I’m in a hotel room about to head down to a conference on rural life and resilience in North Carolina. I haven’t written in 11 days. I worked through that in journaling and contemplation. I think it was imposter syndrome and anxiety of completing something and sending it into the world (the anxiety of releasing something that is only in it’s first draft, and has 6 more chapters to go, but still).

This morning, I woke up, did my devotion, answered a few emails, listened to a podcast, and showered. Then I sat down. I wrote. The end of the introduction came. It wasn’t hard. Sometimes this is hard, and that’s not bad, but to have the conclusion flow out like that was a relief.

As I finished, I was listening to Lori McKenna, a singer/songwriter who understands rural life in ways that speak to realities I never had words for.

“God bless the linoleum table in my daddy’s kitchen
If he was scared he’d never tell but I sure as hell did listen
And it don’t matter how many prayers ever came off my lips
I still learned how to curse just like he did”

– Stuck in High School

The image of a linoleum table reminds of the kitchen tables I’ve sat at in so many rural homes. The homes that need the hope I hope this book holds.

Daily Writing Challenge Word Count: 1013

Challenge total: 8329

Chapter Drafts Complete: 1