November to remember.

My November looked like this: Me at my desk, morning, noon, and night (sometimes in the middle of the night), writing the next book.

Me with a cup of tea with milk and honey. Me with my dog curled beside me. Me with a blanket. Me with my Bible. Me writing and writing in my journal. Me taking breaks to stretch, move laundry, run an errand, take a Pilates class, fix a meal, or take kids places.

And then me at my desk. Again.

I finished drafting my manuscript last weekend. I loved every minute of the last two months of writing . . . and I also thought I might die at any second. It’s a funny thing, this writing, this ministry of loving, this creating. It’s exhausting and stripping and amazing and refining . . . all at once.

When I can’t write another word, breathe another prayer, think another thought, God provides. He never runs dry. He never fatigues. He never runs out of bread. He is a life-giver and heart-sustainer.

And I am thankful.

We’re keeping Thanksgiving simple this year. We need down time. We need stillness. We need quiet. We’ve got a loft bed to build and movies to watch. We might put up our tree.

Or we might not.

I have several weeks of manuscript revision ahead of me in December, but for now . . . for right now . . . I’m spending the week at home with my family, grading papers, watching television, cleaning closets, baking pies, reading books, and waiting on the Lord.

I’m thanking the Lord for the tiniest details and the biggest miracles of this past few months. The beauty of knowing him and abiding in him is more than enough. And yet he gives me so much more.

I’m asking the Lord to speak, asking him to refresh, asking him to release the stress, asking him to fill me again.

What’s your prayer?