The Story of With—A Book for All Creatives

by Lynn Huggins Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

I read a lot of books on writing, creativity, and productivity. I read a lot of writing blogs. I listen to a lot of writing podcasts. At some point, it all starts to run together and while there may be a particular point or concept that sticks with me, it’s often difficult to remember exactly where I read or heard it or who exactly shared the information.

But there is a post I read about eighteen months ago that resonated with me so deeply that I can tell you exactly who wrote it and where it appeared. It was a post about writing with God for seven days, it was written by Allen Arnold, and it appeared on Novel Rocket.

So when I saw that he was teaching a class at ACFW I knew I wanted to take it (it was amazing) and then I came home and ordered his brand new book, The Story of With.

The Story of With is unlike anything I’ve ever read and I don’t want to spoil it for you.

I do want to encourage you to get your hands on a copy and read it.

The Story of With is for all creatives (which we all are, whether we realize it or not) and it is the kind of book that has the potential to transform the way you create and ultimately the way you live.

I am a very task oriented person. It’s how I’m wired. I’m okay with that. But my task oriented nature makes me prone to be, well . . . how can I put this delicately? I am a hot mess about 99% of the time. My stress levels stay ridiculously high as I strive to do.all.the.things. I spend most of my days frustrated when things don’t go as I planned, because they never do. Not only is this unhealthy, but I know this is not how God intended for me to live. He made me task oriented so I could be efficient and effective, not stressed and striving all day every day.

So when I read The Story of With and saw in its pages a call to live an unbalanced life, part of me got a little twitchy. Unbalanced? Wild? Unpredictable? That does not sound like such a good idea.

But . . .

What if that is exactly what God is calling me to do? To create WITH Him. To walk through every moment of every day WITH Him. To open my calendar each morning, not with a sense of urgency as I prepare to do.all.the.things, but with a sense of expectancy as I step into my day WITH God and see what He has in store for me.

I finished the book a few days ago, and while it’s too early to say that I’m a changed woman, I have had a few completely unbalanced days this week and when I’ve felt myself starting to freak out, I’ve heard that still small voice. “You wanted to spend the day with me, remember? Calm down. Stay with me. This is what I have for you today.” I’ve pictured myself in the Story that He’s writing for me and instead of fighting to get out of it, I’ve stepped further into it.

Instead of getting this blog post written when I thought I would, I wrote it on my back porch in the cool of the early morning as the stars faded into a blue sky, and I enjoyed every moment of it. It wasn’t how *I* planned it, but it was so much better. So much less stressful. So much how I think creating WITH my Creator is supposed to be.

If any of this resonates with you, grab a copy of The Story of With. Spend some time with it. Take a few weeks. Read it slowly. There’s no rush. Let it all sink in and see what happens. I’m waiting expectantly on your behalf. 

What do you think creating with your Creator looks like in real life? Let’s talk about it in the comments.

Don’t forget to join the conversation!

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Lynn Huggins Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She’s passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in South Carolina with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Her first book, Covert Justice, won the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery and Suspense and the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel. You can follow her real life happily ever after on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and at lynnhugginsblackburn.com.