onto paper.
What I really love is seeing how God took something negative (my anger issues) and used them for His glory. I see other people now, even my own children, struggle with what we would label character flaws. I'm reminded these are really opportunities for God to turn what most see as bad into something good for His glory. If He can do it for an angry pre-teen girl I believe He can do it for anyone.
