A Step in the Write Direction--January 27, 2014--Why Do You Write?

A Step in the Write Direction

January 27, 2014

Update: Continue to pray with me that I can find another publisher for A Step in the Write Direction—both the original book and the student edition. ...Celebrated our youngest daughter’s birthday Sunday, and now—for three weeks—our children are 49, 50, 51. (Don’t know how they got that old that fast!)…Good thought from our pastor: “My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord has given me.” A conference speaker told the story of a minister glancing over the bookstand at a camp meeting. Picking up book after book, he finally said, “There’s nothing here to help me.” The speaker then asked our group, “Has the Lord called you to write something that would help that minister?” What has the Lord called you to write? What is keeping you from it?

Thought for Today:

After Judgment—Blessing in the Messiah’s Kingdom

Joy shall then be revealed,

And rest shall appear.

And then healing shall descend in dew,

And disease shall withdraw.... 

And anxiety and anguish and lamentation pass...

 And...abusive talk, and contentions, and revenges... 

envy, and hatred...are removed. 

—2 Baruch 73:1-4

(Thanks to Wesley Tracy’s “Manna Morsels” for this thought. If you would like to get his daily 1-minute devotions, email him at: drwdt@cox.net)

Laugh for Today:

A man in prison was visited by a friend. "Have I got a proposition for you," he said. "When you finish your sentence, there's a bank out there just waiting to be robbed. I have it all figured out."  

So the prisoner got out, contacted his friend, they robbed the bank, and were immediately caught.

Moral of this story: Never end a sentence with a proposition!

Song for Today:

Take time to be holy. The world rushes on.

Spend much time in secret With Jesus alone.

By looking to Jesus, Like Him thou shalt be;

Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

            (“Take Time to Be Holy,” William D. Longstaff)

Comments from a reader on last week’s post:

Thank you, Donna for the encouragement to do the small writings and not worry about the big project. I needed that right now. I've written on assignment for 2-3 places most years since the mid-80s, developing devotions for them. I love doing it and feel I do touch thousands through this ministry. There are times, however, when I feel it is too small of a ministry and want to do the bigger thing. I have a book in the making but believe the time isn't just right and maybe the story isn't complete yet. …Can't work much on it though I have six of the stories written. Hubby still requires much time and mental attention. Your thoughts encouraged me to keep on with what I'm doing.

 Writer’s Tips—Why Do You Write?

Some write to satisfy an inner need. But as a Christian, it’s more important to think how your writing can help meet the needs of others. As you write, ask yourself: What are my readers going through? What answers are they looking for? How can I help them? Sharing problems you’ve experienced in your life, and showing how God has helped you will encourage others going through something similar. There are other reasons to write, however.

Because Writing Is Therapeutic

Have you gone, or are going, through a rough period in your life—a divorce, a move, a broken relationship, the loss of a family member or friend? Putting these thoughts on paper not only helps you get through the experience, but your story, article, or poem can help others in their struggle.

Perhaps you’ve had days when you felt you didn’t have any friends. I experienced such a time in college and wrote about it in a story entitled “No Need to Be Lonely” which I sold to a teen Sunday school take-home paper.

Money problems? I wrote my first poem at the age of 9 for my mother when I couldn’t buy her a Mother’s Day gift.

Are you hurting inside? I wrote another poem for my father when I was 11, after he left my mother and married another woman.

Maybe you have health problems. My granddaughter looked forward to getting her driver’s license on her sixteenth birthday, but shortly before that day, she began having seizures. She wrote a story entitled “My Birthday Gift” and sold it to two teen magazines, sharing how a particular Bible passage became her life motto and helped her through this tough time.

(Continued next week)

Have a good week spreading the

gospel through the printed page.

Donna Clark Goodrich

dgood648@aol.com

www.thewritersfriend.net

http://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com