From Edie: Dr. Kennita Williams shares encouragement for Christian writers facing life's storms. Learn to trust God's calling, find peace in difficult seasons, and know when to pause.
Your Storm Doesn't Cancel Your Calling: Encouragement for Christian Writers
by Dr. Kennita (Kay) Williams
The wind was howling. The rain was relentless. And everything around me seemed to be shaking.
As Hurricane Isaias made its presence known, I found myself experiencing something that reminded me of a powerful spiritual truth: Peace is not the absence of a storm. Peace is knowing Who is with you in the middle of it.
If you have ever experienced a hurricane, you know there is something unsettling about hearing the wind beat against your home while watching the trees bend under its force. You can prepare, gather supplies, secure what you can, and pray. But eventually, you must acknowledge something:
There are circumstances you simply cannot control.
And isn’t that true of life?
As Christian communicators, we spend much of our time encouraging others, sharing God’s Word, writing messages of hope, and reminding people to trust Him.
But what happens when the storm comes knocking on our own door?
What happens when the encourager needs encouragement?
When the writer runs out of words?
When the person who reminds everyone else to have faith suddenly finds themselves wrestling with fear?
I have learned that sometimes our greatest messages are not written during seasons of comfort. They are developed in the middle of life’s storms.
1. Storms Reveal What Anchors Us
As I listened to the wind and rain, I thought about how much energy we spend trying to control what happens around us.
We want predictable schedules, successful projects, healthy families, answered prayers, and opportunities that unfold according to our plans.
But storms have a way of interrupting our expectations.
They remind us that our security cannot rest in circumstances that can change overnight.
Hebrews 6:19 reminds us, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (NIV)
An anchor does not prevent the waves from coming. It helps keep us from drifting when they do.
As writers and communicators, our anchor cannot be the number of people who read our work, the invitations we receive, or the doors that open.
Our anchor must remain in Christ.
Reflection: What has been anchoring your confidence lately God’s promises or your circumstances?
2. You Can Experience Peace Without Having All the Answers
One of my favorite accounts in Scripture is found in Mark 4:35–41.
Jesus and His disciples were crossing the sea when a furious storm arose. Waves crashed against their boat, and the disciples became terrified.
Meanwhile, Jesus was sleeping.
Can you imagine?
The wind was raging. Water was entering the boat. Experienced fishermen were afraid.
And Jesus was resting.
When the disciples awakened Him, He spoke to the wind and commanded the sea to be still.
But what speaks to me most is that Jesus possessed peace before the storm stopped.
That is the kind of peace I want.
Not peace that depends on everything going according to plan.
Not peace that arrives only after the problem is resolved.
But peace that remains because I know Who holds my life.
Philippians 4:7 describes the peace of God as something that surpasses our understanding.
Sometimes peace does not make sense to the people watching your circumstances.
But when your trust is rooted in God, you can remain steady even when life feels uncertain.
3. Do not Allow the Storm to Silence Your Assignment
Christian communicators, I want to encourage you with something I have had to remind myself:
Your storm does not cancel your calling.
There will be seasons when writing feels difficult.
When your heart is heavy.
When the words do not come easily.
When personal challenges demand more attention than your ministry or manuscript.
And sometimes, the most faithful thing you can do is rest, recover, and allow God to minister to you.
But do not confuse a necessary pause with the end of your assignment.
I have learned that some of the most meaningful things I share with others come from experiences I never would have chosen.
The challenges taught me compassion.
The waiting strengthened my faith.
The uncertainty reminded me to surrender.
And the storms gave me a testimony.
Perhaps what you are experiencing today will become the encouragement someone else needs tomorrow.
Do not rush to turn every difficult moment into content. Allow God to work in you before you worry about what He might communicate through you.
4. Sometimes the Strongest Thing You Can Do Is Be Still
I often teach leaders about the power of the pause.
My approach is simple: Pause. Plan. Proceed.
But storms have taught me that sometimes the pause is the most important part.
When everything around us becomes chaotic, our instinct is often to do something.
Fix something.
Control something.
Move faster.
Yet Psalm 46:10 reminds us, “Be still, and know that I am God.” (KJV)
Stillness does not mean we have surrendered to defeat.
It means we are choosing to surrender our need for control.
For the Christian communicator, that may mean stepping away from the keyboard long enough to pray.
It may mean closing the laptop and spending time with family.
It may mean trusting God with an unfinished assignment while you tend to your own well-being.
Remember, you are more than the messages you produce.
God cares about the messenger, too.
5. After the Storm, Remember That You are Still Standing
Eventually, storms pass.
The winds settle. The rain stops. And the work of recovery begins.
Sometimes there is damage to repair. Sometimes things must be rebuilt. Sometimes the landscape looks different than it did before.
But there is something powerful about realizing you are still standing.
Maybe you are not standing exactly where you started.
Maybe you have been stretched, shaken, or changed.
But you are here.
Still believing.
Still trusting.
Still carrying the purpose God placed inside you.
And perhaps that is the message someone needs to hear today.
You do not have to pretend the storm was not frightening.
You do not have to minimize what you have experienced.
You simply need to remember that God has not abandoned you.
A Final Word to the Christian Communicator
Friend, whatever storm you are facing as you read these words, I want to encourage you.
Do not measure God’s presence by the absence of difficulty.
Do not measure your faith by whether you ever feel afraid.
And do not measure your calling by how smoothly life is going.
Keep your heart anchored in Christ.
Give yourself permission to pause.
Trust Him in the uncertainty.
And when the time comes, pick up your pen again.
Because sometimes the most powerful message we will ever write is the one that begins with these words:
“I went through the storm. And by the grace of God, I am still standing.”
A Prayer for the Storm
Heavenly Father, thank You for being our refuge when life feels uncertain. When the winds of fear, disappointment, and discouragement begin to rise, remind us that You are near. Give us peace that surpasses understanding, courage to remain faithful, and wisdom to know when to pause. Strengthen every Christian communicator who is navigating a difficult season. May our lives and our words continue to reflect Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“The storm may shake your surroundings, but it does not have to shake your foundation. When Christ is your anchor, you can experience peace even before the winds become still.” ~ Dr. Kay
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