Welcome

Why a blog from me, someone who has never been a writer, someone who has never been articulate or had a solid grasp of the grammar world. Because God told me to write. Several years ago a life storm invaded my family. God kept telling me to write it all down. I argued, but He would not let up. This went on every day for a couple of weeks until one day out of frustration, (I'd like to say it was out of obedience), I picked up a pen and paper and wrote for 7 hours straight! Do you think maybe I needed therapy and God knew it?

I've been writing ever since and have learned to love it! I started out sharing my stories with friends and family. I've now been published in a Nashville church paper, Our Daily Journey (a devotional site of RBC Ministries), PCCWeb Daily Devotional, Ruby for Women Ezine Magazine, and I am a contributor in the book Alabaster Jars, Life in Abundance Collection 2.

Why Ponderings? During this life storm, God led me to a pond in the woods behind my home. There He met me each time, teaching new lessons, reminding me of old ones, showing His presence and allowing me to feel His love through the surroundings of that pond. I found myself returning over and over to ponder, pray and praise. A healing of my heart took place and out of the experience came my first book, Ponderings From the Pond, then a second book, Ponderings From My Porch, and now a third book is in the works along with a memoir about my storm.

Why am I making myself so vulnerable? Because God has done so much that I cannot keep quiet. I have to share. Jesus's last words to his desciples were, "Go,tell." We are his disciples too and this is just one of my ways of telling.

I'm no scholar but I have heard God's voice in my spirit, experience His love daily, and have a desire for others to experience this also. I would love to share with all who visit and I would love to hear from you. If my sharing gets just one to ponder, to be quiet with the Father, to see and hear from Him or to be reminded of something from Him, then this is worth my vulnerability.

As you visit me, sometimes we will be at the pond, sometimes we will move to the front porch, and sometimes we will just be here, there, and yonder. Thank you for coming and please feel free to come back anytime, you are always welcome here.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

*****EXCITING NEWS*****

My first book, Ya Know What I'm Say'n, has been released.


Ponderings

Ponderings

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Reduced To Tears



It's not hard. I'm just like my mother. Sorry mom! It doesn't take a lot to reduce us to tears.
 
Right now it's formatting my book that is making my face tear stained. I'm still not totally comfortable with all the workings of WORD and I have this little. . . ok, ok, BIG fear I'm going to delete. I've done that before with blog posts. But I'm talking about over two years worth of work here. And this formatting is more work than I thought. It's not the work I mind, it's just the shaky hands on the keyboard, the unconfident hands hitting keys and symbols and I'm thinking of thousands and thousands of words that could be gone in the blink of an eye. Yes, I have a back-up on another laptop. I think the breaker of the dam came when someone next to me was saying do this, do that, and I am someone who needs to think a minute, or two, or three before I make changes. After all, this is serious business. I want to do it right. I want to do it well. And sometimes I just need to think longer than the person next to me.

And then there are the pictures. Yes, I have pictures all through out the book and I had them all in place. But the publishers guidelines say the manuscript needs to be double spaced and all paragraphs indented. That's no problem. . .until it comes to the pictures! Changing the movement of the words is throwing the pictures all out of whack and I don't know what I'm doing.

Maybe I'm thinking this all out too much. I know I'm fretting to much. It's just that this project is so important to me and I have put my heart and soul into it. People have trusted me with their words. I want to do a good job and I want it to bring glory and honor to my Lord.

So, then I ask myself. . .Did God not lead me into all of this? The answer is  "Yes!" I have no doubts about that. Do I trust Him to take this where He wants? The answer is  "Yes!" SO, why am I crying?

Because I am silly. That's the best I can come up with. And because I can control being silly, I will stop it. And I will keep going until this job is done.

What about you? Do you cry over silly things? Please do tell! :)  Do you fret? Will you trust the Lord with me that He is in control and believe that we are just asked to do the best we can? Will you agree with me that we will put one foot in front of the other, keep typing on those keys, formatting those books, parenting our kids, you fill in the blank_______________ with what's going on in your life.

Let's breathe in God's strength and divine power and I'm going to say a "thank you" to Him for putting up with me.  Let's get going!

Just let me go get a Kleenex first to blow this nose of mine and I'll be right there.

7 comments:

Lori Dupes said...

Oh sweet cousin. I can certainly understand. You go blow that nose and put that smile back on your face. You're just going through some growing pains as you learn all those symbols, etc. You can do this, the Lord won't let you down.

Susan said...

SO timely. I cannot tell you how timely. I am trusting the Lord like I've never trusted before....involves my son, the one who has taken a long walk away from everything Godly and I see babysteps of a return. BUT oh at such a great cost. It is almost scary BUT I know that God is in it. I know that God completes that good work begun way back when. I know there are consequences to bad choices and decisions. But I cry out for MERCY O LORD - SHOW HIM MERCY O LORD. I, too, am reduced to tears as I type these words.
xoxo

Kristin Bridgman said...

Oh Susan, we cry mercy together. But I did not pass over those words, "baby steps of a return." I rejoice in baby steps going in the right direction. I continue to pray for the sweet steps of your baby.

Kristin Bridgman said...

Lori, thank you! I blew and I'm on my way again :)

a joyful noise said...

Wipe your tears, because YOU can do it. This is wonderful to have a publisher print your book. Watch for hidden costs to you because publishers should not be charging you. I self published my books, and naturally you purchase a certain amount and sell OR give them away yourself. A genuine publisher should be able to get your book into book stores, and on the web.

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

When I am writing or editing my talks, I e.mail them to myself on a regular basis ... I am also afraid I might accidentally delete it. :)

Fondly,
Glenda

Kristin Bridgman said...

Thank you ladies. I'm not paying anything. I don't have a publisher signing me yet. They have just agreed to look at it. We'll see!