by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed.D. @khutch0767

During my career as a school principal, our district upgraded the computer system for all administrators. We went from PC to Mac. This was supposed to make our lives easier and sync our laptops, phones, and desktops seamlessly. Preferring the status quo, I was skeptical and wanted things to stay as they were. I was familiar with the old system despite its many issues. I disliked change, especially when I wasn’t creating the initiatives. But I had no choice and begrudgingly tried to get my new technology synced once I received the latest equipment.

As I’d suspected, the changes to our old system were problematic. Nothing I did got anything to work. Frustrated, I dialed our district’s tech department, as I had many times prior, and explained my concerns. The expert on the other line was familiar with the challenges I often experienced, yet, this time, he couldn’t seem to fix the problem.

We began working on arranging an appointment for someone to troubleshoot my equipment when something occurred to the tech. He asked me if I’d turned on the power. “I didn’t think to do that,” I said. After about five more minutes of the tech talking me through where the power buttons were, I established a connection. Soon, I discovered that the equipment synced seamlessly between each device.

Reflecting on this story, I see several parallels to how we sometimes treat our writing careers and relationship with God. Many of us often resist. This could be related to new trends and practices in the writing industry or to God’s will for our lives. Often, we hold fast to practices that worked for us in the past. Sometimes, we resist correction, feedback, and guidance, even when it’s meant to improve our old way of doing things. Instead of incorporating upgrades to our Christian walk and writing methods, we may push back. Unfortunately, as Christian writers, we may even forget to plug into our primary power source and where that source is located. Many of us become comfortable with the status quo—a Latin term that describes the current state of things in various areas. It refers to the existing conditions and maintaining things as they are (Webster 2021).

Here are Four Ways to Avoid—The  Writing Status Quo—And Plug into The Power

1. Listen—“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God” Romans 8:14 (NIV). Quiet our minds and seek God’s guidance to hear His message and the instructions sent by his servants. Stay hopeful and attentive. When we hear from God, He will give us instructions—something He wants us through our lives and writing. That is always how God has always worked. When Jesus healed the man with leprosy, He said, “Stretch out your hand” (Matthew 12:13, NIV).When did the miracle happen exactly? When the man stretched out his hand. “Go, wash in the pool” (John 9:7, AMP). “Fill the jars with water” (John 2:7). “Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8). Instruction always preceded breakthroughs in people’s lives throughout the Bible.
2. Speak the Language of Faith—“He will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:23, NKJV). Our words can create life or death, so we must use faith-based language for our victories. We should consistently make a conscious effort to speak positively and with faith regarding our lives, writing projects, and relationships.
3. Believe—“Don’t be afraid; just believe” (Mark 5:36, NIV). Jesus comforted Jairus by telling him to believe, despite his young daughter’s tragic death. It seemed as if there was no more hope. However, Jesus raised her from the dead. This lesson teaches us to persist in our faith and writing pursuits, even in the face of difficulty, rejection, and closed doors. God can resurrect what appears to be a dead writing career to one that is alive and vibrant.
4. Do Something!—“Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26, NKJV). Faith alone is not enough. To make it real, we must act. We must do something by plugging in the power source of our God. We plug in by spending time in God’s presence through prayer, reading our Bibles, and sharing the Gospel. We must also diligently hone our craft, develop networking opportunities, and build our platforms to become successful writers.

To advance our spiritual lives and writing careers, it’s important to avoid sticking to the status quo—the usual routine. By tapping into God’s infinite source of strength, we can maintain a strong connection with Him and pave the way for success and breakthroughs in our careers.

Author, speaker, educational consultant, and editor–Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed. D. has had her hand in leadership for many years. She loves speaking to groups and delivering messages with a quick wit and real-life stories. Katherine is a freelance writer/content editor, a content editor/writing coach for Iron Stream Media, and a sensitivity reader for Sensitivity Between the Lines. She is a review board member and contributor to Inkspirations (an online magazine for Christian writers), and her writing has been published in Guideposts. Her work in art/writing is distinguished by awards, including the New York Mayor’s Contribution to the Arts, Outstanding Resident Artist of Arizona, and the Foundations Awards at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference (2016, 2019, 2021, 2022). She was a finalist in the Genesis Contest ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers/Romantic Suspense 2022). She is a finalist for the Claymore Award 2022 (Thriller Division) for the best-unpublished manuscript. She is a member of Word Weavers International and serves as an online chapter president and mentor. She belongs to FWA (Florida Writers Association), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), CWoC (Crime Writers of Color), AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), and AASA (American Association of School Administrators). She serves on the board of the nonprofit organization Submersion 14 and is an art instructor and virtual exhibition specialist for the nonprofit organization Light for the Future. Katherine is the host of the podcast Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality. She has authored a Christian Bible study for women and is currently working on the sequel and prequel to her first general market thriller novel, “A Fifth of the Story.”