Today I am thrilled to welcome author Cortney Donelson! As Cortney puts it, she is a:
- God-wrestler
- Marriage Lover
- Witty Parent
- Homeschool Mom
- Adoptive Mom
- Hummingbird Watcher
- Adores goats, avocados, and books
For the longest time, I believed the lie that everything that could be said or written had already been spoken or penned–in some shape or form–by someone else. I assumed there was no original message left to craft. That lie effectively limited my God-given purpose. Fortunately, I now realize there are still ideas to convey, discoveries to make, and creative ventures to pursue.
Writers are not only stewards of words; we are the conduits of stories, messages, and dreams. From a young age, I dreamed about writing fiction and guiding readers on tales filled with suspense and action. Those are the kinds of stories I loved to read (actually still do!).
Instead, my teachers–who saw a logical, confident, and overachieving academic–frequently pointed me to the sciences and declared I was not good with words. They had sight, but not vision. They missed the inner and hidden parts of me that held storehouses of inspiration, passion, and creativity. These parts were so concealed that even I did not know they were there. So, I pursued a career in healthcare and believed that was the end of my dream.
It wasn’t until my adult world fell apart that my secret gift was unwrapped. It would be unwrapped for thousands to experience. Through a marriage crisis no one should ever have to endure, I began writing. I composed short and private devotions to help me find some measure of stability within my tornadic emotions and an intimate connection to my God. These devotions were outlets for my swirling fears. They were healing for me. Yes, words–both spoken and written–have the muscle to change people.
Later, I was compelled to link the devotions together with the detailed, biographical story of how I was able to walk through my husband’s and my marriage crisis. The story vulnerably outlined my relentless pursuit of health, hope, and a belief in something greater than my pain. This raw collection became my first book, Clay Jar, Cracked: When We’re Broken But Not Shattered. Morgan James Publishing, much to the chagrin of my former English teachers who believed I wasn’t good enough to write, published it in 2017. Those words I penned in my darkest season became a healing testimony for others.
Writers are storytellers, and we will always have stories to share. Our tales–whether fiction or true–contain messages, hopes, and dreams, and if we steward our words well, they will change the world. I discovered that while our stories may be similar, no perspective, no lesson, and no impact is ever the same. Don’t believe the lie that your story–your message–has already been told. Keep writing, my creator friends. There is always more to uncover.