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| Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tithe (accessed: July 28, 2015). |
Many Christians choose to tithe their income or their time. Some Christians tithe out of the bounty of their gardens. This got me thinking about tithing the gift of writing.
It's certainly not required. But there are many opportunities to do it.
Have you considered it? Perhaps you already share your writing skills and gifts. Please let me know in the comments below how you do so!
Personally, I "tithe" or give writing time to my CASA organization for their website and I write to prisoners. I don't say that to boast, I say that to give you an idea. In fact, I bet you may give away more writing time than you think.
There are a lot of ways you can use your writing to bless others. Writing isn't just for books. God freely gave us our writing gifts and we should be willing to share freely, too.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Write a note to your pastor or your pastor's family and let them know how you appreciate them.
2. Write to people in nursing homes.
3. Write to prisoners. Mail is precious, precious, precious to them. If you're afraid to write to them with your own address, send me the letter and I'll mail it. Ask me how.
4. Write a poem for your church's bulletin or newsletter.
5. Write a Christmas program for your church, or some other program.
6. Write to missionaries.
7. Write to persecuted Christians.
8. Blog about Jesus.
9. Help a child learn to write.
10. Start a writing club for the elderly to help them tell their life stories.
11. Volunteer at a writing conference -- ACFW Conference is coming in September! (Yay!) They always need volunteers. (And really, it's so fun to volunteer, I don't know why more people don't!)
12. Host a write-in for NaNoWriMo.
13. Offer one free writing class per year online.
14. Write a Sunday School lesson.
15. Send cards and poems to hospital patients.
15. Send cards and poems to hospital patients.
These are just a few ways you can use your gift of writing to bless others. I'm sure you have a lot of ideas, too.
Sometimes we may be tempted to think we're not really writers unless we're published and on a bookshelf. Maybe we don't feel the writing we do is "big enough." That's just not true. Publishing takes many forms. One of those forms is a letter to someone who is thirsty to receive. Your writing is a refreshing drink of water to someone parched for fellowship.
And besides, what's "big" in God's eyes? He created the Universe. Jupiter. The Grand Canyon. Ants. Mustard seeds. What we may think of as a big deal may not be what God considers a big deal at all.
Sometimes we may be tempted to think we're not really writers unless we're published and on a bookshelf. Maybe we don't feel the writing we do is "big enough." That's just not true. Publishing takes many forms. One of those forms is a letter to someone who is thirsty to receive. Your writing is a refreshing drink of water to someone parched for fellowship.
And besides, what's "big" in God's eyes? He created the Universe. Jupiter. The Grand Canyon. Ants. Mustard seeds. What we may think of as a big deal may not be what God considers a big deal at all.
What ideas do you have about tithing your writing? Please share your ideas in the comments below so I can use your suggestions, too!
Karla Akins is the author of The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots and countless short stories, biographies and other books for middle grades. She currently serves as Vice-President of ACFW-Indiana Chapter and resides in North Manchester with her pastor-husband, twin adult sons with autism and her mother-in-law with Alzheimer's. Her three dogs and two cats serve as attentive editors.
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