Today, it is a privilege to feature an author I consider a good friend and fellow researcher. Dr. Lisa Dorsey is another one of our award-winning authors. I am reading her book Petra: An Unbroken Legacy right now, and it does not disappoint. Let me tell you, she has an inspirational story to tell. Her post for this blog tour spoke to me deeply.
Another one of my hopes for this whole event was to highlight how the word of God is living in active in our lives as authors, and not just in our stories. We may spend hours and hours researching things to make this happen in our stories, but it also happens to us as people, too. I cannot wait for you to read it for yourselves.
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by Lisa L. Dorsey
Tragedy has a way of silencing even the most familiar parts of our lives. When our church burned to the ground—the place my husband and I had pastored, prayed, and built memories alongside our congregation—it felt as though time itself had stopped. The fire took more than a building. It took a sense of home, rhythm, and community that had shaped us for Years.
In the weeks that followed, I lived in a fog. Everything around me was still smoldering, and so was my spirit. I stopped writing completely. The rhythm that once brought clarity and joy suddenly felt unreachable. Then came the guilt—how could I not write? Writing had always been how I processed life, how I prayed, how I found meaning in the chaos.
At first, I tried to fix it. I told myself I could journal the experience for a future book. I tried to return to the fiction project I’d been working on. I set timers, planned my writing hours, even carved out “snatches of time” to stay committed. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t concentrate. My creative spark had gone out, replaced by exhaustion and a deep sense of loss.
It wasn’t just my writing that suffered—I was drained in every way. Each day ended in exhaustion. Each attempt to regain normalcy left me more depleted. I could barely keep up with my social media engagement, my book club, my new blog, or even daily responsibilities. I felt lost in a storm of my own making, trying to keep everything moving when what I truly needed was to stop.
Then, slowly, a realization began to take root, I was never meant to “push through” grief. It was okay to take a break. It was okay to rest. It was okay to not “produce” or “push through.” I needed to give myself permission to grieve—to sit with what had been lost, and to let God meet me there.
In that space of quiet surrender, I began to remember what I knew but had forgotten: rest is not failure. Rest is sacred. It’s the pause that allows healing to begin.
Now, I’m easing back into writing—not with rigid schedules or high expectations, but with grace. I’ve started writing again, just thirty minutes a day, sometimes less. I’m contributing as a guest blogger here, rediscovering my love for words without the pressure of performance.
What I’ve learned is simple but profound: life doesn’t always move in a straight line. Sometimes it’s a slow exhale. Sometimes it’s silence. Sometimes it’s just breathing in and out, letting the oxygen of God’s presence fill what feels empty.
If you’re in a season of loss, burnout, or creative drought, take heart. It’s okay to rest. It’s okay to be still. You don’t have to rush your healing.
Sometimes the most important thing we can do as writers—and as believers—is to be present with the Lord in the moment, trusting that when the time is right, He’ll breathe life into our words once more. Even in the ashes, grace has a way of finding us.
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Author’s Reflection
Take a moment today to pause. Breathe deeply. Sit quietly and let yourself be present with God. Ask Him to meet you in the stillness—to remind you that rest is not the absence of purpose, but the presence of peace.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
How have you experienced grace in your own season of waiting or loss?
I’d love to hear your reflections in the blog comments, or
Purchase
To purchase a copy of Lisa’s award-winning book Petra: An Unbroken Legacy go to:
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Dr. Lisa L. Dorsey is an award-winning author who blends her love for storytelling, ministry, and lifelong learning to inspire others in their faith journey. With a background that spans business, ministry, and higher education, Lisa brings a depth of experience and heart to everything she writes.
Her passion for reading, writing, and the arts began in early childhood and has grown into a calling—to craft stories that reveal the saving grace of Jesus Christ and encourage others to build a lasting spiritual legacy rooted in God’s love, Word, and wisdom. Lisa lives in California with her husband. Together, they cherish time with their four children, one daughter-in-law, and four adorable grandchildren who keep their hearts full and their home filled with joy.
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