Feel Like You Never Have Enough? Start Here!

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We recently had our yearly taxes done, and while sitting with our tax guy, I made the comment that 2025 was a bit challenging. To which he, being an older gentleman, commented that life never gets any better.

I paused, saddened by his perspective. But honestly, it’s one that many people have, regardless of the business they choose to pursue.

And is that really the kind of outlook we creatives want to have on a regular basis? Where nothing is ever better than the daily grind? That all we have to look forward to is grey skies and dreary dispositions?

My friend, I’m very thankful that the Lord is cultivating this space to show us that there’s more to life than constant blah or meh.

We can serve Him with joy and peace, even if the world around us is imploding.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not living wearing rose-colored glasses. My days can be hard, and I don’t get everything correct on my first try.

However, the Lord can fortify our foundations in such a way that we operate our creative businesses with joy and not strife.

But the journey to reach that stage will require sacrifice, because it will mean cultivating deeper levels of faith and trust in God. Yet you won’t regret the life-transforming journey.

If you missed my redemption celebration episode, jump back one post and give it a listen.

Building a Sustainable Creative Life When Resources Feel Limited

Today, we’re talking about what it looks like to build a sustainable creative life by trusting God with what feels like not enough—our time, our energy, and our resources.

Remember … we’re building this year, and if we we’re going to build strong foundations, we need to understand what faith actually looks like when resources feel scarce—and Scripture gives us a powerful picture of that.

The Biblical Foundation: What 1 Kings 17 Teaches About Scarcity and Faith

Now, if you’re unfamiliar with this section in Israel’s history, let’s do a quick backstory recap.

After the reign of King Solomon (King David’s son), the nation of Israel split into two, with a king ruling over the ten northern tribes and a separate king (one from David’s line) ruling over the tribes of Benjamin and Judah.

The kingdom of Judah had their periodic rises and falls when it came to semi-decent kings. However, the kingdom of Israel spiraled into ongoing depravity thanks to idol worship and adulterous hearts.

The Lord sent many prophets to the northern kingdom with the intent to redirect the hearts of the people back to God. As we know from human nature, people refuse to heed warnings even when they’re made evident right in front of them.

Why God Allowed the Drought in Israel

As a result of their rebelliousness, God proclaimed a drought during the reign of King Ahab. So through the mouth of the prophet Elijah, God prophesied that there would be no rain, not even dew. This wasn’t a small drought either. This drought went on for a long time and lead to a massive famine.

A thing to note about famines: they don’t just affect a person’s ability to eat. Famines affect the economy, political stability, social dynamics, etc.

Many people will read such things and struggle with why God would initiate a drought that would lead to such social, economical, and political unrest.

Yet here’s something to keep in mind: God is not a vengeful God. He’s a merciful God who is always trying to open the eyes of the people in an effort to save them from themselves.

The northern kingdom, like wayward, rebellious children, refused to listen to wise counsel. Instead of clinging to the One True God, who loved them and made them, they polluted themselves with the false gods they had made with their own hands.

And how often do we see well-established creatives stumble and fall because they trusted in their own understandings, relied upon their own strength, and refused to heed the Father’s sound counsel?

I’ve made that fall myself and have the spiritual scars to back it up.

Just like we do at times, the northern tribes weren’t listening to warnings telling them how fake and false their man-made religions were. And if they refused to listen, then God would put them in a position where they had to face reality and the cost of their prideful rebellion.

A Season of Divine Seclusion: Elijah at the Brook of Cherith

After proclaiming the famine, God sent the prophet Elijah to a place of seclusion at the Brook of Cherith, where God met Elijah’s needs. The brook provided water, and God sent ravens to supply Elijah with food. This place of seclusion was an intentional pulling away for Elijah.

This became a place of intimacy between him and the Father. It was also a safe haven from King Ahab, who was definitely not a member of the Elijah fan club.

If you’re in a season of your writing journey where life feels isolated and cut off from others. It might not always be for the wrong reasons. There is a difference between social isolation and a divine seclusion.

There could be a chance that God has you tucked in an intimate place for just you and Him. A secret place of seclusion where He can speak to you, feed you, refresh you, and fuel you for what is ahead.

If that’s you, I encourage you not to rush the process but instead, lean into it. If God has designed a place of intimacy for you, then it will be for the good of your writing, business, and impactful books that bless your readers.

Rabbit trail aside, let’s continue with our backstory recap …

In the course of time, Elijah’s brook dried up. But he didn’t grumble about it. Remember, the famine was an intense one, and it even touched Elijah’s secluded haven.

However, God did not leave Elijah without any resources.

The Widow of Zarephath: Trusting God When You Have Almost Nothing

And here’s where we meet the woman in today’s encouragement.

Out of all the widows God could’ve sent Elijah to, God chose a woman from Zarephath in Sidon.

There are a lot of good nuggets in this section of scripture, so scoot in close. I don’t want you to miss this.

1 Kings 17:8-12

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”

So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

The nerd in me wants to dissect this section. However, here are the key takeaways I’d love for us to focus on for today.

“I Don’t Have Enough”: Facing the Reality of Limited Resources

Verse 9 tells us that God commanded the woman to provide for Elijah. We don’t know any specifics of what that conversation looked like. Was it a dream? An audible conversation? A fire in her spirit? Not sure, the Bible doesn’t specify. However, this does lead me to believe that when Elijah showed up, something within the widow’s spirit took notice, making her less likely to shrug off the encounter.

I applaud the woman for not putting on false pretenses. She was truthful to the prophet and gave a clear report of her resources.

Yet it didn’t make reality any easier.

Could we just sit in this a moment?

This woman was a widow, which meant she’d lost not only her husband, but also her covering, protection, and financial security. She had a son to provide for, and they were in the midst of social, economic, and political unrest.

Life was hard. Based on her statement in scripture, we could imagine that her outlook was bleak, her heart despondent, and she had resigned herself to the fact that she and her son would perish.

The woman could’ve justified her bitterness, anger, fear, and unbelief if she allowed herself to.

How many of us have felt similar emotions as this woman? We hear what God commands when it comes to our families and creative businesses, but when we look at our resources, how many of us grumble over the little we have in our hand?

Hand-Chosen by God in the Middle of Lack

Yet let’s highlight the fact that this woman was hand-chosen by God.

God may have asked her to provide for the prophet, but who did God plan to provide for the widow?

If you said, “Himself,” give yourself a gold star.

Faith Requires Action: Trusting God Before You See Provision

And I love the prophet’s response. He didn’t shrug off the woman’s lack. He didn’t pacify her. If anything, he gently challenged her to redirect her focus from fear to the promise of God.

1 Kings 17:13-16

And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.

(Quick note: Elijah wasn’t being selfish, just wanting his food first. This shows an invitation for the woman to exercise her faith, making the courageous choice to walk the path of belief rather than unbelief.)

Starting back at verse 14, here is the promise we see:

For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ”

So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.

Ahh, I’m bouncing in my seat, because I can’t wait to connect these dots with you.

The Daily Faith Choice: Trusting God Again and Again

We read how the woman trusted and believed what God told her. That she went away and made a meal for the prophet, providing for the man just like God had commanded.

But this is what gets me. The woman wasn’t asked to trust and believe for only one singular event.

Faith Isn’t a One-Time Decision—It’s a Daily Practice

The widow woman had to choose, for herself, that God would be faithful to His word and His promise every time she went for flour and oil.

Picture that with me. Every time she went to that flour and oil, she had to determine within herself to believe that there would be enough.

Not just enough for the man of God, but enough for her and those who depended on her.

That takes courageous faith, determined trust, and heartfelt belief in God.

Every meal. Every day. Because God had promised. Yet it was up to her to believe.

My friend, I’m seriously geeking out over this.

What This Means for Christian Writers and Creative Entrepreneurs

Because if you ask any writer what they struggle with most, 9 times out of 10, their struggles revolve around limited resources.

As an indie author, I understand the cost of publishing your own books. It can be extremely discouraging if we don’t have the proper foundations set in place.

And this is where I want us to soak in the encouragement from today’s chat.

Faith isn’t easy. It’s actually hard because operating in faith is in direct opposition to our flesh.

And the widow woman in 1 Kings 17 made a faith-choice every single time she went to grab flour and oil. She chose to believe that God would be faithful.

She didn’t go grasping for what she thought sounded good. She heard a direct word from God, clung to it, and stood in faith.

Can You Trust God With Your Writing Life?

As creative entrepreneurs, who want to craft purposeful stories that impact our readers, can we do the same?

I don’t know what God has specifically spoken to you about your writing and where He’s taking you. However, I’d love for you to take a moment and bring those conversations with Him back to mind.

When we sit down to write, can we trust that He will meet us in that space with words and fluid creativity?

When we plan out our projects or goals, can we trust that God will teach us to steward our time effectively?

When we plan out our next launch, can we trust that God will direct us and order our steps?

And if you haven’t sat with Him regarding your writing business, here are a couple of blog posts you might find helpful:

Writing Reset: The 4-Step Kingdom Impact Roadmap

Build With God: 3 Foundations for Sustainable Writing

When Time and Money Feel Like ‘Not Enough’

Because I firmly stand upon the fact that time and finances are resources to be used.

It might be a stretch for some to link time and finances to flour and oil, but for the sake of our illustration, let’s go for it.

A Real-Life Example: When God Multiplies What You Have

And I don’t speak from lofty ideas but honest, real world experience.

Let me give you an example from this week:

• I conducted a senior photo session for my other business, with editing and delivering sneak peek images.
• I wrote, recorded, edited, and released this lovely podcast episode that is not AI generated, but a heartfelt conversation inspired by the Father.
• I did prep work for a church women’s conference this weekend, including goodie bags, van rentals, and all the tasks needed to leave home for a couple of days.
• I edited a chapter of my work-in-progress.
• I taught our church’s midweek services as a last minute schedule change because my husband had to make an emergency hospital run.
• All while managing my household, feeding the crew, homeschooling, doing laundry, and keeping pets and chickens alive.

And I am not ending each day burnt out or frazzled.

By All Logical Standards, This Shouldn’t Have Worked

When I look at what’s been accomplished in the last few days, it doesn’t make any sense how I could’ve completed everything in the limited time windows I have.

But God.

When the Lord fortifies our foundations and teaches us healthy mindsets, habits, and rhythms regarding time and productivity, we can look at our days so differently, accomplishing what seems impossible to others. Plus, doing so with peace, joy, and sustainable outputs.

The Hidden Battle: Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt

Although let me be raw for a moment. Here’s what was hard this week: fighting the anxiety regarding my abilities and the influx of lies against my self-worth.

The daily mental battle showed up each day like clockwork. Yet I had to make the intentional choice to trust, believe, and stand in faith upon what God has spoken.

This is when faith becomes courageous.

I did not accomplish a killer to-do list because I’m superwoman.

I accomplished it because I serve an amazing God who promised to be with me wherever I go (ref. Joshua 1:9).

The joy of the Lord is our strength (ref. Nehemiah 8:10).

My friend, I want that consistent peace for you. I want to see you thrive in all God has set before you. Where you obtain unmovable, unbreakable business foundations established by His hands.

The way you’re leaning into the Father, seeking Him, desiring Him, yearning for His wisdom, is not wasted time. It’s positioning you in ways you never expected were possible.

You Don’t Have to Build Your Writing Life Alone

And if you’re sitting here thinking, “Desiree, I want that transformation too, but I need help walking this out.”

Spoiler alert: I’m working on something behind the scenes that will help you achieve this kind of transformation. Except that the project is still several months from completion.

However, if you’d like some one-on-one help sooner, then I’d love to sit down for a virtual chat with you. At the time of this recording, I have two call slots left for April.

So if you have been wrestling with direction, focus, clarity, or need a breakthrough over your writing, then my beautiful friend, let’s get together. Send me an email or fill out the form on my website to schedule your call.

I can’t wait to meet with you!

God Is Your Provider—Even When It Doesn’t Feel Like Enough

Sadly, that’s all for today’s chat. I pray this episode encouraged you and met you right where you are.

Remember—God is your provider in all things. You don’t need to lean upon your own understanding to supply what your business needs. Trust Him at His word, and stand upon His promises in faith.

You are a gem, and I’m so grateful for you.

If you want to take this study even further, definitely revisit those scriptures in 1 Kings 17:8-16 with Elijah and the widow woman. Just be sure to invite the Holy Spirit in on that study session. There is so much the Word of God can teach us about life and business, and the Holy Spirit is the best at revealing exactly what we need to grow and thrive.

I can’t wait to catch you in the next episode.

Until then, happy writing, and enjoy the journey.