Laurel Luehmann

The Pen in Your Hand – a Poem

November 16, 2020by Laurel Luehmann1 Comment

I know… poetry ranked lowest on the poll I posted a couple of weeks ago (a huge thank you to everyone who answered that!). But my mind has felt like Jell-O recently, so I’m drawing from the reserves today.:) Hopefully my brains will be back soon, and I’ll have a little more to offer you guys!

Anyway…

This is a poem written by my fifteen-year-old self. It came into being one night when I was really struggling to accept what God was doing with a situation in my life. Now, in volatile 2020, it’s a blessing to come back to this poem again and be reminded of where God wants my heart to be.

This is one of the first freestyle poems I wrote… and though it’s not quite as fantastic as I used to think it was :), I hope it’s a blessing to you today.

I don’t understand.

I don’t.

There are times, Lord,

When I,

The pen in Your hand,

Long to

Spring from Your mighty

All-knowing

Grasp, with a cry of

“No, no!

That isn’t the way!

Here!

Let me show You how!”

But that

Is as silly as a ditch-digger

Grasping

The brush of a masterful artist.

A clock

Does no good without clockwork

And so

I do no good without You.

With no

Master I lie here, my ink pouring

Out

A miserable, meaningless

Blot.

But in Your loving hand

My life

Is a song – a beautiful witness

To You.

So here – take my tears, though many

There be

And do what you will with them.

And here –

Take my years, though few they may

And use them to glorify

You.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Music, Personal

10 Songs You Need in Your Life

November 12, 2020by Laurel Luehmann7 Comments

Happy Thursday, friends!

Today I’m sharing 10 of my top 100 favorite songs with you all.:) They’re a blessing to both the ears and the soul. Enjoy!

This is What We Live For – Big Daddy Weave

I love this song! It’s just so packed with truth… I really appreciate being reminded of my true purpose and motivation when I listen to this song.

Amen – I Am They

This one is a good reminder to me to surrender everything to God and trust Him… even when I’m hurting and exhausted and confused about what’s going on. He’s got a perfect plan!

Be Thou My Vision

A beautiful old hymn that helps me to refocus on God. This is probably my all-time favorite song.

First – Lauren Daigle

Are we truly seeking God first?

Scars – I Am They

God uses our pain to draw us near to Him… He knows what He’s doing!

He Knows My Name – Francesca Battistelli

I’m living for Jesus and His praise. That fact is so freeing!

Keep Making Me – Sidewalk Prophets

I love this one so much I learned it on the guitar. I want this song to be the cry of my heart… always.

Love God Love People – Danny Gokey

Honestly, it really is this simple! This song is a great reminder when we’re feeling overwhelmed by our expectations of ourselves.

I Know – Big Daddy Weave

This one is just so good.

Make a Way – I Am They

God has been faithful… He is faithful… He always will be faithful. We can trust Him with our lives.

What are some of your favorite songs?

Photo by Yarenci Hdz on Unsplash

Personal

Why I Read God’s Word on a Daily Basis

November 9, 2020November 9, 2020by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

I’ve been in the habit of reading the Bible daily for years… and thought I’d share with you all just why I do this.

I don’t do it because it’s expected of me by my family, church, and youth group.

I don’t do it because I want to look like a better Christian than everyone else.

I don’t do it to earn “points” with God.

I don’t do it with a legalistic mindset.

I read the Bible daily because it is my lifeblood.

I read it because it’s like a breath of fresh air. When I slam the door of social media, snap off the ~~disturbing~~ news the radio is feeding me, and take time to just soak in the truth of God’s word, I am refreshed. I am reminded that there is still beauty and purpose in the world.

And I am enabled to head back into the wilds of the world and fight for it.

For Scripture is not just my refuge. It is my weapon.

“…take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” – Ephesians 6:17

We live in turbulent times – times in which evil is trying to prevail. Times that demand courage. Surrounding myself with God’s word is the best way I can arm myself with truth and courage.

When I read about flawed men and women – like my own flawed little self – who gave themselves to God and did incredibly brave things for Him, I am inspired to do the same. When I read God’s promises to be faithful and work all things together for good for me, I am encouraged to trust Him more.

Not only is Scripture my refuge and weapon; it also draws me closer to God.

When I read God’s word, I see more of Who He is. I see more of who I am… and more of who I ought to be. I see the way I need to live, the things I need to do, the habits I need to change.

I see that God is weaving together the threads of history in a beautiful and intricate way – a way that I could not see if I looked simply at the world around me.

So that, my friends, is why Scripture is on my daily to-do list.:)

life, Personal

Some Honest Ponderings + A Poll

November 5, 2020by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

Hey, friends!

I don’t have a lot for you today… just a smattering of thoughts and a poll for you to answer. If you don’t want to hear from me today, please at least zip to the end of the post and answer the poll for me… it won’t take more than 17 seconds! I’d love to hear from you so I can have a better idea of how I can serve you here.:)

But in case you do want to stick around and listen to me…

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about discipline, self control, prioritizing… all that good stuff.

And I feel like I’ve really lost it in these areas lately.

I don’t like it.

I used to be the girl who was so motivated and diligent with many things in her life. I had goals, and I fought for them. I knew where I was going. I was focused and fierce in pursuing what I knew God wanted me to do.

But then this summer I started spiraling out of control. So many things happened and changed, and I lost my foothold. I flew out away from the firm ground of order and left myself dangling on the end of a rope I couldn’t seem to climb – perpetually swinging in the winds of life.

I told myself, This is life now. Embrace the crazy.

But this doesn’t have to be life. I don’t have to be disorganized and scrambling. Of course, there will be plot twists that pop up throughout my days, weeks, and months, but what would happen if I tackle them with a disciplined mindset?

How much of the craziness in my life is self-inflicted?

I want to stop being all willy-nilly in the way I approach my life. Yes, I need to be flexible, but I don’t need to be floppy. God is a God of order, and I’m not convinced that I’m being the best image-bearer I can be when I’m not living my life in an order of some sort. I want to reflect God’s character as best I can.

So in conclusion…

I want to work on being disciplined and focused this month. I want to be seeking God whole-heartedly, and I want my life and habits to reflect it.

That’s all.:)

Have a lovely evening, friends.

-Laurel

Personal

Thousands of Words – Life of Late in Photos

November 2, 2020by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments

Happy Monday, all!

Quite honestly… I’m doing a photo post today because my brain feels completely shot at present and I don’t have much to give you guys… unless you want to hear me ramble incoherently about a zillion things all jumbled together into one big mess that just happens to be my train of thought.

Oof.

I doubt you want to hear that, so…

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are a few thousand words in the form of pics.:)

Ooh, yes… do let us begin with a lovely sunrise.:)

One of my favorite reads lately!

Coffee helps with… life.:)

We got a nice snow cover last month… thankfully it’s melted away now, but it sure made for a lovely walk. I love the stillness of snowy rambles.

I love C.S. Lewis quotes.

I snuck off to the pasture last weekend for a little undistracted planning time… in one of my scrappy and beloved sweatshirts, of course.:) Being purposed and intentional about the way that I live is something I want to get better about, and here I listed out some goals for a few different areas of my life… writing included.

Along the lines of intentional living, I ran across this song recently. Do check it out if you don’t already know it! It’s been a wonderful reminder to me… I truly want to live my life to hear Him say, “Well done.”

Am I living like that?

Are you?

Let’s.:)

❤ Laurel

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal

What I’ve Been Reading (+ Journal Snippets!)… October 2020 Edition

October 29, 2020November 20, 2020by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments

Good morning, all! Unbelievably, October is nearly over… which means it’s time for a review of my literary diet this month.

Quite honestly, I’m not very proud of the amount of reading I did this month. For writers, reading is like fueling up… so I guess I’ve been running close to empty for basically the whole month. Ah, well. Next month is fresh… with no mistakes in it! Yet.:)

Anyway… without further ado, here are my October reads!

Desiree’s Baby

Oh, man… if you want to read something short and extremely moving, here you go. This story is heartbreaking.

The Romance of a Busy Broker

Since O. Henry wrote The Gift of the Magi – one of my very favorite stories ever – I jumped at the chance to read another one of his works. The way this short story ended cracked me up!

Great Expectations

After hearing one of my brothers raving to me about it night and day, and even after being utterly traumatized and confused by the BBC film adaptation, I decided to give this book a try… and, oh, am I glad I did!

Dickens’ descriptions are incredible, and inspire me to be more creative in the way that I write my own descriptions. And his plots – oh, his plots!!! I don’t think I will ever be able to plot so masterfully as Dickens did.

Footprints of a Pilgrim: the Life and Loves of Ruth Bell Graham

My mother gave me this book a few years ago when I was researching Ruth Bell Graham for a school project, and I dug it out again recently after one of my sisters gave me one of Ruth Bell Graham’s poems.

This book is so beautiful… a fun mashup of an autobiography and anecdotes. I think what I loved the most, though, is the poetry scattered throughout. Her poetry is just so lovely and effortless… and it has inspired and influenced my own way of writing poetry.

Journal Snippets

I thought it might be fun to include some glimpses into my October 2020 journaling here…

“Seeking You (God) is all that will truly satisfy… all that will truly last.”

“Oh, God! I want You to be far more dear to me than that which I stubbornly clench in my fist. In all my desires… all my hopes… all my ambitions… may YOU – only You – be the One I seek.”

“Acts 20 – Paul may have been seen as something of a babbler… keeping back ‘nothing that was helpful’. But he served the Lord ‘with all humility’… and that makes all the difference.”

More journal snippets… yea or nay? Let me know in the comments below.:)

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission… at no extra cost to you.😊

Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash

writing

You May be a Writer If… (2nd Edition)

October 26, 2020by Laurel Luehmann8 Comments

The last post I did on this topic was so much fun… I wanted to do it again! Hopefully you don’t mind.:)

You may be a writer if…

…you’re an avid people watcher, and are shocked out of your skin when someone tells you they don’t even know what people watching is. “Wait, what??? You poor guy…”

…you have to check your face for ink stains before leaving the house.

…something mentioned in a sermon gives you an idea for further development in your novel, and you have to covertly scribble it in your bulletin before you forget about it.

…grammatical errors drive you crazy.

…you whisper one phrase to yourself over and over again because those words together in that order just. sound. so. good.

…you fervently hope that so-and-so won’t figure out that you’ve put them in your book. In disguise, of course.

…you jump up to go look for a pen and later discover that you already had one behind each ear.

…you have to check each piece of scrap paper you throw out to make sure it doesn’t contain any valuable information… because you probably took notes on it.

…you read books like you’ve been hired to edit them. “This description needs to be condensed.” “The dialogue here is amazing.” “I wonder if this is foreshadowing something…”

…three-fourths of the time you spend “cleaning your room” is actually spent reading old books/journals/notes you just unearthed.

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

life, Personal

Singin’ in the Rain

October 22, 2020by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments

Happy Thursday, friends!

I have to admit… this morning didn’t feel so happy.

In case you don’t know, I get to feed the cows on my family’s farm. Sometimes I just show up and plow through the feeding routine as planned… but today there was a little hiccup.

The tractor I use for feeding had a flat tire.

I didn’t have to change it – my awesome brothers took care of that – but that incident set the feeding schedule back a bit.

Oh, and it was raining.

And cold.

And I was getting soggy and chilled and frustrated and “oh, poor me”ish.

Wimp.

As I roared around in the skid loader and a dampened mood, I asked meself – whoa, okay, fingers, I guess we’re going with an accent today, – really, what do I have to complain about? Sure, the morning didn’t go as planned, but what do I have to smile about?

Umm… basically everything.

I’ve got an amazing job… even if it is a bit damp and dirty at times. The damp and dirty days make me appreciate the nice days all the more!

I have warm clothes that help ward off the cold and the rain.

I have a lot of thinking time while I’m feeding.:)

See, the way we look at our lives makes all the difference. If we’re hunting down things to be angry/frustrated/sad about, trust me, we’ll find them.

But if we’re hunting down things to be joyful/contented/happy about, trust me, we’ll find them.

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

God has so richly blessed us… on our best days, and on our worst days. He always, always, always gives us something for which we can thank Him.

What’s that “something” for you today?

life, Poetry

Generations – A Poem

October 19, 2020by Laurel Luehmann9 Comments

My latest poem… tell me what you think of it!

A torrent of green

They burst on the scene-

Ready to take on the world.

Confident – oh, so

Confident

They

Could change the world with

Their song.

So they did.

What once was a forest of

Bleak

Monochrome

Soon became an explosion of

Verdure.

They gladdened the hearts of

The weak and the strong

The fearful and brave

The old and the young.

As the days turned to

Weeks

And the weeks turned to

Months

Their glory was ripening to

Rust

And they knew that their

Sweet days were

Short.

Yet they glowed

And they sang

In the grasp of the wind

That was stealing them

Far, far away on its

Breath

And they fell to their

Death

At the foot of the trees

That were helpless

To bring them to life.

A waste of a season?

They knew that they’d

Lived

The fullness of days

Appointed

To them.

So they sank into time –

Having burst upon

For a moment –

And broke into

Sod

For successors.

Photo by John Silliman on Unsplash

writing

5 Ways to Keep Your Focus On Tough Writing Days

October 15, 2020by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments

Can we all agree that distraction is one of a writer’s most common and deadly foes? Here are some habits that help me stay focused on difficult writing days.

1.) Make a list.

It doesn’t have to be elaborate! Even if you have only one or two things on your writing agenda, write them down. It’s so helpful to have that visual reminder of what you have to do in case your mind wanders. And it’s just so satisfying to cross things off your list.:)

Here’s my writing list for today:

Work on Thursday’s blog post
Write the bridge for Chapter 4
Write more of Chapter 4… finish???
Listen to “Creating Stellar Characters”

2.) Have water or a yummy drink on hand.

Stay hydrated… it’s good for your brain! Make sure you’re getting the water you need so you can think and write your best.

Also, having a special coffee drink is just plain fun. Maybe it doesn’t improve focus in a huge way… but it can be a little extra something that makes your writing time more enjoyable.:)

3.) Take breaks and set a timer.

Giving your brain a break from focusing on one scene or task or topic can be so helpful. Taking even just a tiny break and doing something else for a minute or two adds a helpful variation from staring at your computer screen for hours.

As far as the timer goes… if you know that you have a limited amount of time to do something, it somehow makes a task more bearable and encourages you to work harder at it!

4.) Don’t let yourself get distracted.

I know, I know… the second you sit down to write that not-super-exciting scene or the mentally-taxing blog post, you remember half a dozen other things that have suddenly become pressing matters.

Just exercise your self-control and tell yourself, no not until _____. Then you’re going to be so proud of yourself when you reach that goal, and even more motivated to meet your next goal! Each time you work your self-control, you’re making it easier for yourself to be self-controlled next time. You can do it!!!

5.) Remember that it won’t always be a struggle to focus.

One of the things I had to realize as I started to take my writing more seriously is that there will be days where I’m super excited and pumped about writing, and other days where I’m really wanting to drag my feet… and that’s normal and okay.

Just keep on slogging through the tough days, knowing that you’re gonna slay it SOON!!!

What are some things you do to help yourself stay focused?