Seeking His Heart
How was it that I came to be a writer? Why is it that any of us write? We write to communicate. We write to make to-do lists. We write to remember important events in our lives. We write to give instructions, to create, to express, to teach, to entertain.
Some of my earliest writings came out of a need to remember ideas. Sometimes creative ideas would pop into my mind so fast, I couldn’t remember them, so I quickly made notes before the ideas were gone. At other times writing was therapeutic. If I wrote down my thoughts and emotions, I could better look at them and think them through.
I wrote scripts to connect the songs in musical presentations. I wrote Bible studies for week-long youth camp settings. I reworked and shortened children’s musicals that were too long to be used. I was actually doing a good bit of writing in various venues, but I had this growing nudge of the Spirit to “write.”
For awhile I thought the Lord was urging me to do more and more of the same and I protested, “Lord, I am writing.” As time went on, I felt more in a quandary. I would drive by a book store and see a slogan in the window that would have to do with writing. I had been reading in Exodus and noticed that the Lord said to Moses,
14 “Write these things on a scroll as something to be remembered…” Exodus 17:14
I understood. Important things should be remembered. Acts of God must be recorded. But what does that have to do with me?
More and more occurrences happened. Then one day as I drove on the highway, I glanced down at the license plate of the car in front of me. (I promise you, I am not making this up.) The license plate said, “WRITE” in big bold letters. I thought, “Okay, Lord. I get it. But what do you want me to write?”
I attended a conference for church leaders and went to a breakout session having to do with knowing God’s will in your life. Gee, I had graduated from a chosen college, found my life’s partner, had a career in music education, and raised two kids. What more of God’s will was there to find? Well, knowing these compulsions I had been facing, I wandered into the class.
I didn’t hear anything really new, but in my present circumstances, it felt very personal, very convicting. Amazingly, one of leader’s examples was about an older lady who felt compelled to write and ended up writing a book. The more the conference leader spoke, the more the Holy Spirit began to move inside of me. I literally felt on fire throughout my whole body. I felt as if the Lord had taken a branding iron and stamped the word “Write!” across my heart. I immediately thought about the two on the road to Emmaus [last week’s post] and remembered their words:
32 “… Didn’t our hearts burn within us…” Luke 24:32
All of life is a process. My path of writing has been a much longer process than can be stated in one blog. So, if you’re willing, you can see the rest of the story next week.
Thank God you listened to His voice. You truly have a gift. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Thank you, Harry. He gives each of us His own unique gifts and circumstances. You’re right, our job is to listen and follow through.
Look 4ward to rest of the story!
Thanks, Mary. I better get busy!
This is truly inspiring. It is great that God’s message to you was heeded. Many of us do not heed what God has been showing us He wants us to do. That’s to our detriment. We don’t receive the blessings God had in mind for us.
Thanks, Karen. Yes, it is important to follow through. Just this week He gave me a little urge and I wasn’t quick enough to follow the nudge and lost an opportunity.
Joyce, you followed The Lord and your writing is very meaningful!
I look forward to it each week. I love that you are writing about the days following the crucifixion. I wish Dr. Barr was doing the same. There is so much to know and think about in those days and months that followed.
I’m trying to figure out where God wants my life to go, after my recent retirement. I would love to have lunch with you sometime and
Listen to your advice. Janet
Thank you, Janet. Yes, let’s plan a lunch date.