At the end of the summer I found out that I’d been accepted into a community of writers called Redbud Writers Guild.

Redbud’s tagline is “Fearlessly expanding the feminine voice in our churches, communities, and culture.” Last weekend I went to Chicago to meet 30 of the Redbuds at the annual retreat.

I can’t begin to describe how good it was for my soul to be there. This group is intentional about fostering a spirit of support, encouragement, and non-competition.

At the retreat we talked about living out of a theology of abundance, rather than scarcity. This means that there is enough room for all of us at the table. There’s enough space for all of our voices and and all of our gifts in our culture and communities. Our God is a god of abundance, not a god of scarcity, and invites us into abundant living.

If you are a writer and sensing that God may be nudging you to put more energy and focus into your writing, consider applying to join us. I’m currently the only Redbud in the Northwest and would love to have more members in the area to get together with for motivation and encouragement.

Do you have a gift that you feel is atrophying and are craving to use? Look for a tribe, large or small, national or local. Creativity is loosed in us when we belong to supportive, empowering communities.