FFs #39: What on Earth Is Living by Faith?

You're Gonna Love My Favorite God Analogy

Jun 27, 2025

The Two Sources of Resistance

In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield makes the case that all creatives must fight a battle with Resistance—a powerful, universal, internal force that keeps us from pursuing our creative dreams.

I can totally see how this has impacted my life. Like when I spent months creating a custom journal I had hoped to publish on Amazon, only to chicken out at the end and pivot to a completely different project. I was in

Ed Dale

’s group coaching program at the time. He was uber frustrated with me and assigned me the homework of reading Pressfield’s book. I liked it so much, I read it twice.

Since then, I’ve gotten better about noticing Resistance, figuring out where it’s coming from, resolving the problem, and moving on.

But, I’ve also come to see that Resistance isn’t always a War-of-Art thing. Sometimes it’s the Spirit. It’s hard to tell the difference. Sometimes it takes a while to become obvious.

If and when Resistance is coming from Spirit, my goal is to go with it—to let Spirit lead me. Especially when it comes to writing. Because my writing is a mission for me.

That’s what living by the Spirit is all about—letting Spirit set the direction each and every day. I have a stated intent to be sensitive to and responsive to the Spirit’s direction. And that’s working for me.

Some days I know what the plan is. Some days I have to ask (using my practice of Listening for Guidance). Some days I just sense what it is I’m supposed to work on. Some days I feel Resistance. Regardless, however I’m feeling is what I go with.

Here’s My Latest Example

Last year (2024), between May and July, I published nine posts on the topic of the spiritual practice of Listening for Guidance. My goal was to turn those posts into a book. To help me toward that goal, I signed up in November (2024) for

Chris Stanley

’s Seven-Day Challenge to complete a mini-book in seven days.

And I did complete the book. Except for the conclusion. Chris’ instructions told me exactly how to write it. A few topics and a lead magnet offer. It didn’t sound that hard. But, somehow, I just couldn’t get it done. Resistance had arrived, again.

I spent some time with AI and developed a list of possible lead magnets, but didn’t have time to create one. I tried a couple of times to free up space in my schedule to write the conclusion. But both attempts failed miserably. (I wrote about it in last week’s Fractal Fridays.)

Resistance seemed to be winning. But the things I was spending time on instead were all important to my mission. So I didn’t waste much time worrying about it.

Things Are Happening—Fast

But this month, June 2025, a bunch of things have happened in pretty short order. Kind of like dominos falling.

First, I learned some new things about Listening for Guidance in a four-week class from author Janet Conner. I’ve begun reading some books she suggested. The new information will help me to improve my book. And all of this has gotten my juices flowing again.

On June 10th, Amazon announced a change to their royalty structure for low-priced printed books. This could have a really big impact on the profitability of paperback mini-books. I am now reconsidering my original plan to publish my writing in a series of mini-books on Amazon. Not sure where this will go, but I’m glad to still be in a flexible position.

Finally, last week, I had an unexpected epiphany about how to re-arrange the content of 30-ish published posts between the first three books of my mini-book series. I think the new arrangement will be much better. And I’m glad to be having this epiphany before I published on Amazon.

Suddenly, the dam of Resistance seems to have broken.

This week, I shuffled my content like one of Gramma Gladys' double decks of cards. And I finally wrote the conclusion per Chris' instructions. As I expected, all it took was getting started.

I admit, I still have to create a lead magnet. And decide where to publish. And actually publish. So I’m not done yet, but at least I’m moving again.

What’s the Lesson Here?

This zig-zag, wait-for-it story line has played out in my life over and over again. So much so, that I've attached an analogy to it: God is Like a Domino Racer. [Note to

Chris Stanley

: please don't write that book. It 's already on my to-do list.]

Unfortunately, I can’t tell the dominos are being set until they begin to fall. But realizing that’s the case is so exciting! It’s another brick in the building blocks of faith.

Right now, the dominos are falling forward for me.

I’d like to challenge you to think about things that have happened in your own life. Can you find instances where, in retrospect, you can see God was carefully setting things up to work out in an unexpected, widely and wildly beneficial way?

Let me know in the comments.

Excerpt: What is Listening for Guidance?

[This is me freeing up space. Here is one of the 30-ish posts that someday will end up being published in some form, somewhere. TBD.]

Listening for Guidance is a specific form of spiritual journaling. It’s also a specific way to hear God’s voice. And… anyone can do it.

Right away, you might be wondering, Why have I never heard of this before? and, Is she making this up?

So, let me begin with a bit of backstory to this relatively obscure spiritual practice…

[Click here to read the rest.]

I’ll be working a booth at a Pride event tomorrow, so Happy Pride!

If you know someone who needs to hear what I have to say, please share or restack.

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