There's something about trains that I've always liked ever since I was little. The smoke hissing from the engine smokestack. The rattle of the wheels, the power of the thing.
I originally wanted to call this newsletter "The Waystation Telegraph."
A waystation is a stopping point between two main stations on a railroad.
It's also called a whistle-stop. You may have heard that one. And the memorable song at the beginning of Disney's Robin Hood.
Train stations are equally fascinating, especially the big ones like Union Station in Washington DC. I visited there on a church youth choir trip in middle school.
The idea of it was lovely. You could find a nice spot on a bench nearby, up against clean, slightly cracked subway tiles, and take it all in. Listen to the hum of voices in the crowd and the rattle of trains coming and going.
In the sea of faces, you don't know where people are coming from or where they're going. The only story you know is your own. What you choose at this moment is under your control.
When I launched The Freeman Wire in 2020, I didn't know what I was doing. I found articles on whatever happened in that crazy year and shared my insights. I told my family and friends and waited to see what happened.
Like most writers, I thought much of my writing wasn't good enough.
I didn't know where I was going anymore, and despite encouragement and positive feedback, I quit.
And there I was at my very own station. I watched the trains of life arrive and depart and tried to figure out which ones God wanted me to board.
Stations are the places in life where we pause and make decisions. And trains are opportunities and choices in life that take us to our next destination.
These were my trains as of late: different jobs, changing friendships, getting older, facing wounds from the past, family stuff, starting a marketing business, and plenty of other things left me in a whirlwind of decisions.
Every now and then, people would ask, "Are you still writing?" I told them about the novella and the Christian nonfiction book I was working on. But I wasn't making much progress on either.
Who was going to read my work? How would I market it? Would it even matter?
After much prayer, consideration, and a conversation with my mom, I gave The Freeman Wire another shot.
Looking back at my old posts, I cringed a little. Good thing, I told myself. It meant that I was growing as a writer and a person.
I started seeing more clearly what I could bring to the table. I felt more confident tackling new challenges and dealing with change.
As an introvert, I often get lost in my head. I'd focus on the loud, powerful trains, my ambitions, my struggles, and the chaos of the world around me. Yet, I sometimes overlooked the quiet blessings God brought into my life.
In my first go-around in writing The Freeman Wire, I got a fan from social media who became a subscriber. I let him know when I had a new post up. These messages turned into deep discussions about God, life, America, and politics. Despite our geographical distance, this blossomed into a beautiful friendship.
He was willing to "sit" with me on the bench in this station. We watched the trains in my life and his and where the intersections happened. His love, support, and friendship remain a quiet and profound blessing in my life.
He was one of the first ones I told about my relaunch. His kind words were an encouragement and an affirmation; This was where I was supposed to be.
It reminded me of this: Sometimes, life's most important trains are the quietest.
His entrance, like so many others into my life, was quiet. I believe that God often moves quietly in the noise of our lives. It's like that verse in 1 Kings 19:11
Then He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.”
At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” - 1 Kings 19:11-13 HCSB
I want the Freeman Wire to be like a waystation for you. We'll look at the culture, history, media, and news around us—the loud trains. And how we can center ourselves.
At the end of the day, the one thing you can control is yourself.
We looked at what a manifesto was earlier. A way for you to understand who you are. What your goals, visions, and desires are.
These are your trains and how you will watch them.
Now, we can look at where you are:
What's going on in your life right now?
Where are you sitting or standing?
What train are you thinking about boarding?
Next time, we'll look at our Creator. Everyone has a concept of the divine, but it's not always correct. And interestingly, many people, including myself, want to get angry with him when bad or confusing things happen. Because He's God, and He's supposed to control everything, right?
I'd love to know your thoughts on the article. Reply to this email or leave a comment. If you know someone who might enjoy The Freeman Wire, feel free to share it with them.
Thanks for sitting with me at the station today. Let's see where the next train takes us.
Live Free!
This article was originally published on freemanwire.substack.com