A Step in the Write
Direction
October 27,
2014
Update: As I shared in my book The Freedom of Letting Go, I’ve been
able to let go of my yesterdays. However, I’m having more trouble letting go of
my tomorrows! This past week with 3 new health issues for my husband, my
sister’s eyesight worsening, and my daughter and family moving back here from
Oklahoma and waiting for word on a church opening, I’ve found myself trying to
figure out how to solve these problems on my own. One sleepless night, it’s as
though the Lord said to me, “Are you trying to do My job again?” Then I happened
to think of the words of a poem my mother wrote years ago when my dad left her
after 22 years of marriage: “One day at a time.” So that’s my new prayer. (In
fact, it might even be the old song, “Moment by Moment.”) Maybe that’s what one
of you need today too, so I’ll be praying for each one who reads
this.
Thought for
Today: “As
thy day, so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy
33:25).
Song for
Today:
Day by day, and with each passing
moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials
here.
Trusting in my Father’s wise
bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for
fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all
measure
Gives unto each day what He deems
best,
Lovingly its part of pain and
pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and
rest….
The protector of His child and
treasure
Is a charge that on himself He
laid,
“As thy days, thy strength shall
be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He
made.
—“Day by Day,” Carolina V.
Sandell-Berg
Laugh for
Today:
Wife to husband: What do you
think of your new secretary’s typing skills?
Husband: Well, she does use
the biblical method.
Wife: What? ‘Seek and ye
shall find?’
Husband: No, she doesn't let
her left hand know what her right hand is doing.
Writer’s Tips: (from unpublished writer’s devotional
book)
Rolling Away the Stone
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was
very large, had been rolled away (Mark 16:4).
Mary
Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices to anoint the
body of Jesus. But as they neared the tomb, they asked each other, “Who will
roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” Good question! How could
they have known that the stone had already been rolled
away?!
Have you ever
felt that a huge stone blocks your dream to be a writer? Perhaps it’s the
Stone of Discouragement. Luke 3:5-6 tells the story of Peter, a
professional fisherman. When Jesus told him to let down the nets, he said,
“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.”
Does this
sound familiar? “Lord, I went to a conference. The editors told me to send them
my book manuscripts. I did, but I’ve heard nothing.” “Lord, I’ve submitted my
book fifteen times, and every time it comes back with a form rejection. They
don’t even tell me why.” “Lord, I sent out twelve articles a month ago and
haven’t sold anything.” “Lord, I’m quitting. My nets are empty.”
The note on
this passage in the Nelson Study Bible (nkjv) says, “This is Peter’s statement
of faith. The fisherman noted that he and his companions had just failed to make
a catch at the best time for fishing, the evening. The circumstances were not
good for a catch at the time of Jesus’ command.”
But what was
Peter’s response? “Because you say so, I will let down the nets [again]”
(emphasis added). And what happened? He “caught such a large number of fish that
[his] net began to break.” So many fish that he had to call his partners in
other boats to come and help him, and they “filled both boats so full that they
began to sink” (v. 7).
Let down your
net again. Only the Lord knows what you will pull up this time!
Chance is always
powerful.
Let your hook be always
cast.
In the pool where you
least expect it
will be a fish.
(Ovid)
If the stone
of discouragement is blocking you today, find a scripture to hang onto and write
it down where you can see it often.
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
Hi Donna, This is an old friend that will be praying for your sleepless nights. I'm Monica Anzalone-Rowan, Poems and Allegorical short books. 5 of them now. Never really marketed any after the first few conferences that told me there's nothing wrong with the book, just no market for an allegory. The series is interesting as it goes deeper into each character as the books progress. They are short, 33,000 words. First book girl protagonist second boy and continues in that fashion.
ReplyDeleteI stopped writing and went to college doctorate level and am writing again as the ideas are coming for this next book very quickly. I'm into the 4th chapter of the detailed outline as I get more ideas every night. I know the beginning and the ending very striking end and could be frightening content as it deals with angels, demons and the end times.
I see the setting and think it could be a good television series. I have co- written and have been paid option money's for a screen play years ago.
I was writing for your input. What do you think?
Monica