Faithful Career Moves - A Writing Career That Began With a Challenge

Jan 18 2023 40 mins

When Nicole Adair felt prompted to turn off Netflix, she got out a book to read instead. Now she's written two of her own.

Turning Off the Noise

When her local women's organization leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Stake Relief Society) asked members to replace one thing in their lives with something better, Nicole Adair knew she should give up Netflix. But she didn't want to. She "needed" the entertainment service to help her stay awake during seemingly endless nights caring for a newborn. Then her reluctance to give up the vice bothered her more than turning off the device.

Nicole recalls, "I kept having this feeling, and then I was disturbed by how much I didn't want to [turn off Netflix]...So I decided for 30 days to not watch any TV."

"I'm not saying that TV is bad or that Netflix is bad. I think the Lord was trying to communicate to me that I needed some quiet time. I needed some space to hear Him because He had something to tell me that was really important," she adds.

Accepting the REAL Challenge

Up with her wee one in the wee hours of the night, when she usually "zoned out" watching television, Nicole picked up a book instead.

Though she had always loved to read, this stay-at-home mother of three had gotten out of the habit for two reasons. First, the busyness of caring for little kids left her no time to sink into a book. Second, when she did get a chance to read, she would get so engrossed in the story that she didn't want to put the book down. So to avoid the frustrating starts and stops, Nicole quit reading entirely.

That is until she started a Netflix fast during late-night feedings.

And here is where this tale takes an unexpected turn.

In the quiet of the night, with a book and a baby in her hands, Nicole suddenly understood that she needed to do more than just read other people's stories. She felt prompted to start writing some of her own. Then, almost as shocking and immediate, characters nudged their way into her thoughts along with plot lines, settings, and dialogue. Unable to quash the developing novel, Nicole rose to what turned into an even more significant challenge--becoming a writer.

Listen to this interview to hear the rest of the story and learn how Nicole (now the author of two teen novels) found time to write, why she felt inspired to share her journey on social media, and how taking this leap of faith led to divinely inspired collaborations and several other unexpected blessings.

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Visit the website:
FaithfulCareerMoves.com: Faith-based Career Coaching for Stay-at-Home Moms

Get the book:
Return to Work with Confidence: A faith-based guide to help stay-at-home moms re-enter the workforce