THANKFUL THURSDAY!

I'm joining Sonya at Truth for the Journey again this week for Thankful Thursday.

1. I am thankful for renewed friendships. A writing buddy attended our monthly writer's group meeting and she and I and two other women who were in a critique group together several years ago committed to get together and reacquaint ourselves with each other.

2. I am thankful for the healing God is doing in my life. This winter has been a time growth and comfort, reassurance and insight vs. my usual Seasonal Affective Disorder.

3. I have been blessed with several opportunities to minister to other women either through my writing or through offering support and encouragement in person.

4. I am thankful that some opportunities I thought I would have did not come to fruition. The next month will be less stressful and I can reorder my priorities and activities.

5. I am so thankful for a God who continues to bless me, uplift me, instruct me and love me!

I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. [2 Samuel 22:4 RSV]

Defining My Voice As a Writer

I know it seems this should be posted on Godly Graffiti blog, but I think what I have experienced tonight is about more than writing--it is about finding my voice!

Tonight I wrote my first column for Take Root and Write. I've spent a couple of weeks reading the words of many of the women who are already established there and I have been really awestruck. I've also spent some intentional time visiting other Christian women's blogs--mainly some I've found through links at the the blogs I have been regularly visiting. I realize that our collective voice is powerful and strong and sure. I've tried to leave at least one comment on each blog that uplifts and encourages the women.

I researched my column. I did a lot of reading and praying and thinking. I struggled for every word. Part of the reason I know is because it was my first one and I was half thinking the site owner was going to read it and tell me she changed her mind! Not really -- but kind of. I sent off a copy of the post to one of my Christian sisters who was in a critique group with me a few years ago and asked for her feedback. After I reread it, though, I felt good about it.

I kept thinking about how a woman who is being abused can consider herself God's Wonder Woman--which is the column title. I thought about a single mom, living in poverty, working two jobs and wondered if she ever felt valued. I considered the drug addicts and the prostitutes. I anguished over all my sisters everywhere. I really want them to know how much they are loved, how precious they are and how they are perfect in God's eyes.

That's what I hope my words conveyed. The exercise of writing the column - the first one that will set the tone and make the first impression helped me define my voice. I can speak these words of hope and love to other women because I am learning to believe them myself - and to live them out.

One blog post isn't going to say all there is to say. One statement or one book won't cover everything I want to convey. I'm just going to keep praying that God gives me the words others need to hear to help them in whatever situation they may find themselves.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. [Hebrews 12:1]

Such a Great Cloud of Witnesses

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1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us [Hebrews 12:1]

These words have always been powerful for me. As a writer I love the imagery of a 'great cloud of witnesses' in Paul's letter to the Hebrews. Paul is saying that since we are indeed surrounded in this way, we are more able to throw off all that entangles us in the matters of this world--those "of the world" things.

Things like the 2-year long U.S. Presidential election process, the war in Iraq, all the unrest, wars, famine, natural disasters, and on and on and on distract us from what really matters. In the midst of this "cloud" we are energized, nourished, sustained, encouraged and supported in the "race marked out for us."

The "cloud" refers to those surrounding us. It's important with whom we associate, with whom we choose to be friends, with whom we spend time. We may not have control over these things at our jobs, but without godly friends and a strong faith community, it's nearly impossible to live live out our call as Christians.

Why? Because we tend to act like those with whom we interact. We tend to speak as those with whom we speak. We tend to spend our time the way those with whom we associate spend their time. While familiarity may not breed contempt, it can and may breed something even more insidious. When we become so comfortable and familiar with friends we may relax our standards a bit, or allow them to relax theirs. Our conversations may shift from how we can deal with difficult people by remembering they are children of God to how annoyed WE are by the challenging people in our lives.

When we get so comfortable with our Christianity we may forget that we are as broken, frail and flawed as are each of the other people in the world where we live. Our co-workers, the other commuters on the road, the clerk in the store, our spouse, our children all deserve to be viewed through the eyes of our Savior. All too often, though, we make it about "me" and that's, as it was explained to me one day recently, "idolotry." That's right: we make ourselves the center of the world rather than God when we snap at, gossip about, begrudge and bemoan all the others in our lives.

I've had an interesting month. I've attended two Christian Writer's conferences, met some amazing, gifted, wonderful Christian women writers and deepened friendships with some amazing, gifted, wonderful Christian women writers. Don't get me wrong--I'm not so selective about my friendships that I am only friends with women Christian writers! That's just where I am right now -- in the writing mode - and since I'm a Christian woman writer . . . well it kind of all makes sense.

Since I've been published (for pay) this past year, I've been asked to be a member of a panel discussion at the annual dinner of the Christian writer's group I belong to. I honestly don't know what I will say beyond the fact that I am ever humbled and awed that the God of heaven and earth has selected me to be a vessel of His word to a world in desperate need of healing and hope. I will also relate my ongoing struggle to live a life worthy of God's design for my life.

To Him belongs the glory and to Him belongs any success or wealth or recognition I have or will ever receive as a writer. "My" words are all God-breathed and spirit-inspired. When I read the words of some of my "new" and current Christian writer friends, I can tell they feel as I do--that they are blessed beyond imaginging; that they are God's willing and holy vessels of the Good News. I read their words and think they are so powerful and beautiful that I aspire to be like them.

I still love my "old" friends and they will always be important in my life! They have been some of the strong Christians that have helped keep me in line as well as encourage and uplift me. Interesting though, that all my "old" friends with whom I maintain friendships are Christian. My church is truly a Christian family - after almost 20 years together, that makes sense.

So my challenge to myself is to not be so relaxed and comfortable that I forget whose I am and how He desires me to act and think and speak. My desire is that I can be a light for my friends and family as I live out and live into God's plan and purpose for my life.