The Evolution of a Writer - Part One

As a Christian writer and mentor, blogging about evolution may not seem intuitive, but I come by it honestly. I may have received 100% in high school biology. So, I prudently chose to study science in university. And my first year of biology painstakingly detailed all levels of evolution. Over two Darwinian inspired terms.

I needed to create my own blend of intelligent design and natural selection – or risk losing my delicate hold on a new faith. In short, I deduced that God created everything -including the process and means for all his creation to evolve. I know … oversimplified, but it works for me and the illustration I want to make here.

Over the past three years, I have travelled through my own little evolutionary experiment. I have taken a rather loosely worded goal about writing and turned it into something very different from its original design and intention. Something more vibrant and alive. Something only God could have created and inspired.

And here comes the back story. My writing journey began with a beautiful metal fronted notebook from Urban Outfitters - purchased during an epic coming of age trip to Toronto. The entire store was exorbitantly overpriced for my Canadian Tire cashier salary, but no where in the burbs would I find stationary of this chic metropolitan status. And who knew the next time my parents would offer permission for me to venture back to the T.O.. So I bought it. And one fantastic Gumby t-shirt from the Black Market (a thrift store that still exists if you are looking to find some curated vintage treasures of your own).

A slight problem arose when I got back home. I could not bring myself to write in the masterpiece of pulp and ore. I had convinced myself that this collection of ring-bound papers was destined for some specific and meaningful greatness. I just couldn’t figure out what that greatness was.

The journal decorated the shelf of my childhood bedroom until I graduated high school. It then traveled to the cinder-block cubicle of my University dorm. I fondly packed it back up after finishing six years of higher education, And still its intended purpose lay unfounded.

Over ten years later, despite multiple moves, the little square book came out of storage, surprisingly crisp and still awaiting creative genius. It was not until those academic expectations were unloaded, textbooks donated and forgotten childhood paperbacks unearthed that my once exorbitant purchase was given light and purpose.

I wanted to write.

And not just write anything. I wanted to write for children. And not just for any purpose. I wanted to inspire faith. And this book became my first proclamation and exertions towards that goal.

As you can see, I started with a lofty and rather high and mighty goal. But remember, this is a story of evolution. And humbleness. And gratitude. And blessing. But that is for future weeks.

I should not have become a writer. But there was an urge to understand and share the unexplainable, the unscientifically founded - the wondrous - that would not go away. Maybe you have the same urge or something completely different. What I learned in my journey at this stage? I needed to be patient with that desire. 10 years of patient. But now, in the right time and head space, it is starting to find light.

This is where my writing story began.

What about yours? If you write, perform, or create what inspired you to pick up a pencil, instrument, or paintbrush?

Next week...or month, depending on unforeseeable and sometimes not clearly understood circumstances, I'll share my first humbling author encounter that crashed my "Life Goal" back down to earth.