© 2013 Judy Sliger

I have cancer. I have recurrent ovarian cancer. I have recurrent ovarian cancer, and I’ve been on chemo over ten months. The chemo—at best—is barely slowing the tumor growth. I have multiple side effects and must constantly relearn to manage my weakening body.

God has called me to write. He set this dream in my heart nearly fifty years ago, and He hasn’t removed it. He’s preserved my life and set me in a place where I have time and enough energy to write. So I’m supposed to write.

But the more I try, the more I think, “I can’t write.” I have multiple reasons. Typical for me, I give an excuse. God responds with a question.

• I don’t know how much longer I have. Who does?
• My writing needs extensive work. Whose doesn’t?
• I can’t go to writers conferences or attend university courses. Have you looked online?
• No one wants the writing God placed on my heart.How do you know? Have you submitted anything?
• I don’t know whether to write fiction, nonfiction, or both. Are you willing to listen to Me?
• I don’t have a platform. Every time I think of a blog title, four other people are already using it. Every time I try to write on the topics friends advise me to use, the writing doesn’t work. Whose plan are you going to follow?
• I can’t write romantic suspense. I couldn’t sign a multi-book contract because I may not live that long. Have you written the first book? (At the time, no.)
• No agent would take me under these circumstances Have you tried to find one?
• I can’t publicize my work. My physical health won’t let me travel. Who parted the Red Sea?
• I can’t hold book signings because of my lack of stamina and the risk of infection. Do you think I can’t work around that?
• I can’t go places and speak because of my current state of health. How about using the Internet?

I could go on and on, but God always has an answer. He called me to write. Is there anything too hard for Me? Jeremiah 32:27

What’s your excuse?
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Judy Sliger is a Christian, a wife, a mother and an aspiring novelist.  She has served on the committee for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference and is a retired teacher. See more of Judy’s work on Blog4Writers.