When Writing Became a Place of Refuge
At the beginning of 2024, I committed myself to blogging a short devotion every day. At the time, I did not know how much I would need that discipline.
It was a difficult year. Kathleen was sick, and she spent most of her time in the hospital. Life slowly narrowed to hospital rooms, waiting areas, and long stretches of uncertainty. On 15 November 2024, she went home to be with Jesus. In the days that followed, I did not know how to respond. Words failed me. Emotions came in waves. Silence felt heavy.
Yet, I kept writing.
Often, it was just me, my thoughts, and Ben quietly nearby. As I wrote, I read Scripture more carefully. I prayed more honestly. I lingered longer with God’s Word than I otherwise would have. Writing did not remove the grief, but it gave it a place to rest. Slowly, I began to find peace and solace in God as I learned how to live with loss.
Looking back, I can say this with gratitude: God kept me safe. He carried me through a dark valley, and writing became one of the ways He sustained me.
Why Writing Matters in Seasons of Pain
Writing has a unique way of helping us slow down and pay attention. It gives form to what feels chaotic inside. It allows us to sit with questions instead of rushing toward easy answers. In seasons of struggle, writing can become a quiet companion—one that listens patiently and leads us gently back to God.
This series, Writing Through Struggle and Healing, grows out of that lived experience. It explores how writing can become a spiritual practice, especially when faith feels tested and words are hard to find.
What This Series Will Explore
In the posts that follow, I will reflect on five related themes:
- Writing in the Dark Valley
What it means to keep writing when life feels overwhelming and hope feels distant. - When I Don’t Know What to Pray, I Write
How writing can become prayer when spoken words fail. - Writing as Lament and Hope
Learning from biblical lament and discovering how honest writing can still point toward hope. - How Writing Helped Me Name My Pain
The healing power of naming grief, loss, and fear instead of suppressing them. - Writing When Faith Feels Fragile
Staying honest with God when belief feels thin and certainty is gone.
Each post stands on its own, yet together they tell a larger story—one of grief, grace, and God’s quiet faithfulness.
An Invitation to Walk This Path Together
If you are walking through a difficult season, or if you simply want to reflect more deeply on faith and healing, I invite you to journey through this series with me. You do not need to be a writer to benefit from it. You only need a willingness to slow down and be honest before God.
I hope these reflections encourage you, as writing has encouraged me. More than that, I pray they remind you that even in the darkest valleys, God is near—and He is still at work.
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