For the Love of Writing
If you would have told me when I was in high school that I would one day learn to love writing—I would have laughed in your face. Always on the move, I couldn’t exactly sit still long enough to either read or write well. But as I have aged, things have changed. Writing requires a stillness of mind and body, which don’t come naturally to me. But I’m learning.
I remember my first job as a new mom was as a writer for a marketing company. I got paid a decent wage, and I could easily write while my baby nursed and slept. It kept my mind alert during an otherwise naturally vulnerable season. The emotional rollercoaster which accompanies the postpartum period can be relentless, but for me, writing was great therapy—even if only about those dry marketing topics.
Fast forward a decade, and I assumed the writing gig I picked up 3 years ago was merely a means to an end. My goal in pursuing this job was so that I could pay for classes to finish homeopathy school. As life would have it, several wrenches have been thrown into the mix of our plans, and I have since had to push pause on my study of homeopathy. But despite this dream lying dormant—more than ever, the need for my writing job has remained. Much to my surprise, here I am—still writing all these years later. Yet now, I find myself writing for both work and pleasure. If you had told me 20 years ago that this is what I would be doing for pleasure one day, again—I wouldn’t have believed you.
This space, where I can write and share some of my deepest considerations about life and homemaking— is what I consider ‘writing for pleasure.’ In the midst of vulnerable seasons, I have again found writing to be incredible therapy. It’s a way to work things out mentally and spiritually—and hopefully, it’s a way to leave behind a godly legacy. Some of my favorite books are written by simple women who loved God, loved their families, kept the home, and chose to write as a means of communicating Christ’s goodness to the world. As I find myself increasingly inspired by such women, I too, long to be an encouragement to anyone who might stumble upon the words I write. When I’m dead and gone, it is my hope that my life and my writing will have proclaimed two things to homemakers, wives, mothers and all women, really: that Christ is the highest treasure and greatest good of all of life, and that He is entirely worth following in whatever sphere to which He may call you.
As I write, and as our family faces some tough times with job losses and looming medical bills (hello, cancer scare), I have found myself at the crux of how to pursue what I love without selling out. I have been an avid blog and YouTube consumer for over a decade now—and two things continue to turn me away from the person behind the platform time and again…
Annoying advertisements and disingenuous sponsorships.
I don’t care to be manipulated to buy more things. Especially when times are tough. Perhaps it’s just me, but when I decide to learn from someone, I don’t want to be sold a bill of goods regarding various products that only bulk up the pockets of influencers and advertisers—while leaving mine empty. No thank you.
Since 2022, I have been writing stories and creating homemaking videos weekly on both Instagram and YouTube and the more I use these platforms, the more I grow to be disenchanted by them. They are over-saturated, noisy spaces with an abundance of marketing tactics thrown in. So often, the world of marketing is disingenuous and what saddens me is that these platforms encourage creators to turn folks like you and me into the advertiser’s lackey. You might think you’re just there to enjoy content, but really—you’re nothing more than a cog in their machine. Many creators are on these platforms solely to pay their bills…and they do this by getting us to buy products that we really don’t need. It’s a sad cycle and one that I’ve decided I want nothing to do with.
But for me, the question continues to come up—how does one survive financially creating content, if not for ads and sponsorships? After all, writing and content creation are a lot of work—and even if it’s pleasant work, it would be nice to see a bit of return on such an investment. This is why I have decided to move my writing to Substack. Platforms like Substack help to solve the issue of wanting to write and create, while providing an honest opportunity for readers to support the work through a small monthly fee or donation.
I’m not here to sell you stuff. Honestly…I’m not. I’m not into ads or sponsorships—but I am into doing what you love and getting some compensation for it. So, besides a subscription to my feed on Substack, my books, and perhaps a few classes down the road—I’ve no interest in getting you to buy things you don’t need. I’m not here to trick you either. After all, I think we can all agree that those sneaky ads and blaring sponsorship commercials have the ability to slowly eat away at one’s psyche. The beautiful thing about reader-supported content is that you get to decide if what I do here is of value to you or not, and in turn, you can then subscribe or not. It’s as transparent and easy as that.
I know, I know. Another subscription? Bleh. I feel the same way. Like you—I’m a very average housewife on a very tight budget who doesn’t have any extra room currently for another subscription either. I get it and I genuinely understand if you aren’t able to follow along on Substack. I do hope my free content on YouTube will serve as a help to you in your homemaking efforts as you seek to glorify God in your life at home through serving and loving those in your midst.
For those who can support my writing—you have no idea what your support means during this season of loss and hardship. Because of YOU—I can continue forging out a path writing and creating and thereby, hopefully encourage wives and mothers in their efforts towards building up their homes for God’s glory.
For now, this blog and all of my writing here will stay active, as this domain is paid in full through October 2025. We shall see what happens after that.
If you can, please consider following me over on Substack at:
https://thujahillhomemaking.substack.com/
The first post there is scheduled to go live on the morning of the 11th of June. Additionally, my first several posts will be free so that you can see if my writing is something you would like to support down the road.
The hardiest of thanks to you, my friends.
