My life as a writer is unique, in that it's a quiet life, filled with hours of staring at a computer screen. I'm not complaining about that fact. Indeed, I have the best job in the world. I get paid to do what I love and I get to choose my own hours. (What joy!) I can even write in my jammies if I want to! Still, I must confess that solitude is a funny thing. At times I've allowed it to swallow me up and at times I've used it to my advantage.Solitude. The Bible addresses this concept dozens of times. We're called to be still. . .to know that He is God. We're encouraged to quiet ourselves so that we can better hear His voice. We're given the privilege of sneaking away into a secret place, to crawl into our Daddy God's arms for restoration and refreshing. We're ushered into His holy presence, to experience His power, His anointing, His healing.
But there's another presence that springs from solitude, as well, especially for the Christian writer. We are called by God to impact our world. . .to literally become a holy "presence" in our circle of influence. I've been chewing on this idea. I want to reach the masses with my stories, but I'm convinced I won't effectively reach even one if I don't take time to slow down and take advantage of the solitude. In order to be a holy presence, I must spend more time in His holy presence. If I don't, it will show in my work. My words will be lifeless, bland. They will simply be black ink on white paper. They won't changes lives. Oh, and how I want to change lives! My heart erupts with joy at the very idea that one of my books could be used to nudge someone closer to the Lord!
So, how about you? Are you bathing yourself in His presence? Are you asking Him to help you reach others through your writing. . .to become a real "presence" in your world? For the Christian writer, these two will forever be linked.
The formula is simple: Time in His holy presence = becoming a holy "presence"
Chew on it. . .then slip away to that secret place.
Check out Janice's blog, Double Booked, for book reviews, interviews, information about new novels, Christian books, new authors, established authors and contests galore. You can also find her hanging out at the Internal Monoblog, a site where you will learn what makes female writers tick. Or visit her website at: http://www.janiceathompson.com/about.html
______________________________________________________________________ Janice Thompson has written over thirty novels and non-fiction books. Her published works include: Duty To Die, A Class Of Her Own, Angel Incognito, A Chorus Of One, Sweet Charity, Hurricane, Parenting Teens: A Field Guide, Banking On Love, I Must Decrease, The Wedding Caper, Larkspur Dreams (co-authored with Anita Higman), Sugar And Grits, Gone With The Groom, Red Like Crimson, Texas Weddings, The Love Song: (co-authored with Anita Higman), Bride to Be (a devotional for brides to be): co-authored with my daughter, Randi Morrow, Mommy to Be (a devotional for moms to be): co-authored with my daughter, Randi Morrow, White As Snow, Castles in the Air: (co-authored with Anita Higman), Minding My Own Business (novelette), Out of the Blue, Pushing Up Daisies, Spring Creek Bride, Salt Water Taffie, The Perfect Match
4 comments:
Thank you for posting this, Marcia! I'm grateful!
This message really touched me. Thank you Janice.
Well, you pegged it--writing is a solitary thing, even if you're writing in a roomful of people. It's just you and God if you're doing things right!
It stands to reason that if we're going to write for the Lord, we should have a close relationship with Him. You did a great job of showing that, Janice.
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