By His Grace

I’m feeling small and quiet today in light of God’s incomprehensible patience and goodness.

I’ve mentioned before how my writing journey has become intertwined with my spiritual journey in Christ. I am convinced now they are forever linked.

I have accepted that for my journey as a writer to advance, I must keep moving forward with Jesus, my Lord and Savior.

I must be willing to be soft and pliable.

I must be willing to repent when He exposes hidden sin in my life.

Sometimes I must wait for answers. And I have found that when I wait with expectation, God does answer.

The story I’m working on is one of two story ideas I got in my teens along with my “call” to write. I knew this was it; what God made me to do. Creating stories was so fun!

But I also noticed almost immediately that my friends – who did not feel compelled to write anything – were much better writers than me.

courtesy of graphicstock.com

That’s why I earned a degree in journalism with a minor in English. If you want to write, learn how to write, right?

And God in His goodness blessed my efforts. I loved my classes. Every writing class had my complete attention and I got to write for a living for six years as a reporter/editor. I loved it. The hours and stress just about killed me, but I loved it.

Flash forward a mere 25 years later from my initial call to the present time and yet another failed attempt to place in a contest.

Until recently I have failed rather gracefully, if I do say so myself. Kept my chin up and took the constructive criticism in stride. But not this time. My reaction to this rejection was different.

This time I seethed. And to my ultimate shame, I directed that anger at God – the most powerful being in this and all universes who could make me a little grease spot on the floor, if He wanted to.

I think I even (I’m wincing as I write this) literally shook my fist at the heavens and said, “What are you doing to me? Why me? Why did you give this story to me?”

Have you ever been there? Am I the only one? You want to know what He said?

“Are you ready to do this my way now?”

I was like, “Wha?” Such a succinct, intelligent response all while sporting a Patrick Starfish look on my face I’m sure. I had to let that sink in for a minute. Finally I said, “I thought I was.”

Wow! What a revelation, huh?

So after positioning myself to humbly ask for God’s forgiveness and listen to Him, I asked again, “So why me? I’m obviously not up to the task. I thought you gave this story to me because I’m the only one who can write it.”

Basically, the answer was “No.” I wasn’t chosen for what I bring to the table.

I found my answer in a Bible my grandpa gave to my grandma for Christmas many years ago. In it was a narrow bookmark that says, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” It still didn’t make sense to me until I read 2 Cor. 12:9 in the New Living Translation: “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”

Oh. That’s why God chose me to write this story, so I can proclaim with the Apostle Paul the rest of the verse: “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

Just like salvation, it’s not what I bring to the equation, it’s what He brings to it – Grace.

So now you know why I’m feeling small and am in awe of the Almighty God who is also my gracious Heavenly Father. Grace indeed.

Humbly submitted by H.T. Lord

Why I need you to keep writing

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Monday, March 26, was the worst day of my life.

And on Monday, March 26, I came home from a traumatic experience, opened up my email and found a blog post by Greg Johnson on the ACFW Blog entitled "My Day in Prison."

I couldn't believe what I was reading.

God is into details. His timing is perfect. It amazes me how our Lord orchestrates the logistics of our lives to give us exactly what we need when we need it. I don't know why I marvel. He says He takes care of the little sparrow so why wouldn't He tell Greg Johnson to write what I needed and post it on the day I needed it?

And why wouldn’t He give the idea of ACFW to someone because He knew that Karla Akins would need Greg Johnson to post on the ACFW organization's blog?

That’s just like Him. He is faithful. And I’m grateful.

In that post on March 26, Greg Johnson talks about how very much prisoners need what we write. He interviewed a prisoner who said that books get passed around in prison. “Books communicate, through story, God’s grace and the love of Jesus in a form that women can grasp. A woman can get swept away into the love of God through a story, well told."

  

When I came home that day I wanted to crawl into bed, curl up in a fetal position and plead with God to just let me die. I wanted to wallow in self-pity and sorrow.

But the ACFW blog post was the first thing I read when I opened my email so I couldn't. I knew God had His eye on me and was carrying me, bloody, wounded and bruised because I barely had the will to breathe or the strength to pray or the resolve to stand.

This was the day the vivid colors in my life disappeared and my world became shades of gray.

Because you see, on this day, Monday, March 26, my oldest son went to prison.

My 27-year-old golden boy, born on Easter Sunday, father of three beautiful little girls, is addicted to meth.

I write this, five days after my son's sentencing, not in a fetal position in my bed, but from a small writing conference where Dave Lambert is one of our anointed speakers. He said something profound yesterday I just have to share with you (part of this quote is attributed to Eugene Petersen):

 "Once upon a time there was a great truth teller named Jesus. Because He knew the Truths He decided to be a great story teller. Why did Jesus teach in stories?  Jesus was a master of subversion. His favorite speech form, the parable, was subversive. The [parables] sounded ordinary; secular; of his 40 parables only one has a setting in church and only a couple mention the name of God. Nothing in them threatened their own sovereignty. Like a time bomb they would explode in their unprotected hearts.  Jesus continually threw odd stories along ordinary lives and walked away without explanation or altar call."

Will you follow in Jesus' footsteps and keep writing so that the lost, like my darling boy, will hear His Voice? There's a blindness that only God's grace can heal.

Please don't give up. I need you. The world needs to hear what God has to say through you. God gave you the dream for a reason, and it's not all about you.

Someone's life depends on your perseverance.

“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7”

 

 Karla Akins is a pastor's wife, mother of five, grandma to five beautiful little girls and author of O Canada! Her Story. She lives in North Manchester with her husband, twin teenage boys with autism, and three rambunctious dogs. Her favorite color is purple, favorite hobby is book-hoarding, and favorite food group is cupcakes.

Theology 101 For Novelists: How :"Boring" and "Divisive" Doctrine Can Make Your Story More Interesting

Angelology and eschatology can produce a best seller, but a study on harmatiology can create a deep and thrilling novel.

No, I'm not cursing at you and I'm not speaking in tongues either. And no, you don't need to grab your dictionary – I have some long words you may not be familiar with, but I'll define them.

Raise your hands if you think theology is something that can enhance your novel. I see one hand. Wait, that's my hand I see!

Some may think theology is boring. It can be but not if it's taught right. Others will say that theology is divisive. Technically, it's the differences in theology that divides.

Let me surprise you. All of you have a theology. In fact, if you're a Christian you have a belief in the ten major fields of theology and if you're not you still have views in the vast majority. You may not have it written out with notes indicating the Scriptures you appeal to for that belief or even be aware of it, but you still have a theology.

Is that enough of a shocker? Let me go a step further: Each of your characters has a theology in the ten fields I'll introduce you to. The characters might have varying theologies and these might bring about the conflict.

As I said, theology in and of itself isn't divisive. We may disagree on some of the aspects of these ten fields, but I'm sure we agree about that we have beliefs that fit in these categories. I'll be sharing these theological divisions in the order that my college curriculum covered them.

1. BIBLIOLOGY: Doctrine of Scripture. Is it inspired? How was it inspired? Does it contain errors?

2. THEOLOGY PROPER: Doctrine of God. What are His attributes? Is the Trinity fact or fiction?

3. CHRISTOLOGY: Doctrine of Christ. (That was a tough one to figure out, wasn't it?!) Is Jesus Christ God in the flesh? If so, was he fully God and fully man? Was He sinless and could He have fallen into temptation?

4. PNUEMATOLOGY: Doctrine of the Holy Spirit. What is the nature of the baptism, indwelling, and filling of the Spirit? Spiritual gifts falls into this category as well.

5. ANTHROPOLOGY: Doctrine of man. A term not limited to Christianity. Was man created in God's image? What was the nature of the fall?

6. HARMATIOLOGY: Doctrine of sin. What is sin and how does it affect our relationship with God and with each other?

7. ANGELOLOGY: Doctrine of angels. (Another one that you wouldn't have guessed without help, right?!) What is the nature of angels? This field also deals with Satan and demons. Frank Peretti's Darkness series deals with this field.

8. SOTEROLOGY: Doctrine of salvation. Are we saved by grace alone, by our good deeds, or some combination? Are we elect or do we have free will? Can we lose our salvation?

9. ECCLESIOLOGY: Doctrine of the church. What is the nature and authority of the church? Is the local church autonomous?

10. ESCHATOLOGY: Doctrine of last things. Is there a coming, thousand-year long Kingdom? If so, will Christ return to set it up or will the church establish it with Christ coming to claim it? Is there a coming time of testing? Will the church be there for all of it, none of it, or part of it? By the way, has anyone heard of a series which started with the book Left Behind?

As I have on my tagline, who says theology can't be thrilling? Hopefully, you no longer see theology as boring or a field that distracts from the action. And maybe you don't see it as much divisive as a great source for page turning conflict.

By the way, I am an ordained minister. I've graduated from Southwestern Conservative Baptist Bible College (now known as Arizona Christian University) in Phoenix, Arizona.

Don't Let Life Pass You By

Ever wonder how a writer’s perception differs in terms of events, circumstances and the seemingly insignificant, mundane things of life? Writers take mental snapshots, if you will, of people, places and events, and we hold them in our memories, imprint them on our hearts. Years later, I still remember some of those fleeting moments. Long before we had cameras in our phones, I remember a scene as I rode the bus through the streets of Dallas on the way to work. An abandoned pair of well-worn cowboy boots sat on a step in a narrow alleyway. That “picture” stuck in my mind. I wondered about the man who’d worn those boots, and how they’d come to be abandoned.

I’ll always remember the handsome, young Italian priest, arms outstretched in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, the children running to him while other children ran alongside us, holding out their hands, hoping for a coin or two. It was like The Thornbirds revisited. Just a man of the cloth reaching out to the children. Right. Likewise the gondoliers in Venice cleaning their boats, singing along to Rod Stewart’s “Do You Think I’m Sexy?” Just a group of guys doing their job. Right.

One of the most interesting things I ever wrote was on a tray liner at a Burger King while sitting in London’s Piccadilly Circus as I observed a man interacting with a series of young women who slid in to the booth across from him. It was pretty clear what his relationship was to those women. My heart ached for them, and it opened my eyes a bit to the ways of the world, that so-called “seamy underbelly” a small-town girl from Indiana had never glimpsed before. Then there was the bride outside a suburban Boston Marriott, dressed in her finery, running down the street alone – at midnight. These are the kinds of mental images that stay with me. I remember saying after the bride incident, “Now there’s a story!”

Take the time to watch and observe carefully over the next few days, and you might be surprised. Let me tell you what I noticed recently on my twelve-mile morning trip across a double-decker bridge stretching across the Ohio River dividing Indiana from Kentucky. This is a sampling of what I saw:

*An older man using a long metal stick, pointed at the end, to pick up trash on the side of the road. I see him most mornings as I turn the corner onto the main road from our neighborhood. He does his part to keep that portion of the road clean and litter-free. But he always looks somber, sad, the lines on his face etched deep, his mouth downturned. I wonder if he lives alone, how he came to pick up the debris so faithfully as his daily mission, what he thinks of those who throw their trash out car window with no regard.

*Four elderly women standing outside the Catholic church, hands clasped together, waiting until it was safe to cross the street. My eyes well with tears, as they often do, when I see these women. It’s their morning routine. They’d been to church, and I can’t help but wonder about them. Are any of their husbands still living? How long have they known one another? Where did they meet? What I see is deep friendship, and the caring and protective spirit they share.

*A four-car pileup. Didn’t look like anyone was hurt, thank the Lord, but a couple of cars were most likely totaled. Some drivers waiting to get past the accident scene were impatient, others bided their time. But almost all were on their cell phones calling work to say they’d be late. What did we ever do before cell phones were invented? They’ve changed the entire way we communicate. In some ways – like immediacy – it’s good. In other ways, it’s self-limiting and perhaps cuts us off from interacting and reaching out to new people.

*A woman pulling down her rearview mirror and applying mascara as she waited to turn onto a busy downtown street. Is this grooming in the car part of her usual routine? Why would she risk poking her eye with a mascara wand? What could she possibly have been doing before leaving home? Is she single, married, with or without children? Perhaps she stayed up late the night before and opted to sleep later. Maybe she’d been so busy taking care of everyone else in her family she hadn’t taken time for herself.

*A homeless man, a cart loaded with his worldly possessions beside him on a downtown street, poking in a trash can for leftovers. Puffing on a cigarette. I thank the Lord it wasn’t too cold. What kinds of things run through this man’s mind? How does he spend his time? Does he know about the local mission and nearby shelter? What kind of daily existence must he lead? That one’s difficult for me. It’s beyond the scope of my understanding, but at this point, I do what I can for him – I pray.

*The Coca-Cola driver unloads his truck in front of my office building, chatting and smiling with the office worker headed toward the revolving doors. The man with the Volvo station wagon stops to ask for directions. A noisy group of tourists heads to the Visitor’s Center to hear the life story of Colonel Sanders or the Muhammad Ali Center to hear more about The Champ. Multiple school buses line up by the Kentucky Center for the Arts, with children lining up by the front steps, smiling and chattering, ready to see a special play. They’re happy, full of the innocence and boundless faith of youth. Some of these children might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a performance here. Their excitement shows in their body language, their facial expressions. It makes me smile as I turn into the parking garage.

I’ve seen a lot in one trip to work, but I’ve seen things I’ll imprint on my mind, in my heart. We can let the world pass us by, or we can stop and pay attention and use what we see to enhance our lives and our writing. Feel the emotion. Glimpse the beauty in life, the hope and the joy, to balance out the inevitable sadness, the loneliness. All the emotions that make up life. Until recently, I also worked part-time at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. One of the volunteers I worked with there on my last night – a beautiful, Christian woman and one-year breast cancer survivor with a headful of gorgeous, new curls she’d never had before – stood up at the end of “Mamma Mia!” to join in singing along to the finale, “Dancing Queen.” She had the most joyous smile on her face, winked at me and said, “Sometimes you just gotta dance!” Indeed.

Blessings, my friends, until next time!

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE

Its 8 p.m. on Sunday night, only hours before my blog entry deadline, and I’ve done it again. I want to kick myself every time I procrastinate on writing, and think if I would’ve just worked on it earlier…
But earlier nothing comes to my mind to write about. It’s not until I’m under pressure that I can focus much clearer and find the words I want to use. For example, the first novel I wrote took me a year and a half to write. The first year and three months I wrote a total of three chapters, over and over again. In the last three months of writing that novel, I wrote the other twenty-three chapters.
I’m sure this method of writing would make many writers cringe. But for those others who are saying to themselves, “That’s me!”—there’s still hope. How do I know that? Because I Googled it.
The result I’ve found is that successful writers have completed novels in a short time span and have come out with best sellers. Karen Kingsbury wrote her novel Ever After (100,000 words) in four days. I don’t know how she even had time to brush her teeth while accomplishing that, but she must’ve had a massive surge of creative juices flowing day and night. And a very supportive family.
If you’re writing under pressure, whether you like it that way or have no other choice, consider this verse from Philippians 4:13 - “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Life doesn’t always allow for ample time to write, so make do with the time you have. And have the guts to get it done. I like what Ernest Hemingway once quoted about having guts. He said, “By “guts” I mean grace under pressure.”

Marjorie DeVries

Worthy to Write Christian Fiction?

What makes a person worthy to write Christian fiction? As a sinner living in a fallen world, I fail to live up to the standards laid down by the savior; sometimes on a daily and even hourly basis. At times I can’t help but question my worthiness to write Christian fiction. These are the times when I most relate to Paul’s depiction of his own struggle:

I have discovered this principle of life-that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. Romans 7:21 (NLT)

Can you imagine if Paul had stopped there? If he had decided that because of his imperfections he was not worthy to do the Lord’s work? Thank goodness that he responds to his own weakness with these words:

Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 7:24 (NLT)

Isn’t that what our fiction is all about? Proclaiming through story that the grace of Jesus Christ is the only true answer for all the broken characters in this fallen world? I have no doubt that I have the experience to tell that story! What about you?
Lisa Faye Harman