Ann – Page 9

Write Your Story, Change Your Life

September 20, 2016 by Ann Leave a Comment

I started writing my story years ago; long before I was anywhere near a book contract or a marketing team, I felt that the Lord was inviting me into a process of writing my story down and–in the process–meeting him in the middle of it. I’m not sure I’ve done anything more powerful in my personal spiritual journey than write my memoir.

Memoir is the genre that I love the most, because it’s the genre that allows us–even gently forces us–to re-examine the lives that we have been living as we write them down on the page. A good memoir isn’t autobiography, and it isn’t a personal journal. It’s the true story of our lives written in such a way that others can understand, access, and be changed by it.

I’m not sure there’s a more dynamic form of the written word.

Our God is the God of story, and he loves making himself known through our stories; it’s how he’s wired us. We start loving stories as children, and we inherently know when a story has a satisfying or unacceptable ending, because we were made to long for resolution, peace, and hope.

Our God is the God of story, and he loves making himself known through our stories. Share on X

If you’ve always wanted to write your story, or if you’ve been wondering how you can tell your story in a meaningful way, I’m going to suggest that writing your memoir might be one of the most powerful things you can do in your personal journey with Jesus. Down the road, might your story impact hundreds or thousands of people? I hope so! But in these days and months, writing your story will transform you most of all. I know that it has transformed me; I got to see Jesus at work all over again as I’ve written my memoir over the past years.

I just opened registration for the Writing with Grace Memoir course that I’ll be teaching this fall. To say that I’m thrilled about this class is an understatement; I’m practically jumping out of my chair!

Registration is open for Writing with Grace: Memoir! www.writingwithgrace.com #amwriting Share on X

I’d love for you to join me over at Writing with Grace–you can even see the new video that we created just for this course.

If you’ve been aching to write your story, this is your time. I can’t wait to see you there!

When it Feels Like You’re Losing Yourself

August 18, 2016 by Ann Leave a Comment

This is the start of my newest piece for Today’s Christian Woman, and it is about something I felt so deeply after my daughter was born: the fear of losing my identity. My hope is that these words can encourage not only fellow moms, but anyone who feels displaced or confused by their current season–because the good news is that in Christ, we can’t ever lose who we truly are.

When I was in college, I had a lot of friends who told me that what they really wanted to do in life was be a mom. Yes, they were getting degrees and they wanted to work, but really, their highest hope was to become a mother.

I nodded and affirmed them. I hoped that one day I would become a mom, too—but I never really knew how to respond to their longing for children. I’d never felt that; what I did feel was a desire to pursue other things—dreams of writing and teaching and speaking—and I wasn’t sure when having kids might fit into my life.

Perhaps that is part of the reason why, at first, becoming a mom was so difficult for me. I had gone on to teach and write and speak . . . and then I became a mom. Once she arrived, I loved my daughter fiercely and relentlessly. But I also felt that I had somehow misplaced my identity—my very self—in the process of becoming a mom, and, like a missing wallet, I felt waves of panic when I couldn’t find it, no matter how hard I looked.

I felt I had misplaced my identity—my very self—in the process of becoming a mom. Share on X

I felt subsumed by motherhood. I couldn’t get my bearings; I couldn’t find my footing. Without the trappings of my former life, my identity was deeply shaken. When I didn’t have time to read and study, or when I didn’t have margin to talk with my husband for uninterrupted hours, I felt misplaced. When I didn’t have the emotional energy to meet with a friend for coffee and discuss our faith and our friendship, it was then that I felt that I was losing myself. Add to that the exhaustion I experienced, the raw responsibility I carried for another’s life, and the unrelenting needs that my daughter had, and I felt like I was drowning.

I remember looking at our living room one day: my daughter’s burp cloths and toys were scattered around the space, and a stack of papers was waiting on the coffee table for me to grade. Who was I? I knew, intellectually, that I could say that I was a mom, and I was a wife, and I was a teacher. But who was I now, really? Nothing felt the same. My life had been rearranged when my daughter was placed in my arms. Where was the Ann I knew before I became a mom?

Losing to Gain

In Matthew 16:25, Jesus tells his followers that in order to truly find your life, you have to lose it. This is a radical, upside-down statement, and it jars me every time I read it. Because what Jesus is saying here tosses my idea of identity very far out of the proverbial window.

Losing my life for Christ’s sake is actually a good thing. It’s not something to be feared. Share on X

What the Bible tells me is this: Losing my life for Christ’s sake is actually a good thing. It’s not something to be feared. And in truth, I hadn’t actually lost myself in my new role as a mom. Did it feel like it? Certainly. I felt confused and disoriented as a mother. But motherhood didn’t actually change my identity; it simply stripped me down to the marrow of my existence by altering the external circumstances of my life.

Read the rest of the article here, at Today’s Christian Woman!

Related blog post: He is our Brave

Filed Under: God, Guest Post, Motherhood, Parenting Tagged With: Ann Swindell, how do I find my identity, I feel like I lost myself, identity in Christ, losing myself, my identity is lost, my soul is tired, true identity, what does it mean to have identity in Christ, what is my identity

When Our Dreams Fail Us: The Gift of Elusive Satisfaction

August 8, 2016 by Ann Leave a Comment

This is the start of my newest piece for RELEVANT magazine. You can read the whole of the article here!

If you had asked me, ten years ago, what it would take for me to reach my dreams, I probably would have said what a lot of writers say: I wanted a book deal, the ability to write for publications that I love, and the chance to make a living as a writer.

I was just starting out a decade ago, and those things seemed light-years away. I was sending articles into the black hole of the internet, pitching book proposals that never saw the light of day, and making zero dollars as a writer. I could imagine no higher satisfaction than seeing my name on the cover of a book and making real money doing what I loved. In the meantime, my lack of satisfaction with my then-current situation led me to pursue further schooling, more writing opportunities, and a job in the publishing industry.

God made us with insatiable dreams that can’t be satisfied by worldly success. Share on X

Fast-forward to today. I’m living the dream I wanted so much: I have a book deal, the opportunity to write for publications I respect, and the freedom to write and teach others about writing as my full-time gig. But you know what?

I’m still not satisfied.

I got what I wanted. I reached my dreams. But none of these things have brought me deep satisfaction. Instead, I now have other goals as a writer, new things that I want to achieve.

This is a bell that’s ringing throughout our generation. Even when we achieve what we dreamed about, we’re not fully satisfied. We’re always off to pursue the next dream, the next opportunity.

Even when we achieve what we dreamed about, we’re not fully satisfied. Share on X

Is something wrong with us when our dreams don’t fulfill us in the way we hoped they would? When they don’t satisfy us in the way we imagined they could?

No. Satisfaction is an elusive rabbit to chase; it shouldn’t surprise us that we struggle to be satisfied.

You can read the rest of the article here, at RELEVANT!

And, if you’re a fellow writer, don’t miss out–registration for Writing with Grace, the online writing course that I teach, opens on July 11! Join me over at www.WritingwithGrace.com to sign up for details and an exclusive coupon code!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: crushed dreams, I can't find satisfaction, I'm never satisfied, my dreams are dead, my dreams died, my dreams failed me, what do I do with failed dreams, what do I do with failed goals, writing for Relevant, writing for Relevant magazine

Don’t Write to Get Published

August 5, 2016 by Ann 2 Comments

I have a deep respect for The Gospel Coalition and the work that they are doing online and in the “real” world as an organization that unabashedly proclaims the truth of the Bible. I was able to attend The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference in June, and just this week I had the opportunity to write for their blog. It was an honor to write for TGC about one of my favorite topics! You can link to the full article here.

And, if you’re a fellow writer, make sure to read all the way to the end of the article at TGC, where I offer a discount code for my Writing with Grace course–registration is open until the 17th of August (and don’t forget to check out the site and the brand-new video I released)!

Here’s the start of the article for The Gospel Coalition:

For those of us who love words, we’re drawn to the clack of the keyboard and the parsing of meaning on the page. We feel alive as we wrangle words into sentences; some of us even feel closer to God as we work out our faith by writing about it. Time spent writing feels important, even holy.

For those of us who love words, we’re drawn to the clack of the keyboard. We feel alive as we wrangle words into sentences. #amwriting Share on X

But for many of us, running parallel with our love of writing is the desire to get published. This desire can be fueled by the culture at large, which says our writing only matters if our readership is huge and our byline well known. Publication is commonly assumed to be the goal of the writing life, and seeing our words in print the truest form of validation for our work.

As an author and teacher of writing, I often have conversations with other writers fixated on publication. They’re desperate to see their work published somewhere. They want to know how to start a writing career, or how to get the inside scoop on writing for a top magazine.

In response to their questions, I have to ask: Do you want to be published? Or do you want to write?

Do you want to be published? Or do you want to write? Share on X

These aren’t the same question, although many of us confuse one for the other. For as much as writing is tethered to publishing, getting published doesn’t make a writer. Writing makes a writer.

Read the rest of the article over at The Gospel Coalition, and don’t miss out on open registration for Writing with Grace!

Filed Under: God, Guest Post, Writing Tagged With: am writing, amwriting, Christian writing, I want to be a Christian writer, I want to be a writer, I want to get published, The Gospel Coalition, Writing, writing class, writing for the Gospel Coalition, Writing with grace

Still Waiting Cover Reveal

August 2, 2016 by Ann 29 Comments

I’ve been writing a book this past year, and have spent the last few months crystallizing edits with my powerhouse team at Tyndale. It’s hard to believe that nine months have passed since I signed the contract; we have less time than that before it releases in April of 2017!

One thing that I’ve loved about the process of seeing this book come to life has been the excitement generated around the cover. I’ll share more later, but Tyndale walked me through a really helpful and empowering process when it came to designing the cover of this book. Although their design team creates the cover, as an author I had a clear hand in the tone and feel of the design, which I was deeply thankful for.

The #stillwaitingbook cover reveal! Share on X

The cover matters so much to me because as much as we say otherwise, the truth is that we really do judge a book by its cover. Whether we’re perusing the stacks at a bookstore or clicking through pages online, it’s the front of a book that initially draws us in or pushes us away. My hope is that this cover will draw you in and thrill you as much as it has thrilled me!

I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Here it is!

Isn’t it beautiful? This cover encapsulates so much about Still Waiting in one image. I’m amazed at how the design team captured both the beauty and the ache of trusting God; they nailed the feeling of yearning, and yet the rich colors point to the vibrancy that can be found even in waiting seasons. The handwritten title adds a softness to the cover without being overly dramatic.

In short: I love it. LOVE IT.

This cover blew me away the first time I saw it, and I’m so thankful that it will be the “face” of my first book. I’ll be sharing more about the book-writing process in the months ahead, but I wanted to let you be the first ones to catch a glimpse of the cover!

(If you’re new here and want to stay up-to-date with my work and this book, click here to join in on my monthly updates!)

Oh, and if you want to pre-order Still Waiting, you’re in luck. You can pre-order it here!

So, what do you think? Do you love the cover as much as I do?

Additionally, if you’re interested in writing, too, make sure to check out the course that I offer, Writing with Grace. Registration just opened TODAY, but it won’t be open for long! Click here to learn all about the class:

Filed Under: God, Still Waiting Book, Writing Tagged With: Ann Swindell, author, book writing process, Cover Reveal, how do I write a book, Still Waiting, Still Waiting Book, Tyndale House Publishers, writing a book

Summer Stitch Fix Review (#3!)

July 20, 2016 by Ann Leave a Comment

I haven’t gotten a “Fix” for several months, but I had some credit built up and was looking for some pieces to refresh my summer rotation of clothes, so I scheduled a box for this week–and it came!

If you’re not familiar with Stitch Fix, here’s how it works: you order a “Fix” (a box of clothes) based on a style profile you fill out about yourself–colors, sizes, styles, patterns, lifestyle. A stylist picks five items for you (from skirts to tops to earrings to jeans), which are sent to you in the mail. The five items are a surprise! You try on clothes at home with the wardrobe you actually have, keep what you love, and send the rest back in a pre-paid envelope. It’s remarkably simple.

Why I like Stitch Fix in this season of life:

1. I’m not in a season where I can spend much money on clothes, and I can set my price point with Stitch Fix. Also, if I buy all 5 items in the box, there’s a 25% discount on everything.

2. I don’t have to leave the house. Three words: Kid. Time. Heat Index of over 100 degrees.

3. I can get a “Fix” as often or as rarely as I want. I don’t get mine regularly (although many people do); usually, I request a box when I have an event coming up where I need a specific item (a dress for a wedding, for example).

4. The cost is a $20 styling fee, which goes toward any item you purchase.

5. Stitch Fix works for women in almost any season of life. From teenagers to retirees, they’ve got clothes for women in many stages, sizes (even maternity!), and professions.

My box just came this week; here’s my review–so many great pieces in here (and I loved opening up the box to find these colors and patterns!)

First up, the Carmela Printed Crochet Detail Flare Skirt. The colors and are so fun, and while the pattern isn’t one I would have picked up in a store, the crochet detail above the knee is really lovely. I paired it with a casual tee shirt, which is right in line with my summer style. This is part of why I love Stitch Fix; I can try on the pieces that they send with what I already own and see how it will actually work (or not work) with my current wardrobe.

Carmela Printed Crochet Detail Flare Skirt

I’m honestly still on the fence about this skirt. It’s flowy and soft and the design is beautiful! I’m just not sure if I’ll wear it enough to justify purchasing it, as I already have a lot of skirts. What do you think?

The second item in my fix was the Roquette Off the Shoulder Tunic. Off the shoulder tops are all the rage this summer, and this top was airy, lightweight, and was comfortable to wear.

Roquette Off the Shoulder Tunic

I think I’ll be sending this one back; as cute as it is, I don’t have a lot of reasons to wear an off the shoulder top, and it was a bit baggy.

Ok, on to the third and fourth item in the box–the Lucienne Knit Maxi Dress and the Carlos Turquoise Stone Collar Necklace. I’m a bit of a pushover for a good Maxi dress–it’s like wearing pajamas all day but looking put together! And the Lucienne Knit Maxi Dress had me when I saw the strap/shoulder situation. I love the higher neck!

Lucienne Knit Maxi Dress

Here’s the closeup of the Carlos Turquoise Stone Collar Necklace. This is a fun necklace, with some really creative details, but I don’t think I’m going to keep it. I usually wear more delicate pieces (unless I’m rocking a 31 Bits necklace!), and I can’t foresee wearing this any time in the future.

Carlos Turquoise Stone Collar Necklace

The last piece in my fix was the 41 Hawthorn Merise Split Neck Tunic. My stylist gave me such a great fix–this top is right up my alley, too. It’s a little on the preppy side, and perfect for the crazy heat we’re having in the Midwest. Sadly, it was a little too tight in the hips for my preference, and going up a size would have made the top too big. It has to go back.

That’s it this time around–and it’s getting me excited for my next fix. Maybe this Fall? Let me know if you have any questions, and if you want to try Stitch Fix, please click this link and I will get a referral credit. And tell me how it works out for you!