"A Runner or a Writer?" by Wendy Brown

Running is my favorite sport. Over many years, I have trained and developed the muscles required to run—without ever lacing on the track shoes. Just the thought of pounding all the weight of my 5’10” body onto my knees and feet sends my entire desire for exercise into a tailspin. Real running, as in shoes, shorts and forward motion, exhausts me. But running from being a writer? Oh yes. I am skilled and advanced in technique.

My undergraduate degree is in Creative Writing. I’ve written professionally for radio, and freelanced for magazines, dramas and personal pleasure. Writing seems to be in my blood, but somehow I have always struggled with the concept of writing being a useful ministry. Results are hard to measure and the hours way too long.

Circumstances over the past several years have chipped away at that idea. As I sit in my dining room office this morning and look around at all the books I have collected through my lifetime, I can see the wisdom great authors have contributed to my life. Authors such as C.S. Lewis, Dallas Willard, A.W. Tozer, and John Piper have, with pen and paper—or keyboard and printer—changed my life.

All that energy I poured into avoiding the writing life, I now turn into the discipline of running the marathon set before me. I am a writer, employed by God. My gifts and calling should bring glory to God. So now I run the race set before me and strain forward to run with endurance and purpose.

At this year’s Kentucky Christian Writers Conference I’ll be leading a workshop on The Writer’s Ministry: Employed By God. If you’ve ever wondered why God wants you to write and how your words can further His kingdom, join us. This is a workshop to energize us as writers and boost our passion to press on. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to connect with fellow writers who share the day-to-day marathon of employment in God’s communications department.

Another workshop I’ll be leading is Writing With Integrity: A Walk Through Legoland. I have a plastic tub full of Legos to bring along so we can build an arsenal of tools and information to write legally and with integrity. We’ll look in-depth at the questions of copyright, fair use, Internet sources, quotations and other sticky topics.

All this excitement has me running---to my laptop, to reference books, interviews and brainstorming sessions. In June, I’ll be running to Kentucky so I don’t miss the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference 2009. See you there.

To learn more about Wendy, visit her website. If you're planning to attend KCWC 2009, now is the time to register. For details, see KCWC site. Also, subscribe to this blog for updates and additional blog posts by 2009 faculty.