By Raewyn Elsegood

As Christian writers, we often take our calling so seriously that we forget one of God’s greatest gifts—laughter. While our mission is meaningful, God invites us to find joy in the creative process. The age-old wisdom that “laughter is the best medicine” finds its roots in Scripture itself: Proverbs 17:22 tells us, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”

This truth recently came alive for me at a writers’ festival, where three cancer survivors used comedy in their presentations. Through their powerful combination of humor and words, they showed how laughter could illuminate even life’s darkest pathways. Their joy in the process was contagious, even on stage.

Finding Humor in the Writing Life

The writing journey offers endless opportunities for laughter if we’re willing to see them:

• Amusing adventures of autocorrect transforming our carefully chosen words
• The creative ways our families find to interrupt our writing sessions
• Those memorable moments when we discover “insert conclusion here” still lurking in our published newsletter

These frustrating moments can become treasured reminders to lighten up. After all, if C.S. Lewis could weave humor throughout “The Screwtape Letters,” perhaps we too can incorporate joy into our serious messages.

Reframing Our Perspective

Benjamin Zander, author of “The Art of Possibility,” offers a masterful example of reframing what we perceive as failure. In one of his TED talks, rather than responding to bad news with expected gloom, he throws his hands toward the sky and exclaims, “Oh! The Possibilities!” My writing group applied this principle when they transformed my rejection letter from a literary agent into what they called my “Letter of Clarity”—because it indeed illuminated my next steps, once I learned to see it through the lens of possibility.

Embracing the Joy of the Journey

We all need writing companions who can check our “Joy Meters,” especially when we:

• Feel stuck in the middle of a challenging chapter
• Grow impatient with the path to publication
• Run low on creative energy

Remember: God is the ultimate creator of giggles and grins. He has blessed us with this dance of discovery, complete with its occasional missteps and surprising turns. As you pour yourself into your words this week, look for that joy. Share your writing bloopers, celebrate the imperfect moments, and pray with a smile, confident knowing that God oversees your journey.

May you find both purpose and enjoyment in your writing, knowing that sometimes the best way to honor our calling is through a heart lifted by laughter.

When did you last have a giggle at yourself as a writer?

P.S. I am bringing my smile and giggle all the way from Australia to the BRMCWC this year where I hope to meet some of you. You will find me and my fellow Aussie presenter Penny Reeve facilitating one of the workshops ‘Writing on the Edge: taking care of yourself when writing about hard things’

Raewyn Elsegood is an Australian chaplain, writer, and speaker with a passion for storytelling. A wife and mother of three, she regularly appears on ‘Helping Hands TV’ and Hope 103.2 radio, and works as a company director with Team GEM, a sports empowerment workshop provider.

Trained at the Australian Writers Centre and Proverbs 31 Compel Writers program, she has facilitated the Australian Christian Writers Network conference, hosting international writing talents such as Steve Laube, Hallee Bridgeman, Margie Lawson and Alex Marestaing. She frequently visits Long Island, New York, to see her daughter, son in law and grandson and attend Christian writer’s conferences.

After losing her 19-year-old daughter in 2021, Raewyn turned to writing as a form of healing. Her upcoming book, ’21 Gifts: A Trail of Joy Hidden in Grief’, emerges from this journey. Until her website launches, she can be found on Facebook and Instagram.