by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

I never dreamed that we would be one of “those” families—the kind whose kids have sports almost every night of the week. But then I had boys and they turned into ballplayers. Flag football, basketball, baseball. They can’t get enough.

And the truth is, neither can I.

The squeak of rubber soles on a gym floor. The swish when the ball slides through the net.

The crack of the bat. The satisfying thunk when the ball lands in the glove. 

I love all of it.

I’m a fan of sports in general, but it’s an entirely different ballgame when it’s my child on the field.

I love watching my boys do something they love. The intensity on their faces as they drive the ball up the court. The focused concentration as they watch the ball into their glove. The pure joy when they make a catch, hit a home run, or sink the winning shot. 

And I’m not a passive observer. While I’m normally reserved, there’s an entirely different side of me that emerges when my kids are playing. (Or, to be honest, when Clemson plays, but that’s a story for another day). I’m that mom who jumps out of my seat and cheers at full volume. I yell encouragement and scream with joy when the play unfolds perfectly. 

A few weeks ago I was watching one of my sons play, and I had a mom moment. I can’t remember the specifics—I think my son made a great catch—and I found myself blinking back tears. I couldn’t get a handle on why I was so happy. It’s a baseball game, I reminded myself. Just a game. 

But . . .

That’s my son out there doing something he loves. He’s good at it. He plays his heart out and it brings him joy. And because of that, it brings me joy.

And then I had a writer moment. 

I didn’t hear an audible voice. It was more of an impression, a thought, a picture. I realized that when I’m sitting at my desk writing, or brainstorming with my friends, or teaching a class, or encouraging a fellow writer, God sees. When I am doing this thing that I love, God is right there. And here’s the part that blew me away.

God loves all of it.

Can you picture it with me? God is present, listening to the quiet clicking of computer keys or the soft scrape of pen on paper. He’s there in the noisy restaurants, the coffee shops, the conference sessions. He’s watching as minds are tuned toward stories and plots and “a-ha” moments flicker through the room like fireflies. He’s reading over our shoulder as we send the late-night texts and He’s listening in on the phone conversations as the children He has called to write work through their fears and insecurities. 

He sees us when we hit send on the query letter, the manuscript, the blog post.

He’s watching us do this thing we love, and I believe it brings Him joy. 

I know we tend to think of God as serious and somber. He is God after all. And in no way would I diminish His holiness or majesty or glory. But this is the same God who says in Zephaniah that He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by his love; He will exult over you with loud singing. 

That doesn’t sound like God is sitting quietly, fingers steepled, giving a slight nod of encouragement, now does it? No. When I read that, I imagine God leaning forward, maybe even holding His breath, watching for the moment when all the pieces click, and when they do, He lets out a holy whoop of joy.

So today, tonight, tomorrow, the next time you sit down to write, take a second and picture the arena. Imagine that you’re on the field and God is watching from the stands. He’s not there as umpire or referee, ready to penalize any missteps. He’s there as Father. As the One who made you and loves you like no one else ever has or ever will, and He’s cheering you on. 

Then write your heart out for Him.

Grace and peace,

Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy—but her grown-up reality is that she’s a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations—while she’s sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas!

Her Dive Team Investigations series kicked off in March with Beneath the Surface. The second book in the series, In Too Deep, releases in November with the third book to follow in 2019. She is also the author of Hidden Legacy and Covert Justice, which won the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel and the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery and Suspense.

She lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after at www.LynnHBlackburn.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.